Coming in August: Ring 216 Virtual Magic Competition

In normal times, we would be planning the annual Walk-Around Magic Competition in August. But these are not normal times. So come join us for something brand new: the first ever Ring 216 Virtual Magic Competition. And if you would like to perform, we're taking signups now!   DATE: Wednesday, August 12, 2020 TIME: 7:30 p.m. PDT HOW: Live online via Zoom Invite your friends and family so the show can be more fun!

Competition rules Perform an act up to 6 minutes long broadcast from your location on Zoom The act must be live, not pre-recorded You may call on audience helpers over Zoom to help, but no stooges allowed You can also use an assistant at your location Voting will be done online and will encompass the same categories as the regular competitions Make sure your lighting, camera, and sound are acceptable so that people can enjoy the show No adult-oriented material or danger acts Only paid-up members of Ring 216 for 2020 are eligible to perform, but you can pay for your membership now We'll invite non-magicians to enjoy the show and possibly vote for a people's choice

Meeting Report: July 8, 2020 - Naathan Phan Zoom Lecture

    Ring 216 hosted a live on-line lecture by Naathan Phan on July 8, 2020. Energetic, cheerful and humorous, Naathan entertained with both his innovative magic and his acting skills in his lecture “It’s the Little Things.” 

    Nathaan began with his “Three-Phase Opener,” his go-to impromptu trick, which culminates in the transposition of selected cards between the table and his pocket. Then he demonstrated his “every day carry trick,” a selected card appearing folded in a wallet (a variation of the effect that wowed the panel on America’s Got Talent), explaining the unusual touches he added to sharpen the handling. His enhancement to the “Pen Through Bill” greatly improved the illusion of the penetration and restoration. 

    Naathan then shifted to parlor magic. He demonstrated his clever innovations for the Torn and Restored Newspaper that allows him to tear today’s paper, restore it, and hand it out as a souvenir. In the funny routine “Shake and Splash” using four cans of soda, Naathan is required to avoid the soda can that has been shaken up by the audience as he holds cans with their openings to his face and pops the tops. He succeeds in avoiding drenching himself, and the last can remaining is popped to spray harmlessly. It is a totally impromptu routine that Naathan will do at a moment’s notice on cruise ships. He rounded out the set with one of his favorite routines, the triple-prediction “Not Another Mental Epic.”

    Throughout the lecture, and for over a half an hour at the end, he answered many questions asked by the Ring members. He talked about how he applied his background in acting and stand-up comedy to his magic. He emphasized the importance of showing yourself in your magic: “It’s the YOU show, not the floating lady show.” A particular delight was when he demonstrated how he could speak in a wide range of accents, a skill he had developed as a Vietnamese-American youth growing up in Scotland. Ring 216 thanks Naathan for the wonderful time!