MIKE CHING - Key Persons
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Mike's family is eclectic and creative. His brother is celebrated native wildlife artist PATRICK CHING. His sister LISA VIDINHA heads Kuakini Hospitals Respiratory department. His "baby" sis COLETTE is a Navy communications specialist. Mom & Dad NORMA & WILFRED CHING are retired Educators from Lanakila Elementary and Kalani, respectively.
Unable to afford expensive magic props, Mike began to make his own out of cardboard, paper, rubber bands, and scraps of plastic, designing many original ideas in the process. He soon taught himself carpentry and, on his own and at age 14, began building big stage Illusions. (Photo at right - Mark Wilson and Nani Darnell of "The Magic Land of Alakazam")
At age 6, Mike's first real magic teacher was the Legendary Jimmy "Tengu" Yoshida (Photo at left), "Hawaii's Godfather of Magic". At age 11, Mike hooked up with a gang of 5 young magicians (known locally as "the Wild Bunch") and, on weekends, began doing shows "professionally" for $25.
Graduating from Moanalua High School, Mike became a Communications & Theater double-major at both Leeward Community College and the University of Hawaii Manoa. Mike has always excelled in sales and entertainment. While in college, he narrated SEA LIFE PARK'S "Ocean Science Theater" and "Whalers‘ Cove" Shows. (Photo at right - High School: Preparing To Levitate Ms. Vernette Ferreira)
Lately, Mike has been enthusiastically consulted by top Las Vegas magicians for his original ideas & designs. Performers such as "Magician of the Year" JEFF MCBRIDE called to arrange use of Mike's original "Floating Dragon Pearl" effect (©2004). Even the biggest Magician on the Strip today, LANCE BURTON acknowledges that he often reads Mike's "Dancing Handkerchief" book and has began doing a version of the effect in his deluxe show at the MONTE CARLO.
Mike is the past President of the Society of American Magicians (S.A.M.), and has won Awards in every Magic or Comedy competition he ever entered. He consults on many Shows, Conventions and Waikiki Productions: Frank DeLima, Glenn Medeiros, "Yes!", "Yes! Encore!' and Ken Noyle's theatrical séance production "Phantasma" at INDIGO. When Jon Hirokawa was first planning "MAGIC OF POLYNESIA", he called Mike for advice nearly every other day. Mike directed Jon's original show at the HALE KOA HOTEL and created several Grand Scale Illusions for the CHINESE BICENTENNIAL BANQUET and the MISS HAWAII PAGEANT. (Photo above right - Mike winning a Magician's Costume Ball as BEETLEJUICE with the PENDRAGONS and LANCE BURTON)