On the night of September 26, the magician and illusionist Mike Super came to Seton Hill University (SHU) to dazzle both students and guests with spectacular enchantments and slight of hand. SHU’s Student Activities Council (SAC) sponsored the event and a significant amount of people filled Cecilian Hall in excited anticipation.
Mike Super is probably most well-known for being the winning illusionist of 2007 NBC’s hit television show “Phenomenon.” SHU’s audience was not disappointed by either illusions or his charismatic stage presence. In his opening address to the fans, Super called himself the “Nintendo Wii of magicians” when describing the fact that his show was an interactive one. He also made note of his wish to popularize his own made-up word “lavenous,” which can have any meaning that the user wishes at any particular moment. When recounting his new found fame after winning “Phenomenon,” Super referred to himself as, “The Kelly Clarkson of Magic.”
By Maddie Gillespie
Layout Editor
On the night of September 26, the magician and illusionist Mike Super came to Seton Hill University (SHU) to dazzle both students and guests with spectacular enchantments and slight of hand. SHU’s Student Activities Council (SAC) sponsored the event and a significant amount of people filled Cecilian Hall in excited anticipation.
Mike Super is probably most well-known for being the winning illusionist of 2007 NBC’s hit television show “Phenomenon.” SHU’s audience was not disappointed by either illusions or his charismatic stage presence. In his opening address to the fans, Super called himself the “Nintendo Wii of magicians” when describing the fact that his show was an interactive one. He also made note of his wish to popularize his own made-up word “lavenous,” which can have any meaning that the user wishes at any particular moment. When recounting his new found fame after winning “Phenomenon,” Super referred to himself as, “The Kelly Clarkson of Magic.”
Super seemed to delight in having his audience either laughing or waiting with baited breath for his next illusion. Laura Gonnella, a sophomore, said, “I really liked that instead of being mysterious like other illusionists, he used humor. He made me laugh so hard!” Super made no pretense about the fact that he was using illusions and slight of hand to amaze his fans, but it’s hard to believe that anyone cared after Super’s mind-boggling show.
Aja Hannah, a freshman, said, “He was funny and really incorporated the audience. It was a good performance for SHU students because it kept us entertained and gave us personal experiences to take home with us.” Hannah also participated onstage in the show when Super appeared to have made an origami-folded paper come to life in his hands. Though nervous at the start, Hannah did well and was given a gift of a rose out of fire by Super. “It was fun to see a magician do his ‘magic’ up close…I can say I’ve met someone famous,” said Hannah.
Chelsea Bloam, a sophomore, volunteered to assist Super with his rope illusion. “I was impressed. I kept paying attention to it and trying to see how it was all happening, but I really could not figure it out,” said Bloam. Super had Bloam cut the rope in various lengths numerous times, but he always made it appear as unequal lengths. As a souvenir and thank you for helping out, Super gave Bloam the rope. There was definitely nothing strange about the rope; I have it now in my room and everyone can look at it,” she said.
However, not all were outstandingly impressed by Super’s illusions and his stage demeanor. Jeanine O’Neal, a sophomore, said, “He was using mediocre illusions…I know how these tricks are performed.” O’Neal also said that she was most interested by Super’s disappearing illusion, even though that was only because she did not know how exactly he accomplished this feat. “Besides his corny jokes, frequent pauses for product placement, and the tricks which he performed sub-par for having a quarter of a million dollars to spend on perfecting them, he was entertaining. I can give him that,” said O’Neal.
SHU students seemed to love Super’s illusion that involved completely evaporating a living girl into a 13 square inch box and then plunging three solid metal swords through the box. In total, Super performed seven main illusions and voodoo magic to delight the crowd.
