I’m a tiny little spark in a damaged universe…

1.) There is getting to be too many answers in this World and not enough unknowns…

2.) Too many answers = Zero Mystery = Zero Imagination = Zero Fantasy and Wonder for adults and children…

3.) I especially thrill in seeing people squirm quizzically in this age of certainty (after all isn’t certainty just an illusion?).

4.) It makes me feel most alive…

5.) I’m a thrill seeker…

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NEXT WEDNESDAY?

Almost 48 hours before making my Grand Prize Performance, Jako had seen me perform in a public Theatre. Virtually every child in the town of Kuressare had heard about the Magic Man from NYC who was telporting into Estonia to perform for a lucky boy. For months the newspapers had reported details about me, Jako, when the show might be, and where it would take place.

Since my arrival, I had done about 7 interveiws for the media and the suspense was mounting. Whispers in schools and on playgrounds all over Kureessare had taken over like a wild baltic fire.

“He’s here! He’s here!”

“You mean he actually came.”

“I bet it’s just an illusion.”

“No he’s actually here. I saw him on ETV last night. He cut himself in half and then put himself back together again. It’s was very funny.”

“I never doubted him for a second. I knew Marco was coming all along. I’ve got tickets to prove it. He’s performing at the Kuresaarre Cultural Center on Friday. They’re shutting down school for an hour so our whole class can go.”

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For me, this is what was most magical about the contest. None of the children ever knew exactly if my claim on YouTube was real or fake. Would a “Magician” from the USA really travel to ANY 3 cities in the World to perform for 3 lucky children who won his Magic Contest?

The internet littered with enough phony prize claims these days. You check your email and it says ”Congratulations a long lost family member who has been living in a remote area of Africa for the last 99 years has just died and has left you a million pounds! Just email us your Personal ID #, banking routing/account numbers, a scanned photo of your fingerprints, and a current photo and we’ll send you your loot in 5 to 7 business days!”

But that didn’t stop children like Jako, Sania, and the Hart brothers from taking a magical leap of faith.

Deep down they believed in magic…

…my magic.

Thank you for believing in me.

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NEXT WEDNESDAY?

The show I carefully designed especially for Jako was done to compliment a book of secrets that I would impart to him after the show. The book included a range of mysteries in all branches of Magic. It is a “Classic”. I wanted my show to inspire him throughout so that later he would devour all sections of the book with a ravenous apetite for the “Art of Secrecy”.

The mood of my performance was a bit slower paced and calm compared to my other shows in Estonia.I began by demonstrating ”Magic” with Estonian Money, followed by fire, Cards (of course), borrowed jewelry, rope, Hypnosis, a Mental Television transmission (To some guests this was the most fascinating moment they experienced)… in the end I closed with the teleportation of a borrowed object.

After the show Jako and his Mother presented me with a wonderful gift. I was deeply touched. In turn I produced the Magical Book of Secrets to further Jako’s study in the dying Art of Magic.Next followed a few photo and video ops with the Estonian TV and Print Media. I demonstarted a couple more intimate encore mysteries for Jako, his friends and family while completely surrounded.

Next I took Jako aside and taught him an ancient illusion that might just be one of the top 3 close-up mysteries in all of Magic.

And then it was time to go. I finished packing my bags, said a few final goodbyes and was escorted out of the restaurant by Jako, his Mother and Uncle. The 4 of us awkwardly walked through the cobblestoned streets of Kurressare abit. Making small talk throughout we came to the crossroads in front of the Christmas Tree in the townsquare. We exchanged final thank you’s.

I said goodbye to the boy who had won it all.

Suddenly, his mother presented me with one final gift, Estonian chocolates.

And then…

…the three of them disappeared into the Saaremaan night.

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NEXT WEDNESDAY: THE MOST MAGICAL PART OF IT ALL!

Performing multiple shows prior to Jako’s show, was carefully orchestrated months before with Villu. The idea was 2 fold, iron out as many cultural kinks in my show prior to getting to Jako’s and to spread as much Magic as I could to as many people as possible while in Estonia.

After all, one of the ”Magician’s” greatest responsibilies is to give, distribute, and share as many magical moments as possible before moving on into the spirit world. 

I had done 5 shows in a period of about 72 hours. I had ironed out the cultural and language kinks as best I could.

I reach the top of the stairs with my bag and survey the space from the doorway. Banquet room, fairly large, lots of windows, very woody, this was it. So this was the exact room “Fate” had chosen for my show. Then I heard his voice… he was sitting at a table in the corner…

“Will this work?”

“Yes.”

