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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (March 15, 1985)
THE NORTH FACE EXTREME SKIWEAR Lightweight gore-tex shells in both hooded pullover and full front zip with detachable hood. Bib overalls and ski pants w/side zip. NOW 60% OFF EVERYDAY PRICE GOOD 3 DAYS ONLY - March 15-17 Subject to stock on hand. • 57 W. Broadway Eugene Downtown • 686-2332 Open 7 Days a Week JOAN BAEZ SATURDAY • MARCH 23 • 8 P.M. HULT CENTER • SILVA CONCERT HALL RESERVED SEATS S>3 50 • S1 't 50 AVAILABLE AT Gl JOES, EVERYBODY'S RECORDS AND HULT CENTER BOX OFFICE — SUBJECT TO SERVICE CHARGE OR USER FEE 10% DISCOUNT To U. of O. Students, Foculty and Staff On Service and Repairs • No matter where you bought your cor, we'd be happy to do your warranty work or other customer service work. • Lowest hourly labor rate of any authorized Volkswagen dealer in Western Oregon. • Largest parts inventory south of Portland. • Service Department is open six full days every week, Mon.-Fri.: 7:30-5:30, Sot.: 8:00-5:00. /IKRI/T VOLKSWAGEN 1570 South A, Springfield 746-6241 MAGIC MAN STEVE PRADELL His biggest trick is getting people to have fun hile most students pay their way through school bussing tables, tossing pizzas or cashing Mom and Dad’s checks, second year law student Steve Pradell simply makes his bills disappear. Well, not exactly. But making things vanish is part of Pradell's job. Magician, musician and mime, 24-year-old Pradell has been perform ing for more than 10 years. It may seem strange that Pradell, an entertainer, is stu dying law — a profession not known for its levity or laughter. But Pradell feels the two occupations have a com mon characteristic: helping people. A cum laude graduate from Brandeis University in Massachusetts, Pradell has been helping fellow law students smile a little, more since; he arrived on campus. Pradell has done two “shows” in Professor Ralph James Mooney’s contracts-law class. He once dressed as an “illusory pro mise” (a non-binding contract) and centered all his gags around contracts. On Halloween he impersonated Mooney, coming to class wearing an enlarged photocopied picture of the professor. “I had a 100 law students laughing for 10 minutes.” Pradell said; “That’s hard to do.. .everyone is so serious.” Doesn't he find himself a little overcome with the demands of school, his job and extracurricular activities, such as organizing the law school talent show? "It keeps me sane," Pradell said. “1 have to do something every day — ° workout, play the piano. . .it's my release." Pradell’s performances provide an emotional release for audiences. He recently gave a benefit for Oregon Games for the Physically Limited at Pietro’s Pizza parlor in Glenwood. The show, was a fundraiser for the organization, which pro- * vides competitive games and sports for people affected by debilitating diseases, such as cerebal palsy or muscular dystrophy. Pradell started this show as a white-faced mime, but when Leanne, a pixie-ish girl with several teeth missing, whispered “magic words” into his ear, mime became talk ing musician. As Pradell went through his repertoire of tricks, laughs and giggles could be heard throughout Pietro’s. Wide-eyed looks of amazement and hands clasped over open mouths of disbelief told the magician he was scoring with his audience. Some youngsters scored with jokes of their own, saying things like “I saw that on TV.” But it didn't fluster the OUTSIDE SEATING AVAILABLE Musician, magician and mime Steve Pradell clowns with one captive audience member. “.. . the kids are the magic,” said the University law student. Story by Roman McCloskey Photo by Dean Guernsey veteran Pradell. “Some kids will do things that are more funny than you,” he said. “Play it up — you're there to entertain. As long as they're having a good time, that's what’s important.” The pizza parlor audience was small compared with the crowds of 200 or more he draws when performing at the Eugene Public Library. “We have had a few disappointments in the past, but (Pradell) has good qualities that appeal to children,” said Donna Hill, head of the library’s children’s department. “It’s been so crowded when Steve performs, none of the staff could even get in to see him.” Clowning is a new venue for Pradell, one he doesn’t view as an extra burden. “I get to be silly, have fun. tell dumb jokes and get paid for it,” Pradell said. "I leave there happy. There’s no better life.” Pradell’s life has been varied; After graduating with a ‘ B.A. from Brandeis he became an agent for a bluegrass band, hitchhiked around Europe and North America, and most recently worked as a deck hand on a fishing .boat in Alaska. He settled at Oregon because he liked the people and the area, and he felt the University was “less homogeneous than ' the school I went to.” Pradell is a certified elementary school teacher, who is . also running for the presidency of the Student Bar Associa- . tion. He soon hopes to become a published author;,he is . working on a book. "Magic for Computerized Kids,”, which he hopes to finish this summer. It is both a “how-to”.magi cian’s manual and a psychology book that teaches the reader how to have fun working with kids. Pradell laments the fact that too many child, entertainers actually hate kids. He feels that the audience.or a specific child in the audience is often the target of an entertainer’s jokes. Pradell uses his stage persona to make the crowd laugh at him. He falls down, the snake pops open in his face and his tricks don’t work without the help of a child. “Kids today need more love and affection,” Pradell said. "I’m just a tool to do the magic — the kids are-the magic. “Magic is a communicative an," Pradell said. “It re quires an audience. It gets me to people; you can’t do it in a vacuum. My role as a magician is to help people have fun. Give ’em what they want because the audience is more.im portant than me.” Just another example of Steve Pradell putting people as his top priority. Pradell will entertain next at the University of Oregon Bookstore Saturday morning, April 20. Tear Yourself Away for a QUICK or e i s u r © I y COFFEE BREAK with pastries anytime. tiNGbb6lG)ie -GAPb 754 E. 13th 342-6963 $1 Margaritas Enjoy the best of the Summer tonight at The Branding Iron. Two thick, lean, meaty Barbecue Beef Ribs Dinners (our house speciality), served with home made soup or tossed green salad, potato or rice and bread, for only $9.95 with this coupon. And wth this coupon, our cool, frosty Margaritas are only $1. Enjoy the best of the season tonight. 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