Oslen on Breakfast Television

Watch Oslen's interview on Breakfast Television Vancouver, following his first appearance on Canada's Got Talent:

Montréal: Trompe-l’oeil May 5th

From Marc Descartes:

The show is based on a concept I imagined inspired by Robert-Houdin, a 19th century sleight of hand magician who performed an intimate show in a private room of the Palais-Royal in Paris.

Read more and purchase tickets.

Watch a short video of the show:

Toronto: Judges for Best Magician contest

From Arthur Poon:

Here is the information of the judges in the competition "Best Magician Contest 2012":

1. Lee Asher

Lee Asher is one of most popular close up magicians in the world. Over 20 years of experience in magic, his reputation and achievement are both successfully well-known within magic society. Asher has gained his champion in IBM Convention Close up Competition when he was 15 and 16 years old. His signature piece has been chosen as one of “The Ten Most Impossible Trick”. For magicians, his published materials are part of the essentials; at the same time, he always travels to Asia and starts magic lectures for foreign magicians, such as Hong Kong, China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan etc. Furthermore, Asher is the organizer of “X-elent Lecture Series” that he brings professional magicians to the Pacific Northwest and Western Canada for lecturing. Recently, he starts to travels all over the world for professional performances and also TV interviews. His magic can be found easily in many countries around the world.

2. Felix Poon

Felix Poon has immigrated into Canada from Hong Kong during the 80s. He is one of the few popular Chinese magicians in Toronto. Felix has studied magic from Len Cooper, the creator of Browser’s Den of Magic, about close up and stage magic. He has developed his unique performance style with theological principles after years of practice. Over the years, Felix has invited to perform for television and some TV specials; he also has performed in some events at CNE and other cities like Hong Kong and Macau. He is specialized in Mentalism, therefore he is expertise in predicting audience reactions and responses. Besides magic, he loves to do researches on magic theories and its history, and also how does it relate to different religions and cultures.

3. Jim Tam

Jim Tam is one of the most famous entertaining magicians in Toronto. Since the age of 7, he started to have strong interests on magic. After he has become a magician, he has performed for many big corporations, and also the Chinese Radio and Television during the important festivals, such as Easter, Halloween, and Christmas etc. In the past years, Jim has been cooperating with many charity organizations in different countries, such as the U.S.A., France, China, Cuba, Japan and Taiwan etc. Moreover, Jim has been invited to design stage magic performances for many Asian celebrities, such as the famous young model Christy Chow. He has also taken the role of magic consultant for competitors during the local talent shows and beauty pageants. At the same time, Jim has spent his efforts in training new generation magicians, for popularizing the Chinese magic society in North American, for example, he has organized two Chinese magician team ---- “Xtreme Illusion” and the current “Classic Force”. In order to allow more people to understand magic, Jim has taken one step forward and become one of the organizers of this competition “Best Magician Contest 2012” in Toronto area.

Toronto: Morrissey Magic is moving!

From Morrissey Magic:

I will have more information soon, the new shop will still be on Dufferin, just slightly north of our current location.  As soon as I can I will update this page with all the info on our new location. 

And when a store moves, chances are there's going to be a sale.

Got Talent: Montréal and semifinalists

The Montréal Canada's Got Talent auditions featured a fun act by Benoit Fournier and David Gaudet.

The second episode of the night had the judges reviewing the 244 promoted acts and attempting to select only 36 acts go to the semifinals. 

Here's a big shout out to all of the magicians featured on the show: Vladimir the Great, Neil Croswell, Ryan Joyce, Mike D'Urzo, Warren Toaze, Jordan Murciano, Edward Stone, Lucas Wilson, Oslen and Benoit Fournier.  You all did a fabulous job of representing the magic community and raising the profile of magic in the mainstream media with your appearances on CGT!

Unfortunately, of the 36 acts, there was a glimpse of only one magician.  It went by fast and looked like it could have been Oslen from the Vancouver auditions.

Congratulations Oslen!  We're rooting for you!



