Kim Spence reported on the profits made at our annual Cavalcade of Magic show. This year we had a new location, the Narberth United Methodist Church. Over a dozen members performed either on stage on close-up. The facility is in the basement of a church, but is a fully functioning community theater – with a wonderful stage, lots of wing space and dressing rooms, and professional sound and light systems. Our profits were not as high as expected, but we look forward to returning next year and building a local following. Nice work by all members who helped.
Then we got down to real business: Stage competition! Richie Baccare organized the competition, and all members voted. Steve Cambian opened with a great production routine. He produced at least eight doves, and three rabbits. The small animals appeared, vanished, and transformed into other animals. Steve had a lovely lady assistant who also provided lots of misdirection.
New member Kevin Manning did his first magic for the club, with a nice story about believing in real magic. He took a simple torn and restored napkin effect and made it a tale of why he believes in true magic.
Vice President Ralph Armstrong had a wonderful and original routine with color changing silks. One at a time, Ralph took a white silk, placed each into an empty tube, blew the silk out of the tube and each changed color. The finale came when he took three colored silks, put them into that empty tube, blew, and they blended into one multi-colored silks.
Professor Rem said he was here to do the obligatory card trick, as no one else had done a card trick tonight. He had a volunteer select a card and shuffle it back into the deck. Then the good professor held up an X-Ray envelope and took X-Rays of the volunteer’s teeth. Rem opened the envelope and showed a series of large tooth pictures. And the puns began! Rem had us falling out of our seats with the tooth pictures.
Kim Spence finished the night with a wonderful series of classic stage effects done to music. She started with a Liquid Suspension, silk productions, and a bouquet of roses that visibly regrew.
Each member had a ballot to list the top three choices. When the scores were tallied, the results of the 2009 Stage Magic Contest: Ralph Armstrong in third place; Steve Cambian in second place; Kim Spence as our winner.
DAVE KELLY, Recording Secretary