On the Cover By Karl Rabe

Magic Messenger May 2024

Mike Thornton takes home the coveted First Place Trophy for the 2nd Annual Ann Arbor Magic Club Close Up Showcase.

President's Corner By Dan Jones

Hello Fellow Magi of the Ann Arbor Magic Club and Friends,

I would first like to say congratulations and thank you to all of our performers in last month's Close Up Showcase competition. It was a great turnout of members and guests to support the performers of all skill levels and experience. They should all be proud of themselves. And a congratulations to Mike Thorton who won the event as voted by the audience.

On a personal note now I would like to ask our club members to hold me accountable when it comes to being a magician. I always have a few magic effects with me when I'm out and can perform them at anytime. But at a magic meeting I arrive with a bag of tricks but rarely perform them. At a recent meeting when I asked a member what they were working on they reciprocated the question and asked me the same thing. It made me think and I recounted an effect in progress. Now I'm motivated to complete the work and present it at a meeting. That is what I need to do.

How about you? At a magic meeting of a magic club we need to see more magic, talk more magic, share more magic and teach more magic.

See you all soon.
Dan Jones, President of Ann Arbor Magic Club.

Secretary's Report By Karl Rabe

We had a fantastic turnout for our meeting with a number of guests and old friends. The feature of the evening was our 2nd Annual Ann Arbor Magic Club Close-up Showcase. Six members competed against each for the coveted 1st Place Close-up Showcase Trophy. The format involved each of the six performers stationed at their own table with 30 plus audience members split up into groups of five or six rotating every five minutes to the next table. After the magicians had performed six times all audience members had seen each magician and they voted on their favorite.

• April Barrett performed several predictions including a comedy 3-1/2 of Clubs reveal.
• Phil Mann stood at a small table busker style. He opened with a four rose production and then went into a coin through miniature table routine and a coin matrix.
• Charlie Palko is our youngest member. Charlie kicked off with some nice sleight-of-hand, transforming a chewed piece of gum into an un-chewed stick. Then suddenly the gum was wrapped! Charlie also performed a nice card to deck which visually transformed into a sealed envelope which contained the correct prediction.
• Alex Heath has been a member for only a few months, but has impressed us all with his classic sleight of hand. Tonight was no different as Alex performed a very nice cups-and-balls routine.
• Kevin Peshick did a spooky routine with an old watch and a tarot deck. A couple of cut-to cards chosen under a "cloak of darkness" correspond to the hands on the watch the spectator has been holding the entire time.
• Michael Thornton may have only joined our club last month, but he is a seasoned pro familiar to most of us. He opened with a comedy candle to bouquet and then went into a borrowed finger ring on rope routine that culminated in the ring vanishing and later being found inside a sealed envelope in his wallet.

After all the votes were in, the winner was revealed to be Michael Thornton. President Dan Jones and Sergeant at Arms Mike Bogdas presented Michael with the trophy. Then as is tradition, Mike repeated his routine for the other 5 performers so they could enjoy it too.

After a few bits of business from our President Dan Jones, it was on to member performances.

• Our Secretary Karl Rabe performed an Any Card at Any Number (ACAN) routine (VOX) with one human and Siri as assistants. The human correctly sensed Siri's vibes.
• Jeff Jackowski, a returning member, performed his classic ring and rope entertaining the crowd with the story of his father when Jeff was just a wee lad.
• Then another guest Fred Lenter fro Ring 22 performed a baffling ACAN adding in the element of two decks - one of which was borrowed.
• Don Oesterwind, Jr. demoed his latest acquisition from Michigan Magic Day, a metal wand/pen that changed its physical texture on demand.
• Phil Mann performed a classic Sponge Rabbits routine with Bill Rabe assisting.
• Finally, Dreygon Hibbler another guest from Ring 22 member and fresh from performing at The Magic Castle, performed a "Transmorgograpy" sandwich card transposition where the selected card by Mike Palko magically disappears from Mike's hands and re-appeared between two previously selected card in April Barrett's hands.

