5. Toronto: Amazing Johnathan and Anastasia Synn - Did you attend? How was it?
4. Langley: Murray Hatfield and Bizzaro - Sure to be a great show!
3. Vancouver: "SEASONS: A Magical Musical" - The magic scene is alive and well in BC.
2. Top 5 posts in August 2017 - Keeping it meta.
1. [Guest post] Random thoughts about "UNBELIEVABLE! A Magical Experience" - The most read post two months running! With thanks to The Magic Demon.
Randy Charach October 14, 2017 (two shows)
Comedian, Magician, Mentalist & Hypnotist... Randy Charach.
Don't miss this rare opportunity to witness Randy performing live in Vancouver. It's a fast-paced, hilarious and amazing show like no other.
His comedic talents are blended with his unique brand of mind-blowing Mental Magic and Comedy Hypnosis. Lot's (sic) of audience interaction throughout the performance.
Read more and buy tickets.
Tom Stone will be lecturing for the Vancouver Magic Circle
2:30pm – Sunday, October 1, 2017
Sunrise Community Hall
1950 Windermere Street
Vancouver, BC
Direct from Sweden
Exclusive magic lecture in Canada
Here's some amazing and exciting news for our VMC membership! This coming Sunday, October 1st at 2:30 in the afternoon we will be hosting a lecture by Genii columnist Tom Stone.
He is best known for writing a series of articles and pamphlets about original magical techniques and plots. He co-wrote a book with magician Lennart Green, contributed material to a book by Jason Alford, and has self-published a series of pamphlets as well as an e-book. He is also editor and publisher of various Swedish magic journals such as "Trollkarlen", and "Dr. Faustus Journal".
Read more and buy tickets.
Toward the end of magician Shin Lim’s “Dream Act” routine, his hands slowly rise to his head, palms up. Just as the accompanying dramatic orchestral music swells, he opens his mouth, expelling a cloud of smoke and revealing a folded playing card that had been inexplicably moving between both of his hands and his vest pocket.
Fellow magician Don Greenberg watched Lim, then 23, perform this act in July 2015 in Jacksonville, Florida, as part of a competition run by the International Brotherhood of Magicians. Greenberg had helped organize similar events for the brotherhood in the past, but this time he was there as a spectator. He and his wife, Sharon, were part of a group of more than two dozen audience members and two contest judges gathered in a Hyatt conference room to watch Lim. Greenberg had seen Lim perform in national competitions for years and had always thought he had good hands. But he was struck by this routine — Lim’s precise movements, his intensity, the crescendos of the music. It was cinematic. At the moment that Lim put his hands to his head, released the smoke, and revealed the card, Greenberg looked over at his wife. Her eyes were welling up with tears. Oh, my God, he thought, she’s crying. How the hell did that happen? You don’t expect someone to make your wife tear up with a just deck of cards.
Read more.
Three magician acts are hoping to make some magic for a new refugee family.
Paul Romhany (a recent arrival to Qualicum Beach) will be headlining a show also featuring Parksville double-act Sandra and Heather McNeill as The Magic of Zanthera, as well as Eric Bedard.
On Sunday, Oct. 1, the four magicians will be performing a 90-minute, all-ages show as a fundraiser for the 2017 Qualicum Refugee Sponsorship Group.
With volunteers having helped to resettle the Johdee refugee family in 2016, this new group aims to do the same for another refugee family.
The group will be required to support a family of up to four for its first year in Canada, meaning Qualicum RSG-17 needs to raise approximately $35,000.
Read more.
We all share a common delusion. We believe our world view is based on truth and logic - but whether you admit it or not, we all believe in something strange and unusual.
In this 90 min show, Nick uses story telling and illusions to explore the world of conspiracy theories, superstitions, psychics and all things STRANGE AND UNUSUAL.
Browser’s Den of Magic Shop
42nd Anniversary Party!
COST TO ATTEND-FREE
DATE: Sunday, November 12, 2017
TIME: 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
LOCATION: Browser’s Den of Magic
FREE PRIZES * DISCOUNT ON ALL MAGIC ALL DAY LONG * MINI MAGIC AUCTION * SANDWICHES * COFFEE * SNACKS * MAGIC TRIVIA QUIZ WITH BIG PRIZES * LEN COOPER MEMORIAL AWARD * BIRTHDAY CAKE
AUCTION BEGINS AT 11AM!
Read more.
Tickets go on sale Monday, Sept 18th, 2017 - 10 am Sharp!
Talent currently booked for 2018 include:
- Dick Joiner as emcee,
- Michael Close (author of the Workers series and other ebooks), and
- Nicholas Wallace.
Read more and buy tickets!
