February Meeting

Our meeting was led by Vice President Wendy Stone as President Sean Howell is engaged in Florida at the Bay Area Renaissance Festival. Wendy introduced two guests: Russ Harris and Robert Langefeld. Robert joined the club and is now our newest member.

Wendy announced that the club was celebrating their 55th Anniversary.

Karl Rabe distributed the remaining 2025 Top Contributor recognition pins to members that were not able to be at the January Meeting.

Stone, Lincoln Reuter, Michael Stone, Wendy

 

Next up was our featured performer and youngest club member, Lincoln Stone. Lincoln kicked off by producing the classic rabbit from hat. He did remind the members it was not a real rabbit and they should not report him to PITA… again. Then Lincoln vanished a handkerchief which magically appeared between two previously tied handkerchiefs. Next was a pick a card to giant silk reveal with Phil Mann as his assistant. For a fitting finale, Lincoln produced a birthday cake from a small pan in honor of the club's 55th birthday.

Then it was time for our educational segment. Mike Thornton delivered a very informative lecture on performing Walk Around Magic. No trick were taught, rather the topic was focused on the professional aspects of performing that type of magic. See more detailed notes in the Vox Pop article by Mike Thornton.

• Why Mike likes walk-around and you should too.
• Walk-around Reference Books.
• 3 different sets of 3 different tricks.
• The importance of grooming.
• How to manage your props and avoid having to return to your case after every trick.
• Multiples of set props vs resetting every time.
• Why Mike likes a rolling case / table.

Next it was time for member performances.

• Mike Bogdas performed a with Russ assisting. Mike shared his collection of unlucky poker losing playing cards.
• April Barrett performed a lego figure transformation. A figure of herself aged mysteriously along with some clever patter.
• Ken McGee performed a nice version of Color Vision with April assisting.
• Karl Rabe performed his unique variation on the Daytona Magic Card Rising Box. According to Claude Klingsor in The Big Book of Rising Cards, this method of the Rising Cards was first introduced by Jack Hughes and his Card Rising Box c. 1946. Karl adds the twist that a spectator shuffles the deck and has three other spectators each select and sign a card. The spectators bury each card in the middle of the deck and it is replaced in the box all without Karl touching it. The cards are placed in the box and proceed to rise one at a time.
• Alex Heath then entertained us with his unique combination of magic and music. Alex sang several tunes while performing different routines.  His finale was a cups and balls routine performed to "I take a lot of pride in what I am" by Merle Haggard.
• Finally Robert performed a nice coins-across routine with Lincoln as his close-up observer and assistant.

 

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