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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
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e i s u r © I y
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with pastries
anytime.
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And wth this coupon, our cool, frosty Margaritas
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Enjoy the best of the season tonight. '
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