Cast for September 17th
Host: Mystery Host to be seen at the show
Armand Naftali - Singer
Cam Fleming - Juggler
Geoffrey Applebaum - Sounds & Voices
Leonard Yelle - Comedian
Mike Deslaurier - Magician
Plus special guest magicians Caiden Finch & Garrett Struthers
Read more and buy tickets.
@VIA_Rail has released the video to the public I can now share with everyone else:— Zachary Wells (@zachwells88) September 8, 2017
EN: https://t.co/PtdMlAIJxs
FR: https://t.co/8MOHdVQDAZ https://t.co/sPaRllTThG
A professionally orchestrated theatrical production with over twenty custom-designed illusions and world-class lighting and set design, Outerbridge, Clockwork Mysteries is a high-energy magical adventure for both adult and family audiences. Recognized as one of the most creative and dynamic shows of its kind, critics have hailed Ted and Marion Outerbridge as “the most successful magicians in Canada” and “champions of magic”.
Outerbridge will be on the Esplanade Main Stage Friday December 8th, 2017
Tickets go on sale for the public on Friday, September 15, 2017 at 10:00 AM MST.
Read more and buy tickets.
To accommodate travel schedules, our October Lecture will be in the Last Week of September! (Because we ALL need more Spanish magic in our lives.)
Alfredo Marchese from Spain
When: Thursday, September 28, 2017 at 7:00 PM
Where: Fairview Public Library (35 Fairview Mall Drive – map)
Admission: FREE for Members ($20 for guests – tickets at the door)
Travelling all the way from Spain, Alfredo Marchese, or as he is often known on stage, Magic Alan, will present “A Different Lecture” based on 35 years experience as a professional performer. Those familiar with the famous “Spanish School of Magic” know that they have a well-earned reputation for taking card tricks and turning them into deeply deceptive, emotionally powerful card miracles. Even better is the way in which they generously offer to explain all the thinking and obsessing over details that went into it.
Read more and buy tickets.
Wed Sept 27 at 7pm
Argentinian magician Alfredo Marchese (known simply as Magic Alan) has been a professional for over 35 years, working all kinds of environments and traveling all over the world.
A student of the maestro Juan Tamariz, he performs in most of Tamariz’s theatre shows performing a wide variety of material from the spirit cabinet to the Chinese linking rings.
His lecture for us will focus on what he calls “Vertical Card Magic” that can be close-up, in parlour and on the stage, including other visual props and a wide variety of effects (not just your standard pick-a-card tricks).
Of course all this with a combination of clever modern methods. And of course as a student of Tamariz, it wouldn’t be complete with explanations of the psychology behind the tricks and magic performance in general based on his personal experience and of course the work of Tamariz and Ascanio, with am emphasis on these main points
-EFFECT
-EMOTION
-SURPRISE
-SITUATIONAL COMEDY
-VARIETY
Perhaps a relative unknown in our part of the world, he is well-respected throughout Spain and his native South America . Roberto Giobbi, Dani DaOrtiz and Juan Tamariz all sing his praises, and that’s enough to make any magician sit up and pay attention to what he has to say.
Read more and buy tickets.
FRICKER, Bruce Passed away peacefully, with his family by his side, on Thursday, September 7, 2017 at St. Mary's General Hospital, Kitchener, at age 64. Beloved husband of Linda for 28 years. Loved father of Jordan and fiancée Tina, Alysia, Melissa, and Sidney. Dear son of Marion and the late R. Bruce Fricker; brother of Donelda Fricker. He is also fondly remembered by his mother-in-law Gilda Stante, in-laws Marie (Eldon) and Donald (Diane), nephews Matthew, Joseph, and Nicholas and many friends. Bruce was a proud member of the International Brotherhood of Magicians. He performed under the name "Magic by Zachary".
Read more.
We are very excited to let you know that Anastasia Synn and the Amazing Jonathan will be at 'Browser's Den of Magic' for a FREE Meet & Greet on: Saturday, September 16 from 2pm to about 4pm.
Whether you are a friend of Anastia & Jonathan or not, they want you to know that all are welcome to attend. You can bring photos to sign if you wish too.
Read more.
James Randi, the legendary magician, skeptic, and paranormal debunker talks about the importance of scientific skepticism and how his work as a magician has shaped the way he views the world. James "The Amazing Randi" has spent decades in show business as a magician, but as a psychic investigator and debunker of the paranormal, Randi stresses the fact that it's all an artful deception and not supernatural at all - earning him the nickname "An Honest Liar." In this interview, James Randi discusses his work as a magician and the importance of being skeptical.
Tuesday Sept 5th
Jörg Alexander is one of Germany’s busiest magicians, and a member of the world famous Flicking Fingers. As a full-time professional since 1994, he has performed and lectured in Germany, England, Spain, Argentina, USA, France, Finland, Austria and Switzerland.
