Ann Arbor Magic Club

IBM 210 - SAM 88

Current Messenger


On the Cover

By Karl Rabe


Magic Messenger May 2022

 

At the May meeting, member Phil Mann was our featured performer.

In This Issue

Phil Mann

 


President's Corner

By Dan Jones


This coming Wednesday, May 11th is our meeting.  It will be held at Kerby's Koney Island on Six Mile Rd. in Livonia.  It seems as though the Senate Coney can no longer host our meetings.  We found this out at the close of our April meeting. The Senate hosted us for many years and for that we say, thank you. The board is diligently working to identify a new permanent home for our meetings and has plans to tour one or two options soon. As an interim solution, Rob Krozal has arranged for us to meet at Kerby's and he spoke with the management who agreed to host us for the month of May.  If any of you know of an ideal meeting location please let a board member know. We will keep you informed as our location plans unfold.

 

The theme this month is "Flower" or "Flour" magic.  April showers bring May flowers.  So let's see what you have.  Spring flowers? Botania?  Be creative.  But as always bring whatever you'd like to show. Our featured performers this month are Ming and Barbara Louie.  I can't wait to see what they have prepared for us.  And our thanks to Phil Mann "The Magic Mann" for his wonderful performance last month.  Check out the photos on our facebook page.  Much thanks to all those who performed in April.

 

We will have another Magical Poster Print to raffle off.  The poster is of Bancroft this month and was donated by Kevin Peshick who will also present a brief Magic History segment about Bancroft.  Thank You Kevin!

 

I hope to see you all Wednesday, May 11th at Kerby's Koney Island 37155 Six Mile Road in the Newburgh Plaza.  That's on the Southeast corner of Six Mile and Newburgh roads in Livonia.  We'll meet from 7-9 pm as usual but please come early at 6 pm if you'd like to join us for dinner.


Spotlight

By Karl Rabe


As a reoccurring feature of the Magic Messenger we will highlight a member and as them to answer a few questions about themselves. This month the "Spotlight" is on our featured performer for May, Phil Mann.

Where did you grow up / where have you lived? 

I grew up in a very small town called Cedar Springs in Western Michigan.  I have lived and traveled so far away, that I spent 1 year living in your tomorrow.  But I'm back now.

How did you get started in magic? 

The earliest magical influences on myself were on black and white TV.  Mark Wilson and the magical land of Allakazam.  Right between Captain Kangaroo and Mighty Mouse on Saturday mornings.

What type of magic do you perform? 

I have a large collection of all styles of magical effects.  When I'm in the mood I do close-up.  When I get a chance it's parlor or stand-up.  I can do and have done full scale stage productions.  At the moment I am performing on tiktok, video at The.Magic.Mann, playing the part of a 1920-40 black and white stage magician.

What is your favorite magic book? 

I have a large library of reference and magical history books.  The most useful and the one I often give copies of to young magicians, as a gift, is Mark Wilson's Complete Course in Magic.  Easy to read and understand plus packed with ideas for all.  My prize book is a first edition of Suspensions and Levitations by Micky Hades.

Who is your favorite Magician of all time? 

My favorite magician now that's a tough one.  I would love to see some of the old masters in their prime.  Adelaide Hermann or Howard Thurston.  But then I am a big fan of the Blackstone's Sr and Jr, true masters of their art.  Modern times Siegfried and Roy or pretty much any of the magicians in Las Vegas.  As for the most talented and creative magician the one to watch is Stuart MacDonald, I feel he is going somewhere in the world of magic.

Do you have any words of wisdom for newer magicians? 

Always look for a way to make your magic entertaining.  Make it captivating, create your own style, it will evolve with time.  Practice whenever and wherever you get the chance.

 


Secretary's Report

By Karl Rabe


We had a record turnout, fantastic giveaways and great magic at our April 2022 meeting. The theme was Egg Bag Magic.

