It’s magic: A class offers lessons using paper, pencils and other household items

In these tough economic times, a little magic can be a welcome diversion.

And instead of buying expensive props and supplies, magician Yona Chock says ordinary household items can make magic.

"Magic for the Financially Challenged" is the theme of Chock’s free, hourlong introductory magic class at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Kalihi-Palama Library. She offers the class every fourth Thursday of the month, before the regular meeting of the Hawaii Magicians Society, International Brotherhood of Magicians Ring No. 185.

Chock is shown here doing a trick using a pre-rigged egg and a $1 bill. Here’s the sequence: Get a dollar bill and write down its serial number, make the bill vanish, then — voila! — reappear from inside a cracked egg. Holy smokes! The bill’s serial number matches that of the vanished bill.

Chock plans to prepare up to a dozen eggs for Thursday’s class along with other household items such as newspaper, rubber cement, scissors, clotheslines, bowls, notebooks, paper and pencils.

"You don’t have to bring anything, and classes are open to all ages," she said. Besides demonstrating magician hand movements like palming and paddle moves, Chock will reveal the "magic" Dewey Decimal number where students can find the how-to books hidden in the library’s children section.

(Pssst, don’t tell anyone — it’s 793.8.)

The semiretired 72-year-old Chock has been a fan of parlor magic ever since she learned card tricks as a college student.

"I teach most of the classes when I’m in town," she said, whenever she and her husband aren’t traveling to the mainland to see their three children and visiting the popular Magic Castle in Los Angeles.

"The whole idea is to keep it simple, don’t make it too complicated, so students can take the tricks home and show them to their friends." — Gary Chun

Art inspires family fun

Tomorrow’s Bank of Hawaii Family Sunday at the Honolulu Academy of Arts is inspired by the works of artist Sanit Khewhok.

The free event will encourage budding artists to look at Khewhok’s fascinating life-size insect sculptures on exhibit at the academy, then make some of their own.

Other activities include entertainment by vocalist Ana Monique and violin prodigy Blaze Tesoro, and screenings of the animated film "Planet 51" at 11:10 a.m. and 12:40 and 2:10 p.m.

The Pavilion Cafe will be serving children-oriented food such as hot dogs and sloppy joes.

Family Sunday runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., but activities will end at 3 p.m.

Young visitors to the academy also may enter a monthly drawing contest, with a theme and drawing supplies provided. Winners receives a $15 gift certificate to the Academy Shop, and their artwork will be used to create the following month’s event brochure and be posted on the Academy website.

Last month’s winner was 8-year-old Koichiro Otake.

For more information, call 532-8700 or visit www.honoluluacademy.org.

Make a lovely lotus flower

Liliha Public Library is offering two free workshops this month on how to make an origami lotus flower, which symbolizes divine purity, enlightenment, rebirth and wealth.

The workshops, scheduled for 3 p.m. Wednesday and 1 p.m. next Saturday, will be taught by avid reader and library patron Jason Chen in the library’s meeting room.

The Friends of Liliha Public Library is sponsoring the one-hour workshops suitable for those ages 14 and older.

The library is at 1515 Liliha St. Each workshop is limited to 10 participants, and registration is required. Call 587-7577 to register.

Pidgin stage classic returns

Lisa Matsumoto’s pidgin musical "Once Upon One Time" continues its summer run at Manoa Valley Theatre through Aug. 8.

Star-Advertiser theater reviewer John Berger called the popular comedy an "amalgamation of ideas from MAD magazine, Rocky & Bullwinkle’s ‘Fractured Fairy Tales,’ Kent Bowman and Abbott & Costello’s ‘Who’s on First?’ routine."

Show times are 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, 8 p.m. Fridays, 3 and 8 p.m. Saturdays and 3:30 p.m. Sundays. Tickets are $35 for general admission ($20 everyone 25 and younger). The theater is at 2833 E. Manoa Road. For information, call 988-6131 or visit www.manoavalleytheatre.com.