November Meeting
We had a great turnout for our meeting with 23 members and one guest. Mike Bogdas was our featured performer. First he performed John Archer's Chinese Choice where random numbers selected by the audience make up a perfect amount for a buffet for three.
Then Mike performed an original effect and he performed a real fooler which he created himself. An audience member randomly chosen using a fish bowl and slips of paper thinks of a card. They open and dump a small bag of goldfish crackers (that have been in the bowl the entire time) into the bowl and out falls a card that turns out to be the chosen card.
Next up was a brilliant mini-lecture by Mike Thornton on magician tables and cases. Mike took us through the cases and tables he has used starting with a TV Tray in his early days as a young lad performing magic for schools and libraries, being taught construction of compartmentalized cases with duck tape and cardboard during his time at Chavez in Colon up to the variety of tables and cases he uses for the different types of gigs he performs today.
Key tips Mike emphasized were...
- Don't stand BEHIND your table. The magician should be front and center!
- Everything should be at your fingertips. Don't disappear from view crouching down behind your table hunting for your next prop.
- Consider different solutions for different venue types considering portability and weight requirements.
- Consider the look of the tables and cases you use and how you want to project yourself to your audience. It is usually the first thing they see.
- Looking good, having your props well organized and at your fingertips gives you confidence and lets you focus on presentation!
Member John Russell then shared his (more budget friendly) table setup using two Dang Tables ala Barry Mitchell and two briefcases on conductor stands.
Member Ken Magee performed a trick with a wooden nickel and then passed out hundreds of wooden nickels for audience members to take home and create their own effects.
