 |
| Prize Winning Act – Photo Courtesy of Mona S.Morrison |
Arthur Trace is more than a winner of the IBM Triple Crown, he is also a good guy.
Despite the hectic pace at which he now travels with shows around the country as well as fulfilling comittments to his loyal client-base in the Chicago-area, he took time to participate in the grueling interview process that is the Inside Magic Celebrity Interview. We considered taking it easy on him but realized he should be subjected to the same hardball questions we whip at everyone who dares to return our email.
Mr. Trace has completed in one year what virtually none of us will accomplish in a lifetime. When the dust settled in Reno a couple of weeks ago, Mr. Trace emerged with a First Place win in the Stage Competition, The People's Choice Award, and the rarely given IBM Gold Medal for Excellence in Stage Magic. Mr. Trace's sweep of the big three competitions is about as rare as a Triple Crown winner in horse racing.
What was your routine?
I do a ball and card manipulation act revolving around an abstract painting. Basically, I interact with this painting by manipulating the shapes in it. I don't want to ruin the surprise for those who haven't seen it, so I'll leave it at that.
Was it a special routine for purposes of the IBM Contest?
No. I don't believe in developing a "competition act." I try to create magic that I can call my own. Magic that is unique to me and with this I hope it is unique and entertaining to both magicians and laymen.
How did it differ (if it did) from what you normally do?
Most of my work in the Chicago area is private work so I mainly find myself doing close-up magic and not stage. However, I am working on a one man show and in the future I'll be doing a lot more theatre work.
How did you manage the time constraints?
I made sure my act didn't have any unnecessary movements or repetitive manipulation. Also, I choreographed the act so that many of the manipulative movements were in sync with the music. Since the music was timed within the time limit, my act did not exceed the time limit.
What did you think of the competitors?
I tried not to think about them. Really, I tried to treat the competition as a regular performance. With that said, let me say that I met a lot of talented people and even made some friends such as Chris Randall. I look forward to seeing many of them at magic conventions in the near future.
Could you tell things were going so well you would receive the prestigious (and rarely given) Gold Medal award?
No. The competition was a good one. The finalists were very talented and I thought anything could happen. It was only when I heard the reaction of the crowd after my performance during the final competition that I even thought I had a chance of getting first. But the Gold Medal… I couldn't imagine. When the medal was presented…
0
Continue reading Arthur Trace: The Inside Magic Interview
Recent Comments