Edited at 7:00am to add:

• From Canada Newswire:
  
  With Canada's overwhelming number of talented performers to choose from, the judges could not contain the number of semifinalists to just 37. Subsequently, two additional acts from the You Tube 'Last Chance Auditions,' sponsored by Nissan, will also be included, bringing the total number of semifinalists to 39. These two acts - the highest vote-getter and one selected by the judges - will be revealed during the first live results show on April 3. 
  Read more.

Got Talent: Who will we see in Montréal?

There was a flash of what looked like a magic act in the trailer for Canada's Got Talent: Montréal auditions.  Any guesses as to who it will be?

Following the Montréal show tomorrow night, the semifinalists will be revealed.  How many magicians do you figure will perform in the live shows?

Guinness World Record holding magicians

Did you know that Canada has THREE Guinness World Record holding magicians?

• Doug The Great:  Heaviest Stilts Mastered.
• Scott Hammell:  Highest Suspension Straitjacket Escape.
• Lucas Wilson:  Fastest Suspension Straitjacket Escape.

 

Lucas was recently featured in the Simcoe Reformer:

Wilson escaped from a straitjacket and chains while hanging upside down as the audience watched with rapt attention. He performed the stunt in 43 seconds, shaving more than 11 seconds of the previous world record. Wilson did the same trick at last year’s Norfolk County Fair.
Read more.

Rumours abound that there's soon to be a fourth!  Who could it be?

Meta: popular posts

In reverse order, the five most popular posts on this blog:

5. Got Talent: Toronto and Vancouver do!

4. Making a Difference: My Magic Hands

3. Did Shawn Farquhar fool Penn & Teller?

2. Shawn Farquhar on Penn & Teller's Fool Us

and the number one most viewed post is .....





1. Canada's Got Talent 2012 auditions

David Acer: June lectures

David Acer will be lecturing in Canada this June.

The according to to the X-elent Lecture Series website David Acer's lecture dates are:

• Ring 183 (Victoria Magic Circle) on June 4th
• Ring 66 (Calgary Magic Circle) on June 6th
• The Magic Club of Winnipeg on June 7th
• Ring 92 (Vancouver Magic Circle) on June 8th

He'll be wrapping up the lecture tour with dates in the US (Seattle, Eugene and Portland).

Please confirm details about dates, times and locations by contacting each club directly.

I've had the pleasure of seeing David lecture and perform.  He is always informative and extremely entertaining!

Got Talent: Audition videos for Edward Stone and Jordan Murciano

I've updated Monday's "Got Talent: Toronto and Vancouver do!" post to include information about Edward Stone's appearance and to identify "the young man with fire in his hands" as Jordan Murciano.

With thanks to Edward for sending along information about Roger's Anyplace TV streaming video of both Edward's and Jordan's Toronto auditions! (You'll need to sign-up for an account to view these videos.)

Canada sure does have a lot of talented magicians!

Montréal: la journée magique 2012

From Magie Spectram:

Le Dimanche 29 Avril 2012 de 12h00 à 22h00
Magie Spectram vous invite à la journée magique 2012 au Centre St-Barthélemy situé au 7111 rue Des Érables coin Jean-Talon à Montréal (métro d'Iberville).
Avec:
Daryl - Conférence en Anglais
Ben Salinas - Conférence en Anglais
Vincent Hedan - Conférence en français
Will Houstoun - Conférence en Anglais
& Alain Choquette - Conférence en français

Read more and purchase tickets.

[h/t: MagicInfo.ca]

Johnny Giordmaine's tribute site is four!

From John Pellatt:

Today marks the 4th anniversary of the original launch of the only online tribute to Canada's most beloved children's magician, Johnny Giordmaine (1898-1974). Begun in 2008 with little more than a few pages of old photos, flyers and a lot of happy memories, the site has grown into (at last count) 33 pages of recollections and appreciations in visual as well as text form. Past contributors include James Randi, Bev Bergeron, Bob Taylor, Johnny Ould and others. The latest two page update features why/how Johnny transformed himself into "The Merry Magician" - an intriguing example of the continuing evolution of language... plus a moving remembrance of the Society of Canadian Magicians' unique celebration for Johnny's 75th birthday back in 1973... New contributions are always very welcome. Contact information is on
the site...

http://www.johngiordmaine.com

Got Talent: Toronto and Vancouver do!

Updated July 2017.  Audition video and other video links have been removed as they are no longer available to view.

