Howard County Fair 2009: Magic of the Mind
For 2009, Matt & Peter Wood brought "Magic of the Mind" to the stage at the Howard County Fair, and shared some of their favorite "cerebral" illusions.
Featuring uncanny mind reading, impossible physical events, and intriguing optical illusions, it was a fun and entertaining show for both children and adults.
Special thanks to Sarah Mendiola & Deb Richards for the show photos
Warning! Show-spoiling secrets & trivia below:
The Wood brothers, like all magicians, are disinclined to reveal the magic secrets used in their shows. However, they enjoy sharing the technical secrets and trivia behind the magic, and are happy to answer any non-magical questions in person or online.
What follows are some facts and bits of trivia from the 2009 "Magic of the Mind" performances at the Howard County Fair.
The rabbit-in-hat / Uncle Sam optical illusion featured in the preshow is exclusive to Shazam Magic, and was created in partnership with illustrator Crystal Corby.
- For the show countdown and introduction, the Wood brothers employed the voice of their friend Tom Davis. While Mr. Davis had never recorded any voice-overs before, Matt & Peter grew up hearing him lector at their church, and his voice helped to set the mood of the show.
- In the Card in Mouth sequence, Peter use a fresh card in his mouth every time ... recycling is great, but there are some things that should be thrown out after being used.
- The Mystery Lights routine is a very rare one; not only do a handful of magicians in the world perform this version, but the actual prop seen onstage is one-of-a-kind. It was constructed by Peter (who also came up with the idea to use compact fluorescent lights), and was custom-built to fit perfectly in an aluminum suitcase for storage / transport.
- The toilet plunger apparatus, used in the Mental Die sequence, was built by Matt based on the idea of a plunger "sucking up" people's thoughts. Peter suggested adding a second plunger on the top, which functions as the "sending" part, a la a satellite dish.
Originally, the Psychic Phone routine was designed by magician Bruce Kalver's grandfather as a means of determining the serial number on a dollar bill. Matt & Peter present it as a phone number revelation, and added the ability for Matt to know which color marker the volunteer used.
- While at a magic convention, Matt & Peter were introduced to the spinning disc concept by fellow magician Bruce Kalver. Bruce went through many iterations to find the perfect size and design to maximize the illusion, known as the "Aristotle effect."
The story goes that Aristotle was gazing at a waterfall for a time, and then when he quickly looked at a rock, it appeared to be floating upward! A similar effect occurs when you've been driving for a long time; when you stop, you get the sense of slowly moving backward.
Bruce Kalver manufactures the discs, and Peter built the motorized stand for it, which doubles as a carrying case.
