I.B.M. Ring 9

Ring Reports

February 2008

See photos from this meeting

No. 9, Atlanta, Georgia - Georgia Magic Club
3rd Monday, 7:00 PM, Funny Farm Comedy Club, Alpharetta Hwy, Roswell, GA

DEBBIE LEIFER, President (Debbie@MagicDebbie.com)
LYNN FOX, Vice President (lynnfox@bellsouth.net)
GUY PHILLIPS, Secretary (guyphilips@bellsouth.net)
Ring 9 Web Site: www.GaMagicClub.com

At our February meeting we enjoyed significant attendance, including several guests, and an impressive number of prospective members interested in performing for membership in the near future.

CHRISTOPHE FOUQUET treated us to a wonderful Mini-Lecture on Larry Jennings Classics. In an impressive thirty minutes, Christophe managed to demonstrate and teach several really wonderful card effects, including a very entertaining Homing Card routine. Not only did we learn some new fabulous card routines, it also enticed many of us to delve further into the clever card magic of Larry Jennings.

Our new president DEBBIE LEIFER conducted a short business meeting swiftly and with good humor. Business focused on our upcoming August 21 - 23 SEAM Convention, upcoming lectures, and announcement of the rest of the year's meeting themes. We also had the formal presentation of the Magician of the Year trophy to EVAN REYNOLDS, and the presentation of two coveted royal blue pen certificates and pins being handed out to the (tied) winners (Bill Packard and Debbie Leifer) of a recent monthly theme, "The ABCs of School Magic".

Our meeting happened to fall on President's Day, so our very timely February theme was "Celebrate America". This patriotic theme obviously inspired many members, as we enjoyed a significant increase in the number of performances this fine night.

MIKE ELLIS kicked off the performances with mentalism customized for the evening's theme complete with nine photos of presidents, a "Declaration of Independent Instructions", and a ballot box containing the accurate prediction of Jimmy Carter as the freely chosen president.

This was followed by a fun performance by ARAGORN featured a scripted cut and restored dental floss routine with the assistance of the president (thus making it relevant to President's Day).

KENT LAIRD very skillfully performed a beautiful patriotic Color Changing Knife routine with multiple killer climaxes including a red pocket knife that turned white becoming a blue knife complete with stars, and finally all three full-sized pocket knives transforming into a handful of colorful miniature knives. Kent is a very humble guy who really has a discerning eye for entertaining and mind-boggling magic, and his performances always exemplify the diligence it takes to perform effortlessly.

KEITH RAINEY read the Gettysburg Address in costume while performing the world's fastest linking ring routine (they were "Lincoln" rings!… yeah, you hadda be there!).

HOWIE MARMER demonstrated some very impressive money magic (you know, dead presidents) with the assistance of two stunned volunteers. He performed a very interesting torn and restored bill with the spectator's money, followed by a huge stack of ones instantly transforming into $100 dollar bills.

DEBBIE LEIFER performed a customized stage version of a Steinmeyer mentalism routine. Five club members read written instructions aloud to an audience volunteer charged with making random moves that resulted in choosing and thereby eliminating president's photos one step at a time. This resulted in the accurate prediction of President Clinton (proven by a Bill Clinton puppet that resided throughout the entire routine in a large patriotic top hat.)

For General Magic, PAUL SPONAUGLE intrigued us with a very cool mentalism bit with a box of colorful crayons and the accurate thought-transference of the names of two freely chosen colors.

DOYNE MICHIE treated us to a cleverly crafted original card routine. The entire audience followed Doyne's instructions, cards in hand. After spelling out our choice of any president's name, plus several additional mathematical moves of the cards, everyone turned over what finally became their top card, surprised that it would magically match their own original top card they had previously memorized. This very creative audience involvement provided us all with a rare opportunity to watch Doyne's masterful control of an audience, and to appreciate the charming personality of this veteran magician.

KEITH RAINEY won the Coveted Royal Blue Pen Award for February 2008. Anyone lucky enough to find themselves in Atlanta on the third Monday of any month should give themselves a treat, and come join in the fun, friendship and magic of Ring 9.

Debbie Leifer