Surrey Leader from Surrey, British Columbia, Canada • 25

THE tEADEH, SURREY. B.C. WEDNESDAY, FEt. 6. 1983 WHY PAINT? APPLY LIQUID VINYL NOV1 20 year written guarantee Call tor an valuation A I at Wl NOMi IMMKMMfOT fttMOTl CERTM I REY 15430 PHASER SURREY ffTi rrrr Luty is a magical whiz "Soon word-of-mouth brought me shows for kids' parties.

I would charge about $5 a show, but it started becoming more than it was worth. I was spending more on supplies than I was earning so I started bringing my price up little by little." Luty continued to do shows for parties and hospitals, but did not become really serious performing until last October. It was at that time he was booked to do some shows for a downtown department store. He had not done any shows for a few months and was wary of being in front of a crowd again. Luty turned to a veteran magician for help Mandrake, who was billed as "The World's Greatest Magician" and now resides in Surrey.

"I phoned Mandrake to ask for help on how to do a show. He advised me to always write out a script and go over and over it until it's memorized. He said, 'You're an actor, not a Now I always write a script. "I did the shows, but from the outside of my tux to the inside I was just soaking. I'll never do that again.

I had to do three shows between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. too many shows in too short a time. Now I'd only do two shows in that time period." Though Luty appears to be able to make money appear out of thin air, it's not that easy when it comes to buying props. In fact, buying supplies takes away a substantial part of his income.

For example, he uses silk scarves in his act. They develop runs or snags and have to be replaced. At a cost of $4 for one scarf, his money has a funny was of disappearing by itself, A 40-foot coil of rope, which lasts for about four shows, costs $7, and the ever-popular linking rings now sell for about $45. Luty estimates that last year his profits and expenses came out even. He now charges between $50 and $100 for a 30 to 45 minute show, and finds the worst crowd to be drinking adults because they don't pay attention to his-act.

He once walked out on one such disrespectful group. "I learn an awful lot about children and adults. That's my worst fear adults when they're drinking. That's my present challenge right now. I'm trying to learn how to deal with the drinking crowd." Luty finds children to be the most attentive and enjoyable group to perform for.

"I just love being up there and making them laugh and goof around," he says with a huge grin. "Children like to participate. They're all eager to come up and they'll do anything you want." Though Luty is a master of magic, he does have an occasional blunder. He says that he covers up for them by making a joke and going on to the next trick as quickly as possible. And people who think that magicians always have something up their sleeve should eat their hats (that's one trick Luty can't do).

Luty once performed a show without his shirt on because the audience insisted he take it off. "But I don't use sleeves so it didn't matter. I try to make that my trademark, but the sleeves on my tux are too tight to roll up." Luty says that he would make a full-time career out of performing magic if he could, and that he would love to have his own television show. "I used to be afraid of going big. I was scared to death of actually doing a show on TV or something.

Every time I do a show now I just say, 'Go for it, What are you worrying "Just going up on stage I'm a different person, My personality completely changes. It's really strange. When I go up there now I don't shake anymore. Magic takes my mind off things." When not seen donning a tux as the Great Lutini, Luty doubles as a first aid attendant at a local department store.) by Vikki Skytte Kevin Luty used to pester people with whoopee cushions and exploding pens. Now he entertains them with linking rings and silk scarves.

"Does anyone have a five-dollar bill?" he queries and then proceeds to expertly fold the bill into small sections. When he unfolds it much to the horror of the owner a one-dollar bill is produced. But fear not, poor soul! The Great Lutini will return your five dollars. And he does just that! "How did he do that?" the audience wonders. Luty's interest in magic goes back 11 years ago to a place far, far away, known as Vernon.

He was a young lad of 12 at the time. "I was right into practical jokes -whoopee cushions, exploding pens. The first trick was the cigarette through the handkerchief, which I purchased at the local joke shop," he said. "I then started trying whatever tricks I could. I'd practice in front of my family or at friends', houses for their relatives.

I'd see if they'd notice anything wrong with my tricks." Luty's first nerve-racking performance was in 1977 at his high school's talent show. Shortly afterwards he took a trip to Ireland and England where he proudly purchased his first set of linking rings for $35. "That was a lot of money for me because up until then the highest paid job I had was working for the Vernon Daily News delivering papers." Luty's first big break came in 1978 when his family moved to Delta and he could acquire proper equipment, which was hard to come by in Vernon. That year he won first place in a prestigious Burnsview Junior Secondary High School Gong Show, which netted him $10 in prize money. fSWMEMEg ft! ULimm.ii II '1 if i A 1 l't 1 'A' tw mt ATIOVUR WAN WHOLESALE PRICES l'c" Iff If 44 i FOR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY Ladies Western Boots Regular $200.00 or more per pair, receive 100 off per pair.

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Now you see it and now you don't. Kevin Luty makes a cigarette disappear through a jacket, Just one of many magical acts the apprentice wizard performs to entertain crowds and friends. Phone 574-7427 lz83c' v-.