Members then socialized and jammed for the remaining 20 minutes having such a good time they had to be kicked out like last-call at the bar.

Mirf Tales By Sean Howell

I need to take you on a brief tangent.  I couldn't tell you how many times Mirf has been called Murphy, but not as many that call me Captain instead of Cap'n.  As Mirf has no "E" sound in it, Cap'n has no "T" sound in it.

You may ask yourself, "Self, what does it matter?"  It only matters when details really matter.

For example… I served in the United States Navy, Captain is an official rank that I never held.  Cap'n is a slang term referring to a ships commander regardless of rank.  Not wanting anyone to accidentally confuse my "Stage Name" and my "rank" when I served in the US Navy I use Cap'n instead of Captain… Does it matter?  Only to those whom it matters or those navigating to my website www.capnsean.com.  Adding the "tai" to the Cap'n takes you to a completely different website.  The other nuanced mispronunciation is Mirf sounds like the shortened Irish endearment for Murphy, which leads people to assume Mirf's name is Murphy, just like hearing Cap'n and thinking it's spelled with a T.  Does it matter, only on his legal paperwork but here's why it's Mirf, not Murphy.

As I mentioned earlier in the article "How it started" I never intended to work with livestock, ever.  I was progressing well with my act gaining interest from other venues in other states.  It was a combination of events that happened during the 2022 season that would change the course of my life and my show.  The 2020 season was cancelled due to Covid and the 2021 season was not like the seasons before Covid.  Things were opening up but people were still scared and some were hesitant to attend large gatherings and the Michigan Renaissance Festival is quite the large gathering.  Frankly, the festival lacked the enthusiastic engagement with the patrons I had come to love while performing at outdoor festivals.  A pall still hung over the entire festival as everyone hadn't quite moved on from the pandemic.  Things still felt fairly stagnant.  I was happy to be performing but happy when the season ended.

The 2022 Michigan Renaissance Festival turned out to be electric.  Nothing like the previous year.  People were excited to be at the festival, life was returning and they had money to spend.  The season started out great, the crowds were large and continued to get better each week.  Tragedy struck between weeks two and three.  My fuzzy friend at home that spent all his time with me and waited at the window for my return whenever it left.  Bill the cat died of heart failure in his sleep, I found him early Thursday morning.  I was devastated, I had never had a closer bond with a cat.  I decided that I was going to get another cat, a kitten so that I could train him to travel with me as a companion.  Bill was a big long haired domestic cat with a dash of Main Coon and Norwegian Forest Cat mixed in their.  He was a big beautiful stray mut that I rescued from starvation near my mother-in-law's house.  Bill's size and demeanor I was told was like a Maine Coon so I decided I wanted a Maine Coon kitten and sought out a breeder.  After finding one that I was comfortable with and tendering a deposit I was officially on the waiting list for a male Maine Coon kitten.

If you have already read "How it started" you will remember my friend Blake started harassing me about breaking the rules of circus. "No Pet's on the road" is the rule.  Some of the other taunts Blake would hit me with were "everyone loves fuzzy animals" or "you can't go wrong with an animal in the show".  One of my favorites was "pet's are a liability, livestock's an asset who's care is tax deductible".  Blake did have a point, women and children openly love cat's.  Wherever women and children are, men will follow.  Adding a cat to my show would be a huge draw for my show.  After a couple weeks of Blake blathering on and on about traveling with anything that's not part of the show is against the rules of circus and the rules of circus apply because its all circus my resolve began to erode.  I started seriously thinking about the possibility of adding a cat to my show.  I wanted a kitten so that I could raise him to travel with me so that when I'm by myself on the road I would have a companion.  Blake argued that wasn’t the problem, earning it's keep was the problem.  The rule of circus as Blake puts it is "If it costs you money it must make you money".  Adding a cat to my show is no small feat.  I would have to change the show I spent the last 5 years developing, it was a good show and changing it is a risk.

