Heart of the RING

“ Quality Ring Award Winner “

April 2006 Newsletter

NEXT MEETING OFFICIALS

Regular Meeting April 6, 2006 7:00 P. M. President
April 6——7 PM Chuck Macan 913-681-0368
Best Western Vice President
Best Western Rainbow & Southwest Blvd. Matt Gurley 913-422-3596
( directly behind Applebee’s Restaurant ) Secretary
Board Meeting John Hicks 913-334-1392
April 13—— 7 PM Treasurer
Denny's Restaurant Kirk DeWeese 816-224-5000
9001 Shawnee Mission Pkwy Sergeant at Arms
Terry Elton 913-268-8187
Board Member
Barry Richardson Lecture Dan Bradbury 816-531-2468
April 22——7 PM Board Member
US Toy Magic Ken Reedy 816-734-1484
Board Member
Daryl Lecture Eric Woods 913-709-1606
Past President
April 27——7 PM Alan Goodheart 913-648-0331
US Toy Magic News Editor
Eric Woods
Martin Nash Lecture 5738 Long Ave
April 30——7 PM Shawnee, KS 66216
ewoods20@hotmail.com
US Toy Magic
913-709-1606

Mark Wilson
Mark Wilson Lecture to make an illusion that could make someone appear
By Christy Atkinson form a card board house assembled on top of a table.
While Mark worked his magic, Nani awaited her
I must admit it was a true honor to meet Mark and cues. She then passed out the Bingo Cards and cork
Nani Wilson. In 1954 Mark Wilson’s first TV show screws out, which we all kept as souvenirs.
“A Time for Magic” sponsored by Dr. Pepper paved
the way for the first national weekly magic show, You may not have learn many magic tricks at Mark
“Magic Land of Allakazam“. It aired on Saturdays Wilson lectures, but what you did learn about is
mornings for five years. presentation. He even gave you tips on how you can
get a sponsor, and how magic could be used in other
The concept of magic on television was a hard one to career choices.
sell, so Mark came up with some simple rules to
follow to make TV magic a huge success. Here are Mark and Nani Wilson were so kind to not only pose
just a couple of them. The show had to be filmed in for every picture but to also sign anything you brought
front of a live audience and the camera was not up for autographing.
allowed to cut away at any time during an illusion or
other effect. There were videos that payed tribute to both Mark and
Nani and the Magical life they have shared together.
Every one that attended the lecture had the chance to One thing you must admire about the pair is the way
play Magic Bingo. You are really missing out until they have spent the last 53 years together and there are
you play Magic Bingo, it’s lots of fun. After playing still in love. The lecture was a very informative and a
the game and learning of it’s history and marketability very inspiring one.
Mark taught a cork screw penetration effect and how *****
MAGIC NEWS RING 129 NEWSLETTER – APRIL 2006 PAGE 2

