Kitchener: Champions of Magic 2022

We've had the good fortune of attending a couple of Champions of Magic shows.  Here are some  random thoughts about "Champions of Magic" 2019.

In addition to the previously announced Peterborough show, Champions of Magic (Kayla Drescher, Alex McAleer, Fernando Velasco, and (Richard) Young & (Sam) Strange) will also be appearing in Kitchener as part of The Worldwide Wonders Tour!

Three shows scheduled.  Buy tickets here.

From the July 12th Instagram post by Champions of Magic:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Champions of Magic (@championsofmagic)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Peterborough: Champions of Magic 2022

We've had the good fortune of attending a couple of Champions of Magic shows.  Here are some  random thoughts about "Champions of Magic" 2019.

 

From the July 5th Tweet by the Peterborough Memorial Centre:

🚨JUST ANNOUNCED - The PMC is excited to welcome Champions of Magic for an incredible performance Sunday February 20, 2022 at 4pm. Tickets go on-sale Thursday July 8 at 10am, PMC SCOOP members pre-sale is Wednesday July 7 at 10am. More info at https://t.co/nllH3HLETo pic.twitter.com/Y4EvF0HF25

— Peterborough Memorial Centre (@PtboMemCentre) July 5, 2021

 

 

Random thoughts about "Champions of Magic" 2019

A quick reminder that the Champions of Magic are half-way through their Canadian tour.  Remaining dates:  Saskatoon (January 16), Regina (January 17), Prince George (January 26), and Rama (February 29).

Champions of Magic. 
Photo credit: Champions of Magic.

Last Saturday Kidlet, Kidlet's Friend (KF), Kidlet's Other Parent (KOP), and I made the trek in the wet snow, to Oshawa's Tribute Communities Centre (TCC).  We arrived early and had a chance to get the feel of the arena. 

• This was my first time attending a show at the TCC.   (My first arena show too.  Thank goodness McAleer posted that arena shows are cold.  We were dressed accordingly!)
• All of the arena staff were super helpful, professional, and generally fabulous!  Special thanks to (TCC's) Kayla for her time spent with Kidlet. 
• The show is about an hour for the first half, 15 minutes intermission, and about an hour in the second half.
• Again I am genuinely afraid of posting spoilers.  The less you know going in, the more you'll enjoy it.

 

On with the show...

Note to parents of young children:  The music can be very loud at times throughout the show.  There's also a smoke machine involved.  Forewarned is forearmed.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again:

So. Much. Fun!

 

KOP's review: A great cast puts on a great performance!

• While the show has the same overall structure as the one at The Bluma Appel Theatre that I saw last year, there are many new wonderful moments.  (Sadly, there were fewer Chimpions.  Also missing: a dinosaur and two folding chairs.) 
• They've refined their scripting and introduced some brilliant new lines.
• The audience came ready to have a good time!  They were all very friendly and primed to be entertained.  (It seemed like everyone in the audience knew each other, at least where we were sitting.)
• The four magic acts are interwoven through the show, which works really well at keeping each of the disciplines fresh and reduces down time.
KF had this to say: They did a really good job of making a coherent show while preserving each magician's unique style.
• Kayla Drescher, Alex McAleer, Fernando Velasco, and Young & Strange all do what they do very well!
• The cast seem to genuinely get along amazingly well both on and off stage.
• The show starts strong with Young and Strange and keeps up an astonishing pace.  It's refreshing to see a man get put into boxes to be squished and skewered!  
• Even after having seen them perform a similar set before, Young and Strange are remarkably entertaining to watch.  One can't help but get caught up in the fun they are having on stage!
• They sure know how to play to the crowd!
  
  

  

  Young (sporting the jersey of the Oshawa Generals) and Strange.
  Photo credit: William Balfour, Spectra Experiences.

  
  
• There's LOTS audience participation with both children and adults!
• McAleer does impressive mind reading.  If he asks you how you are, be sure to ask him how he's doing too, so he knows that Canadians are a caring bunch. 
• He masterfully handles the subject of geography from a unique frame of reference.
• Should I ever be in a position to interview McAleer live, I'm going to need to wear an aluminum foil hat to keep him out of my thoughts!
  





Kelly and Dave help out Alex McAleer. 
Photo credit: William Balfour, Spectra Experiences.



• Velasco succeeds in breathtaking, heart-stopping escapes and then some.  Even though I've seen him do many of these things before, everything he does makes me nervous!  He made some else in the audience nervous too.  About the same time the photo below was taken, I could hear someone shout "Common! GET OUTTA THERE!"
  
