United Kingdom: Bill Abbott's Pack Smart Play Anywhere lecture

We'd previously reported that Bill Abbott will be will be presenting at The Session, the UK's only close-up magic convention, in January 2013.  I've just learned he'll also be lecturing through the UK as well.

From Bill Abbott:

PACK SMART PLAY ANYWHERE LECTURE TOUR 2013!

 

The new Pack Smart Play Anywhere lecture is heading to the UK for the month of January.  This will inevitably be the first and likely the last time to see this lecture in the United Kingdom.  Here are the dates & locations.

• Sunday Jan. 6th Derbyshire, High Peak Magician's Society, Buckingham Hotel
• Monday Jan. 7th Portsmouth, Portsmouth 7 District Magic Circle, Buckland Community Centre
• Tuesday Jan. 8th Dorset, Wessex Magic Association, Bourne Valley Comm. Association
• Wednesday Jan. 9th West Midlands, Wolverhampton Magic Circle, West End Working Men's Club
• Thursday Jan.10th Leatherhead, Surrey Society of Magicians, Bookham Grange Hotel
• Saturday & Sunday Jan.12-13th the Session Convention, Thistle Hotel Gloucester Road
• Monday Jan.14th Manchester Circle of Magicians, Salford Masonic Hall
• Tuesday Jan. 15th Blackpool Magician's Club, Blackpool Magician's Theatre Club, North Shore
• Wednesday Jan. 16th Hull Magicians Circle, Sailmakers Arms
• Thursday Jan. 17th Nottingham Guild of Magicians, The Arts Centre, Ponds Hill Lane
• Sunday Jan. 20th Scottish Lecture Myreside Pavillion, 79 Myreside Road, Edinburgh contact Gary Dunn
• Tuesday Jan. 22nd British Magical Society, The Selly Oak Ex-Servicemen's Club, Birmingham
• Wednesday Jan. 23rd Leamington & Warwick Magic Society, Cubbington Sport & Social Club
• Thursday Jan. 24th Exonian Magic Society, Exeter CVS Centre

THE PACK SMART PLAY ANYWHERE LECTURE DETAILS

• 5 Complete Stand-Up Routines that feature General Magic, Geek Magic and Mentalism, are performed as a full show and then explained.
• The Theory of The Pack Smart Play Anywhere approach is discussed, examined and demonstrated during the performance.
• How to develop your own Pack Smart Play Anywhere Show to take with you on your next flight, throw into the glove box of your car or perform at your next paid function.
• The Pack Smart Play Anywhere material is exclusively a lecture experience. The products, routines and props that will be presented, demonstrated and for sale during the lecture are not and will not be available anywhere or anytime else.

 

Tony Eng Youth Fund website

From Sharing Wonder:

In 2008, Magicana created the Tony Eng Youth Fund program in memory of Tony Eng (1946 – 2008). Its main goal is to promote and support youths as they pursue the art of magic.

Over the years, the fund has evolved to accomodate the needs of young magicians, from funding convention registrations, to covering lecture costs and mentorship programs. Like Tony, the fund strives to promote and encourage magic-mad youths by providing bursaries and scholarships in the pursuit of magic.

And so, without further ado, we are thrilled to present our new TEYF website: teyf.magicana.com The new site includes:

• A blog that focuses on TEYF news and events;
• A page that honours past TEYF winners through the years; and
• A programs page to keep you up to date to our current programming and challenges!

Feel free to explore and visit our new site and tell us what you think in the comments section below.

Read more and leave your comments at the Sharing Wonder site.

 

This was cross-posted with permission from Julie Eng.

Doug Henning

We've had a lot of Doug Henning related anniversaries come through our calendar this month!

John Cox has a great post up commemorating the 35th anniversary of Doug's third live "World of Magic" television special on NBC.
 
From Wild About Houdini:

It was 35 years today ago on December 15, 1977, that NBC aired Doug Henning's third live "World of Magic" television special. Having performed the Chinese Water Torture Cell and Vanishing Elephant on his first two specials, Henning once again built his show around a Houdini classic -- Walking Through A Brick Wall.

Read more.
 

And for your viewing pleasure, two YouTube videos recently posted at iTricks:

"Here we are!" with Bill Abbott at Morrissey Magic

Those of you who have seen the TV show This Is Daniel Cook, will instantly recognize "Here we are!" as Daniel's opening line.  I'll admit to seeing many an episode.  However, I haven't seen "This is Daniel Cook doing magic."

