INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA [Assembly Report for January 2006]
Harry Riser Assembly No. 31
Meets the first Monday, 7 PM at Mystic Tai Lodge, SE corner of Illinois & North St.

Magic Gifts I Received For Christmas - Start The New Year For Assembly 31

Ken Kern opened our meeting with a warm welcome to guests Jeff Harmon and Jared Sherlock. The theme for this eveningâ??s meeting was Magic Tricks I Received for Christmas. Chris Henderson opened with his version of Osterlandâ??s Two Card Trick which utilizes a memorized deck and a metal mask worn on the face to divine the selected card. Chris concluded with an excellent rendition of Aldo Columbiniâ??s Your Card. Jim Croop performed Teleki-What? by Fred Shields and Bascom Jones as described by Leo Behnke. Is this a trick of control and/or co-incidence? A spectator controls the deck only to see that his selected card and the magicianâ??s selected card mysteriously appear at the same moment. Dee Saul performed Bro. John Hammanâ??s Gemini Twins, where twins meet twins in a seemingly impossible way with four cards. Dee used an interesting Paradise Grip variation for Gemini Twins. Dee concluded with a superb presentation of Chicago Opener, as the selected card is found with a different color back. Steve Spence performed two wonderful coin routines, Dean Dillâ??s Coin Matrix where coins disappear from one location and reappear in another. Steve concluded with The Three Invisible Coins by Joshua Jay, which was particularly baffling. Tony Watson performed an original comedy effect inspired by an article he had read in a magic magazine that he tagged the Red Deck with the Blues. A deck of cards appears to morph into a harmonica and then Tony actually played Suwannee River. Mike Engle performed Mind Control, by Bill Abbott, where seven borrowed items are placed on a table and Mike correctly identifies the selected one with a very smooth execution. Jared Sherlock performed an excellent expanding penny production, Dishonest Abe by Gregory Wilson, where a small penny is magically transformed into larger ones that then vanish. While it became obvious that Santa had not visited all, the meeting provided a wonderful evening of sharing and enjoying well performed magic.

Dee Saul for Scribe Bob Vasileff

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA [Assembly Report for December 2005]
Harry Riser Assembly No. 31
Meets the first Monday, 7 PM at Mystic Tai Lodge, SE corner of Illinois & North St.

Assembly 31 & Ring 10 Host Gala Annual Christmas Party and Magic Show

Assembly 31, Ring 10, S.Y.M., gathered together for an evening of food, magic, fun, and fellowship at the Annual Christmas Banquet and Magic Show. Thanks to All Souls Unitarian Church, Chef Cheryl Kern, producer Harry Riser, sound engineer Paul Harnishfeger, and stage manager Bob Vasileff. Emcee Harry Riser opened the evening with clever mind reading card trick where a spectator selected a card and Harry correctly divined the selection. Chris Henderson set the tone of excellence with a rhyming three card Monte using Elvis as the focal character. Harry Riser then performed a card trick where 4 aces are seen to magically disappear. Jared Sherlock, S.Y.M., updated the classic bullet catch as he performed a paint ball bullet catch. A shot was fired and a signed paint ball magically appeared between his teeth. Harry did another trick. Bill Burdette, also from S.Y.M., was next with an excellent Cups and Balls presentation with many magical moments. Harry performed a beautiful Malini egg bag routine astounding his assistant and the audience. Ken Kern, appearing as Prof. XXX, demonstrated that in his hands the laws of nature do not apply. He showed that solid penetrated solid with Vampire Block and Rope through Body. He also showed that matter can with stand the ravages of fire with a clever rendition of Cremation where a scarf is placed into a box, the space above the scarf is set afire and yet the scarf was removed unharmed. Harry Riser then presented his famous three rings Linking Rings to thunderous applause. Ryan Siebert did three of his card tricks. Taylor Martin, AKA Rodney the Younger, kept the audience in stitches as he closed with his superb comedy Sword through Neck assisted by Debbie Martin and a brave volunteer from the audience.

Photo lineup: Jared Sherlock & Bill Burdette front and kneeling. Second row; Bob Vasileff, Chris Henderson, Ken Kern, Harry Riser, Ryan Siebert, Taylor Martin and Debbie Martin. Photos courtesy of Dee Saul

Bob Vasileff, Scribe

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA [Assembly Report for August, September, October 2005]
Harry Riser Assembly No. 31
President: Ken Kern
Secretary: Paul Harnishfeger
Meets the first Monday, 7 PM at Mystic Tai Lodge, SE corner of Illinois & North St.

This report covers the months of August, September and October. John Carney was hosted during the month of August. There was an excellent turn out and Mr. Carney exceeded everyoneâ??s expectations.

