by Beatrice Tello on 2013-10-24

It was a magical evening—literally—at the University of Redlands Memorial Chapel on Oct. 18 when magician Mike Caveney hosted “The Magic of Redlands!” magic show. He opened to a full house, setting a cup of coffee on a wooden ring and spinning it in the air without spilling it. He joked with the front row, “I bet you wish you weren’t sitting in the front row, huh?” The audience laughed along with Caveney as he set the light mood for the rest of the show. Dan Birch, “The Lord of Illusionists," kicked off the show by performing several tricks that involved pulling doves out of thin air and from white silk handkerchiefs. The audience gasped when he seemingly pulled apart a dove and turned it into two doves. “The best part of the entire show was when he [Dan Birch] ripped the bird in half and made two,” said student Shawn McMillen. For his final trick, Dan Birch turned a cage of doves into a single rabbit. The next magician introduced by Caveney was Tina Lenert, who is famous for her act called “Maid in Heaven," which mixes magic and pantomime. She had the audience in a trance with her pantomime “mopman,” who pulls jewelry out of fire and flowers out of handkerchiefs. Later in the show Lenert returned to the stage to perform a magical number with rings that mysteriously locked and unlocked together. “He’s a little odd,” was how Caveney introduced magician Rob Zabrecky, but the crowd loved him as he brought several participants on stage to help him with his magic tricks. Zabrecky performed hypnotic tricks that allowed the audience to participate, and even poked fun at the “spirits” during his time on stage. Known as being “hilariously creepy,” Zabrecky brought a mix of comedy and magic to the show. The final magician to take the stage was Joel Ward, who has appeared on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” and on “Tosh.0” on Comedy Central. He started his show by making his assistant appear from a triangular box that was empty only moments before she appeared. Ward ended the show by using the president of the University of Redlands, Dr. Ralph Kuncl, to perform his version of Harry Houdini’s infamous metamorphosis illusion. The crowd erupted in applause once Ward appeared from out of a locked box, completing his trick. Mike Caveney closed the show by bringing out all the magicians, who bowed and thanked the audience for their participation and energy. [END] Magic of Redlands! Magic Show Date: Friday, October 18, 2013 Time: 8:00 p.m. Google Map Event Location: University of Redlands, Memorial Chapel Address: 1200 East Colton Ave. Redlands CA 92373 Description: Thru 9:30 p.m. Tickets @Campus Events office - U of R students free, $10 general, $20 VIP, $50 dinner/show. CONTACT INFO Phone: Tickets 909-748-8116; VIP tickets 909-748-8011 PRESS RELEASE: University of Redlands will host The Magic of Redlands! Magic Show on Oct. 18 The show of sophisticated magic and comedy can be enjoyed by one and all REDLANDS, Calif. (Oct. 10, 2013) – The University of Redlands Office of Student Life will host The Magic of Redlands! Magic Show as part of the University’s Homecoming 2013 celebrations at 8 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 18, 2013 at the Memorial Chapel. The Magic of Redlands! Magic Show will feature award-winning magicians from Hollywood’s famous Magic Castle®. Mike Caveney—who has been called “one of the funniest magicians in America” by The Hollywood Reporter—will co-host with Tina Lenert a magic and pantomime act called “Maid in Heaven.” Dan Birch, the “Lord of Illusionists,” will perform a stage act and Rob Zabrecky will showcase his brand of “hilariously creepy” magic. Joel Ward will perform fast and amazing modern magic featured on The Tonight Show, Comedy Central and Ringling Brothers, Barnum & Bailey Circus. Magician Bios Mike Caveney – host of the show, has been dubbed “one of the funniest magicians in America" by the Hollywood Reporter. Caveney is an American Magician, author, publisher, magic historian and collector. He is a life-member of the Magic Castle in Hollywood and a member of the Magic Circle of London. His work as a magician and publisher spans more than four decades. He has appeared onstage or on television in more than 20 countries and most of the 50 states. He is also the co-organizer and host of the Los Angeles Conference on Magic History, a biennial invitation-only conference that showcases historical magic. Tina Lenert - combines magic and pantomime in a unique act called "Maid in Heaven" that she has performed on stages and television shows all over the world. For many years she has been a regular performer at the world famous Magic Castle in Hollywood where she has been voted “Stage Magician of the Year” by the Academy of Magical Arts. Dan Birch – known as "The Lord of Illusionists,” has appeared on stages around the world, and has made many television appearances. Birch is a magic purist whose shows and illusions are a loving homage to his craft and a salute to the child inside us all. At age 12, Birch read the description of a magic trick in a catalog, where a magician would produce a live white dove from a folded silk handkerchief. From that moment on, Dan has been consumed with this notion, and created an act that transcends the natural barriers of reality. Rob Zabrecky – thought to be “hilariously creepy.” According to MAGIC magazine, "Zabrecky's magic could easily be the plot line of a Stephen King novel, if Stephen King wrote comedy." Since 2002, he has been a regular performer at the Magic Castle. Joel Ward - headlined Ringling Bros. & Barnum & Bailey Circus show "Boom A Ring", and appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Comedy Central's Tosh.O. His magic is modern, fast and amazing. WHAT: The Magic of Redlands! Magic Show WHEN: Friday, Oct. 18, 2013 from 8- 9:30 p.m. WHERE: University of Redlands, Memorial Chapel 1200 East Colton Ave, Redlands, CA 92373 TICKETS Tickets for the Magic Show are available through the Campus Events office located on the first floor of the Hunsaker University Center or call 909-748-8116. • $20 VIP seats • $10 General admission • Free admission for University of Redlands students Town and Gown is offering tickets for dinner and the Magic Show • $50 dinner and VIP seating – contact Alumni Relations at 909-748-8011