Vanish Magic Magazine VANISH MAGIC MAGAZINE 68 | Page 8

e e r g e D ’s r e t s Honorary Ma ranz Harary, an internationally acclaimed illusionist known for breaking boundaries across mediums and redefining the art of magic, has been awarded an Honorary Master’s Degree in Humane Letters – Theatre by the Eastern Michigan University Board of Regents. the NASA Space Shuttle disappear. Harary’s modesty and lack of an eccentric or grandiose persona prevent him from being easily identified as a celebrity offstage. As one publicist states, “The most famous magician on planet Earth is a guy you’ve never heard of.” Harary, an Ann Arbor native who attended EMU in the 1980s, is best known for designing and performing illusions of his own creation worldwide. His technical achievements in the world of magic are respected throughout the industry, and his productions have broken attendance records across the globe. The recommendation approved by the Regents at their regular meeting Feb. 13 reads in part: “For his world-wide innovations and contributions to the discipline of entertainment design and technology – integral components of EMU’s theatre program – and for his identification and promotion of Eastern Michigan University’s contribution to his lifelong journey, we are proud to recommend Franz Harary for an Honorary Master’s degree in Humane Letters – Theatre.” As a college student studying music and dancing at Eastern, Harary was already creating halftime illusions for the University marching band. His illusions led to wider recognition, in particular, work commissioned for Michael Jackson’s “Victory Tour” and his own “mega magic” stunts, including making the Taj Mahal levitate and 8 MARCH | 2020 “Firstly, it’s about building character,” Harary says now about the evolution he experienced at Eastern. “If you don’t have the drive to achieve something, you’re gonna sit in your dorm room and not do anything. But (EMU) is a giant buffet of opportunity.”