I have been working on CJing myself for awhile, for use with cold reading on the streets. My idea is a lot different than yours and plays more for tourists, but I like your idea.

I would imagine the best possible solution is to use a palming method of Billiards to accomplish what you're thinking about doing. I do not see how you would be able to do it otherwise.

As the ball is in motion, I do not think you will be able to make it grow, as it goes, so to speak. I would suggest, taking a look at Jeff Mcbride's manipulation series, and see what you come up with.

I could see you using misdirection, going from the Butterfly, in the windshield wiper (with some nice patter, as you stare into the ball, into the soul of the young thief...) and with your other hand palming a larger ball and then simply switching hands when you turn, as if you were going back into a butterfly, but instead going from the left to right hand windshield wiper. Boy, I bet that is clear as mud!

I will have to pull out my sphere and see, what I come up with. You may want to post this topic in the manipulation section.

Kevin

Thanks, the billard routine is a great idea but I'm not sure I was clear about how I envision the routine.

What I'm thinking is a full routine / storyline starting with one trick dealing with a tiny crystal like the jumping stone wands (unsure of the real name). Then a dissapearing trick for the "kid stealing it" and a reappear (egg bag or hank tentatively) as a larger crystal suprising the boy...

Then through the story as the kid grows, the crystal grows with him... another 2-4 tricks (unknown) demonstrating different ways the stone grows till its final form...

The hook for a crowd will be the contact juggling and the finish will be the offer of 5 min crystal ball readings per donation. The show will be me relating my "story" via magic of how I came to own the crystal ball I read with.

This is my first time structuring a show; till now it's been friends and family. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

I'm thinking of the "Egyptian Ball Mystery" by Mohammed Bey in "The Stars of Magic," or Aldo Colombini's "Conetact."

Although the routines do not involve growing effects, they are both designed for parlor/stage.

Perhaps you could change one of the effects to a color change, reflecting a shift in the crystal or in the boy's mood, or maybe to reflect the crystal's growing power and influence.