Your Favorite Silk Magic was the September theme. Harry Riser presented a mini lecture that included the chop cup, silks, cards and coins. Harry began with different methods to use the chop cup; one was with a silk and continued by showing the Bob Stencel method of loading a chop cup. He continued with the Close Up Billiard Ball Routine. Next, Harry performed Ball to Silk using a Floyd Thayer Morrison Pill Box. Harry then used a small but beautiful P & L Drum Tube from which silks were produced. Mr. Riser then transitioned to a card trick. Phil Dubbs touched a card and when the Drum Tube was opened, a silk of the selected card appeared. Harry discussed the Charlie Miller force. Some details of tonightâ??s performance can be found in â??The Feints and Temps of Harry Riser.â?? Harry concluded by causing the card silk to vanish. Harry then discussed the device used to vanish the silk, the general use of Drum Tubes, and the Bosco palm.

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA [Assembly Report for June 2005]
Harry Riser Assembly No. 31
President: Ken Kern
Secretary: Paul Harnishfeger
Meets the first Monday, 7 PM at Mystic Tai Lodge, SE corner of Illinois & North St.

Assembly 31 June meeting was called to order by Ken Kern. Tonightâ??s theme was Favorite Magic. Paul Harnishfeger opened a pack of Life Savers, removed two, and in the twinkle of an eye they were linked together. Dee Saul then performed Too Many Ace of Hearts, where a packet of cards were shown to be all Ace of Hearts are converted to an ace high royal flush. Jerry Cassel came forward with a tray containing 8 double edged razor blades and a spool of thread. The blades and thread went into his mouth and when removed, the blades were threaded together. Ed Filbey then showed a white and a black scarf tied together that magically changed into checkered flags. Chris Henderson, assisted by Joe Fuller, showed four small pieces of magical photo paper. Joe selected one piece, initialed it, and placed it between two halves. Joe then selected a card, concentrated, and the image of the card was transferred to the initialed photo paper. Chris continued with tearing the selected card into fourths as he did Flash Restoration.

Harry Riser was next as he performed Triumph, assisted by Joe Fuller. Triumph was originally taught to him by Dai Vernon and Charlie Miller. Then Harry explained and demonstrated Strip Out Shuffle and the Zarrow Shuffle showing how they differ. Harry continued by showing how to double cut a deck controlling cards to desired locations. Harry ended his portion with Dunbury Delusion, written up in the Riser Repertoire in the June 2005 issue of M U M. Joe Fuller then showed two bar/restaurant tricks where a selected card appears in an unlikely location as Joe asks â??what do you want to bet?â?? Many favorite tricks were performed and interesting discussions related to the art of magic made for an excellent evening.

Bob Vasileff, Scribe

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA [Assembly Report for May 2005]
Harry Riser Assembly No. 31
President: Ken Kern
Secretary: Paul Harnishfeger
Meets the first Monday, 7 PM at Mystic Tai Lodge, SE corner of Illinois & North St.

Assembly 31 and I.B.M. Ring 10 hosted Michael Close lecture. We were treated to a lecture by an excellent magician that all felt was one of our own. Effects included The Trick Lance Burton Showed Me, Gary Plantâ??s Magnetized Cards, The Luckiest Cards in Las Vegas, Sideswiped Meets the Bammo Deck Walloper, Red Blue Mama Fooler, and Butte Ox? Two Butte Ox! This was an excellent lecture with an excellent presentation.

During May we were again treated to another superb lecture by one of our own, Harry Riser. Mr. Riser, a renowned card magician, displayed additional talents with a Coin Magic Lecture. Harry began with a brief discussion related to the 1878 book by Jean Robert-Houdin about various methods used to palm small objects. He opened with a coin trick that he learned from Dai Vernon where coins magically penetrate through a table or his hand. Harry continued by showing how a coin, described in the Robert-Houdin book, can vanish. Included in the evening lecture was a demonstration of an excellent retention vanish, an assortment of beautiful palming positions, superb passing techniques and using these methods in an assortment of excellent coin effects. Harry caused coins to vanish, appear, and transpose from an assortment of objects that included his hands, an Okito Box, a pocket coin purse, and a Boston Box. The methods he learned from many of his mentors and vignettes about these greats in magic were eagerly shared with those present. Some of the coin magic demonstrated this evening is described in his first book, â??The Feints and Temps of Harry Riserâ?? and other effects will appear in his second book soon to be published.

Bob Vasileff, Scribe

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA [Assembly Report for April 2005]
Harry Riser Assembly No. 31
President: Ken Kern
Secretary: Paul Harnishfeger
Meets the first Monday, 7 PM at Mystic Tai Lodge, SE corner of Illinois & North St.

Assembly 31 co-hosted Bill Abbott lecture with I.B.M. Ring 10. Effects included Mind Control, Buddha Paper Mystery, The Thing, Flash, sponge balls, and Chico the Minder Reader. This was an excellent lecture showing updated versions some great classics of magic.