Welcome iTricks readers. We hope you enjoy your stay! (And thanks iTricks, for the nice shout out!)

[Edited:

• Mar 22 to add link of Lucas being interviewed on CGT Backstage.
• Mar 21 to identify Jordan Murciano and to include links for Edward Stone's and Jordan's Toronto auditions and to embed video of Oslen's Vancouver audition.
• Mar 19 at 7:40pm to identify Warren Toaze, embed YouTube clips and add CGT Backstage link.]

On Canada's Got Talent last night we saw a number of talented magicians!
 
From Toronto Auditions Part 2 (at about the 14 minute mark) we saw clips from, the Neil Croswell segment posted last week, Ryan Joyce, Mike D'Urzo, a gentleman with a cigarette in his ear Warren Toaze and Jordan Murciano a young man with fire in his hand.  It's too bad that they were all spliced together in what felt like under 30 seconds.  Somewhere in there there was also a glimpse of Edward Stone.  They were followed by Lucas Wilson doing a timed, suspended, world record breaking straitjacket escape!  Watch the video of Graeme O'Neil interviewing Lucas on CGT Backstage.

[Thanks to Ian Crawford and Graeme O'Neil for providing Warren Toaze's name!  Thanks also to Edward Stone for pointing me to the Roger's Video Anytime clips!]

Roger's Anyplace TV streamed video of auditions for Edward and Jordan. (These videos are no longer availabe.)

The following YouTube videos are no longer available:

Neil Croswell's audition:


Clips from Ryan Joyce's audition:

Lucas Wilson's audition:

From the Halifax and Vancouver Part 2 show (at about the 35 minute mark) we were treated to The Dance and Illusions of Oslen. From CGT Backstage, watch as Oslen celebrates his standing ovation backstage! 



They showed Neil, Ryan, Mike, Warren, Lucas, Edward and Oslen progressing to the next round!  Congratulations gentleman!  And thank you for doing such a wonderful job of representing magic!


Trivia:  Neil, Mike and Ryan are all Sorcerers Safari Alumni either as campers or counsellors!

David Ben at the Genii 75th birthday bash!

The website for Genii's 75th Anniversary Birthday Bash, October 4 - 6 of this year, lists our very own David Ben on the performers list!

Montréal: Marc Trudel workshop March 31

From Montréal Magic Jam:

After the success of the Bob Fitch workshop, we’ve decided to continue with our workshop series at the MainLine Theatre.
 
This workshop will be one of a kind. For those who do not know him, Marc Trudel is a full-time pro who has been presenting magic for 15 years, including as the resident magician at the Just For Laughs Museum. 

Read more and purchase tickets.   (En Francais)

Toronto: Luminato - Mind Over Matter

From Sharing Wonder:

For the 2012 Luminato Magic series – Mind Over Matter – we have invited three masters of the impossible – Banachek, Richard Turner and Juan Esteban Varela - to challenge the way we perceive the world and function within it.
Follow us and we will keep you updated on all our shows! For now, see David Ben’s – artistic director for Magicana –  magical video invitation.

The sixth edition of Luminato takes place from June 8–17, 2012.
Read more and find out when tickets will go on sale.

Read more about Luminato at the CBC.

Ring 17 at Morrissey Magic

Photos from Ring 17's recent visit to Morrissey Magic.

From Morrissey Magic:

Sorcerers Safari 2012 season dates announced

From the Sorcerers Safari website:

Sorcerers Safari will run for a week from Tuesday August 28th – Sunday Sept 2nd, 2012.
Read more and register.

I had the privilege of spending 24 hours at Sorcerers Safari magic camp last season.  It was an absolutely fabulous time!  If you have an 8 - 18 year old who is interested in magic at any level, do look into this amazing experience!

Got Talent: Toronto part 2

At the tail end of Canada's Got Talent (Episode 4, Winnipeg) at about the 44 minute mark they show a trailer for episode 5, Toronto Part 2.  It goes by super fast, but to these eyes it looks like this is a magic heavy episode!  I caught a glimpse of a shock of (Sorcerers Safari alumni?) hair doing a suspended straitjacket escape in addition to acts that looked very much like Ryan Joyce, Mike D'Urzo and Neil Croswell.

