Montreal: Master X of Magic [Dec 26 - 31]

Tickets at Théâtre Rialto.  Shows available in English and French.

 

From the November 7th Instagram post by Xavier Mortimer:

Tickets now on sale! See Xavier Mortimer in Montreal, and find out why he’s the most followed magician on social media. See the Master of Magic!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Xavier Mortimer (@xaviermortimer)

 

 

 

A peek behind the curtain with Liberty Larsen

The cat's out of the bag.  Champions of Magic welcomes Liberty Larsen to its cast!

We're delighted to interview Liberty leading up to the Champions of Magic "Chasing the Unbelievable" tour dates in Canada:

• Nov 13 - 16:  National Arts Centre, Ottawa ON
  
• Dec 4 - 6:  Thunder Bay Community Auditorium, Thunder Bay ON
  
• Dec 8:  Sudbury Community Arena, Sudbury ON
  
• Mar 19:  Slush Puppie Place, Kingston ON
  
• Mar 20:  Place des Arts, Montreal  QC
  
• Mar 22:  Avenir Centre, Moncton NB 
• Mar 23:  Scotiabank Centre, Halifax NS
  
• Mar 25:  FirstOntario Concert Hall, Hamilton ON 
• Mar 26:  Performance Stage at Canada Life Place, London ON 
• Mar 27-28:  Pickering Casino, Pickering ON 
• May 8-9:  Royal Theatre, Victoria BC
  
• May 11:  Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium, Calgary AB
  
• May 20-22:  Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Vancouver BC

Check the Champions of Magic website for updates and more information.

 

Read our thoughts about the 2023 Champions of Magic show in Toronto:

TLDR: So. Much. Fun!

Random thoughts about Champions of Magic 

 

 

You may already know Liberty: 

• is a fourth-generation magician,
  
• is from the family that founded The Magic Castle, Genii Magazine, and the Academy of Magical Arts,
  
• is a singer,
  
• combines theatrical magic with original musical compositions, and
  
• was on Penn and Teller's Fool Us S04E04
  

What is your first memory of magic?

 

My first memory of magic is on my fifth birthday, at the Magic Castle, on stage with the one and only – Ireland’s Largest Leprechaun, Mister Billy McComb. I believe he did the vanishing birdcage that day. He eventually got me on stage as a volunteer and I was in heaven. I thought he was the bees knees. And as I got older, he just got funnier and funnier. One of my favorites ever. Rest in peace, Billy.

 

Other than your family, who were the first professional magicians you remember seeing?

I was lucky enough to see the Siegfried and Roy show as a young kid, and that show was truly mesmerizing, larger than life. It felt like being in another world. I remember the electricity in the room. It was thrilling and kinetic, and they were so graceful. They seemed to have walked onto the stage from the clouds.

 

On "Penn and Teller’s Fool Us" you mentioned that you 'resisted' the call to magic in your early years.  Do you remember the specific moment when you knew you could or wanted to perform magic full-time?

Well, I always loved to perform, since I was very young. But I think everyone goes through a phase where they want nothing to do with what their parents (or grandparents, or great-grandparents!) want them to do. My family didn’t push for magic too hard, but I still rebelled against it on sheer principle. I can’t say that the decision to “give in” happened in a single moment. It was more gradual – the result of seeing some truly amazing performers who were really coming on the scene with a very different approach to magic. That was very inspiring, because it showed me that magic is more versatile than I may have imagined. But more than anything, I really came to appreciate the gift magic gives people – the feelings it produces – and I realized I wanted to continue in the legacy and be a conduit for those feelings, because they’re so wonderful.

 

 

 

By what mechanisms did you begin learning magic? 

I learned magic at Magic Camp as a kid (that’s right, folks!) in Idyllwild, California. I also learned from dear family friends, and from books.

 

Liberty Larsen

 

 

 

Who inspires you that is not a magician?

Outside of magic, I’m inspired by Joanna Newsom, Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen (two very special Canadians who almost dated!), Jesca Hoop, Martha Graham, Charlie Kaufman, Michel Gondry, Peter Brook, Carmen Amaya, Kate Bush, Harry Nilsson, Tom Waits, Remedios Varo, Robert Moss, on and on… I love people who make worlds out of their dreams and stubbornly insist on living inside them. 

 

 

 

Who inspires you magically?

I’m inspired by Rob Zabrecky, Michael Carbonaro, Jared Kopf, Voronin, The Swedish Monkey Opera, René Lavand (rest in peace) and many other gems.
  

