Suzanne, Tom Crone honored at Ring 19 banquet

Local magic legend Suzanne and long-time IBM member Tom Crone were honored at Ring 19’s annual banquet.

Ring 19 president Noah Sonie presents a lifetime membership plaque to Suzanne.
Ring 19 president Noah Sonie presents a lifetime membership plaque to Suzanne.

Suzanne is a favorite at Hollywood’s famous Magic Castle and was awarded Close Up Magician of the Year for 2010 by The Academy of Magical Arts  (Magic Castle). She’s been on the cover of Genii, Mum and the Linking Ring. She fooled Penn & Teller on “Penn & Teller’s Fool Us.” Suzanne was honored with a lifetime membership in Ring 19, both for her professional accomplishments and for her many generous contributions to the local magic community.

 Tom Crone was named IBM Ring 19’s “Magician of the year” for 2017. This award is rarely given and reflects service to the club. Last year, as club president Tom found a new and larger meeting location, helped organize club meetings more efficiently, and made other changes that strengthened the club and increased membership.

Tom Crone honored as Ring 19 magician of year.
Tom Crone receives his “Magician of the Year” award from Ring 19 vice president Michael Callahan (left) and current president Noah Sonie (center).

Bill “Darnay” Von Stocken passes away

Bill Von Stocken who performed as “Darnay” and was a Twin Cities SAM, IBM (Merlin) and FCM member, died Tuesday, April 24, four days after being moved to hospice care. His funeral will be held at 11 a.m. April 30 at Faith Covenant Church in Burnsville.

Darnay
Darnay was still table-hopping at the Perkins in Eagan in 2014.

Bill Von Stocken who performed as “Darnay” and was a Twin Cities SAM, IBM (Merlin) and FCM member, died Tuesday, April 24, at the age of 91, four days after being moved to hospice care. His funeral will be held at 11 a.m. April 30 at Faith Covenant Church in Burnsville. Memorials may be directed to the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association or the Gideons.

Bill performed throughout the Midwest and on parts of the east coast. He was influential for many magicians in the Twin Cities, and was known for a theater behind a hidden door in his basement. Justin Flom shot this video of Bill’s hidden theater and some of his props. 

Bill Von Stocken’s hidden basement magic theater

[arve url=”https://vimeo.com/justinflom/review/265103378/dff8cc6038″ description=”Darnay the magician passes on” /]

Magic cartoons by Mike Wilke

Mike Wilke magic cartoonsIn addition to being a long-time magician, Mike Wilke is an active cartoonist. His magic cartoons can be seen in The Linking Ring, the official magazine of the International Brotherhood of Magicians. We’re grateful for the opportunity to share some of his magic cartoons here, from his book Watermelon Bones: The Final Load. Copies of the book are available for $15. To get your copy, contact Mike through Facebook or send email to magicbymike@msn.com.

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Save the date: Ring 19 picnic Aug. 25

It’s not too soon to mark your calendar for Ring 19’s annual picnic, coming Aug. 25, 2018.

Person grilling for magic club picnicAre you ready for a magic club picnic? It’s not too soon to mark your calendar for Ring 19’s picnic, coming Aug. 25, 2018.

The picnic is at Eagle Lake Regional Park, on the border of Plymouth and Maple Grove. We reserved the “Golfview” building, so apparently we will be able to view golf after having our fill of card tricks. More importantly, we’ll have an indoor space available if the weather turns out to be less than magical, so we’ll be picnicking rain or shine.

The magic club picnic begins at noon. It’s pot-luck, so prepare to crack out your top-secret potato salad recipe. (What’s the secret ingredient? A magician never tells.) The club will be providing burgers, dogs and buns, but feel free to bring your own meat or meat-like substance if you’d prefer something else.

The park is located at 11000 Bass Lake Road, in Plymouth. It features dog trails, fishing, golfing, biking, hiking paddling and geocaching. (Sure, you’ll spend most of your time fooling others and being fooled, but you could go do that outdoorsy stuff. It’s technically possible.)

More details on the magic club picnic to follow.

July 9 theme: Packs small, plays big

The holy grail for many magicians is an act that “packs small, plays big.” Join us July 9 as we explore magical effects with an impact greatly exceeding the size of the props.

Full suitcase -- packs small, plays bigDid you ever get to a gig where you were expecting an audience of 10 and wind up with an audience of 50 or 100? That size crowd just isn’t going to be able to appreciate the subtlety of your ambitious card routine. You need an act that packs small, plays big. It’s time to break out the parlor magic. 

The holy grail for many magicians is an act that “packs small, plays big.” Join us July 9 as we explore magical effects with an impact greatly exceeding the size of the props. 

Ring 19 of the International Brotherhood of Magicians meets on the second Monday of each month at Broadway Pizza in Minneapolis (2025 West River Road), in one of their basement banquet rooms. The July 9 meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. but please come early, join us downstairs, and grab something to eat! Hope to see you there.

