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Magic does the trick for budding performers Pittsburgh Tribune-Review By Lynne Margolis May 22, 1994 The first trick every budding magician learns is not a trick at all but a rule: Never reveal the secret. The second rule is, never repeat the trick. The third rule is…“Don’t hit your brother on the head.” Maybe that last one is not a rule all magicians need to learn, but in Tom Interval’s weekly magic class, he occasionally has to remind his students, “I’m a magician, not a baby-sitter.” There’s another rule: “Practice.” That one’s repeated often by Interval as he shows a group of 14 youngsters the fine art of fooling people. The class is comprised of 7- to 12-year-olds, with one 5-year-old. “I don’t know how he slipped in. He’s a magician,” jokes Interval, 27. He was planning to teach his class for three weeks, but the students enjoyed it so much, they wanted another session. Before this session ends, they already are requesting another. The mini-Merlins meet Wednesdays at the Hampton Library, where they learn to perform for friends and relatives. Magic is a great hobby for kids because it teaches them about perception and enhances hand-eye coordination and self-esteem. As a child, “if I believed I fooled an adult with a trick, I was really happy,” the Franklin Park resident says. Getting praise from an adult is significant for shy kids, he adds. Magic also can get children more interested in reading, Interval believes. He recommends hitting the books for information on technique, new tricks and the rich history of such famous masters as Houdini, Interval’s childhood idol. After perfecting “The Paddle Move,” the trick of the day, Justin Karapandi, 8, reports, “We learned a card trick, a rope trick, an envelope trick and a dollar trick.” Justin deftly performs the paddle and rope tricks, but of course, refuses to reveal their secrets. The paddle trick involves a wooden Popsicle stick and dots that change color via sleight of hand. Justin also entertains with jokes while Interval works individually with class members. When he says, “Raise your hands if you think you have it perfectly,” 14 hands go up even though half the class doesn’t have it right. Interval is patient and kind, yet firm, while guiding them through the paddle trick. “I’m going to do it in slow motion,” he says. Good magic, he reminds the kids, is done “slow enough so the audience can see it” without seeing the secret to the trick. He tells them their presentation should be “a little show-bizzy.” As one father leads his child away, Interval says, “I apologize for all the tricks he’s going to bother you with for the next 20 years.” Parents, he explains, often find themselves stuck in audience mode around a young magician. Interval started performing for audiences at 12, and he’s been going ever since. The 1985 graduate of North Allegheny High School, once chosen as magician of the year by the local ring of the International Brotherhood of Magicians, attends La Roche College. He’s a writing major dreaming of authoring a magic book. In the meantime, he’s happy to be teaching and performing magic. “I never leave the house without a deck of playing cards,” he smiles. To learn more, contact Tom now. Back to Top