  

  

  Fernando Velasco in danger.
  Photo credit: William Balfour, Spectra Experiences.

  
  
• During intermission, the audience was amazed and energized from the first half.  I heard many people wondering out loud, "How on earth did they do that?"
• The second half opened with a "new to me" segment that is very engaging.  It gave us a chance to connect with each of the performers in a simple but meaningful way. 
• Drescher did some fabulous close-up in the audience, and a couple of types of "arts and crafts."  (Also of note, Drescher's volunteer Sean, was reluctant to break her heart.)
• I need to mention that Drescher's handling of volunteers, especially young Mason, was EXCELLENT!  Things were explained in advance.  Consent was obtained.  Respect was given.   As it should be.  (This should come as no surprise to anyone who listens to  "Shezam," the podcast she co-hosts, which has touched on the topic of volunteer handling on more than one occasion.)
  
  

  

  Kayla Drescher with Mason and Brian.
  Photo credit:  William Balfour, Spectra Experiences.
  
  

• Canadian trivia: Gerry Frenette's original illusion is still in the show!
   
Note to performers: Always be extra nice to the sound techs.  You never know when they WILL exact their revenge!
• I'll never get tired of watching Young and Strange channel their inner SARMOTI in their high energy illusion medley!  
• Marissa Maiorana, the aerialist was fabulous!
  
  

  

  Marissa Maiorana flying high.
  Photo credit: William Balfour, Spectra Experiences.

  
  
• Also fabulous:  Kaylan, Brendon, Brandon, Will, Matt, and the rest of the stage crew and theatre crew.  Especially Alex J.  These folks hustle to keep the pace going!
• The show felt lighter and more playful this year.  Everyone was on board with it! 
• Drescher said in her interview: "We work hard to make the show not just magically impressive, but an absolutely fun time." 
  
  
  Achievement unlocked.
   
Kidlet really enjoyed the show.  Even knowing what it was going to be, Kidlet still really loved the ending!
• Although this was the second time seeing the show, I was again thoroughly entertained!  There are so many moments of joyous laughter, and periods of being completely enthralled in the spectacle. 
• Bonus post-show magic: three primary school aged girls in adorable dresses, created piles of golden confetti, threw the shiny pieces up in the air and danced and sang "red light, green light" as it showered down over them.  Repeatedly.

While excellent magic is at the core of this experience, it's clear that the focus is providing a fabulously entertaining evening.

They definitely hit their mark!

Don't just take my word for it, have a read of TCC Reviewer Sherri Norton's December 15th post "#TCCreviewer: CHAMPIONS OF MAGIC."  Here's part of her review: "The memories? Priceless - a must see show!"


Catch the Champions of Magic in Saskatoon (January 16), Regina (January 17), Prince George (January 26), and Rama (February 29).

Thank you Oshawa @MyTributeCentre for a really fun show last night! One more on this leg of the Canadian tour at @Place_Bell arena tonight, then we're back in January with shows at @SaskTelCtr, @conexusartscntr, @CNCentre and @CasinoRamaLive. We love Canada! pic.twitter.com/2Br52oiyMR

— Champions Of Magic (@ChampionsMagic) December 15, 2019

Disclosure:  My family 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.

For more photos, read Sherri's review "#TCCreviewer: CHAMPIONS OF MAGIC" or visit the Tribute Communities Centre Instagram.

Brilliant show! Wasn't sure what to expect but it exceeded all expectations!

— Sun, surf & sand (@dawnlrogers) December 15, 2019

It was a great show. Will definitely see it again.

— Lesley Kielly (@lesley_kielly) December 15, 2019

Was at the #ChampionsOfMagic show today at the #TributeCommunitiesCente and was awesome! What a great show, we were truly amazed #YouGottaSeeThat

— moOre (@_mo0re_) December 15, 2019

A(nother) peek behind the curtain with Sam Strange

Upcoming Champions of Magic Canadian tour dates:

• 12/8/19     Brandon, MB
• 12/12/19   Ottawa, ON      
• 12/14/19   Oshawa, ON
• 12/15/19   Laval, QC
• 1/16/20     Saskatoon, SK    SaskTel Centre
• 1/17/20     Regina, SK    Conexus Arts Centre
• 1/26/20     Prince George, BC
• 2/29/20    Rama, ON        

Read more and buy tickets.

