THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, July 1, 1996 TAG: 9606300327
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: By MAC DANIEL, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 141 lines
John Justin was up at 4 a.m. Sunday, nervous. His show, ``The Magic of the West with John Justin,'' was scheduled to go for the gold about 4 1/2 hours later at Chrylser Hall.
Of all 19 acts at the International Brotherhood of Magicians' prestigious Gold Medal contest - of all the doves, coins and flowers poofing from sleeves, books and cans - Justin's would poof first.
``It's like the Olympics equivalent,'' says the 35-year-old magician, whose non-stage name is John Frimand. ``I was sweating.''
The International Brotherhood of Magicians, holding its 68th annual convention in Norfolk, has awarded its coveted Gold Medal to the world's best magicians only five times in the last 16 years. Standards are high; the contest is held each year, but the medal is given only when judges find truly exceptional acts.
Winners are almost assured of fame and fortune. The first medalist, Lance Burton, is now signed to a $10 million contract in Las Vegas.
Sunday was the preliminary round in the contest, which will conclude during an open-to-the-public show Tuesday night at Chrysler Hall.
Justin's shot Sunday came at 8:45 a.m. Jerry Schnepp of Chicago, the contest's chairman for the last 17 years, approached the Chrysler Hall microphone and introduced him to a small audience.
The music began, the red curtain parted and - dressed in cowboy boots, spurs, a tartan scarf and a bright white Stetson - the Victorville, Calif., resident walked on stage.
He saluted the crowd and began. The audience applauded and all went well. .
. . . until he dropped his gun. As it hit the floor, a dove pooped. Later, while setting a golden horseshoe on fire, another tethered dove flopped off-cue from Justin's sleeve.
Things picked up at the end. When Justin revealed that the cloth covering his dove cage was graced with the Confederate battle flag, the crowd cheered. He ended by pulling a large American flag out of the air.
It's an original act, compared with others in the contest, but Justin was far from satisfied.
``It was only halfway good,'' he said later. ``Entertainment people are not morning people.''
Watching in the audience during the Sunday round was Jamie O'Hara, a 32-year-old magician from Las Cruces, N.M., and the chief judge of the contest. On Sunday, he was seeking nothing less than the best.
``The act's gotta be perfect,'' he said. ``It's gotta be eight-ball-in the-corner-pocket-off-three-sides perfect. It's got to be super-hot. Every little thing has to work.''
O'Hara is a full-time magician whose love for the art of illusion goes back to when he was 8 and working in his family's magic store in Yonkers, N.Y.
``Magic is a passion that transcends mortgage payments, relationships and getting your car fixed,'' he said.
``What else is there that makes people believe in something, if only for a little while?''
Backstage, where the silence was broken by the soothing coo of caged doves, Barry Taylor and his wife, Susan, watched the other acts after performing themselves.
They had come to the convention from Wheaton, Md., where they both earn a living making magic.
Taylor was asked if magic had lost its charm in this age of spectacular special effects and MTV glitz. He answered with a trick.
He vaporized and reconstituted a quarter several times, once asking someone nearby to snap twice over his cupped hand because ``that makes the trick twice as snappy.''
``Nothing beats seeing this done live,'' he said after returning the quarter intact. ``You have a physical reaction and you have a mental reaction with good magic. And when you see good magic, it makes it all worthwhile.''
If anyone is a front-runner for the gold this year, it might be Jason Byrne, who was a finalist in the contest four years ago. A tall, chiseled 25-year-old from Hollywood by way of Canada, Byrne talks of the International Brotherhood's gold medal like baseball players talk of a pennant.
``I said a couple of years ago that '96 was my year,'' he said backstage, packing his equipment.
He's wanted the gold medal since he was 17. In fact, he added, he went to a former winner of the contest to hone his skills in his search for the gold.
``It's very prestigious in the magic world,'' he said. ``This is good stuff to put on your resume. It's just one more thing that you can talk about.''
Byrd said he won Siegfried & Roy's Gold Lions Head award in April. He appeared in an NBC magic special in November. Before leaving Chrysler Hall, he offered a reporter an 8-by-10 glossy of himself.
After the Sunday preliminary contest ended, the participants met backstage to pick up their background music and compliment Rahan Jackson, of Washington, D.C., on some stealthful sleight-of-hand.
``My husband has a theory and I think it's true,'' said Felicia O'Hara, wife of the chief judge.
``It seems like the tougher times get, the harder it is out there, the more people want to believe in magic. And I think they want to believe because it assures them that maybe things aren't as bad as they appear, that the impossible can happen.''
``Most magicians get involved when they're young,'' she added. ``And those that don't grow up become professionals.'' ILLUSTRATION: [Color] Photos by LAWRENCE JACKSON
The Virginian-Pilot
Roy Davenport
John Justin
LAWRENCE JACKSON
The Virginian-Pilot
Magician Justin Willman, 15, gets a last good luck from his mom,
Sonja, before his performance.
SCHEDULE
More than 1,200 professional and amateur magicians from around
the world have converged in Norfolk for the 68th annual convention
of the International Brotherhood of Magicians.
Most of the magicians are involved in members-only activities in
the Waterside Convention Center.
They're teaching each other the latest trade secrets, browsing
through the newest wares of magic dealers and inducting longtime
members into the Order of Merlin.
Still, there are several public activities, including four big
shows in Chrysler Hall. The first was Sunday night.
Here's the schedule for the remaining shows:
Today, 8 p m. ``International Stars of Magic.''
Britisher Terry Seabrooke, self-described as ``the four-eyed
lunatic,'' will emcee a cast that includes Tommy Wonder, a
sleight-of-hand master from the Netherlands; Pavel, from
Switzerland, who transforms ropes and other common items into
magical objects, and the Great Tomsoni & Co., who bring slapstick
magic from Poland.
Tuesday, 8 p.m. ``Stars of Magic Competition'' will showcase the
finalists for the coveted magicians' ``Gold Medal.''
Comic-magician Karrell Fox will emcee. Glen Falkenstein and his
wife, Frances Willard, will entertain with their ``spirit cabinet,''
while the judges decide the winning performances.
Wednesday, 8 p.m. ``Stars of Magic Gala.''
Emcee Rich Bloch will perform a variety of tricks as he welcomes
Stan Allen and a rabbit puppet named Stuart; juggler Dario; Mexican
illusionists Joaquin Ayala & Lilia; Victor & Diamond, a husband and
wife team who feature doves in their act; manipulator Dale Salwak,
owner of the Chavez School of Magic; and Ricki Dunn, billed as
``The World's Funniest Pickpocket.''
Tickets are $15.25 each at the Chrysler Hall box office, or
$19.65 through Ticketmaster. Tickets are available only for the
second and third levels. Call 664-6464 for more information. by CNB