Manick's Latest Magic
By Elnora M. Mercado
October 4, 2000

Magic, Music, Colors, Lights -- filled the Thomas Jefferson High School Auditorium as Manick Sorcar and his cast of 50 mesmerized the audience throughout the two hour show. It seemed the audience did not want to leave -- they wanted more of Manick's amazing production. His outstanding art works -- paintings, sculptures, animated shows on TV and much more -- which were exhibited in the lobby, added to magical atmosphere which overflowed from the theater. .

What makes Manick Sorcar's production so electrifying? Manick tried to explain this fascinating technology to me. For one thing, laser animation features cutting edge technology using laser (Light Amplified by Stimulated Emission of Radiation), which is an intense beam of monochromatic color originating from gas or diode and then amplified by electrical energy. Laser is extraordinarily versatile in its applications: it is hard enough to penetrate rocks in geological excavations, yet can be gentle enough to perform eye surgery. Then, of course, there are other industrial applications of the laser in the printing industry, in manufacturing electrical items such as CD or DVD players, or in designing laser shows for entertainment.

In Sorcar's laser animation, Sorcar combines a dazzling level of artistry with computer wizardry to manipulate beams of light to race along predetermined paths and create still, or scenes, or figures in motion. The sheer virtuosity of the finished product is so impressive, that when watching the swift whirling of Sorcar's laser animation, the viewers forget the painstaking months of computer programming, research, sketching, and technical organization that are behind Sorcar's magic. In fact, very few entertainers in the world have attempted a thematic laser animation on this scale. His first thematic laser animation "Calcutta", which was based on the city's three hundred years old history was so popular in Calcutta, India, that it had to be screened inside a prestigious government theater continuously for seven days, twice a day, in a packed house. Originally it was booked to be shown only once, as a millennium highlight show on the first day of January. It hit national news as the First laser animation ever to be screened inside a theater.

But Sorcar has not stopped at the achievement of the laser animation itself. He is always striving for the new and exploring the areas where no one has gone before. His latest is the "Sorcarscope", a trade mark for a proprietary method through which he combines laser animation to move simultaneously, synchronized with a live actor on stage. His latest production through Sorcarscope (TM) "Dancing With My Soul" had its debut on September 1, 2000 at the National Federation of Indian American Associations celebration 2000 at East Brunswick, New Jersey, where he received a standing ovation by over two thousand people and was honored with a special plaque for his "Excellence in Arts". This number (my favorite) was also shown in "The World of Manick Sorcar", his last mega-show in Denver here in Thomas Jefferson High School. .

Aside from his incredible laser fantasy of India Forever, Manick skillfully and artfully combined magic with traditional Indian dances, colorful props, wonderful cast. One has to see it to truly enjoy his unbelievable production.

All of the acts were beautiful, but easily three stand out: Anarkali, a dance about forbidden love between a prince and a court dancer; Dancing with My Soul where Piya, Manick's daughter, dances live with her "soul" (laser animation outline of a dancer) and Underwater Fantasy showing water fairies dressed in luminous flowing costumes gracefully dancing along with seahorses and schools of fish in various colors.

It was truly amazing and fantastic! Those who missed the show should make all attempts to see the next one soon at the Denver Center for Performing Arts, Auditorium Theater.