Workup for performance june 11, 2012

Workup of current news items... 

great colorado/new mexican fires

msnbc.com - 
Firefighters on Sunday (6/10) were fighting wildfires that have spread quickly in parched forests in Colorado and New Mexico, forcing hundreds of people to evacuate.

AP -
The latest New Mexico fire is smaller than the Whitewater-Baldy fire — the largest in the state's history — but it's more concerning to authorities because it started closer to homes.

The fire was burning in steep, rocky, inaccessible terrain in the White Mountain Wilderness of the Lincoln National Forest, which is home to Smokey Bear, who became the nation's symbol of fire prevention in the 1940s.
More than 300 firefighters were battling the blaze with help from three large air tankers, three heavy helicopters and three Blackhawk helicopters. There were also 100 National Guard troops in Ruidoso.

From KVIATV, abc affiliate... and dialog material reactions
https://www.facebook.com/KVIATV/posts/234306986672041



Strange sky sounds around the world

Some strange things are happening, and it is obviously causing worldwide intrigue.

Many report hearing a strange sound, similar to ocean waves, but much louder and sinister in nature.  This was not an isolated incident.  Reports of the sound literally stretched from one end of the country to the other. 

The sound was heard by thousands and documented by many videos that can be found on YouTube

One of my favorite recordings is this one from Oregon...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ns8n-ZpA6uY

Most have dismissed the sounds for the most part.  The internet is alive with chatter about it worldwide, in fact it’s even reached tourists staying in Paris hotels, but few in the country itself think that the sound is of some supernatural origin.  A lot of the fervor around the world comes from other reports of strange sounds in different locales paired with a heavy dose of religious undertones. 

rev 8:5  The angel took the censer, and he filled it with the fire of the altar, and threw it on the earth. There followed thunders, sounds, lightnings, and an earthquake.
8:6  The seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.

Another favorite with a performance theme...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIGks7SF-lY


Fires and Sounds are currently "happening", and in the news.  These provide thought provoking background for your appearance as a magician.  Added to this would be an appropriate prank to set an interactive scene.


Here is an Alien Crash Prank that's great, and can be developed into your magical presentation as a 'set' piece, either 'nearby', or 'interactive.'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpoOxvPfArs


Along with the last idea, above, I've maintained an 'alien' in my classroom closets throughout my teaching career.  I still continue to receive comments and questions about the 'phenomenon.'

I can't perform miracles... only God can do that.  But, I can put together magical set ups for fun pranks and performances.  These could be 'stand alone', or worked up to provide a 'setting' for a "Close Encounters..." backyard showing, tall tales around the fire, or a 'what if...' mathemagical piece.  


Break a thread,

Mindmyst

Bizarre and Unexplained

Look for Magic in the news... Try not to let these things get away... they are background grist for your magical creative process, and story fodder.


Monster Cyclone on Mars ... well my budget wouldn't be large enough to make magic from this idea.


Dramatic Whale-Hunt Ritual is Successful
"The ancient taste of tradition was brought back to
the Makah Indians on a chilly Pacific beach - the nutty, slightly salty taste of whale blubber, freshly butchered from the corpse of a female gray whale."

Moving the Grand Canyon
Would you believe that, for a moment during
the creative process, the mighty Grand Canyon was moved to Colorado from Arizona?




Unexplained Booms, Bee Collapse, & Ancient Structures:

Recently, an investigative reporter, and colleague, dealt with the bizarre and still-unexplained metallic, jolting booms that have persisted into April 2012, including in three geographic locations from central Ohio to Tacoma, Washington, to San Diego County, California - all within a 24-hour period. In all three cases, there was no military confirmation of sound-barrier-breaking aircraft and no USGS evidence of seismic events.


The Coin

I selected an item similar to these, and from
the back of the room, one of the guys said that he knows someone who told him that I could flip a coin into the air and
cause the coin to land and remain on its edge. I said that this was true, and I hadn't done that effect in years, since it had a "strange" effect on people. 
As is often the case, they asked me... "how did you do that?"
I responded...
"I Shake my foot a little," and look at your foot..."Does it show?"

Effect: 
The magician shows a glass, upside down, and a coin on a sheet of colored paper. 
He puts a handkerchief over the glass and moves it over. 
He pulls the handkerchief off and Abracadabra! the coin has disappeared. 


Supplies: 
A sheet of construction paper,  a clear glass, a handkerchief and a coin. 


Preparation:  
Trace the glass onto the sheet of paper and cut the circle out.  Then tape it to the glass so when you put it onto a piece of paper the same color it blends in.



Secret: 
When you do the above put the glass onto a piece of paper and just basically move the paper covered glass over the coin while the whole thing is under the handkerchief so the glass covers the coin.  Pull off the handkerchief.  The coin will have "disappeared."





These effect ideas add adventure, and anticipation and electricity to your magical environment. Isn't that what you're trying to build?




Yours in Magic, 
MindMyst

Mountain of the White Monkey

Mountain of the White Monkey

Hi everybody, hope you are having a great
early spring. I have recently seen these stories in the
news, and the ideas, and richly detailed backgrounds
simply must be pointed out to the magicians in my 
group of readers. 


Let me know if you like these observations, or if you find them useful to prime the creative juices.


In Mexico's capital of witchcraft, rivalries are
brewing and bubbling.  On the shores of Lake
Catemaco in southern Veracruz state, shamans who commune
with Lucifer in snake-filled grottoes are pitted
against ``charlatans'' who perform for tourists while
white-clad virgins chant in the shadows of jungle
stages. 


"They come here and dress it up as a great place for
witches because it's good for business.''  But that
does not mean demons and magic do not exist. Many
locals appear terrified by strange goings-on on the
Mountain of the White Monkey, which rises darkly behind
Catemaco, and by the powerful forces apparently swirling
overhead, as wizards weave their magical
webs.


Such beautiful imagery plays incredibly strong with
the spectators. The battles of wizards are waged
regularly across the world. Even magicians "battle" it out
until the wee hours of the early mornings ...
challenging each other with effect following effect. Ripley
knew what he was doing, when he brought the adventure
of man to his millions of readers, and eventually to
the TV shows. As magicians, we might have something
to think about here. 


Truth is stranger than fiction. Let your magic
reflect some of this excitement, and conjure from your
heart to very, very attentive audiences.


The Touch

Mental magic... just for you. This effect will serve you well if you will take the time to work out some interesting patter. I will briefly summarize the effect and leave the rest to you...


Effect:  Have someone mentally select a name (or object, or favorite sports team ). Give them a writing pad with five lines drawn and ask them to write their chosen name on one of the lines. Then, four other unrelated names on the other lines.


Take the pad.. study it.. audibly call out a name and announce that you do not think that name was the chosen name. Call out two more names and tell your audience that your are sure they are not the chosen names either.


Down to the last two names.. study hard.. and announce the chosen name.





Secret: Give your spec a RED fine-point or micro ink pen. I use a Uni-ball micro. A short time before the effect, touch the tip of the red ink pen to the felt tip of a BLACK marker, like a Sharpie.


When your spec writes their chosen name on one of the lines, the very tip of the first letter will have a "dark" appearance. If you practice for a few minutes before you perform this effect, you will learn exactly how hard to touch the tips together to achieve a virtually un-noticeable 'smudge'.


NO ONE will notice this smudge, but you..  It will appear as if it's just a little excess ink on the tip. 


Again, take the time to work up a Good Story to go with this effect, and you will have a little bit of impressive mental magic to add to your repertoire... 


Yours in Magic,
Joe Miller ( MindMyst )