It was week five I decided to ask my audience their opinion.  My audience is the reason the festival keeps having me back.  Near the end of my show when I do my hat line, I ask the audience to put their discarded playing card pieces in either the basket or my hat along with any gratuities that they have to offer.  I paused the show momentarily and said, "As my audience I need your opinion.  Earlier during the festival my cat Bill died of a heart attack."  (The audience would collectively awe sorrowfully in empathy) I would pause and smile until it would go quiet again.  Then I would continue, "working on the road alone can be lonely so I have decided to get a Maine Coon kitten.  Now I'm told that having an animal on the road that's not in your show is against the rules of circus.  By an affirmative of AYE!  How many of you think I should add a Maine Coon to my show?"  The response that I got from every audience was the same, a loud resounding "AYE!"  I would follow up by saying "This is what I do for living and Maine Coons are not cheap so vote with your tips!"

My audience voted with their tips resoundingly YES!  I decided since the…

• Michigan Renaissance Festival is how I started performing stage shows outdoors.
• Michigan Renaissance Festival performers and patrons encouraged me to add the kitten to my show.
• Michigan Renaissance Festival audience members paid for the kitten.

… since the acronym for the Michigan Renaissance Festival is MIRF and is often referred to as "mirf" I decided to name him Mirf the Magnificent in honor of the place and people that made it possible.

So, that's how Mirf got his name.

However, MIRF management was skeptical of Mirf the Magnificent.  There were changes in management, cuts in staffing.  The old entertainment director departed, the person picking up the slack had another job so nobody really noticed the changes in my contract that I was working with a live animal until I showed up with a live animal Friday evening before opening day.   Opening day at the morning meeting.  Mirf was very well behaved and it was a good thing.  It was his final test.  A guy I will call Evaluator saw Mirf and I in the front row of the seating of the stage the meeting is held at.  The cast, crew and entertainment meet every morning to sign in and find out any relevant and irrelevant information to be dispensed.   Its also a catch up with everyone since last year kind of busy meeting.  Lots of noise, lots of people moving around.  Laughing, yelling, and applause.  Mirf was sitting on the bench near me wearing his harness and leashed to me.  Evaluator guy is the guy that evaluates talent on an ongoing basis.  You'll see him at your show at least once a year, he doesn’t stay for the whole show because he has his own show to do, but he reports to management and I'm pretty sure they follow his recommendations. Evaluator guy walks up to me and says with his arms crossed "So, You're thinking of adding a cat to your show?".  I turn and look at him and say "No, I've added a cat to my show."  It was just at that moment someone did or said something the crowd (of about 100) liked and they jumped up in shouts of jubilee and raucous applause.  As Mirf is just sat there steadfast while everyone around him was pounding on benches and applauding.  As the crowd began to quiet down I watched the expression of extreme skepticism fade into utter awe on the visage of Evaluator guy.  When the crowd quieted down he looked at me and said in an awestruck voice "How do you train a cat?".

That was the question Mirf and I spent a whole year working on and continue to do so…

Next time,  The first show.

Thank you for reading,

Cap'n Sean

Spotlight By John Smith

As a reoccurring feature of the Magic Messenger we will highlight a member and ask them to answer a few questions about themselves. This month instead of the normal questions, we are reprinting an article written by Ring 22 President Johnny New York featuring Marvin Mathena.

Marvin has been both president of the Detroit Magic Club Ring 22 and President of the Ann Arbor Magic Club Ring 210.

We just couldn't do a better job than Johnny writing up this lifetime member. Here is Ring 22's "A Closer Look" reprinted with permission of Johnny New York.

