Ring Report IBM Ring #170 "The Bev Bergeron Ring"

August is the hottest month in Orlando and also the peak of the Summer tourist and convention season and a busy time for all the local working professionals.
Twenty one members showed up for the meeting that was conducted by Vice-President James Songster sitting in for President Harvey Brownlow.
Lecture chair and video librarian Craig Fennessey gave a report on future lectures in the ring. Bev Bergeron is doing well after his therapeutic adventures with the medical system. Comments were positive on the new theatrical film, "The Illusionist". We hope this revives interest in classic magic and illusions. Comments were also positive on Chuck Smith's new "Enigma the DVD" magic magazine. Chuck was with us for the meeting. He is a man of many talents in the video production area as well as magic. Several club members can be seen and heard on the DVD. Chuck's concept is the wave of the future in the magic publishing business.

Jim and Terry Waples gave a preview of their clown convention. The convention will feature all allied arts as well as Christian ministry presentations.
Dollie's Comedy Shop has opened in the International Drive area and comedy magician John Ferrentino will be appearing as part of the entertainment.

With the business portion of the meeting concluded the monthly ring show began with James Songster as Master of Ceremonies.

First up was Terry Waples. Terry presented a cute effect with business cards called "Perfect match" and she again invited everyone to the clown convention she is presenting.
Charlie Pfrogner, Mr.Originality, presented another of his creations. A bag with ribbons a a clear marble vanished. The bag then changed colors a few times. A wand and silks were then produced from the bag. Finally the marble reappeared with a silk that said, "The End". How Charlie comes up with such clever routines is as much a mystery as his unique tricks.

Dan Stapleton presented a mentalism effect he developed during his years as a top-notch cruise ship entertainer. Six slips of a paper were passed to people that Dan did not know. They wrote their names on the paper. A spectator selected one of the papers that were cleverly strung on a strip of masking tape. Dan burned the paper and rubbed the ashes on his arm and the name of the spectator appeared on his arm. Roger Reid invited a spectator to help him and he did a slick Jarden Ellis ring routine with a handkerchief using the spectator's thumb as the ring holder.

Finally closing out the show, VP James Songster and Director at Large, Joe Vecchiarelli , showed their version of "making it snow". They had created a clever routine and developed the device to help them with the paper snow storm. They gave credit to several ring members who helped them create the routine and the prop.

Even though many of the ring members are old hands at magic we always learn something new from the monthly ring show.

With the show concluded, we all went back out into the warm August night. If you are in Orlando on vacation please join us because good things are always happening in Ring 170.

Dennis Phillips