Ran’D Shine Brings a Night of Magic to Abeloff

Photo Credit / ESU Flickr The audience gasps as tons of orange balls appear in a participant’s hands. Photo Credit / ESU Flickr
The audience gasps as tons of orange balls appear in a participant’s hands.

By Michelle Lyles
Contributing Writer

Magician Ran’D Shine closed out last week’s Family Weekend Activities.

The event hosted by The Campus Activities Board (CAB) was held in Ableoff on Saturday, Sept. 23 at 7 p.m.

“CAB initially saw Ran’D Shine at a national conference we attend once a year,” said Megan Turtle, Coffeehouse Chair of the CAB.

“We then spoke to his manager through the company, Everyth and luckily, he was open to perform during Family Weekend — and fit our theme perfectly.”

The lecture hall was about 3 quarters of the way full with students, parents and guests all ready to see the magic that was about to take place.

He stunned the audience with numerous performances such as, changing $20 into a $1 and then making the $20 appear an hour later in a bag of Chips Ahoy.

He guessed words from a book without looking along with birthdays and the names of student’s significant others.

He did a handful of card tricks along with doing a sensation activity where he pulled an older couple on stage and poked one person a handful of times but the other person felt those sensations without even being touched.

The crowd was amazed by his performance as he pulled a young girl on stage and together they cut up pieces of tissue paper then the paper reappeared as a hat for the girl.

Shine is from Philadelphia and when asked about what the secret to magic is he said, “Magicians use misdirection and psychology to play with your minds, that is what I’m doing tonight.”

According to his website, he performed for President Barack Obama and was asked to be a special performer for the “Salute to Heroes” at the 44th Presidential Inauguration Banquet and Ball in 2009.

He performed a one-man show called “Mysterious Ways” in South Africa.

Shine made appearances on “The Art and Soul of Magic” documentary and NBC’s “10 Show.”

Shine is noted as an “educator of magic.” He has taught on campuses throughout the United States as well as military bases in Korea, Japan and Guam.

It is also mentioned on his website that, “Ran’D Shine is the face of the new millennium magician.” This proved to be true as whenever he finished a trick, everyone would gasp in disbelief.

Shine kept people in a fit of laughter throughout his event, proving that he was really able to connect with his audience.

For more information or to see more of Ran’D Shine, visit his website www.randyshine.com or follow him on Twitter @Ran_Magic

Email Michelle at:
mlyles2@live.esu.edu