The YMCA's "Garden" Party

Only in a place like the Magic Garden will you be able to find Sherlock, a talking pink squirrel with a penchant for peanuts who can also write books and speak a foreign language!

Fans of all ages had the chance to meet the multi-talented Sherlock on Sunday afternoon at the Wyckoff YMCA when he joined Carole Demas and Paula Janis from the 70s television show “The Magic Garden” for a fun-filled live performance at the Carl Pfeifer Performing Arts Center.

 “Thank you so much [and] hello!” Janis greeted the audience after she and Demas had sung the theme song to “The Magic Garden.”  “It’s so great to be here!”

 Although the sold-out show got a late start due to technical difficulties, the performance itself went off without a hitch. With over six hundred people filling nearly every folding chair and bleacher seat available, Demas and Janis – accompanied by musical director Ian Herman and of course Sherlock – shared their unique combination of music, storytelling, and the chemistry that only comes from an almost lifelong friendship with an enthusiastic crowd that spanned from babies to seniors.

To add to the fun, original clips from the original “Magic Garden” TV show were also shown at various times throughout the performance. “We tried this out when we were inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame [in December],” Demas told The Patch. “It went over really well, so we decided to include it in our live performances.”

 “[Of course] if you think it’s easy to stand up here and watch them [Demas’ and Janis’ younger selves] up there, it’s not!” Janis said to the audience after the first clip. Yet, despite the fact that it’s been over twenty years since “The Magic Garden” was on the air, both Demas and Janis still retain that youthful passion for performing – which was evident as they chased each other around the auditorium when they acted out the fairy tale, “The Gingerbread Man.”

 “This is our life,” Demas said. “And you [the audience] are all a part of our family.”

 It is this very sense of family that allows the television show – and live performances such as these – to hold such a special place in fans’ hearts. “[Being here] brought back so many memories,” Wyckoff resident Demetra Maurice told The Patch. “This show was a big part of my childhood.” Laughingly Maurice added, “Whether my kids wanted to come [today] or not didn’t matter to me!”

 To further add to that sense of family, Demas and Janis held a meet-and-greet in the lobby after their performance, where they hung out until nearly 5 PM signing autographs and posing for pictures with fans.

 “It was a long day, but we love it,” both women agreed.

 To find out where Carole and Paula will be performing next, visit their website at www.caroleandpaula.com.