Northshore Magazine

Northshore April 2020

Northshore magazine showcases the best that the North Shore of Boston, MA has to offer.

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95 20, 1977, Marco the Magi's Production of Le Grand David and His Own Spectacular Magic Company premiered, unlike anything ever seen in modern times on the North Shore. e shows were exuberant spectacles with levitations, transmogrifications, and sleight- of-hand feats punctuated by blaring trumpets, flashing spotlights, waving banners, and unfurling exotic fans. Razzamatazz vaudeville staples—a 12-member barbershop quartet, lovely dancers, jugglers, puppeteers, clowns, even a tap-dancing cow—lent astonishment to the show. Performers were costumed in dazzling outfits hand-sewn in-house and showcased among exquisite sets built by the crew. eir ranks included volunteers who held ordinary jobs—teachers, engineers, housewives, bankers et al.—who on Sunday afternoons morphed to performance artists at the direction of Pelaez, aka Marco the Magi. Pelaez, whose signature green eyes were always shining and focused, chose an Oriental motif for his show. He once explained this was because "it offered the greatest possibilities for beauty and coherence in the design and costumes." Later the name was shortened to just Le Grand David and His Own Spectacular Magic Company. e ensemble numbered 72 and over its lifetime delivered more than 2,600 performances, including seven shows at the White House. During its 36-year run, it was the longest consecutively running stage magic show in the world according to the Guinness Book of World Records. Riding the wave of the popularity of live entertainment, the Cabot resident company PHOTOGRAPHS, TOP TO BOTTOM BY JOEL LAINO, BY ELISE SINAGRA SV Design made much needed upgrades and renovations to the old theatre. Built in 1920, The Cabot Theatre was once called the Ware. Below, Patti Austin recently performed at The Cabot to raise awareness for the nonprofit mentoring program called Over My Shoulder. Austin was joined for two numbers by North Shore native 17-year-old Amanda Mena.

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