Mark the Magician Teaches Kids Valuable Lessons
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
By Kasey Cleary
NEWS Correspondent
Noise filled the room as children played kazoos and made race car, police car and dinosaur sounds during a special presentation July 16 at the Gloucester City Library.
They had all this fun while being entertained by Mark the Magician at one of many free programs planned this summer.
Mark the Magician, who made his first appearance at the library, performed a variety of magic tricks while teaching a few valuable lessons to the children.
When watching a magic trick with appearing money, the youngsters practiced counting.
The magician taught history on the kazoo, which is one of only three instruments made in the United States. He also taught songs to play and sounds to make, teaching the children lessons in being creative.
The kazoo is the “world’s most perfect instrument” because it does not need any batteries, Mark “The Magician” Zacharia said. “You don’t have to download” anything to it, and it “works as early as six o’clock in the morning.”
At the end of the show, each child took home their own kazoo and a magic library card.
Mark, who has been performing for 14 years, said his favorite part of entertaining is the reactions from the children and getting the whole audience to laugh, including the adults.
“I try to get the element of surprise, as well as wonder,” said Mark, who got his start as a magician when his dad pulled a quarter from his ear – and has spent the last 44 years looking for it.
The Gloucester City Library on Railroad Avenue has many more free programs planned for children throughout the rest of the summer.
Visit their webpage at www.gcpl.us for more information.