Encouraged by the audience response to its magic show of last May in the Wellesley Wonderful Weekend, Boston Ring of the International Brotherhood of Magicians (IBM Ring 122) has decided to do another stage show that will again be raising money for the Cure Alzheimer’s Fund, headquartered in Wellesley. However, this time, the stage show will be augmented by “on-demand” close-up magic done by Wellesley’s Gil Stubbs and his associate, Jerry Schiowitz, before the stage show and during the intermission. As in last year, the entire show will be presented at the Wellesley Community Center from 4 to 6 p.m., after the Wheels of Wellesley VI on Saturday, May 19.
Alzheimer’s disease is the health crisis of the 21st century. Currently, there are over 5.7 million afflicted in the US alone, a number that is on pace to triple by 2050. Emotionally and financially devastating to families, Alzheimer’s is the only top ten leading cause of death with a mortality rate on the rise, and the only one for which there is no cure.
Cure Alzheimer’s Fund was created to change this. Started in 2004, their mission is to fund research with the highest probability of stopping, slowing or preventing Alzheimer’s disease. The Board of Directors cover all overhead expenses so that 100% of every donation, every single penny, go directly to Alzheimer’s research. Since inception, CureAlz has directed nearly $70 million to research, funding 127 researchers at 64 world-class institutions.
The Master of Ceremonies for the stage show will be Bruce Fenton, the president of IBM Ring 122, who was the behind-the-scenes organizer of last year’s show. For the first time, this show will include Danny Winter, the 15-year-old who made a big hit when he performed at the Community Center last March 25 in a "Hocus Pocus” show of the Boston Assembly #9 of the Society of American Magicians. Danny, who is now vice president of the Society of Young Magicians Assembly #29 (S.Y.M. #29) received a first place trophy two years ago in his performance at the prestigious Tannen’s Magic Camp in Philadelphia. Another newcomer to the IBM show will be Mikey Lee, an accomplished magician who has been a longtime member of Ring 122.
As he did last May, Alan Wassilak (aka, ”Alan the Uncanny”) will be performing some stage magic that is uniquely coupled to his skill as a cartoonist, as well as his role as the editor of the “Barnstormer” newsletter of SAM #9.
Moreover, the editor of the “Silent Messenger“ newsletter of IBM Ring 122, Pat Farenga, will also be performing on stage. Pat is known to many Wellesley residents, young and old, not only as the master of ceremonies in last year’s IBM show, but also by his performance last year to youngsters at the Wellesley Sprague School, and most recently in his teaching magic to students at the St. John School.
Another May 19 stage performer who is also a teacher is Ryan Lally, former president of S.Y.M. #29 who joined Gil Stubbs in teaching one of his ten yearly magic seminars at Wellesley High School. Both Ryan and Pat performed for live audiences on Gil’s monthly cable vision show at the Wellesley Community Center, for which Gil received a citation from the International President of IBM, which has chapters (called “rings”) throughout the United States, Canada and 38 other countries.
Most importantly, all of those who come to this event will have opportunities to meet and thank John Slattery, vice president of the Fund, for its exclusive support of research on this disease that is now touching us all, either directly or indirectly.
