CLIQUES : The Sorcerers’ Apprentices

Thomas Meier, 14, was caught stealing. And flashing. But he wasn’t breaking the law--just some rules of magic.

Meier is a member of the Magic Castle’s Junior Group, and he was caught pulling a prop out of its hiding place--”stealing”--and letting the audience see something he was trying to conceal--”flashing.” But he was performing for a tough crowd: professional magicians and other members of the group, 40 or so 13- to 20-year-olds. (Once they turn 21, they become members of the Magic Castle, a private club in Hollywood.)

Meier auditioned for the group at the suggestion of master magician Siegfried (of Siegfried and Roy), who was impressed with a few tricks Meier had shown him after a show in Las Vegas.

Once in the hard-to-enter group, the young Houdinis get tips on everything from patter to props. At one session, a youth confesses to some anxiety about a clearly homemade prop; does it look too amateurish? Well, the adviser admits, “It doesn’t exactly look like you stole it from David.”

The youth is confused. “David?”

“Copperfield.”

Oh. Him.