While last night's live show at the Tin Theater, 923 SW 152nd St., featured one magician, Des Moines' Louie Foxx, and two comedians, Seattle's Emmett Montgomery and Renton's Mike Coletta, Foxx pulled some jokes out of his hat and the comics had a few tricks up their sleeves to keep the almost sell-out audience of 35 guessing, and laughing too. Theater owner Dan House wore a smile during much of the 90-minute offering.

The chirpy Foxx connected with the crowd by snapping his cowboy whip while blindfolded and holding a beer bottle, at a banana held by a nervous audience volunteer, and, staying with the fruit theme, later made a cantaloupe and at least three oranges appear out of "nowhere" on a small folding table, and creating an action silhouette of a dog consuming a rabbit with his hand puppet shadows. He was caught saying, "My 7 year-old daughter loves this trick" which served to endear the audience.

Montgomery's quiet delivery of angsty humor included material about his beard, including, "It's what many admire most about me and all I have to do is keep sharp objects away from my face", about his 30-pound evil cat Walter, and his fascination with procreation which succeeded to unsettle the audience, producing nervous laughter. Off-stage, his edge softened when he told the Highline Times about his part-time gig at the Frye Art Museum downtown where he and his wife fell in love, and said he is a distant relative of the bewitching Elizabeth Montgomery.

Host Coletta told self-deprecating humor about striking out with the ladies. He recalled embracing a girl, "I hug left, but this girl hugged right and then we touched faces and she was like, 'Are you trying to make out with me? If I said, 'Yeah' then I'm that 'creepy guy' If I said, 'No', I'd look like I am afraid of affection."

The Tin Alley will provide such live shows the fourth Thursday of every month. The three magicians will appear together at the Comedy Underground Feb. 29.