Events chair Jeff Carson dreamed up another great night of magic for us: Holiday Magic. The really neat part of the night is that Jeff did not specify which holiday, so we saw a lot of magic for different holidays throughout the year. Some tipped effects and other left us wondering.
Prez Hunter Gaul opened with a short talk about the amazing Harry Houdini, and how he grew from a card flinger into a premier escape artist and debunker of Spiritualists. He shared how Houdini died on Halloween in 1926. Hunter did a nice chain escape with a jumbo Siberian Chain escape. He then used a jumbo deck of cards for a volunteer to select a card. Once selected, the volunteer tore off a corner that Hunter allowed him to keep. Hunter vanished the remaining pieces of the card. Then he placed a scarf over a portrait of Houdini. When he lifted the scarf, all but the torn piece of the card was restored in the frame. Finally, Houdini sent us a message on a pair of Spirit Slates.
Joseph McHugh stuck to a Christmas theme that used six boxes, each with a prize inside. He invited audience members to roll a giant die on the table to pick a box. Everyone got very small joke gifts, while the final box contained tickets for a vacation!
Jeff Carson had a real clean effect with a deck of cards that he dealt while singing a holiday song. A spectator told him to stop, and that card had a holiday message on it! Easy to do with the great misdirection he used. Jeff also did an effect that used two decks and a volunteer copied his actions. After shuffles, both Jeff and the helper selected the same card from separate decks.
Ed Schmitt took us to the North Pole, “Where his hands were small, the cards were big, and it was the first time he did this trick.” Ed modified a five card repeat with jumbo cards. He printed up special backs with candy canes, and his story was a funny as the magic was amazing. Ed also has a version with ghosts on the backs.
Megan Weber had a small list of gift items that she showed to a volunteer. After she put the list away, she pulled a prediction from a bag that was on a table. Turns out that the item, a candlestick, was the same as that which the volunteer had merely thought of.
Reba Strong (“Silly Reba”) was in non-clown attire, and put on a virtuoso display of balloon art. She started with a reindeer hat, then a small snowman, and then a heart. She finished with a fantastic red, white, and blue 4th of July hat. While “sculpting” Reba shared how she presents the balloon sculptures and controls a crowd.
Mark Bruley did one of his many rope effects. It was a multi-cut long rope that instantly restored itself. Mark has stories that fit weddings, reunions, birthdays, or just about any occasion.
Visiting magician Sam Sandler did a wonderful silk blendo. He had a Christmas theme with red, green, and white silks. He showed them separately, then bundled them up in front of us. When he spread his hands, the silks blended into a large Christmas Scarf!
Come December, we will close out the year with our holiday party and show.
DAVE KELLY, Recording Secretary