Rounding the Central rings in January 2023

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

Montreal, QC	Ring 62 (20th Century Ring)	- N/A.
Hamilton, ON	Ring 49 (The Doug Henning Magic Wand Club)	- Ben Train and Jonah Babins lecture.
London, ON	Ring 265 (London Magician's Guild)	- Ben Train and Jonah Babins lecture.
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)	- James Alan lecture.

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

 

 

 

 

Ben and Jonah Mean Business [various: Jan 11 - Jan 20]

From the January 4th Instagram post by the Toronto Magic Company:

FOR MAGICIANS ONLY!

Jonah Babins and Ben Train are two of Canada’s busiest magicians. Now for the first time ever they’re teaching the secrets to the original magic they’ve used to entertain thousands of people around the globe.

Not only will you learn some kick*** magic, like burning and restoring a spectator's tshirt and the world's most disgusting vanish, but you'll also learn the REAL SECRETS to succeeding as a professional magician.

Want to get in on the fun? Well if you live in any of these cities, you can!

Combined Hamilton/London Lecture: Wednesday January 11th at TBA
Ottawa Lecture: Thursday January 12th at Pub 101
Toronto Lecture: Sunday January 15th at the Browser's Den of Magic
Victoria Lecture: Tuesday the 17th for the Victoria Magic Circle
Vancouver Lecture: Friday the 20th for the Fraser Valley Magic Club

Let the fun begin! 

 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Toronto Magic Company (@torontomagiccompany)

 

 

 

 

Richmond Hill: Train, Babins, Edward Stone, The Sentimentalists and more! [Jan 7 - Jan 27]

From the December 21st Instagram post by Jokers:

Magic lives here! Jokers is the home of magicians in the GTA. We are kicking off January with a hot lineup! Come see @train.ben & @jonahbabinsmagic on January 7th. On Jan 13th it's the Chinese New Year Magic show with performers new to the Toronto scene. From Niagara Falls it's @estonemagic on Jan 20th. We close out the month on Jan 27th with @sentimentalists. Wow!

 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jokers Comedy Club & Theatre (@jokers905club)

 

 

Ben and Jonah's Magic Road Trip [various: Jan 7 - Feb 11]

From the December 20th Instagram post by the Toronto magic Company:

After selling out shows at comedy clubs and theaters across Toronto and amazing Penn and Teller on their hit tv show “Fool Us”, Ben and Jonah are taking their show on the road (literally!) and bringing the magic and fun across Canada!

Jam-packed with laughs and audience interaction, this show is perfect for families and adults alike. Join Ben and Jonah as they read minds, predict the future, and astound you with world-class sleight-of-hand that looks like real-life CGI!

Adding to the fun, they’ve invited some secret magical guests to join them. World class performers you’ve seen on America’s Got Talent and content creators with tens of MILLIONS of views.

So what are you waiting for?!??!
Tickets are available NOW! Click the link in our bio to find a show in a city near you!

Toronto (Saturday January 7th) at Jokers Theatre and Comedy Club

Hamilton (Tuesday January 10th) - at The Zoetic

Vancouver (Wednesday January 18th) - at Havana Theatre

Guelph (Friday February 10th) - at River Run Theatre

Ottawa (Saturday February 11th) - at The Meridian Center Pointe Theatre

 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Toronto Magic Company (@torontomagiccompany)

 

 

 

Toronto: Lectures by Train & Babins [Jan 15], Lewis [Jan 28], Hinchliffe [Feb 18], and Hood [Feb 25]

At The Browser's Den of magic:

• Ben & Jonah's Lecture  [Jan 15]
• Mark Lewis  [Jan 28]
• Jeff Hinchliffe [Feb 18]
• Scott Hood [Feb 25]
  

 

From the December 18th Facebook post by The Browser's Den of Magic:

Buy Two Get Two Free, Upcoming Lectures!
Read details the newsletter and buy tickets.

 

 

Jonah Babins and Ben Train on Penn and Teller's "Fool Us"

Well done Jonah and Ben!  Congratulations!

 

From the November 5th upload "The Watermelon Trick//Jonah Babins & Ben Train// Penn and Teller's Fool Us//Toronto Magic Company" at the Toronto Magic Company YouTube channel:

Jonah Babins and Ben Train try to Fool Penn & Teller with a Watermelon
S9E4, The CW Channel. Original air date: Nov 4/2022.

 

 

 

Chicago: Jonah Babins and Ben Train [Sep 1 - 4]

From the August 27th Instagram post by Jonah Babins:

The cat is out of the bag, and I’m so excited!!

I’ll be performing next weekend Sept 1-4 at the @chicagomagiclounge in the Blackstone Cabaret!

I’m so thrilled to be featured at one of the worlds most beautiful stages for magic.

Come see what I’ve been working on :)

I’m headed down with @train.ben and the @torontomagiccompany is taking over the lounge! Hope to see you there :)

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jonah Babins (@jonahbabinsmagic)

 

 

 

 

Richmond Hill: Wow! The Ultimate Magic Show

From the July 14th Facebook post by Jokers Theatre:

We are excited to announce the start of our new weekly magic show called Wow! The Ultimate Magic Show. Co-produced by The Toronto Magic Company, this show features a weekly rotating cast of some of the best magicians, mentalists, and illusionists that Canada has to offer. Opening night is on August 18th with Benzi Train, Jonah Babins, and the headliners The Sentimentalists!

