European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 25, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                The Aldo a amps l. Emmonl Lowis or. David Maldonado a Maldo the magician a performs a trick with the assistance of Laquita Luke.  Mark wonders staff writer David Maldonado Felt at ease with the few friends and spectators hunched around a table at Patch Barracks no club in Stuttgart Germany. He was in command drawing his audience into each card or handkerchief trick. At the same time he was goading them on daring them to find a solution to each one. He was in his element but it was t always this easy for him. In fact All he had going for him in the beginning was his curiosity. Maldonado was 12 years old when he pulled off the near impossible by coaxing his first trick from a magician. Now some 18 years later he s still sharpening his act in the Hopes of one Day hitting the big time As a master of illusion. Quot i saw a kid make a silk Scarf vanish Quot recalls Maldonado 30, a sergeant first class tactical communications chief assigned to Vii corps in Stuttgart. Quot i followed him around begging him to Tell me How he did it. He finally broke Down and taught me How to do  that was How his ongoing quest to become a professional magician began. Over the course of his career Quot Maldo the magician Quot not Quot Maldo the great Quot because Quot i m not great but i m pretty extraordinary Quot has amassed More than 50 magic tricks. He usually performs Only seven or so per act which prevents anyone from being bored. Quot if i do the same act they la throw me out Quot he says. Maldonado has grown to love not Only the acquisition of tricks and their mechanics a which he estimates have Cost him about $3,000 per year in books and convention fees Over the past 13 years a but also the Art of performing for his audience. Quot i really enjoy it Quot he admits. Quot i like to entertain people and see their expressions and laughter. It s definitely not the Money. I guess every performance i do gets me one step closer to my ultimate dream of performing professionally for a living and to compete against top notch performers on cruise ships or  for now he continues his military career and does ,.ir---y at. Hot re m  7-�  juggles two careers his act when he can playing to a wide variety of social functions. No audience is too Small when it comes to magic and improving his skills. Maldonado likes to try out his new material on audiences whenever possible. Sometimes when it flops he has bouts of momentary doubt. Quot if anything you May learn you want to find another Hobby Quot he says half jokingly recalling the Tough crowds he s experienced Over his career. Quot sometimes people sit in the audience saying o.k., Maldo fool me and wait for you to fail. Sometimes they yell you fooled me a i thought you were Good Quot he says grinning with a hint of embarrassment. Still he enjoys talking to his audience and having them help with his tricks. However one thing he will not do for a fan is give away Trade secrets in spite of what one did for him Many years ago. Quot no. Never. You know that Quot smiles Maldonado. Quot one of the first rules is to never reveal your secrets. Quot sometimes you get folks who Are non magicians who Tell you they really want to know your secrets. And if they really seem to be sincere i Tell them to go to the Library and take out books on magic. But i also Tell them that it will be very difficult in the  Maldonado knows All about rough starts because he had one. After attending a two month magic course in new York City while he was a teen the Manhattan native performed on and off for various crowds and shows. But his dream seemed stalled. Then in 1977, he decided to join the army for a Short hitch a just enough time to have the army pay for him to see a Little of the world and to meet other magicians he figured. He got More than he expected. While attending Basic combat training and advanced individual training at fort Gordon ga., Maldonado received some free publicity when he was interviewed and Given the Opportunity to perform on the Post s Quot on the move Quot television program. After training he was sent to a signal battalion at fort Ord calif., where being on the West coast he got even More Breaks. There he was Able to share secrets with local magicians and had the Opportunity to sit through performances at the magic Castle a famous los Angeles area nightclub. He improved his act enough that he was asked to perform at san Ose s Holiday Park. By that time Maldonado s enlistment was almost up and it was time to jump ship and tend for himself leaving the army and the safety net it provided. But plans change and it was the army a or his reenlistment non commissioned officer a that had another trick waiting up its sleeve. Quot i planned to get out after my first term and make a living As a magician but i got carried away Quot Maldonado says. Quot the army sold me on going to the then Panama canal zone so i  he was assigned to the Pacific Side of the isthmus. There he maintained his magic skills by performing in various shows within the military Community and was also introduced to a local magician who made a big impression on him. Quot he was the reason that i switched from silent presentations to talking through my act Quot Maldonado fondly recalls. Quot he made me realize i was t As serious As i could  they performed together before audiences both Young and old giving Maldonado time to Fine tune his new approach to performing. Maldonado does not regret his time in the service. He says that much of his Success is due to his off duty Quot International Quot performances in Panama and Germany and the Opportunity to learn other languages. He also uses feedback from his audience and his willingness to change to help shape his act. Quot after a show i m always listening to what they talk about finding out what they liked or disliked Quot he says which causes him to add or subtract acts a even shelving new untested ones a in his quest to please the crowds. Maldonado s original curiosity coupled with hard work has apparently paid off. His skill no longer looks like an illusion. It is real. Quot Maldo the magician Quot can be contacted by calling 07141-80276. October 25, 1990 stripes Magazine