20 August 2013

Toronto: Jason Palter

From Pubaret:
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4
MAGICIAN JASON PALTER

Could it be time for another first at The Pubaret?  Yes it could cuz we've never had a magic show until now:  Magician Jason Palter.

Palter. Say the name PAUL, add a TER, and that’s how you pronounce Jason’s last name.

Like many magicians, the love of magic was born at an early age; Jason was just 9 years old when he received his first magic set. After that, it was only natural that his tendency to be class clown and overall goofball would one day merge with his love of magic. A comic magician was born!

Read more and buy tickets.

19 August 2013

Goodbye to Murray’s Trick and Joke Shop -- the end of an era in Victoria

A reminder to us all to support our local brick and mortar magic shops while we still can.

Don't have brick and mortar shop in your area?  Consider supporting one through their online shops.   (I direct your attention to two of the wonderful sponsors of this blog, Perfect Magic and
 The Browser's Den of Magic!)

Read the comments on Murray's Facebook page.


From the Times Colonist:
There will be no large puff of smoke or silk curtain drawn as house lights fade to black. Instead, with the simple closing of a door and turning of a key, three decades of illusion and whimsy will end as Murray’s Trick and Joke Shop closes for the final time Aug. 25.

The store — the go-to destination for gear, tricks and effects for amateur and professional magicians, as well as a year-round costume source and a gold mine for would-be office pranksters and kids of all ages — is about to pull its own disappearing act.

“It’s sad because of the long history of this place, and my wife and I were thrilled to have been a part of that,” said current owner Murray Hatfield, who along with wife Teresa Midbo bought the store seven years ago from Tony and Ann Eng.

Read more.

Guelph: Laughing Matters

From River Run:
As Canada’s Premiere Comedian, Derek Edwards creates enchanting tales based on everyday subjects and delivers them with polished style and impeccable timing. With Jim McNally and Matt Disero warming up the crowd you are guaranteed to be left doubled over with laughter wanting more!
Laughing Matters is an event to raise awareness about poverty and support local at-risk communities. Proceeds from this event are going directly back into the community through Speroway’s work procuring and distributing food in Guelph.      
Read more and buy tickets.

18 August 2013

Magic Information Canada has added features!

Earlier this summer, Doug Cuff over at Magic Information Canada, added some nifty new functionality to his awesome site!

In his own words:







If you haven't already, click over and visit this great resource.

Thanks for your continued hard work Doug!

17 August 2013

Toronto: Buskerfest!

The 2013 Scotiabank BuskerFest in support of Epilepsy Toronto will be held from August 22nd to August 25th.  Magical performers include:
  • Charlie Caper (Sweden)
  • Chris Capehart (USA)
  • Diogo Alvares (Brazil)
  • Max T. Oz (Canada) and
  • Nathaniel Rankin (Canada)

16 August 2013

Toronto: There's magic at the Ex!

There's magic at the CNE again this year!

At The FarmDaniel Steep is back with Agri-Magic, an interactive magic show that educates audiences about Canadian Farming.


Majinx is back at Kids' World with Professor Wick's School of Magic and Illusion.

And Mike D'Urzo is at the Variety Stage, located on Princes' Boulevard at Ontario Drive, south of BMO Field.


This year the Ex runs from August 16th to September 2nd, 2013.  Please check the CNE's website for dates and showtimes.

15 August 2013

Toronto: Mysterion in Twisted Thoughts

From Facebook:
Wednesday, 18 September 2013

Ever wonder dreams really can come true? How about Nightmares?

Enter the impossible. Mysterion, Canada's celebrated mentalist returns to the stage for ONE NIGHT ONLY to bring you a selection of effects that dive into the twisted and bizarre.

This isn't a birthday magic show, its a sixty minute selection of his most terrifying and psychologically frightening effects from a carnal catalog of magic. Your way of thinking will never be the same.

With a screening after the show of Tod Browning's classic FREAKS included with admission.

Read more.

14 August 2013

Toronto: Bobby Motta lecture - Thirteen

From the Browser's Den of Magic:
Sunday, September 22

Just a few months ago at our shop Bobby Motta gave a free Dealer Show that was a HUGE hit with all in attendance!

Well, Bobby contacted us and told us that he has a lecture that contains material that 99% of which was not shown or discussed in the free dealer show a few months ago.

Here are the details…

Read more.

13 August 2013

The Can-eh-diana deck

Have a look at the Facebook page for the Can-eh-diana deck!  It's a deck of cards "celebrating all things Canadian."  Naturally, it includes magicians!  So far, it's been revealed that Julie Eng, Jason Palter, Bill Abbott and Philip DaCosta are face cards.

Can't wait to get a look at the whole deck!

(If you haven't already, "like" their Facebook page. Tell them Canada's Magic sent you!)

12 August 2013

Ottawa: Steve Reynolds lecture

From Magic Information Canada:
Tuesday, September 17

Steve Reynolds. Magic lecture. Royal Oak Laurier.

Read more.

11 August 2013

Toronto: Ring 17 upcoming season

From the Sid Lorraine Hat and Rabbit Club:
The 2013-2014 Calendar includes:
  • Michael Close
  • Tyler Wilson
  • Dani DaOrtiz
  • The Great Unknown
  • Kenton Knepper
  • Vincent Hedan
  • the Gordon Precious 90th birthday bash featuring Bobby Motta
It looks like a great season ahead!

