July 12: Open Performance Night + Mini-Lecture

When: Wednesday, July 12, 2017
Where: Yu-Ai Kai Community Center

Join us on the evening of July 12, at that regular magic place and magic time, for our next meeting featuring magic performances from your fellow members and more.

6:30 p.m. – Pre-Meeting Workshop: Okito Box
Craig Ousterling and Cal Tong will cover the mysterious Okito Coin box which has been going through a resurgence of sorts. Many of you have one of these in your closet needing some love, so dust them off and bring them in!  Also, bring along some coins that will fit inside the box.   Note: This is an introductory workshop. If you want a custom box made for your special coins, you can chat with Craig afterwards.

7:30 p.m. – Announcements and Raffle 
As usual, we will be raffling off several items for paid members. If you would like to donate an item to the raffle, please bring it.

7:35 p.m. – Mini-Lecture by Gary Goldberg: Performing Magic in a Non-Professional Setting
Ring 216 secretary Gary Goldberg will present his own lecture on principles of magic from TheJerx.com. The Jerx is best known for immersive tricks based on the idea of "audience-centric" magic that shines a spotlight on the experience of magic and not the magician himself/herself. Gary will share his own ideas and a routine he likes to perform that showcases this type of magic. Audience members will be free to share their ideas during the lecture.

8:00 p.m. – Open Performances w/ Optional Critique
The rest of our meeting will be devoted to open performances, with time for critique / feedback from your fellow magi if desired. Please bring your works in progress, or even your favorite gem looking for that extra bit of polish, to share with the group. Come ready to help your fellow magi improve his or her craft with your constructive feedback. If you're not ready for feedback that's okay too — simply let us know that you'd prefer to perform only.

To accommodate as many performers as possible please plan to perform a piece no longer than 5 or 6 minutes in length in order to allow time for brief feedback.

Coming June 14: Annual Flea Market and Auction

Got magic stuff you want to get rid of? Is there anything you have your eye on? Bring your magical friends and join us at our next meeting on Wednesday, June 14, beginning at 7:00 PM to shop the collections of your fellow magicians — and/or sell the stuff you don't use anymore.

Flea Market
Tables for the flea market are available now on a first-come, first-served basis. Reserve your table today using our easy online form. The costs are:

• Full table: $15 for members, $20 for non-members
• Half table: $10 for members, $15 for non-members

You can view a layout of the tables when you reserve, and you can make a request for a particular table (although requests are not guaranteed). The earlier you reserve, the more likely you will be to get your preferred location.

Auction
There will also be an auction of magical goods. If you're interested in the auction, just show up. Anybody can sell at auction. The club takes a 10% fee for auction sales, but no fee for table sales.

Make a Donation
If you have some unwanted stuff, consider donating it to the club. We'll auction it off that night, and the proceeds will go to Ring 216.

Evening Agenda
6:30 PM: Sellers may arrive to set up their tables for the flea market.
7:00 PM: The doors open to buyers.
8:00 PM: The auction begins.
9:30 PM (approximately): All sales end and it's time to pack up.

Want more details about the auction? Read our FAQ.

So bring your friends and your stuff — and your cash.

Shawn McMaster Lecture on Restaurant Magic: May 10

When: May 10, 2017, 7:30 p.m.

Where: Yu-Ai Kai Community Center

About the Lecture
Shawn McMaster has been working in the trenches making his sole living with magic for 24 years. During all that time, he has rarely been without at least one weekly restaurant gig. Early on, he was working two to three a week. These days, Shawn is a world traveler, working engagements and corporate events around the world, yet he still keeps a very successful presence within restaurants performing for patrons and making restaurant owners very happy with his work.

His lecture, "Deceptive Dining," is a highly-informative study on the business of restaurant magic. Not only the best type of effects to perform in a restaurant setting, but an in-depth and detailed blueprint of how to gain, keep, and profit from a regular restaurant magic gig taken from over two decades of real-world experience will be presented in this lecture. If you have ever thought about performing in restaurants, you can’t afford to miss this.

