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Dr. Regan “Reggie” Silvestri performs a demonstration using flash paper and fire as part of the Magical Science Show on February 19th. (Martin McConnell — Morning Journal)
Dr. Regan “Reggie” Silvestri of Lorain County Community College is a chemistry professor and amateur magician by day.
Silvestri’s latest demonstration took over the LCCC Wellington Center at 151 Commerce Drive in Wellington.
Silvestri’s stage show, “Magical Science with Professor Reggie,” has captivated the imaginations of young people and parents for more than a decade, he said.
For this edition, Silvestri performed two shows on February 19th.
“I’ve been doing science magic shows for about 15 years actually,” he said. “It started when her daughter was in kindergarten.
“She said, ‘Would you like to come to my class and do something fun and cool?’ The teachers said (the show) looked really cool.
“The next thing you know, the school is crammed into this tiny room.”
Entertaining wasn’t new to Silvestri, who had been the drummer in a Cleveland punk rock band known as the Beatnik Termites for nearly 20 years, when he started the show.
He said the hectic nature of the show is similar to what he feels when playing with his own band.
“Here, it’s just for fun,” Silvestri said. “I was a drummer in a punk rock band for about 20 years, so entertainment is no different.
“We’ve probably put out 50 different releases. We’ve toured all over Europe and all over America.”
Over the past 15 years, Silvestri has developed his acting skills and evolved into a full-fledged mad scientist with a magical twist.
He said one of his favorite demonstrations on the show is using foam infused with some kind of chemical to safely light a fire on your hands.
Silvestri said one of the most difficult things about continuing on the show is having to keep his acting fresh.
“What’s important now is that I continue to be invited to the same venue every year,” he said. “Every year we go, we have to put on a new science magic show.
“So we’re developing version 2, version 3 and version 4 (of the show) so we can continue to go to the same venue.”
More than anything, Silvestri said he just wants to get young people excited about science.
He said helping train the next generation of scientists and science teachers is the real appeal of the program.
“It’s not a job at all,” Silvestri said. “The best age group for Science and Magic School is probably elementary school students…because to them it really is magic.
“I don’t try to explain the science. I don’t explain the boring details of why this works. I just want to get them excited.”
Silvestri and his show will be in Cleveland on March 3rd for STEM Night Score against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Tickets are available for the game against the New York Knicks.
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