 

 

 

In addition to performing magic, we understand that you are also a musician. Have you studied anything else magic-adjacent? How have these studies informed your magic performance?

Though I can’t say I’ve officially studied art, film or photography, I’ve definitely been influenced by my own rogue education in all of those realms. Everything that inspires, everything that lights up the circuitry, everything that gives goosebumps, can translate into magic, I think.

I draw from music more than anything else, because I look to magic to create strong feelings. I’m not really drawn to cerebral stuff, or puzzles, it’s not how my mind is wired. I can appreciate them but they don’t motivate me to get on stage.

On stage, I don’t want to be clever. I want to feel connected to people When I’m in an audience, I want to feel like the performer is cracking my heart open like a walnut, and melting me. So, I look to music for how to do that, because that’s how I’m wired. So I often sing, because it’s a quick cheat to shift things from intellect into feeling. But even when I’m not singing, the same elements of music – rhythm and pacing, tone and resonance, harmonics and dissonance, dynamics and flow – all these things go into good theater, and satisfying magic.  

 

 

What, if anything, makes you nervous about joining the Champions family?

Giant theaters! Exciting, but not something I’m used to. I’ve performed in a lot of very small, cabaret style venues. This is a whole different ball of wax.

 

What are you most looking forward to about joining the Champions of Magic family?

The adventure of it! I love the electrical current that’s running through this project. It’s got a strong pulse. It seems like I’m hopping on a train that’s changing platforms and going to a whole new dimension. This is such a fantastic group of people, and it’s an ambitious risk we’re all taking together, which is a truly exciting challenge.
 

 

 

 

If you could go back in time to study (magic or otherwise) under anybody, who would you choose to be your mentor?

I think I would go back in time and study dance with Martha Graham. I devoured her autobiography and am so inspired by the way she lived her life. She was a genuinely magical person, and a profound teacher. I feel like what she taught could translate beyond dance into just about anything. She taught people how to be deeply in their bodies, truly themselves and radically open to their own source of inspiration.    

Liberty Larsen

Many magicians have a Canadian connection to magic.  Tell us about your Canadian magic connection(s).

Dai Vernon and Doug Henning are masters in their own right, but I didn’t have any direct connection with either of them. So, I would say my first Canadian magic connection in this life is one Mister Christopher Hart. I saw his act many, many times growing up, and it was striking for a young imagination to watch. I love Christopher. He also played “Thing” in the (more recent) Addams Family movies. Go Canada!

 

 

If you could prevent other performers performing an effect forever, what would it be?

I read a truly terrible “gag” in an antique magic book about having your Thanksgiving turkey get up and walk off the table. It involved using a real chicken, plucked, and doing some terrible things to force it to be still, and painting it brown as if it was roasted. I would outlaw that turkey trick, punishable by tarring and feathering.

If you could only perform one effect for the rest of your life, what would it be?

I am not sure I could ever be up to that challenge. But if I could shapeshift into a bird while singing, and land one someone’s shoulder, maybe deliver a secret message that only they would understand and that would inspire a huge gasp, it would be that.

 

 

What’s your go-to Karaoke song?

“Get it While You Can” by Janis Joplin. Not because of the lyrics, necessarily, but because her emotional range is just so great to sing.

 

 

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think about performing in Canada?

The Louise Bourgeois spider sculpture.

Just the fist thing that came into my mind…  

[Editor's note: "Maman" by Louise Bourgeois can be seen at the National Gallery of Canada.]

 

 

From the October 31st Instagram post by Young Hollywood, Liberty Larsen, and Fernando Velasco (one of her Champions of Magic co-stars) are interviewed about the Magic Castle:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by YOUNG HOLLYWOOD (@younghollywood)

 

 

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

I just learned that, “The first reference to throwing rotten vegetables at bad stage acts came in an 1883 New York Times article after John Ritchie was hit with a barrage of tomatoes and rotten eggs by an unpleasant audience in New York. A large tomato thrown from the gallery struck him square between the eyes and he fell t the floor just as several bad eggs dropped upon his head.” The more you know…!

 

 

Thank you Liberty, for making the time to answer our questions!

Learn more about Liberty by visiting her website LibertyLarsen.com, and follow her on Facebook and Instagram.

