Marko the Magician is still performing at Colatina Exit, 30 years after starting there.
Photo by Catherine Morrissey.
by Elise Coyle, for the Community News Service
For more than 30 years, the same show has played every Sunday night at Colatina Exit: Marko the Magician.
“I’ve got people that are bringing their kids in now that used to come in to see me when they were kids,” said Mark Gagnon, the magician in question.
In a way, Gagnon and restaurant owner Vin Wendell grew together. Colatina Exit was one of Gagnon’s first steady gigs, and Marko the Magician is Wendell’s longest act.
“He knew me before I knew my wife,” Wendell said. “He’s seen my kids grow up, and my kids just have an incredible amount of respect for him.”
On a typical Sunday night at Colatina Exit, Gagnon walks from table to table performing for restaurant patrons. From cards to coins, Gagnon uses anything he can to entertain with close-up magic.
But who is the man behind the magic?
Photo by Catherine Morrissey.
Mark Gagnon grew up in Caribou, Maine. He became interested in magic from a young age, inspired by magicians he saw on TV.
In college at University of Maine, Gagnon began to learn hypnosis, thanks to his school’s psychology department. Years later, he had a chance to study with the famous hypnotist Ormond McGill.
“That was kind of like if you were going to be an escape artist, and you studied with Harry Houdini,” Gagnon said. “He was one of the foremost hypnotists in the world, just a really good teacher.”
From Maine, Gagnon moved to the Boston area, selling newspaper advertisements while performing magic on the side. In 1988, he moved to Essex to work for Citizen’s Oil.
Soon, he realized he was making more money from his performances than from his day job. That’s when he turned full time to magic and hypnosis.
Photo by Catherine Morrissey.
While Gagnon was performing in restaurants across the Burlington area, the Colatina Exit was looking for an entertainer.
“Sundays always had a family night feel to it, people would come in with their kids, and so we were looking to kind of build on that,” Wendell said.
A family member drew his attention to Gagnon, remembering a show they’d seen. Gagnon was hired by the restaurant, beginning a decades-long tenure.
“It was recognized by us and our clientele right off, not only is he just a good magician, he’s just really entertaining,” Wendell said. “He’s funny, he’s quick, quick-witted, just a whole package.”
Since that first performance, Gagnon has returned to the Colatina almost every week. Wendell said the restaurant often receives calls from patrons wishing to see his performances.
“He is a big hit, he’s just incredible, an incredibly talented magician, which has shown in his demand all over the country,” Wendell said.
Photo by Catherine Morrissey.
It’s been a good partnership for Gagnon as well. Even though he performs in bigger venues in places like Las Vegas and Dallas, he loves the appreciation he sees in smaller towns.
“We love it when we go to these small communities that really don’t get a chance to see this type of thing,” Gagnon said. “They’re not in a big city where they get to go to Broadway or go to shows.”
Now Gagnon said he cannot picture his life without magic.
“I don’t see myself ever retiring, I can’t imagine not doing this,” he said.
Wendell hopes Marko will be performing at his restaurant for many more years as well.
“We’d like to see him for at least another 30,” Wendell said.
Via Community News Service, a University of Vermont journalism internship, on assignment for the Journal Opinion