Back to the beginning: Summer of 1980…..

 

The summer of 1980 was spent rehearsing for my first legitimate (meaning paid) acting job. I was cast in the play, “Contijo, Pan y Cebolla” by Cuban playwright Hector Quintero at the Bi-lingual Foundation of the Arts. It was also the summer I was learning how to juggle and I was also introduced to the world of magic and metaphysics.

I was an actor and I was learning and honing my craft.  I was also only 18, a virgin and still very naive about life and the world.   I didn’t even know how to drive a car. All that would change before the year was out.

I would take the bus to rehearsals, to juggling lessons, to the Hollywood Magic Store and to Westwood where I would hang out with the street performers.  If I was paying attention I wouldn’t miss the last bus..but if I was having fun I would often miss the last number 12 bus which would take me right around the corner from where I lived and then would have to catch the number 7 bus which would leave me like 8 blocks from where I lived.  Sometimes, I could call one of my uncles that lived next door to us and they might come and pick me up but I do remember having to walk the eight blocks home alone in the middle of the night.  Something that at my age now I would never do but when you are 18 years old it’s as if you are invincible.  That combined with the fact that the part of the brain which can calculate consequences has not fully formed yet in the teenager often makes for some pretty poor choices.

But anything was better that being at home cooped up with a mother who was taking Valium because she wasn’t handling life after divorce well.

The theatre and my performer friends were my escape from the emotionally abusive childhood that I had.

I would rehearse the play weeknights and often Andy Garcia, the Andy Garcia would drop me off in Hollywood at JSB’s apartment…….days were spent with JSB in Hollywood…Saturday nights I spent in Westwood Village…..

It was the beginning of my dreams of life as an artist………to be continued….

Related articles

• back to the beginning…part 4, the magician….. (ivonnemontijo.wordpress.com)
• …..back to the beginning ……part 2 (ivonnemontijo.wordpress.com)
• Buskers Festivals (gorentals.co.nz)
• My current path at this point; Unity; The Dreamer; The Magician (kevinhunter.wordpress.com)

back to the beginning…part 4, the magician…..

Professional jugglers at the time I was learning how to juggle use lacrosse balls.  And I was instructed by my juggling teacher that I could purchase lacrosse balls at Hollywood Magic Store located at 6614 Hollywood Blvd.  I dutifully got on the bus to purchase by first set of professional juggling balls.

I walk into the world-famous Hollywood Magic Store, which was quite intriguing with its displays of magic paraphernalia.  I think that there were something like 3 men behind the various counters.  But it was the younger man who jumped out to help me.  He was about my age had curly blond hair and blue eyes. I guess you can say that he was kinda cute.   I was like a child who had never been in a candy store.  I was fascinated by everything in the store.   I had never seen magic in person before and I was dazzled.  He took it upon himself to show me all kinds of magic effects.  And with each bit of magic, the little girl in me was just in awe and delighted.  The only magic I had ever seen was on Television, The Mark Wilson Specials, Doug Henning, and Bill Bixby‘s t.v. show, The Magician.

He did an effect with a ring and a velvet cord that was just beautiful.  It would become one of his signature routines and to this day is one of my favorite effects.

I don’t remember if there were other customers in the store that day or not but I do remember I had the young Jay Scott Berry’s full attention that afternoon.

I was getting ready to leave when he asked, “Can I have your number?” I slyly said to him, ” If you show me how you did that magic trick, I’ll give you my number.”   He got a look on his face that said, Really? but he commenced to explain the magic trick.  The trick I am referring to is called, “Hot Rod.”  It is a clear acrylic rod with jewels that magically change from one-colored jewels to multi-colored jewels and vice versa.  Of course I would be attracted to this trick–lover of bling and sparkles that I am.  It is really a beautiful yet simple effect.

True to my word, I gave him my phone number…….to be continued………

Related articles

• How to do Magic Tricks (answers.com)
• What A Magician (judysp.wordpress.com)
• Magician’s Without Guilt (innermagicclub.wordpress.com)
• Magician’s Guilt (innermagicclub.wordpress.com)
• The Juggler Smuggler (somkritya.wordpress.com)
• Good magicians are masters at attention choreography: So are good mediators (westallen.typepad.com)
• Juggling Club Update- McGiver (russor.wordpress.com)