President’s Column
by Chuck Macan All of these people and those who attended racked up
Sorcerer’s Circle points for being involved. It is not
I wanted toUtake a mo- difficult to become a Sorcerer’s Circle member—you
ment to thank the just need to be involved. Oh by the way—Sorcerer’s
membership for putting Circle members—wear your medals—you earned it.
their trust in me by
electing me to serve as See you April 6th.
President during 2006.
A Ring 129 Welcome to
At our board meeting
of March 16th, the
board selected Matt David M. Klachko
Gurley to serve as Vice 407 Westeood Ave.
President and Terry Columbia, MO 65203 Douglas A.Clark
Elton to serve as Sergeant-At-Arms. I would like to 573-443-7734 1508 Hinkson Ave. Apt. 5
thank both of these gentlemen for stepping forward Columbia, MO
and assuming these duties. They both have a tremen- 573-882-0083
dous amount of experience and I value their guidance.
Gerald “Lynn” Kueckelhan
I want to encourage all of you to take an active role in 8802 N. Millsite Rd. We are glad to have you as
your club. We are a Brotherhood—as Webster’s Columbia, MO 65201 new members to one of the
says— “the whole body of persons in a business or 573-443-5536 largest, and most active
profession, fraternity, the state of being brothers or a Magic Clubs in the World.
brother.” The Ring is about the state of being a We wish you the best in your
brother. Personally I have found many mentors magical endeavors and look
within our Brotherhood who have helped me with my forward to seeing you at up-
magic. From simple sleight of hand to card manipula- coming meetings.
tion to preparing an act to understanding that the
magic is inside of me and helping bring it out. Let’s take the bull by the horns and face
Whether you have been in magic for forty years or are the situation.
fairly new to magic, get involved with events, help on By Terry Elton
committees, mentor someone— get involved.
In the very early 1980’s, when Ring 129 had about a
We have lots of events planned for the balance of third of the members that it has today, there were a
2006, you have plenty of opportunities to get in- group of people busting their butts to get things done
volved. See me or one of the board members. for the club. In those days The Midwest Magic
Jubilee rotated between St Louis and Kansas City.
Our next Ring event will be the Ring Picnic on June I’m not sure of the exact date but I believe it was
3rd. Put it on your calendar and plan to attend. Julie 1982 we were to host the Jubilee in Kansas City and
Clark is chairing the planning committee. Please get a committee was formed to put the show together.
in touch with her and get involved.
The committee went to work and met one night a
Our ring auction was held on March 11th. Kirk week for an entire year. The convention was a huge
DeWeese and Rod Sipe worked the door while Terry success and money was placed into the Ring’s
Elton and Roger Miller were our auctioneers. Alan account.
Goodheart and myself were runners. Who can forget
the ladies working the concession stand, Imo Patchen, Continued on Page 5
Sheila Miller, Janie Fields and Peggy Adams. Thank
you to all for getting involved.
MAGIC NEWS RING 129 NEWSLETTER – APRIL 2006 PAGE 4

Ring Report finger ring that leaped from one finger to another, and to
By Stu Lewis perform another card trick. Finally, Brian McElvain did
some impressive coin work with a coin that split into two
We are making an attempt to get back to normal after the parts, as well as performing some impressive vanishes.
tragic death of our ring president L.C. Collier last month
(see last month’s report). Acting president Chuck Macan As usual, several of us journeyed up the hill to continue
has assumed the office of president for the remainder of the magical fellowship at Applebee’s.
the year.

U.S. Toy Magic Shop held a youth magic contest last

month, and the winner, to no one’s surprise, was our own
Blake Silvernail. He won a trip to Tannen’s magic camp
Reynolds’ Remarks
and the first L. C. Collier trophy. If Blake stays with
magic and doesn’t abandon it when he reaches later The Purpose of A Magic Club
adolescence, he has the potential to become a full-time
by Quentin Reynolds
working professional. You will probably be hearing of
him in places other than ring reports in a few years. Why do you attend your magic club? This is really an
interesting question. Before we look at it in depth lets
Bruce Kalver was in town for a lecture. He had lots of look at what often happens at magic clubs. There's the
practical stuff and a friendly down-East personality. The general membership and the committee who look after the
focus was on tricks, and he gave us all some material we running of the society. On the committee there's usually
could use, such as a streamlined handling of the one or two who do 80% of the work. These council
Professor’s Nightmare and a cards-across routine. We members rarely get thanked but do hear lots of
would recommend him highly to other rings. complaints. Then we start getting into the politics of
running a club. This is where hot issues crop up and can
Jason Dean led off the March meeting by teaching a card lead to clashes of personality, sometimes with one or two
trick he had published in Magic magazine. Duane Fields members storming out and vowing never to return.
gave a brief talk about L. C.’s accomplishments in magic
for the benefit of those who had not known him as long as I joined The Society of Irish Magicians aged fifteen and
we old-timers have. like every society it had its share of characters and
occasional rows. One row in particular blew out of all
The stage contest was a battle of the rope routines proportion and it took a few years for the divisions it
between Eric Woods and Blake Silvernail. Eric’s routine, caused to cool down. I'd expect that every club - not just
featuring the restoration of the three ropes into one piece magic clubs - can tell a similar story.
at the end, took first place.
Like all societies we had our book of rules governing the
John Hicks led off (and won) the close-up contest with a running of the club. There is one rule in this book that
couple of packet tricks. First he showed a packet consist- needs to be in every magic club rule book. With this rule
ing of three red cards and one black, only to have the you could drop all your other rules and have a successful
packet change to three black and one red. He followed and thriving group.
that with an ace assembly. To provide continuity, he used
a large red button which sounded the words “That was Whenever discussions got heated at our club meetings,
easy” when a spectator pressed it. Paul Brune followed Neville Wiltshire, a man of immense common sense
with a packet trick involving four queens, showing that he would draw our attention to this rule - the first rule in the
had predicted which the spectator would select. He book. We would reflect on it for a moment and then come
followed this with a card location. to our senses.
Blake Silvernail performed a linking safety pin routine to Right now I'm sure you're wondering what is this amazing
lead off the non-competitive performances, including rule and whether you should consider adopting it for your
several moves for non-gimmicked pins. Harris Deutsch own club. It may already be in your club's rules. But
did some vent work with a lion puppet, and then he called overlooking this rule where most of the rows and
Lauren Silvernail (age 10), with her puppet Dasher, to arguments will develop. I don't have the rule book to hand
help him. With a sense of poise that reminded us of her so I'm quoting from memory. So this is it in a nutshell:
brother’s, she proved that Blake is not the only talented "The purpose of the society is to provide a forum where
member of the family. Paul Brune returned to show us a
MAGIC NEWS RING 129 NEWSLETTER – APRIL 2006 PAGE 3