Tickets are on sale now via www.jokers.ca

 

 

 

 

 

Jokers is serious about comedy

Random thoughts about Jokers Comedy Club.

Located in Richmond Hill Jokers Comedy Club is the 905's only permanent comedy club and the GTA's newest. They will feature not only stand-up comedy, but also magic, tribute concerts, live-band karaoke, jazz, drag, and much more variety. Jokers is owned by Dave Curran and Steve Esfandiar Kalantar (from Yuk Yuks).  

Thursday night, KOP and I had the pleasure of attending the fantastic soft open of Jokers.  Congratulations Dave and Steve!

Here are some random thoughts about our evening:

Capacity:
The venue currently seats 180 and will soon have a capacity of 220.


Food and drinks:
Food and bar service is available throughout all shows.  Have a look at their menu.


Le petit chef:
This needs to be experienced to be believed!

(from the Jokers website)
"An exquisite 5-course dinner crafted by our Chef Andrew Tarnowski and Le Petit Chef comes to life through a fun and engaging 3D animation on your dining table."


Washrooms:
Washrooms are  single occupancy, "all gender" rooms on the main floor.  (No stairs to climb!)  As an added bonus, you can hear the show inside them.


Accessibility:
Once you've made it up the concrete curb from the pavement to the sidewalk the venue is wheelchair accessible.

• It is a cozy theatre, spacious enough to seat close to 200 people without feeling crammed.
  Take a peek inside.
• All the seats provide an excellent view of the stage. (There are video monitors on either side of the stage which could presumably used to display a live close-up camera feed if required.)
  
• It was the first night for the servers / bar / kitchen staff to run through their systems.  We experienced a few hiccoughs but are confident they'll be ironed out in no time.
• The evening's entertainment was provided by:

Steve Valentine

Ryan Hillis

Angela Maiorano-Thurston

Kevin Christopher

Jonah Babins

Ben Train

Bryan Hatt and


Jeff Paul (our emcee for the evening)

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Canadas Magic (@canadasmagicdotcom)

 

 

---

Jokers promises to be a hotbed of talent and an excellent destination for a night of live entertainment!

 

Tentative programming

Wed: Karaoke
Thurs: Magic*
Fri / Sat: Comedy
Fri / Sat: Steve Valentine**
"Mr. Valentine Blows Your Mind"
*(starting August 18th and booked
through the Toronto Magic Company)
**(schedule permitting)

details at Jokers.ca

---

Don't just take our word for it.  Here's what others have to say:

• June 30th Facebook post by Matt Disero
• June 30th Facebook post by Jonah Babins
• June 30th Facebook post by Mike D'Urzo

 

A new venue is opening in #ontario for comedy and #magicians. Jokers Theatre & Comedy Club in #RichmondHill! Last night's VIP preview launch was magical, we got a sneak peek:https://t.co/OEDE7bA22L @jokers905club #magicshows #ontario #magician @canadasmagic @ryanjoycemagic

— OWOW Magic Festival (@OWOWMagicFest) June 30, 2022

You can learn more about Jokers at their website, or follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Thank you Jokers, for a fabulous night out!

Disclosure:  KOP and I were guests at this show. The opinions expressed above are entirely my own. I did not receive compensation for the writing or the publishing of this article.

Toronto: The Newest Trick in the Book [May 26]

From the May 13th Instagram post by Ben Train:

IT’S BACK!!!

The Newest Trick In The Book, Canada’s only open-mic magic show, is back!

And to celebrate we’ve put together a superstar lineup featuring TEN OF TORONTO’S TOP MAGICIANS!

And best of all? The show is FREE!

If you’re a magic fan you’re not going to want to miss it- Thursday May 26th at @royalcomedy1051.

Reserve your FREE tickets now by heading to @torontomagiccompany. Don’t wait- this is gonna sell out. 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ben Train (@train.ben)

 

 

Toronto: Hocus Jokus with Babins, DiSero, Stark, Train, and Westfall [May 1]

From the April 21st Instagram post by the Toronto Magic Company:

Is this Toronto’s funniest magic show or Toronto’s most magical comedy show? 😲

Trick question - it’s BOTH! 😆✌

Toronto’s funniest magicians have joined forces to create a 90 minute show jam packed with laughs and mind-blowing amazement. They’ll read your mind, predict the future, and do all sorts of other crazy sh*t you won’t believe unless you see it with your own eyes!👀

And it’s happening one day only - Sunday May 1st.👈

So get off the couch and join @jonahbabinsmagic , @train.ben , @chriswestfallmagic , @mysteryentertainer, and headliner @mattdisero for an incredible night of comedy, magic, and fun that you’ll never forget.🙌🙌

 

 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Toronto Magic Company (@torontomagiccompany)

 

 

Toronto: Hocus Jokus [Feb 23-24]

Catch Ben Train, Jonah Babins, Chris Westfall, and Wes Barker at Yuk Yuk's! 