Watch the YouTube video of Bill Abbott (and Chico) thoroughly entertaining the young host of the show:




[via: Morrissey Magic]

Review: Jason Palter lecture

From The Browser's Den blog:

Jason is a professional's professional. On a grey, dull overcast afternoon in early December he presented two solid hours of his latest innovative tricks and ideas with much energy, enthusiasm and humour. You can't help liking the guy. And that's perhaps the greatest secret of magic that he shared with us - performance is everything. Anybody can do tricks but not everyone can do magic.

Read more.

Mahdi Gilbert: recipient of the Len Cooper Memorial Award

Belated congratulations to Mahdi Gilbert, who received the Len Cooper Memorial Award last month at the Browser's Den anniversary party!

Well done Mahdi!


--

Jeff has a new blog at the Browser's Den webiste.  If you haven't already, update your RSS feed to keep up with Jeff's new posts!  (Warning: some posts contain mentions of Sweater Vests.)

St. Catharines: Alex Kazam

From Alex Kazam's Facebook page:

21 December 2012

Where will you be the day the world end?
Join us for a post-apocalyptic styled show.
Featuring an odd collection of chicanery, and drama.
We'll bring you a true vaudeville styled evening spiced with a dash of DEAD.

(UN)LIVE MUSIC from Bella Muerta
& Mike Jewell
Mind-Bending Mentalism
DrEADful Juggling
Paranormal Affairs
Misconceived Magic
Hypnotizing Hypnotists
HOSTED BY ALEX KAZAM

Read more and buy tickets.

Breaking news from Wayne Houchin

From Wayne:

I've just been informed that Franklin Barazarte has been taken into custody in Santo Domingo.
— Wayne Houchin (@WayneHouchin) December 11, 2012

Reminder: Donations can be made to assist Wayne through either Paul Harris' Matical Arts Fund or through the Acacdamy of Magical Arts.

Toronto: David Merry lecture

From Morrissey Magic:

January 6 2013

David Merry (warning: sound) is not only an accomplished magician, he’s also a fantastic comedian, seamlessly blending the two together into one fantastic show.  

After David’s One Man show, “DON’T PANIC REMAIN.COM” The Toronto Star quoted, “It’s like watching Steven Wright doing Magic Tricks on Shutter Island” 

The lecture will focus on topics such as:performing; how to come up with ideas and gags; how to build them up and add them to your show; what makes a good joke; how to write and add comedy to your act; and the importance of originality. In other words, David will be sharing the REAL SECRETS to take your act to the next level.

Read more and purchase tickets.

Great news from Wayne Houchin

From Wayne himself:

Home.
— Wayne Houchin (@WayneHouchin) December 10, 2012

Reminder: Donations can be made to assist Wayne through either Paul Harris' Matical Arts Fund or through the Acacdamy of Magical Arts.
 

 

James Jordan interviewed by Joel Dryden

Watch on YouTube, James Jordan talks about magic and about his Garden Variety Show interviewed to Joel Dryden of the Calgary Journal.

Arun Rayn on CP24

Watch this YouTube video of Arun Rayn performing on CP 24:

Gwyn Auger in Vanish magazine

Check out the article by Gwyn Auger in the Dec 2012 / Jan 2013 edition of Vanish International Magic Magazine.  Gwyn's article starts at page 80.  It looks like Gwyn will be starting a feature on  assistants.  When you're flipping through the magazine, you may also see an ad from one of our sponsors on page 57!

Trevor Moore on the Medicine Hat & District Health Foundation Christmas Telethon

Watch on YouTube, Trevor Moore's appearance on the 16th Annual Medicine Hat & District Health Foundation Christmas Telethon, December 2, 2012.

Lee Asher on The Magic Broadcast

Updated Dec 6 at 4:16pm EST to add:

Miss the live show today? No worries, the archive of @leeashermagic 's interview is now available: bit.ly/VKAewd
— TheMagicBroadcast (@MagicBroadcast) December 6, 2012

Listen to Lee Asher recap the Curiosidades tour at noon PDT on TheMagicBroadcast.com.

RT @magicbroadcast: Lilsten to @leeashermagic tomorrow (Thu 6th) at 12noon PDT recap the Curiosidades tour on TheMagicBroadcast.com
— Steve Johnson (@Grand_Illusions) December 5, 2012

Update on the Wayne Houchin story

Reminder: Donations can be made to assist Wayne through either Paul Harris' Matical Arts Fund or through the Acacdamy of Magical Arts.