Who is Shawn McMaster?
Shawn McMaster is a corporate entertainer who has performed all over the world. He has performed his brand of comedy magic in clubs, theaters, Las Vegas, Off-Broadway, cruise ships, and is a favorite performer at the Magic Castle. He has appeared on TV shows such as Masters of Illusion and America’s Got Talent. Shawn is also a writer of many books and articles on magicians and the art of magic that have appeared in numerous magic and mainstream publications. He was also the Associate Editor of MAGIC Magazine for three years.

Learn more and watch videos at www.shawnmcmaster.com

Lecture cost
$15 for paid Ring 216 members, $30 for non-members.

No need to sign up for the lecture. Just show up!

April 12 Meeting and Workshops

Join us for our next monthly meeting on April 12, 2017, for a special night focused on performing tableside magic at restaurants and parties. Here's our agenda:

6:30 p.m.: Pre-Meeting Workshop on Elbow, Knee, Neck

Cal Tong has offered to continue his workshop from our last meeting about Daryl’s coin trick, Elbow, Knee, Neck.

7:30 p.m. Regular Meeting — Focus on Tableside Magic

Part 1: Stories and Tips on Booking and Performing in Restaurants

Spencer Grey performs weekly at Sam’s BBQ in San Jose, and he will deliver a mini-lecture on how he booked the gig and what he has learned performing there. In addition, JamesZini will share knowledge and stories about his restaurant gig at Mavericks Grill in San Jose. John Jones will talk about his work at Morocco’s Restaurant. And other magicians who perform in restaurants will be invited to join the conversation.

Part 2: Two Teach-in Sessions

We want to do something a little different and offer attendees the opportunity to learn two routines that are great for tableside magic. In one session, Cal Tong will teach an impromptu coin routine. In the other session, David Martinez will teach Pop Haydn’s Chicago Surprise card routine (with permission from Pop). After 20-25 minutes, we will switch groups, so that each group will get to attend each workshop.

Part 3: Social Time

We can spend the time remaining chatting and sharing. Water and cookies will again be provided.

Update on March 8 Meeting: Tributes to Daryl and Bob Cassidy

Join us on Wednesday, March 8, for a special Open Performance night and pre-meeting workshop honoring the legacies of two magic legends who passed away recently: Daryl and Bob Cassidy.

6:30 p.m. — Pre-Meeting Workshop
At 6:30 p.m., Ring 216 Vice President Cal Tong will present a 30-minute workshop on one of his favorite routines from Daryl, “Elbow, Knee, Neck.” You can get a complete description and review of the trick on this Magic Cafe page.

This is a coin routine using three ungimmicked coins, so please bring them with you if you want to learn this. Cal will continue this workshop later in the evening (see below).

7:30 p.m. — Awards and Raffle
We’ll hand out awards from last year to our magic champions. Then we’ll conduct a free raffle for all club members where you’ll have a chance to win several magic items among donated books, videos, and tricks.

7:45 - 8:15 p.m. Special Workshops
We’re going to try something new and offer you the opportunity to learn two Daryl routines.

• Cal will continue his workshop from earlier in the evening on Daryl’s “Elbow, Knee, Neck”
• David Martinez will teach an easy and baffling self-working routine from Daryl called “As Many and As Much as You” from Fooler Doolers Vol. 1. This involves a handful of random, ungimmicked coins. David will bring some extras if you want to try this out for yourselves.

8:15 - 8:30 p.m. Break

8:30 - close — Open Performance and Tributes to Daryl and Bob
For our Open Performances, attendees will be able to perform any routines and receive feedback from the audience if they want it. You are welcome to share your favorite routines from Daryl and Bob Cassidy, and you can also share stories of how these two magical icons influenced you.

We hope you can join us for this special evening.