T H E S TAT E | H O B B I E S
The Magic Within
Experts say that a mixture of discipline, charisma and playfulness make for an excellent magician.
F
or magicians, their fascinations with abracadabra and all things magic stem from a variety of chan-
Joe Coover teaches magic classes, hosts summer camps and visits sick patients to spread some joy. Photo courtesy Joe Coover
nels. Brian Bailey, the owner of Top Hat Magic and Fun Shop in Tulsa, has been into magic since 1978. He loved to watch his uncle perform magic tricks. Then, two local magic shop owners helped him learn enough magic to put a show together, and he’s been performing shows ever since. And Bailey’s business keeps the hocus pocus going by offering a “variety of theatrical makeup, hats, wigs, costume accessories, novelties, gags and a huge variety of magic tricks to buy or rent,” according to the website. Top Hat also gives magic lessons. Cassidy Smith is president of the OKC Magic Club, which brings together amateur and semi-pro magicians in a chapter of the International Brotherhood
PERFECTING MAGIC TRICKS
of Magicians. Smith says the members “show, learn and teach each other magic Bailey, Smith and tricks. And they’re also some of my Coover compare being very best friends.” a magician and perA part-time professional magifecting tricks to being cian, Smith says that she caught a professional dancer, the magic bug by seeing famed musician or athlete: All pro Lance Burton on television require time, dedica“and wanting to be that cool and tion and lots of practice elegant.” to excel. Joe Coover owns Funky Monkey Coover says that Magic in OKC and was drawn to perfecting a trick varies magic, like many, as a child. widely depending on “I saw magicians as a kid and the performance. I fell in love,” he says. “I taught “For 27 years, I’ve myself the tricks by going to the practiced one trick and public library and reading all the have yet to perfect it,” books they had. By the time I was he says. “My goal is not 16, I started winning competitions. to be perfect, but to be In some ways, I invented things on entertaining.” my own because I taught myself.” On the other hand, Coover, who teaches magic when discussing ways summer camps to get tricks to come and performs at off smoothly, Smith corporate and says it requires “a few family events, weeks of concentrated says that at only practice. It’s neither as eighteen, “I easy as you want it to knew I wanted be nor as difficult as to teach magic. some claim it to be. The This is an art I technique must be hidlove. Nine years den. Magic shouldn’t ago I started be showing off skill. It’s teaching magic; I hiding it in plain sight.” developed a curriculum that I’ve shared globally. Now a group has developed globally, that’s like a coop of magicians. “We work very closely together, like a big family. And we use magic to help kids develop life skills that would translate into any job – such as respect, being prepared, enthusiasm, confidence, being humble and authentic, creativity and giving. I want to see as much diversity in the magic field as I see when I go to the grocery store. I have 60% girls in my magic classes, whether online during the pandemic, or five years of in-person classes. We need to be role models and create role models.” CAROL MOWDY BOND
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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2021
