Professor Mervyn Heard answers a question from Terry Crane about the Nickelodeon Museum's three-lens Magic Lantern after the first of two Magic Lantern Shows at the museum on Thursday evening. The event was sold out and, judging by the laughter and applause, greatly appreciated by the audience. Magic Lantern shows have been around since the mid 17th century and reached their peak popularity during the Victorian Age. Often compared to film and television, they were actually quite different. While they used hand-painted glass slides to project images onto screens, blank walls and even smoke during fanciful Phantasmagoria performances, they were actually live performances that blended live music, sound effects and narration to entertain, amuse and educate rich and poor alike. The next Magic Lantern Show at the Museum will be on Saturday, August 14, at 7:30 pm. Don;t miss it! David F. Rooney photo
