Victor Fiorillo: A Magical Mystery Tour  

By Maureen Rust

Victor Fiorillo, an electrical technician in the printing industry, moonlights as a magician -- a boyhood passion -- and plans to regenerate himself as a full time performer in due course. With new wife (and inspiration) Karen, daughter Gina, son Victor Jr. and supporting troupe members (including Maureen Rust, who penned this piece), "Victor Presents The Art of Magic and Illusion" was recently launched in Delran, NJ.

Victor Fiorillo -- formerly known as ‘The Great Chandor’ -- got hooked on magic during a "Sneaky Pete" presentation for show-and-tell in second grade. Then, armed with a borrowed magic book, he proceeded to learn and perfect a few simple tricks. A completely self-taught slight of hand artist, he progressed during his primary and secondary school years, performing at school talent shows and birthday parties. He scoured nearby Philadelphia magic shops for new illusions to incorporate into his solo act.

Under the stage name, The Great Chandor, Victor performed with The Bill Coryell School of Dance and Fine Arts, a group that provided variety entertainment at churches, local organizations and various area events. At age 16, he auditioned for the Tony Grant Stars of Tomorrow, performing a two-week summer stint at the Steel Pier in Atlantic City. By now, he was thoroughly in love with magic and entertaining, and he had developed a following.

Throughout his early 20’s, Victor continued to entertain in his hometown of Norristown, Pennsylvania, at the Norristown State Hospital, senior homes and private parties. By 1980s, Victor had a wife, two children, a house in New Jersey, and a job. Magic, along with his dream of becoming a professional entertainer, went into storage for nearly twenty years.

Then, poof! Everything changed.

"I first met Karen a few years ago at a company dance," Victor recalled. "She was having a great time on the dance floor and asked me to join her. That evening, she asked me what my dreams were. So I began to share my background as a magician and my love of entertaining."

The friendship blossomed, then deepened into courtship, marriage and a new partnership that would reignite Victor’s dream. "Karen has a real flair for sales and can talk to anyone -- the one thing I was lacking," Victor said. "I knew I needed this kind of support if I was going to be successful [as a performer]. Karen was behind me 100%. There were finances to consider, of course, but it didn’t take long for us to make the commitment to start up a new magic production."

In 1998, Victor began contacting former associates in the magic entertainment industry. Soon, Victor and Karen (as his stage assistant and public relations liaison) were busy purchasing sound, video, and lighting equipment, new and bigger illusions, costumes and stage props. The duo became a family affair when Victor’s son, Victor Jr., an aspiring musician, wrote and produced the opening soundtrack for the show. Daughter Gina joined the production as one of the stage assistants, but has since found some ambition of her own to perform illusions. Victor has become her mentor, priming Gina for stage time of her own.

As the millennium approached, ‘Victor Presents the Art of Magic and Illusion’ was well under way. Their first production, Magic 101, was performed at a Lake George, New York resort, where Victor debuted the authentic Houdini Canvas Covered Trunk illusion, which has been performed by very few other magicians. The original production has since been performed at benefit shows and private parties. Victor continues to focus his energy on refining slight of hand manipulations.

For now, members of the troupe continue to work their day jobs and moonlight in magic at night and on the weekends. Ultimately, Victor plans to enhance the show with larger illusions such as The Palanquin, The Hindu Sword Basket and a dancing handkerchief routine, and to perform full time, taking the show on the road to casinos, resorts, nightclubs, theme parks, and cruise ships.

"There are so many possibilities for our production," he said. "I would like to be able to mount a full evening magic show, possibly including other artists as opening acts, more elaborate stages sets, costumes and original music.  Something we could perform in a large ballroom or theater.  We just need one break that will enable us to prove what we are capable of bringing to a bigger stage."

Next Steps

Got an itch to perform or make a dramatic life change? Here’s Victor Fiorillo’s practical advice: "Surround yourself with good people and have a support network of people that share the same passion."

For more about Victor’s schedule: Contact: Karen Fiorillo 609- 505-7059 or email: info@magicvictor.com

Maureen Rust joined Victor Fiorillo’s magic troupe as a stage & crew assistant. "This is a totally new experience for me and I am having a great time learning the ‘tricks of the trade’. Even though I am part of the show, I am still mesmerized by Victor’s expertise. This as a great opportunity for me since I am entering my own renaissance," she says.

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