Can't wait to see how they represent!

Toronto: Best Magician Contest 2012

From Arthur Poon:

"Best Magician Contest 2012"

Hello all Magic Lovers, this is an opportunity to show your skills.

In the evening of April 14th, 2012, “[A1] Chinese Radio” (http://www.facebook.com/l/TAQENPbLxAQGYzpy7GOnuXIOQPuHyXtoBdNq1-gxrYJvfZQ/www.ccue.com/a1_radio/web/) is giving out opportunities to the magic lovers! Bringing along with own incredible skills, the candidates will enter into an exciting competition held on a magical platform in Market Village.

This never hosted magician contest is gathering a large amount of Toronto professionals within the magic scope and the qualified contestants will be challenging among themselves, and then finally compete for the fame of Top Magician in Toronto.

Also, we are honor to have Wayne Houchin, giving an hour performance (exclusively) for the event, which you would not want to miss.

Date: April 14, 2012 (Saturday)
Time: 7:30pm
Contestant: All Ages, All Genders (The show will be hosted in Cantonese. However, English and other language speakers are welcomed.)
Performance: Stage Magic or Close Up Magic. For stage magic, it does not have to be “big stage illusion; any magic that can be performed on stage is fine, such as producing a rabbit from an empty hat etc.)
Venue: Market Village (Steeles & Kennedy)
Audition: We will start with YOUTUBE audition right away. From now till 30th of March, all participants only need to submit a roughly 2-minute video (MAX: 5 minutes) to: starz@classicforce.com. All videos should be titled as “Best Magician Contest 2012 1st Audition: XXXXXX (the title of your performance)”. (P.S. Video editing is permitted; HOWEVER, no editing on the MAGIC PERFORMANCE. Two minutes are including the effect AND all of the editing.)

Notes:
· By submitting your video before March 24th, 2012, the entry fee will be automatically waived. Any video(s) submitted after March 24th, 2012, a $20 entry fee will be applied.
· When submitting the video, please provide us your name and contact, so we can contact you.
· ONE video entry per contestant.

The winner of the competition will be receiving the following:
1. “Best Magician 2012” trophy,
2. Your chance to perform live at CNE on July 1st, 2012 Canada Day.
3. Gift(s) from our main sponsor(s).

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you have any question, please contact with the team "Classic Force" : info@classicforce.com
Look forward meeting you guys, See you all at there!!

Thanks for sending Arthur!

Got Talent: Sorcerers Safari

We have it on good authority that magicians that Sorcerers Safari magic camp people will know, will be appearing next Sunday on Canada's Got Talent!

Who will we see?

Ryan Joyce at the 2012 MPI Toronto Chapter Awards Gala

Watch Ryan Joyce and his lovely assistant!

Ben Train interview from The Blue Crown

Watch Ben Train answer questions by The Blue Crown on YouTube.





Don't forget that later today, Ben will be lecturing with Chris Mayhew at The Browser's Den. 

Got Talent: Neil Croswell

 Updated July 2017 to remove links to video that is no longer available.


Neil Croswell peformed for the judges at Canada's Got Talent at the Toronto auditions. 

Toronto: Magical March Break at the Bata Shoe Museum

From The Spec:

The Bata Shoe Museum is hosting a Magical March break. They kick off March break at 10 a.m. on March 12th with a special magic show by Toronto’s Magic Guy Phil Pivnick. During the rest of March break, kids can place a wish on their magic lantern, make a magic wand, try on magical shoes and costumes, decorate a spell book and enter a daily draw for a magic kit. There will also be a performance by Wandering Magician, happening daily between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. www.batashoemuseum.ca

Read more.

Morrissey Magic's door crasher

It's never a dull moment in the magic business.  Click through to Dan Morrissey''s Facebook album "door crasher" to see a demo of their new "Car Through Window" effect.  (Effect name lifted from Brian Michaels.)

In all seriousness, we're thankful that no one was hurt and we hope that Dan and Phoebe will be able to get things as good as new in no time.

Ottawa: Daryl lecture

On Monday April 30th, Daryl will be lecturing in Ottawa.  Details can be found at magicinfo.ca.