The theme for Aprilâ??s regular meeting was â??Sucker Magic.â?? Bob Vasileff opened the evening of magic with Two Card Monte. Harold Barnes continued, assisted by Dee Saul, with a George Hample Bill Switch trick. Chris Henderson came forward with Nick Trostâ??s Australian Aces. Harry Riser, assisted by Bob Vasileff, then showed his working of Charlie Millerâ??s Dunbury Delusion and continued with Riserâ??s Spectator Shuffled Poker Hand. Ken Kern, assisted by Don Kuhn and Chris Henderson, performed a comedy Foo Can Funnel routine. Ken continued, assisted by Harold Barnes, with another comedy Silks to Shorts effect. Chris Henderson concluded the evening of magic with his rendition of T. A. Watersâ?? Pholder.

Bob Vasileff, Scribe

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA [Assembly Report for March 2005]
Harry Riser Assembly No. 31
President: Ken Kern
Secretary: Paul Harnishfeger
Meets the first Monday, 7 PM at Mystic Tai Lodge, SE corner of Illinois & North St.

During the month of February, I.B.M. Ring 10 celebrated their 60th anniversary with a gala banquet and magic show. Assembly 31 wishes to extend our sincere congratulations to Ring 10 for this memorable event. Ron Trippel and the officers of the Gene Keeney Ring did an excellent job of organizing the event. Tom Jones and Rachel Wild provided the magic for all.

The theme for our March meeting was â??Patter.â?? Before the discussion began, guest David Ford was introduced. Members present included; Joe Fuller, Paul Harnishfeger, Chris Henderson, Ken Kern, Taylor Martin, George Notaras, Harry Riser, Dee Saul, Steve Spence, and Bob Vasileff. Many good discussion points came up during the discussion. I will attempt to capture and summarize these points and the member's performances will, in many cases, reinforce them. Patter can often be used to cover a secret move. Selecting a character to play while performing can be an asset to help produce the necessary patter. If one portrays a period character, a storyteller, a comic, an all knowing sage, or any other character, then this can be a big help in performing. Allowing ones imagination to run freely can also be a way to generate patter for a trick.

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA [Assembly Report for March 2005]
Harry Riser Assembly No. 31
President: Ken Kern
Secretary: Paul Harnishfeger
Meets the first Monday, 7 PM at Mystic Tai Lodge, SE corner of Illinois & North St.

Ken Kern called our January meeting to order. Guests Joe Fuller, Jeff Harmon, and Ron Trippel, President of I.B.M. Gene Keeney Ring 10, were introduced. Mr. Trippel shared Ring 10 plans to celebrate their 60th anniversary.

The theme for this meeting is Magic Expectations for 2005. A round table discussion followed with the following participants; Phil Dubbs, Joe Fuller, Jeff Harmon, Paul Harnishfeger, Chris Henderson, Ken Kern, Dee Saul, Steve Spence, Ron Trippel, and Bob Vasileff. The following is a summary of points discussed: putting a show together - reduce unused magic â?? inventory magic - focus on shows - group inventoried magic by category - continue to over come performance fears - look for mentoring opportunities - improve performance skills - improve movement from one effect to another - look for better ways to present an effect - improve concealing skills learned as a magician - learn Cups & Balls - become proficient with a Card Assembly effect - find better places to buy magic - be more selective in purchases - develop better patter to accompany an effect - explore the value of silent versus talking shows.

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA [Assembly Report for March 2005]
Harry Riser Assembly No. 31
President: Ken Kern
Secretary: Paul Harnishfeger
Meets the first Monday, 7 PM at Mystic Tai Lodge, SE corner of Illinois & North St.

For December, Assembly 31, I.B.M. Ring 10, and local S.Y.M. members sponsored our Christmas Banquet and Magic Show. Thanks to All Souls Unitarian Church, Chef Cheryl Kern, producer Harry Riser, and stagehand Bob Vasileff. Emcee Harry Riser opened with a comedy card trick where he predicted the selected card. Shawn Hull then excited the guys and gals with a juggling routine where each had to respond at the right time. Shawn borrowed a ring, caused it to vanish, and then it appeared on a plastic hand. Shawn ended with a lovely sponge ball trick where a mom and daughter complemented each other as sponge balls appeared and disappeared. Harry Riser then performed Acey-Deucey where twos, placed into a glass, are converted to Aces. Jerry Cassel then changed a silk into a cane, performed a comedy Lota Bowl, and then did Chinese Sticks and Sympathetic Silks. Jerry removed silks from a 24 inch tube, returned them, and then produced a 32 foot silk streamer. Cassel concluded by placing a red silk into a gun and magically sending it to an empty glass. Riser returned with a clever jumbo card trick where he divined the selected card.

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA [Assembly Report for March 2005]
Harry Riser Assembly No. 31
President: Ken Kern
Secretary: Paul Harnishfeger
Meets the first Monday, 7 PM at Mystic Tai Lodge, SE corner of Illinois & North St.

In November we hosted Aldo Columbini, who suggested that simple magic combined with selected moves provides effects that make for an excellent show. He opened with Joker Dilemma and continued with an assortment of great magic.

Bob Vasileff, Scribe