Photo by Thomas E. Adamo
Despite the awesome blizzard that happened the night before, parents and kids packed in to see Steve Trash: Rockin’ Eco Hero perform magic with a message in the Dorothy Menker Theatre.
“Hey, you wanna talk some trash?” boomed a prerecorded voice over the PA speakers, before an explosion of wailing guitar and Aerosmith singing “I love trash!” Steve Trash looks like a bit like a cross between a hobo and Slash from Guns ‘N’ Roses, with the hyperactive child-like ferocity of Robin Williams.
Originally from Frog Pond, Alabama, which sounds like a place not too far from Kermit the Frog’s hometown, Steve Trash started out as a busker doing tricks in the streets of New York, LA, Miami, and Tokyo. Eventually, he got his own TV show and continues to produce videos of his environmentally-themed routines for the Internet.
Mr. Trash does a great job of turning old found junk into educational fun. “You can’t throw away anything in nature,” says Steve. “Everything in nature is connected.” His whole show, even down to his aluminum foil magic wand, was made from recycled material.
He explained the water cycle (how the planet recycles its water, from lakes and rivers to clouds and rain and back again) by pouring water into a bucket, which was magically always full. “Good old Mother Nature, she’s always working. Working like crazy yesterday!” he said, joking about the big snowfall.
When he dumped over the bucket he had been filling up on the floor, it was all green confetti paper!
Steve Trash’s show featured lots audience participation from kids excited to go up on stage, and the occasional adult to poke fun at. He picked an older gentleman named David out of the audience to guess whether a little ball was under a glass or tucked in his pocket. David picked the pocket again and again.
“I bet he was a George Bush man,” he teased. “Stay the course!”
As a sort-of-adult, I was surprised at how often I was completely amazed by Steve Trash’s magic tricks. I had what should have been a pretty revealing seat up in the balcony and could not for the life of me figure out how he was pulling off his stunts. At one point, he pulled a full-sized bright green electric guitar out of a handkerchief. That’s completely nuts.
I highly recommend you see Steve Trash: Rockin’ Eco Hero next time his show comes through town. It’s a fun way to learn how to do your part to keep the Earth beautiful and green. As Steve Trash says, “You all have green magic inside, don’t forget to use it!”