Want Ads Sick and Convalescent

If you know of a ring member or their family member who is
hospitalized or has passed away Contact:

Wanted: Carl Macan

Bruce Kalver's Growing and Shrinking Head 913-648-1465
Contact Harris Deutsch crm130@aol.com (if e-mail is sent please contact Carl by
913-962-4045 phone to let him know to check his e-mail account)

Item for Sell:

1996 Plymouth Grand Voyager
Great Condition, many extras. $3,800 O.B.O.
Contact Candy Collier
913-268-7388

WANTED…
Sorcerer’s Circle Members:
Magicians Assistant. Female. 21 years of age or
Be sure and wear your Medallion to each event!
over.
Barron Stringfellow
121 West 8th Street
Horton KS 66439 Brian McElvain will present a Teach-a-Trick
Phone: 785-486-3716 at the April meeting. I am sure you will not
want to miss out on what he has in store for
Sorcerer’s Circle shirts available for sale at $28 us, so make plans to attend this meeting.
Contact Kirk Deweese

Submit your Want Ads:

Our Web Page
Go to www.ring129.com
& Buy, Sell, and Trade… User Name: ring129 Password: aj
Check the website and you will see a new form in the See all the new changes that have been made and that you
downloads section that will allow you to put your want can download!! If you have questions, contact Ken Reedy at
ads in the newsletter. This free service to all paid mem- 816-734-1484 or email him at ...
bers may include, but is not limited to magic items. webdesigners@kc.rr.com.
Ken Reedy

Magician of the Month Winners

Stage Close-Up Stage Close-Up
01/06 Roger Miller Barron Stringfellow 07/06 ——— ———