[googlemap address=”2025 West River Road, Minneapolis, MN” width=”300″ height=”170″ position=”left”]

Madden, Sonie win 2017 Ring 19 Presidents’ Challenge

Noah Sonie and Michael Madden took top honors in IBM Ring 19’s annual “Presidential Challenge,” held Dec. 11.

Ring19 Presidents' Challenge magic contest winners 2017
Outgoing president Tom Crone (left), Tyler Erickson, Michael Madden, Chris Leuck, Noah Sonie, Jack Boyd and Michael Callahan.

IBM Ring 19’s annual “Presidents’ Challenge” magic contest was held Monday, Dec. 11. 

Incoming president Noah Sonie took first place in the close-up category, followed by newly-elected vice president Michael Callahan and Jack Boyd. 

In the parlor magic category, Michael Madden took first-place honors, followed by Chris Leuck, and defending champion Sonie.

The annual magic contest is judged by past presidents of the club. This year’s judges included Mike Arazi, Tyler Erickson, Jennifer Graham, and Mike Wilke. 

Erickson noted, “I don’t know that I’ve ever seen as large a pool of competitors. It was truly a marvelous turnout, with a surprising amount of variation: manipulation, mentalism, sleight of hand, and apparatus.”

Graham said, “The past Ring 19 Presidents were pleasantly surprised at the number of contestants participating in this year’s Presidential Challenge. The caliber of magic presented was impressive. It was wonderful to see individuals, who would not normally perform in public, exhibit such finesse and skill.”

Wilke added, “This was one of the best, and biggest turnouts that we’ve had in recent memory!” 

Prizes will be presented at the club’s annual banquet, next year.

Here are photos of some of the contestants, courtesy of Ring 19’s minister of propaganda, Ryan Ouradnik.

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Ring 19 election news

The Ring19 election was held Dec. 11, 2017. Michael Callahan was elected vice president, and will automatically become president next year. Noah Sonie advanced to president, while Tom Crone moved to the position of immediate past president.

Ring 19 electionThe Ring 19 election for officers happened  at the magic club’s Dec. 11 meeting. Voting members unanimously endorsed the nominating committee’s slate of candidates. The results of the Ring 19 election are:

  • Noah Sonie automatically advanced from vice president to a one-year term as president. 
  • Members chose Michael Callahan as vice president. He will serve one year in that capacity before advancing to president.
  • Members selected Dan Koopmans for a two-year term as secretary.
  • Current treasurer Doug Trouten accepted an additional one-year term as treasurer.
  • Tom Crone ended his term as president, passing the gavel to Noah Sonie. Tom Crone will continue on the board for one year as immediate-past president.

The membership also approved a revised Constitution and Bylaws for the organization.

Meet a Member: Mike Wilke

Mike Wilke’s fascination with magic and drawing goes back to his childhood. His magic-themed cartoons appear monthly in The Linking Ring magazine.

Mike Wilke
Mike Wilke loves magic and cartooning.

Mike Wilke began hi’s fascinations with magic and drawing as a child. Recently, he combined those lifelong interests with a new book of magic-themed cartoons. His cartoons appear in The Linking Ring, the official magazine of the International Brotherhood of Magicians. 

“I’ve always done some magic cartoons, because I’m a magician and I know a lot of the stuff,” explains Wilke. “When I stated this I posted a few of the magic cartoons, and I started getting responses from them. One guy suggested doing a book of these.”

That led to his newest book, Watermelon Bones! The Final Load. “A lot of magicians were asking for it,” says Wilke, who acknowledges that only people with a background in magic will get some of the jokes. The cartoons include references to sympathetic silks, the shuttle pass, the Goshman pinch – even the book’s title is a joke for magic insiders.

Wilke’s interest in magic started early. “My dad showed me a coin trick when I was like 7 years old,” he recalls. “He actually started me out on it, and I decided I was going to start doing it. I liked the idea of doing something no one else can do, like any kid.”

As an adult, Wilke helped manage The Magic Shop, the forerunner of today’s Twin Cities Magic and Costume, working with Fred Baisch and then-owner Dan Thompson. “I sold one guy a linking ring set, and I explained how it worked,” he remembers. “He came back a week later and said, ‘I have a broken ring here.’”

Goshman cartoonWilke, who has also worked as a hair stylist and in the printing trade, began his involvement with the International Brotherhood of Magicians back in the 1970s. Over the years he has served in most of the leadership roles Ring 19 has to offer, including president, vice-president, secretary, sergeant at arms, and chaplain.

These days Wilke is mostly focusing on cartooning. His work regularly appears in the Forest Lake Times, Isanti County News and Woodbury Bulletin. He started publishing collections of his work in 1989 under the title “Watermelon Bones”; his new magic-themed book is the eighth book in the series. His work also appears on Facebook. Recent topics are as diverse as Wilke’s interests, and include magic history, famous cartoonists, and hairstyling.

While Mike Wilke isn’t doing formal magic shows these days, he still enjoys taking people by surprise with a trick. His favorites include the linking rings, ring and string, color-changing knives, and coin effects.