 

  Champions of Magic  

Catch Liberty in Champions of Magic touring in Canada 2024-2025:

• Nov 13 - 16:  National Arts Centre, Ottawa ON
  
• Dec 4 - 6:  Thunder Bay Community Auditorium, Thunder Bay ON
  
• Dec 8:  Sudbury Community Arena, Sudbury ON
  
• Mar 19:  Slush Puppie Place, Kingston ON
  
• Mar 20:  Place des Arts, Montreal  QC
  
• Mar 22:  Avenir Centre, Moncton NB 
• Mar 23:  Scotiabank Centre, Halifax NS
  
• Mar 25:  FirstOntario Concert Hall, Hamilton ON 
• Mar 26:  Performance Stage at Canada Life Place, London ON 
• Mar 27-28:  Pickering Casino, Pickering ON 
• May 8-9:  Royal Theatre, Victoria BC
  
• May 11:  Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium, Calgary AB
  
• May 20-22:  Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Vancouver BC
  

    Check the Champions of Magic website for updates and more information.

 

Read our 2023 interviews with the rest of the cast:

• Michelle Mazzarella
• Sam Strange 
  
• Fernando Velasco and
• Richard Young   
  

 
Learn more about Champions of Magic at ChampionsOfMagic.co.uk and follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. 

 

 

 

Toronto and Montreal: Michael Carbonaro Lies on Stage [Mar 20 - 21]

Tickets at Ticketmaster.

 

From the September 23rd Instagram post by Michael Carbonaro:

This pinned post will update regularly as new dates are added! Will I get to see YOU at a show soon?

CARBONARO LIES ON STAGE

OCT 11——-Modesto, CA
OCT 12——Lancaster, CA
NOV 14——Des Plaines, IL
NOV 15——Cleveland, OH
NOV 16——Columbus, OH
NOV 22——Troy, NY
NOV 23——Springfield, MA
DEC 13——Fort Smith, AR *orig 10/19
DEC 14——Wichita, KS *orig 10/18

2025
FEB 22——-Huntington, NY
MAR 8——-Bensalem, PA
MAR 20——Toronto, ONTARIO
MAR 21——Montréal, QUEBEC
MAR 22——Detroit, MI
MAR 28——Kansas City, MO

(More coming! Check back soon!)

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Michael Carbonaro (@carbonaro)

 

 

 

Montreal: Alyx Hilshey lecture [Nov 19]

From the Montreal Magic Jam:

Alyx Hilshey is a full time, working magician who has recently taken the magic world by storm. After 14 years of honing her chops as a street performer, she moved inside, performing at magic venues including The Chicago Magic Lounge, Philadelphia’s Smoke and Mirrors Theater, and the The Magic Castle. She was a regular guest co-star in Washington DC’s highest rated comedy show, The Magic Duel, and she appeared on Season 11 of Penn & Teller: Fool Us.

After spending two years as a resident theme park magician, she now primarily works as a family entertainer with a growing business in the corporate market. She has lectured all across the USA and this will be her debut lecture in Canada.

She will discuss street magician tactics and how they can be applied to indoor or festival/fair magic. She will also talk about misdirection techniques including using the body and the gaze. Plus she will give tips for using social media to become a better performer and to propel your career.

Read more and buy tickets.  (Early bird pricing in effect.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quebec: Conference by Luc Langevin [Sep 21]

From the Festival de Magie:

Conference by Luc Langevin
The Diamond Theatre

In this conference, illusionist and physicist Luc Langevin reveals how he abandoned his scientific studies to embrace a career as a professional illusionist, his childhood dream.

Having been in the business for around fifteen years, he will share memorable moments that have marked his very unique career.

Luc Langevin will also demonstrate how the marriage of science with the creative process is more than compatible. His approach to magic has helped make him the great illusionist he is today. A reference!

For this special occasion, he will perform a magic act.

60-minute event with no intermission.

Read more.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Luc Langevin (@langevinofficiel)

 

 

Shawinigan and Montreal: Alex in Wonderland [Oct 10 - 12 & Oct 31 - Nov 2]

From the August 6th Instagram post by Alex Boyer (translated by Instagram):

🤩QUEBEC🤩 You'll never guess what Wolverine dreams about every night!
✨ALEX IN WONDERLAND is coming to Shawinigan and Montreal, and it's THE date not to be missed! 🔥 Get ready for a mind-blowing magic show, a 3-course dinner from a celebrity Chef that will blow your mind, and themed cocktails that will give you an incredible experience. 🍽️🍹 🎟️ SHOW DATES: 🎟️ 📍 Shawinigan: OCT 10-11-12 📍 Montreal: OCT 31 - NOV 1-2 This isn’t just a show, it’s a one-of-a-kind EXPERIENCE. You really don't want to miss it! 💥 Tag 3 friends you'd take on this EPIC adventure with in the comments below! 👇
(I might have a surprise for you) 😏 🔗 Book your tickets NOW! 🔗
Snow valley. If you don't show up, you have a really good excuse... like watching grass grow. #DiscoverShawinigan

