2008 Woodie Awards
Mike Super brings magic, comedy to Edwards Auditorium
Bridgette Blight
Issue date: 12/4/07 Section: Campus
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12/04/07 - Illusionist Mike Super performed his mix of magic and comedy to an enthusiastic audience on Monday night at Edwards Auditorium.
Throughout the evening he played off of the audience's reaction to his illusions. He also made many references to pop culture, such as a YouTube video that parodies David Blaine's show "Street Magic" and the phrase "that's what she said," popularized by "The Office."
While explaining that everything he does in his show is merely an illusion, Super ripped up a newspaper. He tore it into sections and crumpled it together. At the end of his explanation, the newspaper was back in one piece. But, as Super explained, the paper was never in more than one piece to begin with.
Super had an easy report with the audience. He joked throughout the 90-minute performance. Part of Super's act is a word that he created, "lavenous." He said he is trying to get more people to use the word, banking on the fact that it sounds intelligent even though it is meaningless. Throughout his performance, Super described objects or actions as "lavenous," eliciting laughter from the audience every time.
Unlike many magicians, Super doesn't have an assistant. This allows him to include audience members in his illusions.
Super performed an awe-inspiring levitation illusion on communications major Sara Biancuzzo. Biancuzzo laid on top of a makeshift table created by two boards, two stepladders, and a decorative rug. Before the levitation began, Super and Biancuzzo knocked on the stepladders and boards to show that they were not altered or a secret government creation, as Super said some people have claimed. Super removed the stepladders one at a time, waving his hands around Biancuzzo's floating body to show that there were no strings or wires involved. Super ran a metal hula-hoop around Biancuzzo's body.
"It felt like I was floating," Biancuzzo said. "I tried to figure it out but I couldn't."
Super ended the show with a personal story about his childhood. His mother supported his career when he decided he wanted to be a magician at the age of six. Unfortunately, Super's mother never saw her son perform as a professional.
Throughout the evening he played off of the audience's reaction to his illusions. He also made many references to pop culture, such as a YouTube video that parodies David Blaine's show "Street Magic" and the phrase "that's what she said," popularized by "The Office."
While explaining that everything he does in his show is merely an illusion, Super ripped up a newspaper. He tore it into sections and crumpled it together. At the end of his explanation, the newspaper was back in one piece. But, as Super explained, the paper was never in more than one piece to begin with.
Super had an easy report with the audience. He joked throughout the 90-minute performance. Part of Super's act is a word that he created, "lavenous." He said he is trying to get more people to use the word, banking on the fact that it sounds intelligent even though it is meaningless. Throughout his performance, Super described objects or actions as "lavenous," eliciting laughter from the audience every time.
Unlike many magicians, Super doesn't have an assistant. This allows him to include audience members in his illusions.
Super performed an awe-inspiring levitation illusion on communications major Sara Biancuzzo. Biancuzzo laid on top of a makeshift table created by two boards, two stepladders, and a decorative rug. Before the levitation began, Super and Biancuzzo knocked on the stepladders and boards to show that they were not altered or a secret government creation, as Super said some people have claimed. Super removed the stepladders one at a time, waving his hands around Biancuzzo's floating body to show that there were no strings or wires involved. Super ran a metal hula-hoop around Biancuzzo's body.
"It felt like I was floating," Biancuzzo said. "I tried to figure it out but I couldn't."
Super ended the show with a personal story about his childhood. His mother supported his career when he decided he wanted to be a magician at the age of six. Unfortunately, Super's mother never saw her son perform as a professional.