Abracadabra
Nora K. Froeschle World Staff Writer
06/06/2001
The great Bradini, also known as Brad Evans, poses with Eddie the rabbit who assists him in his magic shows. Evans said Eddie is a favorite.
NORA K. FROESCHLE / Tulsa World

 


Magic camp at Memorial debuts for aspiring magicians

Somehow or other, this guy makes the threat of cutting off body parts seem kind of funny.

The great Bradini, local magician and reading advocate, had a crowd of kids at the Jenks Library, 523 W. B St., squealing with laughter recently as one brave volunteer stood with his hand in a mini-guillotine.

Moments before magician Brad Evans said, “Now, this is just an illusion,” as he dropped the blade down on a carrot.

It was promptly sliced in half, one half dropping to the floor in front of his audience. Evans seemed not to notice and began putting his volunteer, Craig Fishback’s hand through the same hole where the carrot had been.

The young audience screamed in hysterical but amused alarm.

In the end, Fishback got his hand back, the 100-member audience went home happy and most of all Evans hoped they went home entertained.

“Seeing that look on the kids’ faces – to know I’ve made them smile,” he said.

Evans has around 300 shows a year for both children and adult audiences.

This summer, for the first time, he will be having a week long camp called Kids Magic Camp at Memorial High School, 5840 S. Hudson, for children ages 8-14.

Tuition is $195. For that, attendees will learn the basics of magic, juggling and making balloon animals. Each camper will also receive a magic kit worth $75, Evans said.

A camp he attended when he was 11 proved inspirational to him and he hopes the same will be true for a few of his campers.

“Some of these kids will take magic to the next step. Some will be magicians down the road. The camp will spark that interest,” he said.

Magic has wide appeal, he said.

“Magic helps us escape reality and for just a minute, believe in the impossible,” he said.

And for him it was a way to overcome shyness.

He hopes some of his campers will get the same benefit.

The camp, which will run from June 11-15, has a maximum of 60 spots and will have a morning session from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and an afternoon session from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m.

“We want it to be intimate enough to get some hands-on learning,” he said. Students will get ta total of 20 hours of instruction, he added.

Register for the camp at www.kidsmagiccamp.com or call Bradini at 272-1651 and leave a message.