 

From the January 27th Instagram post by the Toronto Magic Company:

Is this Toronto’s funniest magic show or Toronto’s most magical comedy show? 🤔

Trick question - it’s BOTH! 🙌

Toronto’s funniest magicians have joined forces to create a 90 minute show jam packed with laughs and mind-blowing amazement. They’ll read your mind, predict the future, and do all sorts of other crazy sh*t you won’t believe unless you see it with your own eyes!👀

And it’s happening for two days only - February 23rd and 24th.‼‼

So get off the couch and join us for an incredible night of comedy, magic, and fun that you’ll never forget.🙌

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Toronto Magic Company (@torontomagiccompany)

Mia's Magical Night fundraiser with the Toronto Magic Company [Feb 6]

From Chai Lifeline Canada:

On the occasion of my Bat Mitzvah, I have chosen to support the important work of Chai Lifeline Canada. Chai Lifeline is devoted to supporting children and families facing illness. For over 15 years they have given thousands of families across Canada the concrete services and emotional support that enables patients, siblings and parents to find joy in their lives.  My goal is to raise $18,000.00 to provide critical support services, including therapy, to children as well providing funding so that families can create some long lasting and special memories through experiences.
 
Families coming together and laughing is something we can all enjoy.  On Sunday February 6th, please join me as The Toronto Magic Company delights us with their UNBELIEVABLE virtual magic show that has been entertaining thousands across the globe.  Ben Train and Jonah Babins will mesmerize us and it is definitely something you won’t want to miss!

An Interactive Virtual Magic Show for all ages!

Date: February 6, 2022

Read more and buy tickets.

 

 

 

Unconventional.Fun - back in time! [Nov 27-28]

From the November 10th Instagram post by Unconventional.Fun:

WE'RE BACK!

WAY BACK!

The world's most unconventional magic convention is going back in time for a weekend filled with lectures, shows, jamming - even dinosaurs!

Learn from the best magicians on the planet and make friends from around the globe.

It's all happening one weekend only - November 27th and 28th.

 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by UnConventional (@unconventional.fun)

 

Jonah Babins and Ben Train in the Toronto Star

From the August 29th article "Abracadabra! The Toronto Magic Company makes fun appear - Friends and partners Jonah Babins and Ben Train aim to provide opportunities for the city’s budding magicians" by Briony Smith in the Toronto Star: 

Toronto is, in fact, a pretty magical place. It’s home to The Hat and Rabbit, one of the oldest active magic clubs; it has produced such famous magicians as Jay Sankey, David Ben and Ross Bertram; and currently it has one of the largest magic communities on the planet. Despite this, Train says, there often weren’t enough opportunities for the two friends to share their magic. So, in 2016, they started The Toronto Magic Company to produce shows for public and private events, featuring rising local talent, as well as the best magicians from around the globe. They also launched “The Newest Trick in the Book,” an open-mic show at See-Scape, a science-fiction-themed bar in the Junction, where magicians could try out fresh material and audiences could experience new types of magic, for free.

Read more.

 

Jonah Babins and Ben Train in the Toronto Star
https://t.co/hxRb4HgnQa
@jonahbabins @ErdnaseinTO @TorontoMagicCO pic.twitter.com/yTmSWwZy86

— Canada's Magic (@canadasmagic) August 29, 2021

UnConventional.Fun at Magicland [May 29 & 30]

Return to Magicland May 29th and 30th! 

From the Unconventional.Fun website, the virtual line-up includes:

• Caroline Ravn
• Sean O
• Mario "The Maker Magician" Marchese
• Chris Westfall
• Jeremy Griffith
• Steve Reynolds
• Xavior Spade
• Carisa Hendrix
• Avi Yap
• Danny Goldsmith
• Kevin Ho
• Dustin Dean
• Jay Sankey
• Wes Barker
• Spidey
• Chris Pilsworth
• Kaitlyn Chen
• Doc Dixon
• Noah Sonie
• Ryan Kane
• Jonah Babins and
• Ben Train

 

From the May 7th Facebook post by UnConventional.Fun:

After MONTHS of hard work, tickets to Magicland have finally gone live!!!
We put together a convention weekend packed with shows, lectures, jams, dealers, panel talks, and even games (with real world prizes!).
Head to www.Unconventional.Fun to see what we've got planned - then comment below what YOU are most excited for!
#VirtualMagicConvention #Magicland #TicketsAreNowLive!

 

 

Late Night with Ben and Jonah [April 25]

From the April 11th Instagram Post by the Toronto Magic Company:

Late Night with Ben and Jonah takes everything you love about late night tv and combines it with a highly interactive virtual magic show… Toronto Magic Company style.

You can expect fun, special guests, outrageous segments, and a whole lot of magic.

Plus this time, it's not just Ben and Jonah. We're bringing on two special guests to share incredible magic of their own to blow your mind: One of Boston's finest up and coming entertainers - Colin Robinson, and AMA award winner, and Penn and Teller Fooler, Suzanne! 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Toronto Magic Company (@torontomagiccompany)