NO. 46, OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – Seymour Davis Ring
Meets 7:00 pm, 1st Monday of the month at City Arts Center, Oklahoma State Fairground.
LEE WOODSIDE, Secretary. Email: WoodsideLee@hotmail.com.
Our featured performer for April was Derrick Beeson. Derrick started by doing magic with his finger ring. The ring jumped from finger to finger and, as a finale, passed through his finger in full view of the audience. He then performed a beautiful sponge ball routine. He finished by having a card selected and returned to the deck. The card then literally flew from the deck across the room. He then returned the cards to their miniature straightjacket.
Our theme for the meeting was “Let’s Make Magic.” This is always one of the more popular meetings of the year. Members always leave the meeting with new routines and, in most cases, props they have made during the meeting.
Jim Green taught us a nine-card miracle. He was able to spell to the selected card even when the wrong card was named.
Cassidy Smith taught a routine using Styrofoam cups and wadded up tissue paper balls. He provided everyone with the props necessary to perform the multi-stage effect.
Rick taught a packed trick where the cards Ace through 6 each have a number on the back marking the cards. However, when he turned the number 6 upside down, he then turned the card around to show that it had now changed to a nine.
Lee Woodside gave everyone three wooden nickels each. He had them draw a different ESP symbol on each side of each of the three “coins.” He had a participant turn coins over at random while Lee’s back was turned and then cover one coin with his hand. Lee turned around and was able to divine the symbol under the hand. He taught everyone how to perform the trick.
After many years in magic, it is rare that I see something really different at a lecture. Michael Dardant lectured for us in May and showed us some amazing magic that was outside the normal box of tricks. He said that in developing his award-winning act, he chose to not use cards, coins, or cups and balls. This helped him to develop an act that stood apart from those of other contestants.
Michael began by showing his anti-gravity ring, which was more of a flourish than a magical effect, but very entertaining. After producing two giant sponge balls from his miniature briefcase, he then produce a large ball bearing that could have not fit in the case. After an entertaining sponge ball routine called “This and That,” he took off his hat and began producing more items than could have possible fit in it, even without his head inside. The final load was a super-giant metal ball.
Michael’s “Force of Imagination” routine utilized an invisible deck in ways that I had never seen. Included within the routine was a “classic” force using an imaginary deck of playing cards.
Michael believes that rather than avoiding new technology, magicians should embrace it and make the most of it. He borrowed a ten-dollar bill and had the owner of the bill take a picture of the serial number with his iPhone. He then had another participant multiply three numbers together using a smart-phone app. Amazingly, the final answer was an 8-digit number that perfectly matched the serial number.
Lee Woodside