David Edwards is a stage and screen acting veteran from Las Cruces, New Mexico. He has performed in countless stage plays and several on-screen acting jobs over the past four decades. Mr Edwards uses both practical and magical rituals in preparations for his stage performances and carries a good luck charm with him. His rituals are less extreme than those of many other theater artists who are extremely careful about superstitions and adamant about pre-show rituals. Anthropologists would note the greater ritual associated with stage acting compared to film acting, as performers feel less need for luck in the film world, which forgives mistakes. This parallels the dichotomy between hitters and fielders in baseball. David Edwards has worn the same chain in every single play he's been in since 1973. "I'm wearing a silver chain that my mother gave me for the opening night of Henry IV Part I," explains the actor. Since then, he has added a ring from his father and a silver luggage tag from his grandfather to the chain. He also recently started wearing a cross necklace given to him by Sunday School students: "It's about family and there's that spiritual side too." When asked if he thought the necklaces brought good luck to his performances, he laughed and said, “I turn around and go home if I forget my chain. Really. It's a superstitious thing. He almost never performed without, under the costume. Of the few times he has forgotten it, he says, "It makes me very uncomfortable and I'm sure that negative feeling affects something, somehow." The chain and necklace are Mr. Edward's only magical fetishes, or "material objects believed to embody 'supernatural' powers capable of aiding or protecting the owner,"...center of the card...and yourself. This is evidence of the human drive to succeed in society. People expect both athletes and actors to be successful, and as social creatures, the athlete or actor wants to meet those expectations. Rituals and magic can be found in many different cultural spheres, from religion to entertainment, in every nation. It might seem silly that actors would choose to observe bizarre pre-show rituals, but they're actually no different than what an athlete does before a game, or what a tribal child does before adulthood. Everyone tries to create their own success, despite factors beyond their control. Works Cited Edwards, David. Personal interview. March 25, 2014.Gmelch, George. Baseball magic. New York: McGraw-Hill/Dushkin, 2000.Kottak, Conrad Phillip. Anthropology: appreciating human diversity. 14th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2011. Print.