Page 101 - Phoenix2001-02

FEATURES Wednesday, February 27, 2002 - Page 9 A Performance by the Evasons: no strings attached JESSICA WATSON Tessa added, "we still feel 'a evening involved remembering a Jeff Jeff and Tessa are living proof a lot of studying and time into it." f'e{Uure,IEdilor connection to college students. There's just something different There is a lot of energy at WMC; it loved one who was recently de- that anything is possible. "You have to stimulate the naru- that we about seeing the phenomena take was very powerful and refreshing." ceased. Jeff asked for a volunteer have "We feel so fortunate burning ral abilities that you have," said tap into the energy "and who lost some- had this incredible from the audience Tessa, place right before your eyes, no The program opens with Tessa one very close to them. desire to be entertainers," said waiting to be opened." strings attached, as opposed to standing on the stage blind folded, Meghann Burler was chosen for Tessa. "It's good to feel the joy we On their web site, watching it on TV. immediately grasping the this part of the performance. She have as well as the joy people give www.evason.com, there is infor- A half-hour before show time audience's attention. Jeff mingles was very close to her grandfather, to us. Entertainment is one of the marion regarding learning more and the Decker Center Forum is his way through the crowd wear- Richard Plant, who passed about the phenomena. almost filled to away about four years ago. On the site they display maximum capacity with a restless audi- ~~~e~a\!o:~~:I~ta;~a~~~ ~ tI ~~~,~:ki~~~~~~~i~~: ence. Earlier in boards that she held to- tE·- the topic which includes Englar Dining Hall gether back and forth. In several real ESP expert- Tessa and Jeff between the boards rolled ments you can do on Bvason, the dual a fresh piece of chalk. Sit- your own. It teaches you learn of mentalists, ting offstage was one of her how to develop your performed a few closest friends, right in mental potential. Jeff mind reading tasks front of a table. also recommends the for several students. All of a sudden, while "Idiot's Guide to Being With only a taste of because Psychic," "the their performance Butler was focusing on her topics are very diverse grandfather, table the for later that night, they immediately started to move. The audi- and it's easy reading." ence was silenced with as- Tessa added that you can drew a crowd tonishment. She was still also find more informa- "I saw the Evasons come in and rocking the chalkboards rion at the library; it has resources numerous back and forth. I watched Tessa read "It was really creepy," said available. serial numbers off of Butler, "when I was tilting "Let your intuition guide dollar bills without the boards sometimes the you," she said. "I believe looking at them," chalk would just stop mov- we all have this gift and said freshman ing." When Butler was COURTESY OF WWW.I!VASON.COM we all have the opportu- Felicia Donelson. JeffandTessaEvasonha~:b~~~:;}~~f~;'~'i~;';f~~·COM Tessa Evason call read your mind. nity to develop it." asked to open up the chalk- Donelson was twenty years boards, the name "Richard They don't consider one of many who Plant" was written across them. hardest and most demanding pro- themselves to be psychics and they witnessed the phenomena and Jeff ing a wireless microphone. He The fresh piece of chalk looked as fessions that anyone can choose. don't do hypnosis. They have did get to use her as an assistant. picks random members of the au- if it had been used. There's always a fear offailure but never claimed to have "super natu- . "He touched my arm and then he dience, asking them to focus on a and th.~y'-AAyn't asking asked me if Ifelt him touching me, picture, an ID card in their wallet, believe It was so weird. I usually don't so I really you get to be who you are It ral powers" to believe in-the.occutr. in these kind oflhings, almost degree." anybody 10 the greatest and I said yes. He asked me to orthe serial number on a dollar bill wasn't sure what to think or ex- was a risk thnr they were willing to However, they do believe that norh- close my eyes. 'For a moment it While concentrating, Tessa begins pect." Aside from being an eye take. ing is impossible, and that the pow- felt like someone was blowing on to repeat the eight-digit number on witness to this spectacle, one has After the show it is pretty corn- ers of the mind reach far beyond my arm. Then it felt like someone the bill or tell the name of the per- to wonder: How is this possible? mon for audience members to come what many assume. The mind is a was stroking my arm with a sheet son in the photograph and their re- Is it possible? and ask if they learn some of the terrible thing to waste.' , of paper. When I opened my eyes lation to the participant. This hap- Jeff confirms that it is the same mind reading techniques. "You have the ability to do any- Iasked.'what was that?' and he said pens with the audience watching in participant's own connection with "Most of them want something thing you want," Tessa said. 'I did not touch you.'" As awe and amazement. The Evasons the loved one that allows this to quick and easy to learn, which is "When you believe in yourself you Donelson asked around, everyone remind them that the show has only happen. So, even though the loved not a problem. But you've also got are drawing energy to yourself, and declared that Jeff didn't touch her. justbegun. one may be deceased, they still live to realize that we've been doing that's what makes things possible." Overflowing with excitement, When you see aCIS of this na- on and remain a, part of that per- this for twenty years, and we've put many students made it their mis- ture on television, you usually are son. sion to attend the show and to be more skeptical, wondering what the The couple has been perform- r;:::::===~7-=:;-) there early for great seats. camera isn't showing you. Here a ing for well over 18 years. In 1983, Collrqi "If they hadn't come into the student levitates six feel in the air, Jeff Evason was working as a ra- Wrlll RN M~Ryl~Nd cafeteria like that Iwould no~ have as light as a cloud, with no camera dio announcer and a part-time ma- Dlp~RrMr NI of ART ~Nd ARI HiSI(JRY gone," Donelson says. "I was al- tricks in sight. In fact, the Bvasons gician in Toronto. Tessa had re- pRfSl:NI5 ready planning to go ice skating will give $25,000 to anyone who cently moved to Canada from the with friends that night, but I'm glad can prove that they use electronic Caribbean Island SI. Lucia; she was THE FiRST Bi~ANNUAI I went. The show was off the devices in their show. So far, their working as a fashion model. hook." self-assurance has yet to fail. Although they had never met WMC FACUlry ART EXHibiT NBC called them "the finest act Jeff collected four male vol un- before, they did share a mutual of its kind in the world," on the tcers to assist in the levitation act. friend in the fashion business. To A MulTiMEdiA displAY by fAculry MEMbrRS show ''The World's Greatest Magic These males were told to focus on enhance an upcoming fashion 5." On Fox's "Powers of the Para- their strength so that they could lift show, this friend invited Jeff to per- 01 lin ART ANd ART HisTORY DrpARIMfNT normal" they were introduced as a student six feet in the air, each fonn a short act of illusion using MARCio ~ TlrRouGh ApRil 5 "the most amazing mind reading one only using two fingers. Erin one of {he models as an assistant. act you've ever seen." The Dis- Collins, senior, was that lucky stu- Tessa volunteered for the part. OPfNiNq RWPli : covery Channel called them "a new dent. ' "It took flight like a magic car- SUNdAY, MARCio } fROM 1:00·4:00 p.M. generation of mentalists." The "I really don't remember feel- pet," said Tessa. "By the end of couple has astounded audiences ing anything when they lifted me the year I knew there was no turn- TIlE RiCE GAII£RY iN PrnRSON HAil across the globe, performing at sev- up. Idon't even remember realiz- ing back." FoR iNfORMATiON ANd <;