Page 2 - Florida Sentinel 7-28-17

Feature
Antwan Towner: ‘Magic Is An Act Of Love’
BY KENYA WOODARD Sentinel Feature Writer
Some people begin prac- ticing a craft after years of schooling, but not Antwan Towner.
He became a magician at age six.
And now, 29 years after his discovery of all things il- lusion, Towner is hoping to showcase his talent to his largest audience yet: all of America.
But don’t look for the self- taught Ybor City resident to make elephants disappear on a national talent show; in- stead, Towner wants his own show on a streaming service like Netflix or Hulu.
And while he refers to himself as an illusionist, Towner doesn’t work with animals. His special skill is the sleight of hand or card tricks.
“I’ve always liked card tricks,” he said. “They’re fas- cinating.”
Perhaps as equally capti- vating is Towner’s story.
Born in Portland, Ore., Towner grew up the youngest of six siblings. At the age of 2, Towner was
ANTWAN TOWNER
Labeled a “slow learner,” Towner was placed in spe- cial education classes until a teacher realized he was actu- ally a gifted student.
Towner attended a spe- cial school throughout his formative years. It was one of the few constants in his life as he and his mother moved frequently around Portland.
At the age of 12, Towner moved in with his father and stepmother. She worked for a federal bank; he was a mili- tary veteran. After years of living semi-nomadically, Towner finally had a stable home life with two parents and his own room.
Throughout the ups and downs, Towner stuck with magic. He kept reading about the topic and teaching him- self new tricks.
A turning point came in high school, when he scored a job at the magic shop in the mall.
The owner allowed Towner to try every product in the store with just one caveat: he had to make it sell.
“I took everything home,” he said. “I took it all home and learned everything.”
After graduating high
school, Towner jumped at the chance to move to Bran- don. He sold all of his be- longings and arrived in Florida with $1,000.
To support himself, Towner first started doing card tricks on the street in Ybor City. A manager at the now-closed Rare Olive liked his command of a crowd per- form for tips and drinks.
Towner then convinced other restaurant managers to host him. He worked just a few days for tips and was pulling in about $600 a week.
An entertainment re- cruiter for a major amuse- ment park offered Towner the chance to audition after catching one of his perform- ances.
“They hired me on the spot,” he said.
Nowadays, Towner is a full-time magician and per- forms at state fairs, cruise ships, and private parties.
Towner said he sees his work as “an act of love.”
“I give people a mental break from their daily life and being wrapped up in what they do,” he said.
“That’s an act of love.”
placed temporarily in foster care after drug addiction re- sulted in his mother being unable to care for him.
The television was always on at the foster home. Towner watched a show that featured a magician doing tricks.
He was hooked instantly. “I thought they were real and could make the universe whatever they wanted,” he
said. “That was inspiration.” Shortly after, Towner was put down for bed with a
blanket fresh from the dryer. After rolling and wrapping himself in the comforter, he reached out to touch some- thing metal and felt a shock.
For the curious first- grader who was not yet fa- miliar with static electricity, it was all the confirmation Towner needed to pursue magic.
“I would go to the library and find the magic section and read books on Houdini and other magicians,” he said. “I read all of the books.”
PAGE 2-A FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY FRIDAY, JULY 28, 2017