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Playing with a full deck
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Playing with a full deck Young magicians learn how to play their cards right
By Liz Ruiz, from The State
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Brandon Wagster coughs and a slew of playing cards shoots from his mouth.
Coughing up a handful of cards may seem peculiar to most people, but it doesn’t elicit a response from the group at the table with him — a half-dozen teens gathered for the monthly meeting of the Society of Young Magicians. The group — all boys — laugh, talk and shuffle cards while waiting for the meeting to start. In this group, “Pick a card, any card” takes the place of “Hello.” The Society of Young Magicians is a worldwide organization that promotes magic as a wholesome hobby for youth ages 7 to 17. The organization is sponsored by the Society of American Magicians, which provides adult members to run the youth meetings and act as mentors. The December meeting was at the Marriott Hotel, coinciding with the annual magic convention also being held there. |
(Photo, clockwise: Brandon Wagster, Bates Jernigan, Matt McCoy, Joey V. )
One of the ballrooms housed tables and displays filled with magic books, DVDs, tricks and bowls of candy.
The convention featured workshops taught by seasoned magicians as well as illusion competitions. It wrapped up with a Saturday-night magic show gala.
Charlie Frye, a former circus clown and practicing magician, finished a lecture at the convention just as the Young Magicians meeting was starting.
The teens crowded around Frye, a performer from Las Vegas, to learn his smooth card tricks.
“This is a real poker move,” he told them, “so don’t use it for anything sinister — amusement purposes only.”
Frye encouraged the teens to incorporate poker-related tricks into their acts because it’s so topical. “Everyone is talking about poker right now. ‘I’m too young to play poker’ can be your premise,” he said.
Traditional magicians bring to mind images of sequined-wearing women being sawed in half and rabbits being pulled from top hats by men in capes sporting thin mustaches.
But the teens in the Society of Young Magicians see things a little differently.
“My rabbit is too fat and my dove is psychotic. They’re not props; they’re my pets,” said Wagster, 16, of West Columbia.
Wagster became interested in magic 10 years ago after watching an episode of “World’s Greatest Magic Shows.”
He received a magic kit for Christmas that year and has been performing tricks ever since.
“We’re a pretty contemporary group of magicians,” said Joey Vazquez, 25, who specializes in comedy and mind reading. He is the current club president and one of three youth leaders.
The Columbia chapter of the Society of Young Magicians was formed nearly five years ago.
One look at the group and it’s easy to see what is missing: girls. “I bet most of the guys wish more girls were interested in magic,” Wagster said.
But the lack of diversity ends there. The group at last month’s meeting was made up of boys ranging in age from 13 to 17. The teens are from different backgrounds and schools, brought together by a common interest in magic.
“We promote and teach the kids. They need to learn the history of magic because it’s one of the oldest art forms. We want them to have positive learning experiences and to be able to socialize,” Vazquez said.
Unlike typical teenagers, filled with angst and awkwardness, the teens in the group seemed confident and articulate.
They spoke up and commanded attention, catching the eyes of passersby with sleight-of-hand card tricks.
Fifteen-year-old Bates Jernigan of Lexington specializes in close-up card tricks — the “pick a card, any card” type.
He sported a camel-colored fedora. “It goes with my character, with my style,” he said.
The organization allows the teens to explore and pursue various types of magic. Aside from close-up card tricks, some of the boys perform escape magic, stage magic and manipulation of props.
“I don’t know if it’s true or not but people claim there are more books written about magic than any other performing art,” said John Tudor.
Tudor mentors the Columbia chapter of the Society of Young Magicians. Because his own mentors had such a positive impact on his life, he strives to give back to local youth.
“Magic is good for young people. It develops creativity, a positive attitude, charisma and a work ethic to learn the tricks and perform in front of a very critical audience,” he said.
Tudor is an award-winning magician with decades of experience. He hosts the Society of Young Magicians’ monthly meetings at his West Columbia studio and instills a passion for magic in the teens.
The youth magicians all look forward to when they can mentor a new generation of magicians, passing on the tricks of the trade.
“In the past four years that I have been a part of the group, I have gained more than I have the entire time I’ve done magic. The support and advice I get from the group really helps me, and the friendships I make give me a drive to come back and get more involved,” Wagster said.
And becoming more involved -— in the form of mentoring — is a critical aspect to the magician societies.
“We have a lot of beginners. Many people are really intimidated, but the Society of Young Magicians is a place to come and learn from people their own age,” Tudor said.
Vazquez learned from Tudor. Now, as president of the organization and a youth leader, he is able to pass on the knowledge.
“It’s a progression of information,” he said. “It keeps us growing and it keeps us learning. I have always felt that if I’m going to do anything, I have to give back.”
Interested in joining the Society of Young Magicians? Contact Joey Vazquez at (803) 960-3200 or at whtdoveproductions@yahoo.com.
© 2009 John Tudor