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by ALEX BOYER • MAGICIAN ⚜️🇨🇦 (@alexboyer)

 

 

 

Festival de magie de Québec [Sep 19 - 22]

Talent listed at Festival de Magie includes:

• Luc Langevin
• Philippe Beau
• Alex Boyer
• Alexandra Duvivier
• Markobi
• Topas
• Jimmy Cao
• Jules Caron
• Marc Chabot
• Jean Deshaies
• Jean-Pierre Du Sault
• Fredo
• Mephisto
• Emmanuel Savoie
• Nicolas Tardif
• Philippe Thériault

Read more and buy tickets.

 

 

 

ON & QC: Aaron Matthews, Dogs Do Magic, and the Canine Circus [Jul]

From the June 21st Instagram post by Aaron Matthews:

It’s my favorite time of the year, Summer is here☀️🎉

 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Aaron Matthews Magic (@aaronmatthewsmagic)

 

 

Quebec: Marc Trudel at the Quebec Summer Festival [Jul 6]

From the May 15th Facebook post by the Festival d'été de Québec:

La programmation gratuite de la Série Jeunesse présentée par La Famille du lait est maintenant dévoilée, pour le plus grand bonheur de toute la famille! 🤭
Lors des deux week-ends du FEQ, voyez sur la Scène Hydro-Québec à place de l’Assemblée-Nationale :
☀️ 6 juillet: Marc Trudel
☀️ 7 juillet: Bill Bestiole
☀️ 13 juillet: Kalimba
☀️ 14 juillet : Le Livre Magique
Animation sur place dès 10h.  
Pour tous les détails 👉  https://bit.ly/SerieJeunesse

Trois-Rivières: Loran at the Trois-Rivières Expo 2024 [Jul - various]

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit ExpoTR.ca/cosplay.

 

From the May 15th Facebook post by Loran (translation by Facebook):

Dr. Strange was participating in the press conference this morning for Trois-Rivières Expo 2024 La Ligue des Héros will animate the entirety of Expo TR as soon as it opens on July 4. Next up is the costume parade on July 12 downtown followed by the Cosplay Fest Fest on July 13 with an illusion show on stage and entertainment all day. The League of Heroes is waiting for you!

 

 

 

 

Montreal: Bao Hoang at the Time Out Market [May 24]

From the May 13th Instagram post by Marché Asiasie (translation from French by Instagram):

✨ ASIASIE Market | 24-26 May 2024 - CULTURAL ACTIVITY
V Friday, May 24 at 6pm
📍 @timeoutmarketmontreal

@baomagic is a Canadian magician and content creator whose online community is rapidly growing on Instagram (21K followers), YouTube (174K followers) and TikTok (170K followers). Bao has also been featured by YouTube Canada as a "Rising Creator". Over the years, he has performed at corporate events for some of Canada’s largest companies, including Casino de Montreal, McLaren and Cadillac. On stage, Bao does mentalism and practices highly interactive proximity magic, moving around in small groups. With its blend of skillful pass-by tricks, dazzling psychological illusions, and a touch of humor, Bao promises to deliver an unforgettable experience.

🔗 baomagic.com
👉 https://www.facebook.com/events/437558638841232 

 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Marché Asiasie (@marcheasiasie)

 

 

 

 

 

Rounding the Central rings in May 2024

Confirm details about dates and locations by visiting each club's website.  

 

ICYMI,

• Bill Malone will be in Montreal June 3 - 4.  Details at MontrealMagicJam.com.

Montreal, QC	Montreal Magic Jam	- Anson Chen lecture.
Montreal, QC	Ring 62 (20th Century Ring)	- N/A.
Hamilton, ON	Ring 49 (The Doug Henning Magic Wand Club)	- N/A.
Hamilton / Burlington, ON	Hamilton Burlington Magic Society	- N/A.
London, ON	Ring 265 (London Magician's Guild)	- N/A.
Kitchener, ON	Ring 235 (KW Magic Society)	- N/A.
Ottawa, ON	Ring 151 (Ottawa Society of Magicians)	- N/A.
Ottawa, ON	Ottawa / Gatineau magicians	- N/A
Toronto, ON	Ring 17 (Sid Lorraine Hat and Rabbit Club)	- Social meet-up. - Alexander Marsh (UK) Mentalism lecture. - Club event TBD

Please leave a comment or email me about corrections or omissions.