Copies of Watermelon Bones! The Final Load are available for $15. To get your copy, contact Mike through Facebook or send email to magicbymike@msn.com.

 

Minnesota Magic Calendar

Need a little more magic in your life? Check out this calendar for live magic performances and attend other magic events in the Twin Cities. (And feel free to submit your own events — see the link at the bottom of the calendar page.)

Live Magic Events in Minnesota

Minnesota magic calendarCheck this Minnesota magic calendar for live magic performances and other magic events in the Twin Cities.

June 9 — “Second Saturday” at Twin Cities Magic and Costume. Food, prizes, new produce demos, and more. Magicians only. 9 a.m., 2044 Robert St., St. Paul.

June 9 — Twin Cities Young Magicians monthly meeting. Noon to 2 p.m. at Twin Cities Magic and Costume, 2044 Robert St., St. Paul. Learn more.

June 10 — Ben Train lecture at Eagle Magic and Joke Store, 11995 County Road 11, Burnsville. $20 admission.

June 10 — Sunday Night Magic with Benjamin Barnes, Ben Train and David Gamut, plus pre-show strolling magic by Nick Olson. June 10, doors open at 6:30, show at 7 p.m. Show is at Theatre in the Round in Minneapolis, but please do not contact them with questions — they are simply hosting the event. 

June 11 — Ring 19 of the International Brotherhood of Magicians monthly meeting. The theme is effective scripting of your magic. 6:30 p.m. at Broadway Pizza in Minneapolis. 

June 15 — David Blaine Live, State Theatre, Minneapolis, 8-11 p.m. Ticket information.

June 16 — World Juggling Day Picnic. Minnehaha Regional Park, 4655 46th Avenue S in Minneapolis, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Wabun Picnic Area, Shelter F. Learn more.

June 24 — IBM Ring 19 annual banquet, featuring Suzanne, Noah Sonie and Chris Leuck. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., meal service at 6 p.m. Broadway Pizza, 2025 Broadway, Minneapolis. Learn more.

June 28 — Mentalist and illusionist Craig Karges, Paramount Theater in St. Cloud. Shows at 1:30 and 7 p.m. Learn more.

July 9 — Ring 19 of the International Brotherhood of Magicians monthly meeting. The theme is parlor magic — tricks that pack small but play big. 6:30 p.m. at Broadway Pizza in Minneapolis. 

July 14 — “Second Saturday” at Twin Cities Magic and Costume. Food, prizes, new produce demos, and more. Magicians only. 9 a.m., 2044 Robert St., St. Paul.

July 14 — Twin Cities Young Magicians monthly meeting. Noon to 2 p.m. at Twin Cities Magic and Costume, 2044 Robert St., St. Paul. Learn more.

Aug. 25 — IBM Ring 19 annual picnic. Noon at Eagle Lake Recreation Area. Learn more.

Standing Gigs

Justin Alan is at the Blue Heron Grill in Hugo, Minnesota, on Tuesdays from 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Bruce Cleland performs close-up at Broadway Pizza in Champlin, Minnesota on Saturday nights from 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Jeff Duncan performs the third Wednesday of each month at Hope Lodge in Rochester, Minnesota – Parlor Magic from 7:15 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Noah Sonie does table-hopping at Cadillac Ranch All American Bar & Grill (Mall of America) Thursday and Friday from 6:30-8:30 p.m., and Saturday from 12:30-2:30 p.m.

Suzanne the Magician performs close-up magic at:

  • Rockwoods in Otsego 9100 Quaday Ave NE, Otsego, MN 55330 (Mondays)
  • Birch’s on the Lake Brewhouse & Supperclub in Long Lake, Minnesota (Fridays)
  • Lord Fletcher’s Old Lake Lodge, 3746 Sunset Dr, Spring Park, Minnesota (Saturdays)
  • Charlie’s on Prior, 3950 Green Heights Trail SW, Prior Lake; and Lago Tacos, 30 Water St, Excelsior (dates vary)

Pat Umphrey does close-up strolling magic at Cadillac Ranch Steakhouse (Mall of America) every Thursday from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., and at Rick Bronson’s House of Comedy (Mall of America) Friday nights, 6-8 p.m.

(Some of this information for our Minnesota magic calendar was shamelessly stolen from Geoff Williams.)

Do you have an event or standing gig to add to our Minnesota magic calendar? Let us know.

Noah Sonie sweeps 2016 presidents’ challenge

Noah Sonie took first place honors in both close-up and parlor magic categories at the Ring 19 2016 contest. Other magicians honored included Dennis Anfang, Dan Koopmans, Tom Crone and David Gamut.

Each December the IBM Ring 19 magic club holds its annual “Presidents’ Challenge” Magic competition. The Ring 19 2016 contest was divided into two categories: Close-Up and Stage/Parlor. Noah Sonie swept the competition, taking first place in each of the categories. Prizes were awarded at the April 9 banquet. Continue reading “Noah Sonie sweeps 2016 presidents’ challenge”