Great Turnout

Phil Mann kicked us off in style as the featured performer with a whirlwind sequence of magic. Phil opened with the Bandana Banana routine, followed  by a unique Multiplying Bottle routine using a beautiful set of wine bottles. Next was a presentation of Wonder Bubbles with a soap bubble turning into a solid glass ball. Phil followed that with an entertaining and unique torn newspaper to mouth coil routines. Next was a production of silks and a stuffed animal from a duck bucket, quickly followed by a card sword routine where Phil successfully skewered the chosen card out of the air with his trusty foil. Phil wrapped up his kickoff act with an 8 ring linking Ring routine with April Barett from the audience. I'm out of breath just writing this!

Next up was a round of introductions, answering the question "What was the first magic trick you remember seeing performed?". Answers ranged from Rice Bowls on a TV commercial to the French Drop. We also learned a surprising number of wives did not learn that their husbands were magician's until it was too late, oops, I mean until after they were married :-). A number of new or not so often seen faces included Autumn Marshall, April Barett, John & Ronda Russell, Mary Oesterwind, Johnny New York, Dynamite and Debbie Mann.

President Dan Jones announced that Karl Rabe has agreed to assume Club Secretary duties.

A raffle was held for two framed Thurston prints Kevin Peshick framed and generously donated. Mike Bogdas and Barbara each won a print.

Mike Bogdas and Barb Louie

Next up was members performing. We may have set a new record for the amount of magic performed at this meeting.

  • Mike Bogdas kicked us off with a beautiful vintage Square Circle passed down in his family. A rubber chicken was produced and then a full size bird cage, an egg bag and an egg.
  • DynaMike performed a glass card frame routine where the audience matches a six card prediction of Mike's.
  • Karl Rabe ordered a pizza on his iPhone and it was immediately delivered by Bill Rabe dressed as a pizza delivery man. The pizza kept disappearing from the Smokey Mountain Pizza Oven and finally appeared in an Egg Bag.
  • Johnny New York presented an original routine on a classic multiple selection / multiple reveal card trick. A half dozen members of the audience received signs to hold designating them as members of Johnny's extended family (Uncle Joe, Aunt Sally, etc). As each card selection was made, we learned a bit about each relative's foibles and follies in a very funny bit of original comedy. Finally each relative's cards were revealed in unique ways.
  • Ming & Barbara used some old business cards to collect random handwriting samples from the audience in a fish bowl. Ming was then able to correctly predict each author.
  • Ken MaGee performed as Sandy Wedge golfer and successfully predicted a randomly selected golf score, revealed by the number of juggling bounces of the golf ball on Sandy's wedge.
  • DynaMike was back up with a selected card reveal and as a climax the deck turned to a glass block in the spectator's hand.
  • Finally, Phil Mann was back up. He led with a 20th century like sock trick where socks "washed" in paper bags magically changed places and one sock became knotted between two others. Then Phil performed a head sword box routine. After placing a spectator's head in a box, the box was penetrated with a half dozen illuminated swords. The box was opened to reveal that spectator's head had disappeared with the lit swords filling the box. Reversing the procedure the spectator was restored to normal health with possibly just a slight headache.


Our Rich Magical History

By Kevin Peshik


Secretary's Note: Beginning with the next issue of the Messenger, Kevin Peshik will introduce a reoccurring feature called Our Rich Magical History. This month we share the framed art Kevin has donated to be raffled off at our May meeting. Thank you Kevin!


Around the Town

By Karl Rabe


Club Events

Other Upcoming Events

Check out John Luka's Magic page and his well maintained list of Michigan Events.


Funny Business

By Karl Rabe


Little Johnny, the magician's son

"What's your father's occupation?" asked the schoolteacher.
"He's a magician, ma'am," said Little Johnny.
"How interesting. What's his favorite trick?" asked the teacher.
"He saws people in half," answered Little Johnny.
"Wow! That must be amazing to watch," said the teacher. "Do you have any brothers or sisters?"
And Little Johnny said, "One half brother and two half sisters."

 

I saw a magician who could make anything weigh exactly 28.3 grams.

His stage name is "The Wizard of Oz."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Swag is now in stock and for sale. Contact Treasurer Rob Krozal to get your's today!


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The 2025 Ann Arbor Magic Club Board

Contact the board using these email addresses

  • sean@howell.cc
  • bogd19@me.com
  • rkrozal@yahoo.com
  • krabe@comcast.net
  • mcallistermagic1@gmail.com

 

Updated: December 10, 2024 — 4:14 pm
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