10 August 2013

Gwyn Auger inteviews Lorena Watters

 Gwyn Auger interviews Lorena Watters in the 9th edition (Aug / Sept 2013) of Vanish International Magic Magazine.  The article starts at page 172. 

From Vanish Magizane:
What got you started in magic?

Well I always knew i was going to do some sort of entertainment. My parents enrolled me in dance classes at a young age and i was in all the plays and musicals in school. But Trevor got me started in Magic! We went to the same college, I was in the Theatre program and he was in the Stage craft program. During productions and rehearsals, our classes would work together a lot. Trevor and I started talking and hanging out more, then one day he asked if I could fit into a box and stick 12 swords in it and the rest is history!

Read more.

08 August 2013

Toronto: Dani DaOrtiz

From Abracadabaret:
Saturday, 9 November 2013

An incredible evening of magic you don’t want to miss. Dani DaOrtiz is one of the most famous magicians in the Spanish speaking world and he’s in Toronto to deliver a one-night-only performance. He’s also hilariously funny and unpredictable. The show is never the same twice. 
    “When Dani performs, anything is possible. His magic is shockingly strong.”
    -Genii Magazine

Read more and buy tickets.

More Magie Montréal

Evelyn Matlin over at Perfect Magic has a follow-up to her wonderful tribute post, remembering the performers from Magie Montréal.

From Perfect Magic:
Last week my blog was a tribute to performers, now deceased, at Magic Montreal, a two-day Magic Convention  that Phil Matlin of Perfect Magic and Vim Vermeys ran for 19 years. I mentioned that I didn’t find photos of all of them, but I managed to find a few more that graced our stage.

Read more and see photos.

07 August 2013

Broken wand: Danny Kerr

We were notified by Dennis Schick, the editor of the Broken Wand in the International Brotherhood of Magician's magazine, The Linking Ring, of the passing of Danny Kerr.

A broken wand ceremony will be conducted privately by the Edmonton Fellowship of Magicians in August 2013.


From The Edmonton Journal:
KERR, Danny Stephen

Our beloved Danny passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family on July 27, 2013.

He was born August 23, 1943 to Nettie and Roy Kerr. He is lovingly remembered by his wife, Victoria Armstrong, siblings Joe (Karen) Kerr and Lynda (John) Williams, stepdaughters Willow (Jonathan) Schnell and Heather (Michael) Hanrahan, and grandchildren Benjamin Schnell, Samuel Schnell and Abigail Hanrahan.

A Celebration of Danny's Life will be held at St. Albert United Church, 20 Green Grove Drive, St. Albert, Alberta on Thursday, August 1, 2013 at 1:00 p.m., with Rev James Ravenscroft officiating.

Read more.

Burlington: Mac King

When he's done in Ottawa, look for Mac King in Burlington!

From the Burlington Peforming Arts Centre:
Hailed by many as the premiere comedy magician in the world today, Mac King has appeared on his seventh TV special for NBC, just rocked on the Late Show with David Letterman, and has been regarded as one of the top 5 shows in all of Las Vegas for the past ten years. Now Mac King is bringing the best comedy-magic show in Las Vegas to Burlington!

Read more and buy tickets.

06 August 2013

All Things Magic Edit-a-thon 2013

From MagicPedia:
All Things Magic Edit-a-thon 2013 will be held on Saturday, September 14th. This Wiki-kadabra event will promote bringing together magicians and magic enthusiasts from around the world to help update Wikipedia and MagicPedia articles concentrating on a range of topics around magic history. See the Wikipedia Meetup page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Meetup/All_Things_Magic_Edit-a-thon_2013

Sponsored by MagicPedia (the wiki for magicians by magicians), Genii Magazine, the Conjuring Arts Research Center and Grand Illusions magic store, it will be held virtually around the world, with the goal to help assimilate MagicPedia's content into Wikipedia (and vice versa).

Read more and sign-up!

05 August 2013

CBC: Luc Langevin on the Pénélope McQuade show

From the Pénélope McQuade show:
Enfin Réellement sur scène!

En 2009, Luc Langevin commençait à faire connaître ses talents sur le petit écran. En 2012, il devient la référence en matière d’illusion au Québec. Il a, bien qu’il ne soit âgé que de 30 ans, 20 années d’expérience en tant que magicien et illusionniste.

C’est à compter du 15 août que Luc Langevin présentera son tout premier spectacle, Réellement sur scène. 
Read more and listen to interview.

Toronto: Tim’s Vermeer

From Variety:
“Tim’s Vermeer,” helmed by Teller of illusionist-comedians Penn & Teller and a recent Sony Pictures Classics acquisition, is one of 14 documentary features world-preeming this September at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Toronto will also see the world preems of Greek DIY hero Yorgos Servetas’ “Standing Aside, Watching,” which opens City to City, and France-born splat-pack director Alexandre Aja’s “Horns,” starring Daniel Radcliffe (seen above) and Juno Temple in a paranormal chiller, in Vanguard.

Read more.