 

 

 

 

Rounding the Central rings in April 2024

Confirm details about dates and locations by visiting each club's website.  

 

ICYMI, 

• Alex Marsh will be lecturing in Toronto on May 6.  Details at IBMRing17.com.
  
• Bill Malone will be in Montreal June 3 - 4.  Details at MontrealMagicJam.com.

Montreal, QC	Ring 62 (20th Century Ring)	- N/A.
Hamilton, ON	Ring 49 (The Doug Henning Magic Wand Club)	- N/A.
Hamilton / Burlington, ON	Hamilton Burlington Magic Society	- N/A.
London, ON	Ring 265 (London Magician's Guild)	- Round robin.
Kitchener, ON	Ring 235 (KW Magic Society)	- N/A.
Ottawa, ON	Ring 151 (Ottawa Society of Magicians)	- N/A.
Ottawa, ON	Ottawa / Gatineau magicians	- N/A
Toronto, ON	Ring 17 (Sid Lorraine Hat and Rabbit Club)	- Social meet-up. - Chris Mayhew lecture

Please leave a comment or email me about corrections or omissions.

 

 

 

 

Rounding the Central rings in March 2024

Confirm details about dates and locations by visiting each club's website.  

 

ICYMI, Bill Malone will be in Montreal June 3 - 4.  Details at MontrealMagicJam.com.

Montreal, QC	Ring 62 (20th Century Ring)	- N/A.
Hamilton, ON	Ring 49 (The Doug Henning Magic Wand Club)	- N/A.
Hamilton / Burlington, ON	Hamilton Burlington Magic Society	- N/A.
London, ON	Ring 265 (London Magician's Guild)	- Coin magic.
Kitchener, ON	Ring 235 (KW Magic Society)	- N/A.
Ottawa, ON	Ring 151 (Ottawa Society of Magicians)	- N/A.
Ottawa, ON	Ottawa / Gatineau magicians	- N/A
Toronto, ON	Ring 17 (Sid Lorraine Hat and Rabbit Club)	- Social meet-up. - AGM - Pro-panel with Wij Siva, Buck Macleod, Glenn Ottaway, and Dick Joiner

Please leave a comment or email me about corrections or omissions.

 

 

 

 

Rounding the Central rings in February 2024

Confirm details about dates and locations by visiting each club's website. 

 

Also of note:

• Browser's Magic club and Nicholas Wallace lecture both on Saturday
  - at The Browser's Den of Magic
  

Montreal, QC	Ring 62 (20th Century Ring)	- N/A.
Hamilton, ON	Ring 49 (The Doug Henning Magic Wand Club)	- N/A.
Hamilton / Burlington, ON	Hamilton Burlington Magic Society	- N/A.
London, ON	Ring 265 (London Magician's Guild)	- N/A.
Kitchener, ON	Ring 235 (KW Magic Society)	- N/A.
Ottawa, ON	Ring 151 (Ottawa Society of Magicians)	- N/A.
Ottawa, ON	Ottawa / Gatineau magicians	- N/A
Toronto, ON	Ring 17 (Sid Lorraine Hat and Rabbit Club)	- Social meet-up with coin work session before at Browser's Den. -  Toronto Premiere of "The Quiet Masters - The History and Relevance of the Black Magical Artist" with host, Kenrick ICE McDonald (film director)

Please leave a comment or email me about corrections or omissions.

 

 

 

 

Rounding the Central rings in January 2024

Confirm details about dates and locations by visiting each club's website. 

 

Also of note:

• Rico Weeland lecture in Montreal
  - details at https://montrealmagicjam.com/events/weeland/
  
  
• An Evening of Magic Shop Memories
  - at The Browser's Den of Magic
  

Montreal, QC	Ring 62 (20th Century Ring)	- N/A.
Hamilton, ON	Ring 49 (The Doug Henning Magic Wand Club)	- N/A.
Hamilton / Burlington, ON	Hamilton Burlington Magic Society	- N/A.
London, ON	Ring 265 (London Magician's Guild)	- Classics.
Kitchener, ON	Ring 235 (KW Magic Society)	- N/A.
Ottawa, ON	Ring 151 (Ottawa Society of Magicians)	- N/A.
Ottawa, ON	Ottawa / Gatineau magicians	- N/A
Toronto, ON	Ring 17 (Sid Lorraine Hat and Rabbit Club)	- Social meet-up with Mikey V. - Gerry Frenette lecture.

Please leave a comment or email me about corrections or omissions.