David Edwards is a theater and film veteran from Las Cruces, New Mexico. He has appeared in countless stage performances and several on-screen acting roles over the past four decades. Mr. Edwards uses both practical and magical rituals to prepare for his stage performances, and he keeps a good luck charm with him. His rituals are less extreme than those of many other performing artists who are extremely observant of superstitions and adamant about pre-show rituals. Anthropologists would take note of the greater ritual associated with stage acting than film acting, to the extent that performers feel less need for luck in the error-forgiving world of cinema. This is similar to the dichotomy between hitters and outfielders in baseball. David Edwards has worn the same chain to every game he has played since 1973. "I wear a silver chain that my mother gave me for the opening night of Henry IV Part I," says the comedian. He has since added a ring from his father and a silver luggage tag from his grandfather to the chain. Additionally, he recently started wearing a cross necklace given to him by Sunday school students: “It's about family and there's this spiritual side to it as well. When asked if he thought the necklaces helped bring luck to his performances, he laughed and replied, "I turn around and go home if I forget my chain." Really. It's a superstitious thing. He almost never performed without it under his costume. Of the few times he forgot about it, he says, "It makes me very uncomfortable and I'm sure this negative feeling affects something, one way or another." » The chain and necklace are Mr. Edward's only magical fetish, or "material objects believed to embody a 'supernatural' power that can aid or protect its owner", ...... middle of paper .... .. are themselves. This speaks to the human drive to succeed in society. People rely on athletes and actors to succeed, and as social creatures, the athlete or entertainer desires to meet these expectations. Rituals and magic can be found in many different cultural areas, from religion to entertainment, in every country. It may seem silly that actors choose to observe bizarre pre-show rituals, but they're not really any different from what an athlete does before a game, or what a tribal kid will do before the adulthood. Everyone tries to create their own success, despite factors beyond their control. Works Cited Edwards, David. Personal interview. March 25, 2014. Gmelch, George. The magic of baseball. New York: McGraw-Hill/Dushkin, 2000. Kottak, Conrad Phillip. Anthropology: appreciating human diversity. 14th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2011. Print.