As a FISM competitor he won awards for his performances in the categories of close-up card magic, and mentalism.
He is the creator of Sympathetic Ten and Fantastic Aces, both commercially available, best-selling items from his working repertoire.
His lecture covers both parlor and close-up magic, and also delves into performance theory, discussing the topics of direction of attention, intrinsic actions, and routine construction and development.
Read more and buy tickets.
| City | Club | Event(s) |
| Calgary, AB | Ring 66 (Calgary Magic Circle, Les Brocklesby Ring) | - TBA. |
| Edmonton, AB | Edmonton Magic Club | - TBA. |
| Winnipeg, MB | The Magic Club of Winnipeg | - TBA. |
| Fraser Valley, BC | IBM Ring 387 (Fraser Valley Magic Circle, Celeste Evans Ring) | - Third Monday Magic. |
| Vancouver, BC | Ring 92 (Vancouver Magic Circle) | - TBA. |
| Vancouver, BC | SAM 95 (Carl Hemeon Assembly) | - TBA. |
| Victoria, BC | Ring 183 (Victoria Magic Circle) | - TBA. |
| Montreal, QC | Ring 62 (20th Century Ring) | - Stage workers. - Sunday brunch. - Instagram Tuesday |
| Hamilton, ON | Ring 49 (The Doug Henning Magic Wand Club) | - Current and past executive perform. |
| London, ON | Ring 265 (London Magician's Guild) | - Easy but good. |
| Kitchener, ON | Ring 235 (The Caesar Hat & Wand Magic Circle) | - Ryan Joyce lecture. |
| Ottawa, ON | Ring 151 (Ottawa Society of Magicians) | - TBA. |
| Ottawa, ON | Ottawa / Gatineau magicians | - Jörg Alexander lecture. |
| Toronto, ON | Ring 17 (Sid Lorraine Hat and Rabbit Club) | - Jörg Alexander lecture. (Note location change.) - Alfredo Marchese lecture. |
| Halifax, NS | Ring 316 (Conjourer's Court) | - Jörg Alexander lecture. - Visit their Facebook page. |
| St. John, NB | Magic Circle of St. John | - TBA |
Hello fellow magicians:
There likely will be magicians in the very-active world of magic in Houston, Texas and throughout the Gulf Coast, who will need all the help they can get in coming weeks and months. Since the devastation of Hurricane Harvey and the resulting floods was still taking place as the September issue of The Linking Ring was going to press, I had the idea of asking I.B.M. members — and other magicians — to give to the Magicians Support Fund, anticipating those needs. I was able to get a request for funds in that issue.
The Magicians Support Fund was started almost exactly twelve years ago, in response to another natural disaster — Hurricane Katrina, in 2005. The late Phil Wilmarth, then editor of The Linking Ring; Past I.B.M. International President Michael Stratman (2002-03); and then-IBM President Roger Miller, got the idea of an independent fund to help fellow magicians in need.
Indeed, the fund did help a number of magicians who suffered in various ways from Katrina, and has continued to help other magicians since then. The fund is not an official activity of the I.B.M., and magicians do not need to be an I.B.M. member to benefit from it. “This is a magicians-helping-magicians fund,” said Stratman, who continues as chairman of the committee.
At this time the Fund is not tax-deductible (although it may become so if someone volunteers to take it over and do the paperwork). Requests for help can come directly from a magician, or can come from someone who knows of a need. The committee will consider every request.
“Right now we need donations to build up the fund,” says Stratman. “We can’t give it away if we don’t have it. Magicians are a generous lot, and now is the time to show it.” Please send check donations — and requests for help — to:
Mike Stratman
Magicians Support Fund
126 Coyatee Circle, Louden, TN 37774.
Contact Stratman at mikestrat4 @ aol . com for more information.
It’s not the magician who teaches the children. It’s the children who teach the magician.
I had a great time working with the McCord Museum’s education team to teach over 100 different mini-Montrealers how to perform magic onstage this summer as part of their ABRACADABRA camps.* This series of week-long summer camps was inspired by the ILLUSIONS exhibition. The exhibition contains beautiful chromolithograph posters from the Allan Slaight collection acquired with help from the Emmanuelle Gattuso Foundation. Each week, the ABRACADABRA kids took a tour of this magnificent collection as part of their discovery of Montreal’s entertainment history. They then worked with me and their camp counselors (Skippy, Scala, Echo, Stein and Marc-André) to learn a new effect or two each day as preparation for their “Grand Spectacle” at the end of the week. As part of preparing for this big show for their friends and family, they learned fine motor skills, creative brainstorming techniques, performance vocabulary, public speaking skills and how to interact with audience members onstage.
Read more.
