By Frank Sinatra, AAP Editor

A magical event held this month by two longtime Township residents will not only entertain local children of all ages, but also help to raise funds for the Pennsauken Free Public Library.

A special performance from “Toe-Knee: Street Magic at its Finest” will be held on Saturday, Nov. 14 at the Library, 5605 N. Crescent Blvd. in Pennsauken. The first show begins at 1:00 p.m.; a repeat performance will be held at 3:00 p.m.

“I’m really excited for the opportunity to teach children about the unlimited possibilities of frequenting what I like to call ‘The Dream Factory,’” says Toe-Knee. “A place they can learn to be anything they want. Any dreams that they have, they can come to this place and make them come true. You know it as your local library.”

During each show, Toe-Knee will be joined by “a character with characters,” ventriloquist Nick Pawlow. Nick will be performing with his special “friend,” Yuk the Caveman.

Toe-Knee and Nick’s paths to the entertainment world couldn’t be more different. Toe-Knee’s father, a radio DJ at the old WHAT in Philadelphia, brought his young son to work one day; famous local DJ Jerry Blavat showed him his first-ever magic trick by “plucking” a quarter out of Toe-Knee’s ear and he was hooked. Nick, who – by his own admission – has a weird sense of humor, didn’t start performing until he was 25. After entertaining some co-workers at the office, they suggested he try his material at Philadelphia’s Comedy Factory at an open mic night. To stand out from other comics, he got into ventriloquism. But their main common thread is that they started upon their paths as entertainers, they first stopped at the library.

“When I wanted to be a ventriloquist, I went to the library and started reading up on it,” explains Pawlow. “Using what I read, I made my own puppet and took it from there.”

“The library still helps to a great degree,” added Toe-Knee. “They’ve got David Blaine’s biography here at the Pennsauken Library. I picked that up and it gave me a lot of pointers for what I’m doing right now. It’s also great to go back to the fundamentals. Some stuff you’ve been doing so long, it’s good to see it written on paper again.”

Both Toe-Knee and Nick have a favorite book when it comes to entertaining: “Maximum Entertainment,” by Ken Weber. While primarily for magicians and mentalists, the book highlights helpful tips for any performer.

“‘Maximum Entertainment’ makes you go back to the basics,” says Toe-Knee. “Whenever I think I’m almost there, I’ll still go back to that book. Every time you read it, you grow as an artist.”

“It’s chock full of great information,” added Pawlow.

Both entertainers also encouraged anyone looking to learn magic, become a ventriloquist, or even learn how to play guitar, to make a stop at the library.

“YouTube can help you learn, but the bad part about it is that you can’t learn your own style,” says Toe-Knee. “By learning from a book, you can develop a routine that’s uniquely you.”

Tickets to this special performance are $10 for adults, $7 for children ages 12 and under. To check for availability or to learn how to order, call the Friends of the Pennsauken Free Public Library at (856) 665-5959, ext. 7 and leave a message. Tickets will also be available at the door on Nov. 14, but space may be limited.