This was sent to me last night from Clara Coto-Shepardson, Executive Producer of the Curiosidades Show:

Franklin Barazarte, TV host who set magician Wayne Houchin on fire, is now officially a fugitive of the law.
 

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic - December 5th, 2012 - At 10am (AST), American magician Wayne Houchin held a press conference with his lawyers at the Renaissance Jaragua Hotel in response to Franklin Barazarte fleeing the Dominican Republic. While it's unclear how Mr. Barazarte avoided capture with an active criminal warrant out for his arrest, he managed to travel to New York city to be with his wife Adriana Azzi. As a result of ignoring serious charges, he's now officially considered a fugitive of Dominican law.
 

Houchin and his lawyers have asked the United States to arrest and extradite Barazarte to the Dominican Republic, to face prosecution for his crimes as well as civil litigation. Houchin and his lawyers said Barazarte's actions were completely unexpected, and consider it a criminal attack.
 

Last night, in an exclusive interview with Univision (New York), Franklin Barazarte surfaced from hiding to respond to allegations of attempted murder. He referred to his act of pouring flaming liquid on someone as "a blessing" which was something he'd done for a "long time in private." While he casually admits it was an "accident gone wrong," Mr. Barazarte goes on at length to explain how he feels hurt by all the "propaganda" surrounding this case, and the insinuation that he's even considered a criminal. Barazarte also discounts the gravity of Houchin's injuries by mentioning that Houchin "left the clinic the same day."
 

Meanwhile,  Houchin is still in the Dominican Republic and recuperating slowly. Riddled with 1st and 2nd degree burns on his head, face, ears, neck and right hand, he hopes to return home to Chico, California soon.
 

An Iphone clip, taken by a member of the group of magicians Houchin worked with has gone viral on the Internet. It clearly shows Barazarte intentionally setting the American magician ablaze. The later part of the clip shows Houchin in shock on the ground, paralyzed with pain.
 

- - - - 

Univision coverage of the 12.5.2012 Press Conference:

http://noticias.univision.com/primer-impacto/videos/video/2012-12-05/republica-dominicana-mago-llamas-television-fire?ftloc=channel1513:wcmWidgetUimStage&ftpos=channel1513:wcmWidgetUimStage:2

(cut and paste if not clickable)
 

Reminder: Donations can be made to assist Wayne through either Paul Harris' Matical Arts Fund or through the Acacdamy of Magical Arts. 

 

 

 

Harry Houdini in Vancouver

Harry Houdini performing outside the Sun building on Pender in 1929. #vancouver #history instagr.am/p/Sw0sEEh3tJ/
— Nine O'Clock Gun (@nineoclockgun) December 3, 2012

[via: MagicPedia]

Magic 'n Miracles: Fabulous!

Kidlet and I caught day one of Murray Hatfield's Magic 'n Miracles tour and had a fabulous time at the show!  (Unfortunately, due to unexpected scheduling issues on our part, we were only able to see the last half of the show.  I imagine that I'd be saying it was a super fabulous time, had we been able to see it from the start!)

In addition to Murray's wonderful magic, Michael Goudeau's impressive juggling, and the delightful work of Miles Meechan and Magdalaina Tamasik, I was tickled to see Billy Hsueh on stage!  Billy was taking advantage of Murray's offer to bring a young magician with him on tour.  I first had the pleasure of meeting Billy at Sorcerers Safari magic camp a couple of summers ago.  I'm sure Billy is learning an incredible amount on this tour!

The show was expertly produced by Steven Kline.  I was delighted he had the time and energy to have a quick chat with us when all was said and done!  Equally delightful was a chance encounter with Julie Eng and Suley Fattah, who were also in attendance.

I encourage you to catch the show and support a good cause in the process!


P.S.: Next time you see any of the people involved in the show, be sure to ask them about the pre-show smoke alarm!

Billy Kidd vs tough guys

From the Discovery Channel Website:




[via: Sheldon Casavant]

Bobby Motta's Mental in SNAP

From SNAP Vaughan East:

Dave & Buster’s is known for bringing world-class talents to Vaughan, and the recent shows put on by Toronto-based illusionist Bobby Motta were no exception. Motta’s show MENTAL was a two hour mind-bending experience that left more than one audience members amazed as they walked out of the Show Room. 

Read more.