Prestidigitation with panache

Master magician Brodini mesmerizes MLPL audience

 

 

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A master magician has the ability to use his or her power of illusion to boost stories of fascination that move, inspire – and educate – their crowds.

Minnesota’s favorite magician – Brodini – conjured up all three during his afternoon performance today (Wednesday, July 6) for participants in Mountain Lake Public Library’s (MLPL) Summer Reading Program.

Graylyn “Brodini” Morris has earned a Gold Star rating from his work with kids and families. He presents his prestidigitation program for audiences in schools, libraries, parks and recreation locations, hospitals, senior citizen facilities, large and small arenas and V. I. P. (Very Important Person) venues, performing onstage for corporations and companies like 3/M, Medtronics, St, Jude’s Children Hospital, Gillette Children’s Hospital,The Carlson Corporation, Securion, Bayer, Travelers, Pillsbury, U. S. Bank, Wells Fargo, BMO Harris and Xcel Energy. He has also taken his shows to the University of Minnesota’s Ted Mann Concert Hall; the world-famous The Magic Castle in Hollywood, California; Club Ninety-Six and world leaders at the G-20 Summit.

Brodini’s face appears on posters in six different countries around the world, which makes him the only living black magician/illusionist to receive this honor. The magician has won over five National Creative Arts Awards for his work with senior citizens and special needs audiences. In 1991, he received the Blackwell Theatre Award for excellence in the arts, and was honored by the Neighborhood Development Center for excellence in Performance Magic.

Brodini was born on May 16, 1954 as Graylyn Morris in Chicago, Illinois. His father, Essex, was a taxi driver. His mother, Margaret, was an entrepreneur. A shy kid who overcame his insecurity with the help of magic, Brodini was already an accomplished conjurer by the age of 19, when he was the invited to join the Society of American Magicians – its youngest African-American member ever. At age 22, he was performing in California and teaching a course called, “Magic Part One.” And by 25-years-old, Brodini was taking acting classes and was cast as the lead in “The Black Magic Man,” a new musical comedy that gave him the experience of performing daily in front of a live audience. This learning curve allowed him to develop the spontaneity and love of live performance that has him performing up to four shows a day, and doing over 150 performances every year – for the past 35 years.

He continued to develop his singular approach to magic, he achieved top ratings, shared his unique style magic – and became a historian of the art.

For Brodini, his proudest achievement, however, is Project Magic Love,a program that uses magic as therapy in hospitals across the United States. This program motivates patients to regain their dexterity, coordination and cognitive skills by learning simple magic and sleight of hand.

 MLPL Summer Reading Program special events

Aside from summertime reading – and special events like this – the program will also feature “Make & Take” crafts and activities at the library every Tuesday afternoon through July 19. Children may stop by any time during the hours of 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.  All ages are welcome but preschoolers must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

The summer reading program is for young readers from preschool age-to-sixth grade.

Story Times for preschool and school-age children will be on Thursdays at 10:30 a.m.

Following is the continuing calendar for the library’s summertime events – in addition to reading for fun, learning and prizes – and remember, all ages are invited, but preschool-aged children must be accompanied by a parent of guardian:

+ Thursday, July 7 – Story Time for preschool and school-age children, 10:30 a.m.

+ Tuesday, July 12 – Make & Take Craft, 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.

+ Thursday, July 14 –  Story Time for preschool and school-age children, 10:30 a.m.

+ Tuesday, July 19 – “Read For the Win” finale to include Make & Take Craft, 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.; snacks, fun and drawing for prizes, 3:30 p.m. and Climb Theatre production of “The Tortoise and the Hare.” The appearance of Climb Theatre is funded by Minnesota’s Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.

These summer reading program activities are funded by Mountain Lake Public Library and Friends of the Mountain Lake Public Library.

Below is a photo gallery of the amazing Brodini in action:

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BRODINI LIGHTS UP his performances with spark and energy – topping off his prestidigitation with panache.
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WHAT DOES BRODINI find in the shirt of his assistant, Aiden Saelee left? Must be something absolutely amazing by the look on the face of the magician, right.
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OSHANE BENT, RIGHT, gets a lesson on how to properly hold and use a magic wand from Brodini, left.
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MEANWHILE, HIS BROTHER, Keymoni Bent, left, is just as amazed as Brodini, right, on the tale of the shrinking red glove.
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WITH THE USE of a large magnifying glass, Keaton Khemphomma, left, can spy the tiny penny held in the left hand of Brodini the magician, right.
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BUT, WITH A little illusion and sleight of hand, the penny grows larger right under the eyes of Keaton, left, with the magical knowledge of Brodini, right.
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THERE IT IS – and then – there it isn’t. “The Case of the Vanishing Yellow Cloth.” Providing Brodini, center, with a helping hand in the presentation of this trick are Elsie Buller, left, who has dissolved into giggles, along with her brother, Avrom Buller, right, who has engaged his brain in an effort to figure out the magic behind this performance.
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DENNELLA BENT, LEFT, gives some “Abracadabra” with the magic wand over the bag in the hand of Brodini, right. At center, Peter Nickel observes the “spell” placed on the bag.
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AND THEN . . . PETER, left, places one red ball in the bag, under the direction of Brodini, right.
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A PEEK BY Peter into the depths of the bag verifies that one red ball – and only one red ball – is the lone item in the bag in Brodini’s hand.
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HOWEVER, WHEN BRODINI reaches in – he finds something completely different inside the bag – to the bewilderment of Peter.
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BRODINI, CENTER, QUESTIONS the beat on the bucket of the magic wand held in the hand of Sawyer Carrison, right. At left, Kallyn Morey is all laughs over the craziness.
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BRODINI MOVES AROUND his audience collecting coins in his silver pail from behind ears, from within heads of hair and –  like a water faucet – dripping from noses.
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