Hello all,
I am designing effects for a production of Sword in the Stone which opens in a month. The script calls for a jumbo card (king of hearts) production and a jumbo coin apperance/disappearence. I post this topic because I need a good, flashy method that can be learned by a semi-older ACTOR playing merlin.
Any input greatly appreciated!
Thanks!
-Nick

LOL..Yeah, (from your picture), I can see you are the OLDER ACTOR?
Is this production going to be viewed by a large audience? If so, then Jumbo Coin and Card magic books such as: Thinging Big by Mark Munro and a DVD'on Card Act by Tony Clark should help you.
Good luck OLD MAN!

Nick,
I have dealt with this kind of situation and I would advise you not to think in big magical terms but in simple staging terms. You can usually get an actor coached to a satisfactory degree with a pull in the costume or set. I also would try not to tip anything as far as "real" magic secrets or techniques. Dress things up as "blocking" not "moves" and think mechanical not skill. Good luck.

Same here. I was involved in a production of Godspell where the actors were required to do a few magical effects. We used a lot of mechanical effects that were almost self working. One of the actors had to make a scarf appear in a flash. I used thumb tips, tape, and velcro to make the effect work simply. Remember, the actors have to be able to concentrate on their lines and cues so the simipler you can make the magic for the actors the better.

Just let the actor to pull the card and coin from his(her) clothes for example while he is turning around... Not magical, but effect

If you are inside you could use black art.

Black art would work, except that this will be theater-in-the-round :/

For the coin go with Big Coins by Michael P. Lair it is great and very very easy to learn and perform http://www.lairmagic.com.

Luke