ELIZABETHTOWN — Teleported bunnies, disappearing basketballs and a levitated 6-year old — if these sound fantastical, then the folks at the library are probably pleased. On Thursday, they hosted, at the Elizabethtown branch, the Rockstar Magic of Chris and Neal show, which delighted and stupefied the nearly 100 people who turned out.

“We had about 60 people sign up to come, so we were pleasantly surprised that we had 91,” said organizer Susan Guyton. “It went really (well), and everybody seemed to enjoy it.”

The show started with a fast-paced series of tricks, one of which included a robust, white bunny, Rocket — who, the magicians assured the attendees, was not hurt during the show, because he was their pet, and they would never harm him — being loaded into a canon and “shot” across the room while confetti rained down, then appearing in a closed cage on the other side.

The magicians encouraged children that they didn’t have to stay in their seats and welcomed them to come closer, and eager and mystified children obliged, filling the aisle for a better gander.

The magicians were wearing youthful, modern attire, had spiked hair, and their appearance, combined with their abundant energy and the hip music that accompanied the show, seemed to draw the children in and captivate them.

The performers incorporated into their show lessons about attitude, pursuing their dreams, and, of course, the importance of reading and the value of books.

As a finale, they invited 6-year old Victoria Armatys of White Lake to lie down on a board, draped her with cloth, and placed the two ends of the board on the backs of two chairs. After a little “hocus pocus” waving of their hands, one of the chairs was removed, and the board remained in the air, with only one end being supported by a chair. The magicians waved their hands under their young accomplice, showing that there was nothing underneath holding her up.

After the show, Victoria exclaimed with a smile, “I was floating! I was really floating!”

“That was awesome,” Melisaa Hilbourne, who brought her 3-year-old daughter to the show, said afterward. “Madison was a little scared at first, but they did a great job.”

The show was the kick-off to the libraries’ summer reading programs, which will run from July 11 until Aug. 3. Each week, the reading program will take place at the Bladenboro branch on Monday, the Clarkton branch on Tuesday, and the main branch in Elizabethtown on Wednesday. Crafts, food, goodie bags, guest speakers, and stories will be part of the program, and library staff encouraged people to register in advance by calling their local branch.

Chrysta Carroll can be reached by calling 910-862-4163.

http://www.bladenjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_IMG_4332.jpg

http://www.bladenjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_IMG_4333.jpg

http://www.bladenjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_IMG_4335.jpg

http://www.bladenjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_IMG_4340.jpg

http://www.bladenjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_IMG_4341.jpg

http://www.bladenjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_IMG_4343.jpg

http://www.bladenjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_IMG_4352.jpg

http://www.bladenjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_IMG_4360.jpg

http://www.bladenjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_IMG_4362.jpg

http://www.bladenjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_IMG_4365.jpg

http://www.bladenjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_IMG_4370.jpg

http://www.bladenjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_IMG_4374.jpg

http://www.bladenjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_IMG_4378.jpg

http://www.bladenjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_IMG_4379.jpg

http://www.bladenjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_IMG_4381.jpg

http://www.bladenjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_IMG_4386.jpg

http://www.bladenjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_IMG_4389.jpg

http://www.bladenjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_IMG_4394.jpg

By Chrysta Carroll

ccarroll@civitasmedia.com