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The Stupendous Mr. Magichead |
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About the Massachusetts magician |
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Performing to rave reviews for over the past 20 years in over 250 shows annually, Massachusetts magician John Sullivan has transcended Webster's mundane definition of magician as "one skilled in magic." For Sullivan's skill is such that, like all the greats, he makes it look easy - but impossible. John was born in Worcester, Massachusetts "at a very young age" and discovered magic in a library book "a few years later", performing his first show for neighbors when he was eight. He has since expanded his repertoire to attract an even wider audience, appealing to the child in all of us. After a brief career as a chef, John earned his stripes as salesperson and demonstrator at Hank Lee's Magic Factory in Boston, MA, one of the foremost operations of it's kind on the planet. His first professional gig came in 1983 as resident magician at the heavily-trafficked Tom Foolery's Eatery in Westborough, MA, mingling with customers and performing close-up magic at table-side. Other hotspots have hardly been immune to John's contagious, close-up style. Ski lodges, colleges, clubs, private celebrations, and major corporations have been afflicted by the John Sullivan charm. And they always come back screaming for more. Unlike some magicians who focus on just one style of performance, Sullivan has developed three distinct "acts" and his mastery of each ensures that he is always in demand. The most recent addition to Sullivan's repertoire is a stand-up comedy-magic act for "grown-ups", which has been received with great enthusiasm in clubs and on college campuses. For thirty fast paced minutes, John dazzles his audience with his ready wit and quick hand. Performing this act as after-dinner entertainment for company functions, civic organizations, and the like, the guest of honor, or other key individual, is used as an assistant on stage. The honoree need not worry, however, for John handles his victims in fun and good taste while still producing side-aching laughter from all involved. John's charm and mesmerizing blue eyes are especially suited to his close-up magic, which he has performed for major corporations, at trade show booths and hospitality suites; at local colleges; and in a multitude of restaurants and clubs. Ordinary objects, such as coins or a pack of cards, not specially rigged "magic tricks", pop to life on their own in John's eloquent hands. There is no obvious manipulation on Sullivan's part- the magic simply happens. This is reinforced by the frequent participation of the audience in the routines. There is nowhere to hide at such close range. What really sets John apart from his peers, however, is his mastery of children's performances. Accompanied by his longtime partner, Lulu, a Netherland Dwarf rabbit, Sullivan, as his kid-show character The Stupendous Mr. Magichead, stirs up a whirlwind of energy, silliness, and magic that leaves the audience (young and old alike) howling for more. To attain the level of proficiency obvious in Sullivan's children's show takes a lifetime of devotion and a mastery of the fine art of balancing the sublime with the electrifying. The fact that in the same time John has become equally adept at his stand-up and close-up magic as well, is even more impressive still. But then John Sullivan has never been one to do things halfway, or to rest on his laurels. Sullivan is constantly adding to his already vast repertoire and developing new shows in the continuous process of staying one step ahead of the competition - and himself. |