Wayne Houchin lectures in April

In addition to the April 15th Toronto date, Wayne Houchin will also be lecturing in Montréal on April 18th and Ottawa on April 19th.

I wonder if Wayne and his wife will be performing their double escape in Canada?



Additional details and contact information can be found at magicinfo.ca.

[h/t: magicinfo.ca]

Got Talent: Vladimir the Great!

Congratulations to Vladimir the Great from the Toronto auditions, for being the first magician to make it to the next level on Canada's Got Talent!  After the act, judge Martin Short said, "I think you are actually a wizard." 
 
You can watch the show streamed from CityTV here. Vladimir appears about 35 minutes in.

From the Toronto Star:

And then there was magician and illusionist Volodymyr Martyniuk, 52. At first it looked like Volodymyr might be a figure of fun, with his long grey ponytail, pirate-like jacket with garish gold embellishments and ruffled shirt. Measha complimented him on his “party in the back mullet.”

But Volodymyr astonished everyone by making candles appear from a handkerchief, and a rose and a small table float in mid-air.

Read more.

 
Will there be anyone we recognize from the Calgary auditions on tonight?

Peter Wardell: April lectures

Peter Wardell will be lecturing in Canada this April.

The according to to the X-elent Lecture Series website Peter Wardells' lecture dates are:

• Ring 183 (Victoria Magic Circle) on April 2nd
• Ring 66 (Calgary Magic Circle) on April 4th
• The Magic Club of Winnipeg on April 5th
• Ring 92 (Vancouver Magic Circle) on April 6th

He'll be wrapping up the lecture tour with dates in the US (Seattle, Eugene and Portland).

Please confirm details about dates, times and locations by contacting each club directly.

Got Talent?

Who out there is going to be watching Canada's Got Talent which premieres tonight on CityTV? 

I have it on good authority that there will be footage from the Toronto auditions and will include a magician / illusionist.  I wonder who it will be?

Let the games begin!

National Post: Hogwarts in Hogtown with the Potted Potter crew

Updated March 9th, 2018, to add:

• The National post article "On the Town: Hogwarts in Hogtown with the Potted Potter crew" was written by Ben Kaplin and published on March 3rd, 2012.

From the National Post:

The British comedians sit down for a magic show and proceed to have their minds blown. It’s not so much that the magic’s amazing — although the kid magician is oddly cool — it’s more like the entire afternoon has been weird. A publicist picked up Daniel Clarkson, 33, and Jeff Turner, 31, stars of the show Potted Potter, from their temporary quarters at the Pantages Hotel and saw it fit to bring along her small dog. Now, the actors are sitting around a table at Browser’s Den of Magic and trying to pay attention to the card tricks and disappearing loonies, except a man pulls up beside them and proceeds to slurp from a large bowl of soup.
 
Read more (including a nice bit with Jeff Hinchilffe).

Morrissey Magic in Toronto Sun video

From Toronto Sun:

Now that’s dirty. None of this computer silliness — with our leaders falling over themselves to say sorry, until next time.

(If party rat-f---ers are looking for ideas, may I suggest a trick shop. I dropped by Morrissey Magic on Dufferin St., magicstore.ca, to shoot the video for this column.)

Read more and watch video.

Ryan Pilling: Balloons and science

Ryan Pilling guest stars on Simple Fun. Watch Ryan's video on YouTube.

The many talents of Phil Matlin

Did you know that Phil Matlin - owner of Montréal's magic shop Perfect Magic is also a professional ragtime piano player?  He even has his own YouTube channel! Meir Yedid used some of his music for the background of one of his videos. Others use his CD's, Ragtime Daze, or Ragtime Magic, to accompany their act.

Watch Phil playing Carolina in the Morning below.

Dan Trommater: Quantum Pie

From Quantum Pie:

Quantum physicist Krister Shalm and magician Dan Trommater team up to show how similar the worlds of Harry Potter and quantum physics really are. From invisibility cloaks to powerful computers Krister and Dan introduce some of the revolutionary future quantum technologies being developed; technologies that will bring us closer to some of the magic of Harry Potter.
 
Read more.

Watch the video of the educational event filmed in Waterloo, Ontario, on July 14 and 15, 2011.