Marvin Mathena

A Closer Look: MARVIN MATHENA

Feb 8, 2020 by Johnny New York

Around the Town By Karl Rabe

Your Support is Needed

• On Saturday May 18, we still need volunteers to perform magic at an Open House we are hosting at the Plymouth Community Library from 2:45 pm – 4:30 pm at 223 S Main St, Plymouth, MI 48170. This is to publicize our May shows and to recruit new member. We need volunteers to help set up, greet, and perform. Arrive time is 2:45 doors open 3:00. Please sign up at our May meeting or online here. This is a very low pressure opportunity with Parents and Kids walking through to check out some magic.
• If you missed the Kranzo lecture... or just want to see it again (yes, it was that good), Ring 22 is hosting free lecture by Kranzo on Tuesday, May 21 at 7:30 PM at Spirit of Christ Lutheran Church, 749 W 14 Mile Rd, Clawson, MI 48017 (our usual place in Clawson, MI). Just a hop-skip-and-a-jump from Wunderground Magic Shop.
• Then Saturday May 25 is our Spring Parlor Shows at 4:00 PM and 7:00 PM at the Plymouth Community Arts Council. This is going to be a great show and we still need volunteers for backstage and front of the house (no experience necessary). Ushers, Vending, Walk-Around Magic, Balloon Twisting, Ticket Sales, Ticket Taking, Stage Hands. Sign up at our May meeting or let any Board Member know. We also need members promoting ticket sales. Please gather your friends and families and treat them to some great entertainment.

• In June, Ring 22 brings us a real treat. They have scheduled Ondřej Pšenička (pronounced Andre Sheneechka) from the Czech Republic to lecture on Sunday, June 9, 2024, at 2 PM at Spirit of Christ Lutheran Church, 749 W 14 Mile Rd, Clawson, MI 48017 (Ring 22's usual place in Clawson, MI) - $10 for any IBM RING members, $20 for guests. You don't want to miss this one.
• On June 24 the club will be supporting a magic summer camp at the Plymouth Community Arts Council and runs from Monday June 24 through Friday June 28. It runs each day from 9am to Noon. We expect up to 24 participants ranging in age from 9-14. We expect the participants will put on a show for their parents on the last day at 11:30. We need volunteers who are good at working with and teaching 9-14 year olds. We anticipate teaching a variety of performance types -- Magic, Balloon Twisting & Juggling. Go here to sign up for just one morning or all week. 

Other Calendars

• Check out John Luka's Magic page and his well maintained list of Michigan Events
• All AAMC Events and details can be viewed on the website calendar.

Funny Business By Karl Rabe

The answer to last month's matching puzzle is below.

Ex Libris By Karl Rabe

Announcing the new and improved Ann Arbor Magic Club Book Library. The Book Library has been in storage for many years and thanks to the efforts of several members, it is now back, online and better than ever.

• Dan Jones has been storing the collection. He performed a full inventory and then with the assistance of Karl Rabe the collection was cataloged online. Dan and Karl also added many books that had been donated to the club over the years to the library.
• Karl Rabe implemented the electronic catalog system and as mentioned worked with Dan to scan the books into the library.
• Phil Mann has agreed to be our Club Librarian. He will be responsible for the safe keeping of the collection and for bringing requested books to our meetings as well as collecting checked-out books when due and putting them back in storage.
• Bob Goodwin donated several books helping  in the collection where a few books were missing.

We have cataloged our entire library online and have a straight forward process for members to request books.

How to use the Ann Arbor Magic Club Library

1. Use your Phone or PC to go online to aamagic.org/library
2. Find a book you want to check out in the catalog and click the button to PLACE HOLD.
3. You will be prompted to enter the club password and then you will be prompted to select your name from the member list. The password is the same as the password for the members only section of our website.
4. Our Librarian will be alerted and will bring the book to the next regular meeting.
5. The Librarian will hand over the book to you at the meeting and mark the book as CHECKED OUT.
6. Return the book to the Librarian at the next meeting and they will CHECK IT IN.

Rules

• You may check out no more than two books at any time.
• You must return them in one month (the next meeting).
• You will be charged for lost and/or unreturned books.

This is a picture of our actual library... less a couple books. We have a total of 135 books, lecture notes, and magazines.

This is a text list of the contents of the library