The Sting - Lou Leventhal & Bill Abbott

The Sting by Lou Leventhal from Bill Abbott on Vimeo.

An Introduction from Bill Abbott:

"In 2006 Lou Leventhal was contributing to an an online forum about a ring flight routine that he had just performed for over 25,000 people at Reunion Arena in Dallas, Texas. This seemed impossible to me. I had to find out what he was doing to make a traditionally close-up effect play in such a large venue for such a huge audience! I paid Lou a significant sum of money for a DVD performance of the routine and the right to perform it in my paid shows. After viewing the performance I realized that I had just got the deal of a lifetime and immediately started working on the routine. Fast forward to 2011. I have just returned from a great few days with Lou at his home in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan where I had the joy of shooting one of the most incredible instructional DVDs I have ever had the privilege to produce. If you've ever dreamed of rocking a crowd of thousands with a trick that fits in your pocket - The Sting is for you!"

A Message from Lou Leventhal:

"I have been performing a large illusion program for almost 30 years in North America, South America, Europe & Asia. There is one routine that I will always perform at every one of those shows, and that is The Sting. This routine gives the audience a chance to get to know me, to see that I'm a fun guy and to interact with a volunteer on stage in a positive way, that sets a tone for the rest of the show. After all the big illusions and magic I do in the show The Sting is the one effect that everyone mentions as being a standout for them after the show!"

The Good News!

The good news is that you now have an opportunity to learn from Lou's 30 years experience performing this one killer routine! Lou explains every tip and trick that he has gleaned over the thousands of paid performances to flatten out your learning curve and get you up and running asap. Everything from the right clip to use, the best ring flight device to choose, how to manage the audience volunteer on stage and how to get the most response from that volunteer and even more from the audience as a whole. If you are a full-time or part-time working pro you will be getting a solid working routine to drop into your show immediately.

What is The Sting

The Sting is a stage routine for the classic ring flight effect. What separates this from other ring flight routines, is Lou's work to make it play for audiences of thousands of people. Instead of a simple "here's your ring - now it's gone - now it's on my keycase" routine, Lou has weaved a believable story around the routine that is accessible to every audience. The Sting is a working professional's detailed information on ring flight not available anywhere before. And it's worth its weight in gold. 30 years of advice, direction and intensive instruction on how to bring YOUR ring flight (you know, that one that's in your drawer!) onto the stage and in front or your audiences. Where most ring flight routines are a glorified stunt at best, The Sting is a commercial 5 minute piece with a script (included), a great premise, loads of interaction, laughs and all the details that you would expect from a successful professional routine. Lou introduces a con style premise that leads into a dynamic game of 50-50 odds with the ring as the 'prize'. In the end the ring completely vanishes and reappears INSIDE of a zippered wallet and firmly attached to a set of keys inside the wallet.

What makes the The Sting special

• The moment of the ring's disappearance is unlike any I have ever encountered in a ring flight routine. When the ring disappears the performer is so far ahead he/she can really enjoy the moment as much as the audience.
• The routine can work in any environment, up close and surrounded. Lou once performed this for 25,000 people with video support at an arena.
• Unlike most ring flight handlings The Sting has eliminated all of that and makes it easy on the performer, so there is never a weak or questionable moment. No fumbling, awkward movements. Just magic.

The Sting Routine Features:

• A natural hook up that is deceptive and comfortable. Most ring flight routines have unnatural hook ups that are difficult to do deceptively and leave the performer looking uncomfortable.
• A great universal premise with an accessible storyline and accompanying script. Most ring flight routines are a glorified stunt at best.
• Performable in any environment and under any conditions. Deceive the audience AND the spectator on stage - with no angle or proximity restrictions.
• Built in time misdirection. The 'move' happens so far away from the real magic moment that the performer can enjoy the entire experience without living with any magician's guilt!
• Situational humour and laughs are incorporated and carefully placed in the routine for maximum entertainment.
• Set-Up that takes less than a minute before performance
• The real secrets to taking ring flight and putting on stage in front of large audiences.
• The ability to use almost ANY ring flight device you already own! Lou teaches you how to use the ring flight you have to accomplish the routine.

The Instructional DVD Includes:

Over 110 minutes of Performances, In-depth Instruction and Conversation.

• A Live Stage Performance: Live in front of 500 people see how Lou squeezes every last second of entertainment value out of this routine. The perfect lesson in stage craft, timing and audience management.
• A Studio Performance: Lou performs the routine a second time to showcase the scripting and handling. All of the lines and bits of business are included to learn from Lou's example.
• A Personal History with Ring Flight: Lou shares his influences and lends some historical insight into the effect known as ring flight and shares his personal journey with the routine and why he made the choices he did along the way.
• Ring Fright!?: In the hundreds and hundreds of performances Lou has never lost a ring, a stone or damaged a ring in any way during the performance of The Sting. Lou has also been using the same reel and clasp for as long as he has been performing The Sting. Find out why Lou has performed ring flight with no fear whatsoever for almost 30 years.
• How to Choose the Best Ring Flight : Everything You Need To Know: Locking vs. non-Locking, reel vs. reel-less and how to use almost any ring flight device for The Sting routine.
• Ring Flight : Clips and Clasps: The right clip or clasp can make or break a ring flight routine and Lou tips everything you need to know to get the clasp that is going to make the technique a breeze and work 100% in every single performance.
• Ring Flight : How to Change a Clasp: So you want to change the clasp without ruining your reel or loosing the line? Lou takes you step by step through a simple process of getting a new clasp firmly and securely on your line.
• The Wallet In Detail: Lou's groundbreaking use of a zippered wallet for the routine is showcased here with no detail left out. Lou explains in detail the type of wallet to use for the routine
• The Ring: Literally any ring can be borrowed and used for the routine, but Lou's advice about the choice of the 'right' ring can turn the routine from a great trick into a real showpiece.
• The Volunteer: As with the choice of the ring, picking the right volunteer can make this routine shine because of the reactions gleaned from the situation. Lou has some invaluable advice on volunteer selection and management that can be utilized by any performer to enhance their show's interactive segments.
• The Sting Routine : A Detailed Walk-Through: Everything is tipped here. The walk-through is an intensive step-by-step, blow-by-blow account of the entire routine with all the handling details included.
• A Conversation with Bill Abbott & Lou Leventhal: Pull up a chair and sit down with Bill and Lou to learn about some of the real secrets of professional performance, the issues a pro faces and the answers that have surfaced after many years and audiences later. Over 30 minutes of hard-earned advice, ideas and words of wisdom.

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The Sting Pro Pack, Includes*:

Printed Script, DVD with Performances and In-Depth Instruction. Get the complete instruction for the routine plus all the details on the type of wallet and envelope needed for the routine.?*These packages do not include a ring flight reel/device. You can use a ring flight device you already own or purchase the package to get Lou's professional advice on the best one to purchase currently on the market today.

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REVIEWS

"If you are contemplating dropping a ring flight into your act..the background, the care and maintenance of props, the display of the different types of apparatus available, the experience of doing it thousands of times and the hard learned tips of presentation are well worth the outlay. And the delay of the vanish with the envelope