I  unpack my bag of mysteries and start arranging my things in a completely absorbing state. 

(Reminder - Jako and his mother had seen my theatre show a couple days prior. This show would need to be different. Can’t repeat the same mysteries for the boy… must do something completely different… stronger… I had forseen this moment months before in my Crystal Ball and was entirely ready for the matter at hand.)

I was all set… Fate was getting closer and closer to the edge of his seat as the clock drew closer to 4PM, the suspense was killing him ([no pun intended]…and me as well).

And then it happened, guests began to arrive in small groups. It was a bit awkward and strange as they began to enter my World and I theirs.

The guests made there way to their seats around 4 long banquet tables. I made a few final preparations based on my last minute observations of the audience demographic…

In my peripheral view I catch the National EstonianTelevision crew preping their video equipment… I check in with Jako’s mother…

“Should I begin or are we expecting other guests?”

“This is it. You can begin Marco.”

Then I take one last look at the audience, take an invisible deep breath and jump into the abyss…

…as I begin to fall I hear the distinct sound of someone behind me falling off their chair… the audience seemed oblivious to the commotion because mysteriously at the very same instant someone at one of the tables to my left had spilt their glass of water.

Fate had worked it’s “Magic” once more.

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NEXT WEDNESDAY JAKO’S SHOW PART 2

For over a year this day had loomed over my head… I created a YouTube contest for children and a boy from Kuressaare, Estonia had won. Today I would personally deliver the prize… the Grand Prize - My Live Interactive Magical Mystery Show!

The days leading up to this final show had become more and more surreal by the hour. I was sleeping and eating less and less each day due to the hectic performing schedule, travel, and jet lag.

Jako and his Mother arranged for my “Show” to take place at Pritsumaja a historical restaurant in the center of Kuressarre… start time would be 4PM.  I leave my hotel at 2:45 and walk down the main street, pulling my life of magic in a bag over the bumpy Estonian cobblestones. 3 blocks later I arrive in front of my destination, and gaze up at it’s towering fascade.

I take it all in for a few moments longer and savor this moment. So this is where fate has brought me, half way around the World.  My life was converging more and more by the moment, maybe it was almost over… I start to think for a moment, ”What if Jako’s Show was the purpose of my entire life. What if it had always been the purpose my entire existence, just to do this one “Magic Show” creating another tiny ripple of mystery in our vast Universe.

Maybe this was the end of my magical life. It could kind of make sense. After all everthing I had known was gone; my language, friends, family, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches…

Now it was just me

the boy

his family

his friends

… and my Magic.

Let’s do this.

As I approach the entrance I notice a black and white cat guarding the door like a minature sphynx waiting to riddle me. I walk up to her and stop… our eyes connect…

“I’m here to do a Magic Show for a boy who…”

“I know” the cat replies (mentally of course) 

The whole town knows…we’ve been waiting for you Mr. Marco.

A lot of people here thought your contest was a hoax… didn’t think you were coming…”

“I guess they were wrong.”

“Go inside and talk to the lady behind the bar. She’ll show you where to put your things.”

I open the door and the sphynx strides in transforming into a mild mannered bar cat. I follow.

“Tere (Hello)… my name is Marco. I am a Magician. I have a show to perform here today.”

The woman says (verbally) “We expect you… up to the second floor, that where you perform.”

“Tanan (Thank you).”

As I approach the stairs I hear the woman conversing incomprehesible Estonian to the cat… I look over my shoulder… she’s carrying the cat under her arm like a football making her way to the front door. On the way out the cat turns her head and catches my gaze one final time as I disappear up the staircase.

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NEXT WEDNESDAY: JAKO’S SHOW!

After the 4th show Villu, his wife Enna and I drop off some equipment at their home. We sit and drink coffee and enjoy some of Enna’s homemade strudell. During these fleeting moments, we chat about the universal marketing strategies of the modern day entertainer / artist. A few minutes later we are all back in the car, on our way to Kuressare to do my 5th show.

My performance that night will be for a charity ball to raise money for 12 Estonian families that have been hit hard by the recession. It will take place at the Arensbourg Hotel and begin around 10:45 PM. The audience will consist of about 125 adults and maybe 4 or 5 children.

The show lasts about 35 minutes. I do three pieces, take my applause, and clear out. This show was particularly rewarding for me, knowing that after traveling 1/2 way around the World, my performance would directly help some families struggling to make ends meet.  

After the show, I perform an intimate encore set of close up miracles for some children of one the families. They are blown away, and ask if they can keep my cards… of course I agree, hand them over and disappear into the night…