Howard County Fair 2005: Larger-Than-Life Magic
Playing cards are revealed, silk scarves change size, and a classic carnival game is super-sized in a larger-than-life magic show at the 2005 Howard County Fair. Shazam Magic returned for its sixth consecutive year, marking the 60th anniversary of the Howard County Fair with a really big magic show.
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Classic tricks, as well as a few new ones, were performed on a giant scale to the delight of fairgoers of all ages. "We've been playing with this idea of a really big magic show for a few years," Peter noted before the Fair, "and how fun it would be to perform with giant props instead of the same old normal-sized stuff." "It certainly makes it more challenging, but I guess that keeps us on our toes a bit more than normal" Matthew added. One not-to-be-missed trick was their giant version of the classic Cups and Balls, an ancient sideshow game where audiences try to keep track of which of three cups contains a little red ball. In their larger-than-life show, the Wood brothers used a giant 6" foam rubber ball and three steel trash cans, making it funnier, and more baffling, than ever before. Additionally, a giant "mind-reading" apparatus was featured, constructed from household items like cereal boxes, PVC pipe, and colanders, designed supposedly to give Peter the ability to read the minds of on-stage volunteers. "It's kinda a crack-pot invention to begin with," Matthew admitted, "so hopefully it'll be working in time for the Fair." |
Backstage Secrets: Not magic secrets, really, but a few of the theatrical and technical tricks that are used in the Howard County Fair show. Matt's Mind Machine was actually made from plywood and had 2x4 wooden supports inside, and was then covered with various food boxes used by the Wood Family over the last several months. The colanders are larger than normal, and were purchased from a commercial food supply store, then modified with the PVC pipe. A backstage fog machine pumped smoke out through a hole hidden in the backstage wall, and into a pipe that splits it between the two helmets. Peter's had to be outfitted with an elastic strap, to allow him to keep it on his head and write at the same time. The opening announcements CD was actually Matt's voice, professionally-recorded on a radio-style microphone the Wood brothers have at their house. Matthew and Peter got the idea while in Walt Disney World, making fun of the pre-recorded announcements, and thinking about how funny it would be to have one that wouldn't stop talking. The giant prediction card was a white piece of foamcore, measuring 2'x3', and hand-painted by Peter on the front, with his artistic interpretation of a Bicycle rider back on the back. The largest Bicycle cards the brothers were able to find is the big deck of cards used in the Matt's Mind Machine routine, measuring 12" tall, and cost them $60. Peter and Matt created the "Applause Silk Routine" for the Fair this year, but got the materials in several months earlier, and had been using it in many of their birthday party and holiday shows, testing out the best way to get audience reactions and laughs. Otherwise, all of the tricks had their premiere at the Fair this year. Finally, the Giant Cups and Balls was what sparked the whole "larger-than-life" theme, as Matthew and Peter have talked for years about doing this routine on a huge scale. Parts of it are much harder than performing the routine with normal-sized props, but the reactions of the audience are well worth it. |