02/06 Barron Stringfellow Harris Duetsch 08/05 ——— Laird Wilcox

09/05 ——— Mike Melito

03/06 Eric Woods John Hicks
10/05 ——— Blake Silvernail
04/06 ——— ———
11/05 ——— Chuck Macan
05/06 ——— ———
12/05 ——— Eric Woods
06/06 ——— ———
MAGIC NEWS RING 129 NEWSLETTER – APRIL 2006 PAGE 5
magicians may foregather to perform and discuss the art This is not a one year commitment and it is not just a
of magic.”
way to earn a medal. It is a commitment you make to
That's it. That's the reason for your club. To show each the club a better club, a club that is one of, if not the
other tricks and talk about magic. It's not about rules, finest club in America and possibly the entire world.
regulations and politics. A Sorcerers Circle Medallion is not a gift it is recog-
nition of your dedication to the club and it takes
Let me hasten to add that I'm not suggesting you dump time. If you don’t want to work for the club to make
the committee and throw out your rule book. You do need it better that is your prerogative but don’t wring your
a system or structure for any organization to run hands and whine about the length of time it takes to
smoothly. The problems arise when the structures take become a Sorcerers Circle member. Those rules were
over and people forget why they're there in the first place. set by people who have walked the walk for many
The rules are to facilitate the performance and discussion years and they are not going to change any time
of magic, not the other way around.
soon. Don’t worry about a perceived “Clique” in the
© 2006 Quentin Reynolds. Quentin Reynolds works as both club because you’re wrong there isn’t one. And if
magician and speaker. You can read about one of his programs you think there is a clique then get off your butt and
at http://www.speakinschools.com run for office or volunteer for a committee or
committees and you’ll find the clique you perceived
LContinued from Page 2. Let’s take the bull to be there is not there at all, it is just a group of
by the horns and face the situation. dedicated members working very hard to make the
club better for everyone. Ask Chuck Macan if he
It was the dedication of these people and their self- believes there is a clique and he’ll probably say;
less dedication to the club that brought it all together “What clique? Chuck joined the club three or four
and made the Jubilee successful. In an attempt to years ago, got involved stayed involved, became a
publicly recognize their hard work we picked up on a Sorcerers Circle member and is now President.
plan that had been talked about as a way to recognize
people who work hard to make the club a better club I’ll give you another example. Jason Dean came to
for everyone. The Sorcerers Circle was established to the club as the Pierced Kid not your typical Ring 129
thank those who gave of their time above and beyond member back then but he was welcomed and
the call of duty. It wasn’t easy to get in, you had to supported and ultimately was asked to be Sgt. at
work hard for a period of time. Initially it required a Arms a position that put him in front of the club
club membership of five years before you were even every month and as a club we watched Jason grow as
eligible (since reduced to three years). Why five or a person and as an entertainer. His answer to me was
even three years before you become eligible? It is the same as Chuck’s . . . “What Clique?”
because the award is based on service to the club and
not just attendance at club meetings. Over the years There is no one in Ring129 that you cannot talk to or
we have had people come in like a house on fire and that will not talk to you. The club is a very open
were very enthusiastic and helpful with the club. environment for cross pollination of ideas. If you
They gained knowledge and they volunteered for perceive there to be a Clique running the club then
events that the club put on but by the next year they bring your concerns to the next Board Meeting and
were nowhere to be seen. Over the 25+ years I’ve let’s talk about it. LC thought there was a perception
been involved with Ring 129 there have been lots of of a Clique I do not and told him so . . . that is unless
people come and go some come in like a tornado you perceive the difference between the doers and
wanting to be involved in everything then they those not involved as representing a sort of Clique.
vanish like a whisper in the night. If you want to
become a member of Sorcerers Circle you have to The Board is always open to conversation on any
earn it. You have to spend time at club meetings and subject/concern that affects the club but if you’re not
Board meetings and you have to head up committees willing to talk about it to the Board then I guess it’s
and you have to perform or work backstage or what- no longer a problem. For future reference the Board
ever else the club needs to get our projects and Meetings are where to take your concerns not an
events done. open meeting where we have guests.
Kirk DeWeese
634 SW Walnut
Blue Springs MO 64014

The Heart of the Ring is published monthly as a

service to the members of IBM Ring 129. Views
and comments do not necessarily reflect the
opinions of Ring 129 officers, the IBM, or the
Editor.

Members are encouraged to submit articles and

comments for publishing and earn
additional Sorcerer’s Circle Points.

Articles must be in the

Editor’s office by the 20th of the month.
ewoods20@hotmail.com

RING 129 AGENDA Tentative Lecture Schedule

This Month Items in red have firm dates, all others are not yet
set or are subject to change. Barry Richardson
Regular Meeting April 22 7 PM
April 6——7 PM Jan 28 Magician Of the Year Stage
Feb 18 Kids Show (RPCC.)* Daryl
Best Western April 27 7 PM
Mar 11 Magic Auction
Apr ??
Board Meeting May ?? Martin Nash
April 13—— 7 PM Jun ?? Ring Picnic April 30 7 PM
Denny's Restaurant Jul 29 Close-up Magician of the Year
Paul Stone
9001 Shawnee Mission Pkwy Aug ?? Roast May 6 7 PM
Sep ?? Fun Magic Day
Barry Richardson Lecture Oct 13 Halloween Show (RPCC.)* Pavel
April 22——7 PM Nov ?? Magic University 103 May 19 7 PM
US Toy Magic Nov ?? ` Magic Swap & Shop
Dec ?? Holiday Party All lectures held at:
Daryl Lecture US Toy Magic
*Roland Park Community Center 2008 W. 103rd Terr.
April 27——7 PM 4850 Rosewood Drive
US Toy Magic Leawood, KS 66206
Mission, KS 66205
Sorcerers Circle: $5
Martin Nash Lecture Regular Member $6
April 30——7 PM Non-Member $15
US Toy Magic