From the Bloc 11 Cafe: Interview with magician Evan Northrup

Magician Evan Northrup at the Bloc 11 Cafe

From the Bloc 11 Cafe: Interview with magician  Evan Northrup

I met Evan Northrup at my unofficial office at the back of the Bloc 11 Cafe in Union Square, Somerville. Northrup certainly has a stage presence. He speaks in an upbeat cadence and flashes a winning smile. I have never interviewed a magician before, but from my childhood I remember some darkly attired men, pulling an unfortunate bunny out a top hat, or of the enigmatic smile of an attractive woman about to be in cut in half, and miraculously brought back to her whole state.

Northup portrays magic as a mixture of slight of hand and practical psychology. His mission statement is to bring the magic of life to his patrons.

Northrup has volunteered at the Artisan's Asylum outside of Union Square for a number of years. He finds inspiration for his work from many of the creative types who work there. As he goes from work space to work space, he picks up ideas from this high tech buffet of- the- grid inventors, artists, and artisans.

Northrup used to live in Somerville. Like many artists I have interviewed he has left our city to live on Beacon Hill in Boston. It is ironic of course—but he and his wife found a better deal there!

Northrup is not only a magician, but he provides stage craft and illusion services to such theaters in Boston as the LYRIC STAGE, and the HUNTINGTON THEATRE. He told me, “ I once developed a metal illusion for a production of ' Beauty and the Beast. ' It was basically a framed wood enclosure that included metal to ensure stability for the Beast.”

Northrup, who is a graduate of Brown University, recalls some of the very first projects he provided magical design, and special effects for.  He reflects, “ My very first production was at the Gloucester Stage. They were putting on a performance of 'Carnival.'" At the Huntington Theater in Boston, Northrup was involved in the production  of“I was most Alive with You”--a production performed by members of the deaf community.

Northrup is not your dad's musician. He sees magic through many different lenses. He told me,  "Respected scientists now study magic's effect on the brain. MRIs are employed to see how the brain reacts when it is exposed to magic.” So Northrup infuses many different sources in his work.

Northrup said in the past he did his act for children, but now he likes to do it for adults. He reflected, “ I like to get adults off-guard. I want to challenge their assumptions."

Northrup performs in many venues—weddings, private parties, but he seeks more corporate work—to make the daily nut. He is working on an idea using magic to explore the dining experience. He envisions diners choosing what they want to eat, and then have it materialize on their plates--also an appointment of floating candles could be thrown in the mix.

Northrup is a student of the “ Spanish School of Magic.” In this school of thought there is an emphasis on magic theory. Northrup said, “ American magic is more procedural. The Spanish School has  more contextual content with magic—rather than simply tricks.'

Northrup performed a few tricks for me at our table. One that I took interest in was when he changed one dollar bills into twenties. Boy—would I like to know that guy's secret!

Somerville's Matthew Martino: Approaches his work with 'Savage Grace'

Matthew Martino at the Bloc 11 Cafe

Somerville's Matthew Martino: Approaches his work with 'Savage Grace'

By Doug Holder

I met lighting designer, filmmaker Matthew Martino at my backroom respite in the Bloc 11 Cafe in Union Square, Somerville. Martino, a 40ish man-- brought an abundance of energy and focus to our interview, and certainly these same qualities inform his work for his production company “Savage Grace Entertainment” based at 545 McGrath Highway in our city.

Martino is a 4^th generation Somervillian. He recently purchased a building in Somerville that houses both him and his production studio for his business.  Martino told me that, “Since rents are skyrocketing in the city—the only way to stay here was to buy a building.” And so now Martino's feet are firmly place on the ground—here in our burg.

Martino has long been involved in the Somerville arts scene. His has worked with the Somerville Arts Council's "ArtBeat Festival," he has brought “ movie nights” to the city, and has been involved with “Carnavale,” a multicultural street festival, that is very popular in our neck of the woods.

Martino has an interesting background. Back in the day, he helped with the lighting of the Mikado at the North Shore Music Festival, as well as the “ Robots' Opera” with Tod Machover and Robert Pinsky, working under my own Tony Award winning lighting designer brother Don Holder.

Martino cut his teeth with the iconoclastic, indie film company “Troma Entertainment” based in New York City. Many well-known actors who were just starting out passed through there. “One that comes to mind is Kevin Costner,” Martino said. One of Troma's noted movies  it produced was the “Toxic Avenger.” This film was first ignored because of its violence, but then went on to be a cult favorite. It was a regular midnight feature at the Bleecker Street Cinemas in New York City in 1985. The operation was run by director Lloyd  Kaufman, an “Old hippie kind of guy,” according to Martino. Martino continued, "The movies he produced were horror films that were cheap to make. They were filled with ample doses of sex, schlock, and had a consistently low budget.” Martino did many things there, including managing human chickens--(people made up to look like chickens)--with makeup and the appointment of these strange birds in their cages

Martino said it is hard to make a living as a theatrical lighting designer in Boston,so to make the daily nut he works as a corporate lighting designer. He lights events, meeting, award ceremonies for many major lights in the corporate world in these parts.

Martino has finished producing and releasing a movie:  "Chainsaw Maidens from Hell," and is the planning stages for a sequel.   He is proud how his  movie "Chainsaw...."  has reached certain filmmaker industry benchmarks. His company has a strong educational component as well. He teaches basic stage combat techniques, and has educational outreach in large swaths of the state--and is available to help stage, produce, light, etc... a wide variety of productions. He is well know for his work with youth organizations.

Martino said, " I want more local producers on the scene here, instead of the all folks from Los Angeles who come here --make a movie, and then go back to L.A."

And indeed Martino is determined to make that a reality --here-- in the " Paris of New England."