You know. You know you didn’t just see what you think you saw. You know there’s no way the man standing in front of you could do what he just did. It’s mind-boggling.
You may not know in advance what illusions will pop up in Shawn McMaster’s magic show, but you can bet they will be amazing. What’s even more amazing is that the show is free. On Sept. 14, McMaster will perform at the Santa Maria Public Library. Attendees must have a ticket and be 7 years or older. Complimentary tickets can be obtained at the library.
McMaster has been performing at the Santa Maria Public Library for many years, doing free shows for kids. In the last two years, he’s also been featured in the Shepard Hall, with a show geared more for adults.
McMaster likens his interest in magic to that of any beginning magician. It all started with a Christmas gift: a beginner’s magic set. With that, he was off on the road to magicianhood.
“I loved fooling grown adults,” he explained.
He continued to study magic and perfect his skills, aided by magic books checked out from the public library. In high school, he was accepted into Hollywood’s renowned Magic Castle as part of the Junior Society. At 21, he became a full-fledged member.
On his journey to success, McMaster began performing educational magic in local libraries. They gave him a place to perform, to get used to audiences and begin making his mark. Even though he has a busy touring schedule, he takes time every year to run a library tour, even making special trips out of his way. The Santa Maria performance will be his second to last library show for this season.
The show will run around 45 minutes, and he’ll even teach a trick or two to the kids.
As well as being a magician, McMaster is also the author of beginner’s magic books. He was featured twice in Ivan Amodei’s Magic’s Most Amazing Stories.
The show starts at 6:30 p.m., so don’t be late. Come ready to laugh and learn, and be amazed.
Intern Michael McCone compiled this week’s Community Corner. Send comments or ideas to the Sun via e-mail at intern@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Sep 8-15, 2011.