 

You may remember the fabulous interview, "A peek behind the curtain with Young and Strange," from December of last year.  I was delighted to receive an invitation to take a second pass at an email interview with Sam Strange (the taller half of Young and Strange) as part of a Champions of Magic promotion.

Many of you know that Strange orchestrated a most wonderful surprise last June for Richard Young and The Magicians' Podcast.  

You've toured a number of countries.  Have you experienced anything specific about Canadian audiences in particular?

That run of shows we did in Toronto (in December 2018) is generally considered by the cast to be some of the best shows we have ever done, with some of the best audiences we have ever performed to. That maybe in part due to the perfect theatre for the show and at Christmas time when everyone is in a great mood anyway. Young and I did have to evolve the humour and delivery for our act for American audiences, but it does seem that the Canadian audiences sense of humour is a little more aligned with the British.

What interests do you have outside of magic?
 
The 2 interests I’m about to list don’t do my reputation any favours.

Manmade underground structures.
Included in that are tunnels, bunkers and mines. Specifically NOT caves. As we all know, caves are dull.

Prisons. Difficult to articulate why or how those interests have come about it. If I were a betting man (which Young will testify is the case) I would say it’s the human history and sinister nature of both. Prisons are renowned for the evil held within and most places built underground are not for the living.

I am mindful that this answer has given good ammunition in the next round of off stage ribbing from other cast members.

What are your thoughts on touring life?

If you ever get the chance to be a part of a touring show on the scale of Champions of Magic, take it.

It’s an insane experience when I reflect on it. There's a cast and crew of 14 people all travelling together, who are all passionate about magic, who are all decent people and who are all as invested in the show as anyone else  It’s constantly peppered with euphoric highs. As you can imagine, the show is the focus and pretty much all conversations outside of the theatre relate in someway back to the show. I think it’s important to have a bit of escapism from time to time and respect other peoples space when they need it.

Do you have any pre-show rituals?
 
As it’s a mixed bill of magicians, it’s always important to get the best response from the audience. I often perform a routine of sabotage on the other magicians props. It’s enormously helpful to making our act peacock ahead of the others and subsequently helps to prop up my misplaced ego.

What do you do to keep your performance fresh for both your audience and you?

As a double act we are fortunate because we can be a catalyst for each other during the performance. If I feel Young’s delivery or energy dip during the performance (or vice versa) we can pick each other up, feeding from each others enthusiasm. I also find that putting the ‘work’ into perspective really helps. [Last December's 17 day run of] 41 shows sounds impressive and tiring, but I’m not at a coalface and I am living my dream. The least I can do to sustain that is to look engaged and interested while on stage.

If you could be endowed with the talent to take on any Broadway role past or present, who would you pick?

My hands are tied. This is an interview for Canada's Magic and it’s important to do everything I can to win you round.

Therefore my answer can only be Doug Henning.

Fortunately not only is that a politically astute answer, but it’s also pretty true. The vibrancy, colour and pure joy of his act would be so much fun to do.

[Editor's note: Truly a terrific answer.  AND it shares internal consistency with last December's interview.  Well done!]

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

On a personal level, I love being a part of the Champions of Magic show. In buying a ticket and coming to support the show you are allowing me, and many other people I tour with, to live their childhood dreams. Think of it as a charity and spread the word for the next run of Canadian shows.

 

Thank you Sam Strange of Young and Strange for making the time to answer more of our questions!

Catch the Champions of Magic on tour in Canada!

Upcoming Champions of Magic Canadian tour dates:

• 12/8/19     Brandon, MB
• 12/12/19   Ottawa, ON      
• 12/14/19   Oshawa, ON
• 12/15/19   Laval, QC
• 1/16/20     Saskatoon, SK    SaskTel Centre
• 1/17/20     Regina, SK    Conexus Arts Centre
• 1/26/20     Prince George, BC
• 2/29/20    Rama, ON         

Read more and buy tickets.

A(nother) peek behind the curtain with Richard Young

Upcoming Champions of Magic Canadian tour dates:

• 12/8/19     Brandon, MB
• 12/12/19   Ottawa, ON       <<<  ** recent addition **
• 12/14/19   Oshawa, ON
• 12/15/19   Laval, QC
• 1/16/20     Saskatoon, SK    SaskTel Centre
• 1/17/20     Regina, SK    Conexus Arts Centre
• 1/26/20     Prince George, BC
• 2/29/20    Rama, ON         <<<  ** recent addition **

Read more and buy tickets.

 

You may remember the fabulous interview, "A peek behind the curtain with Young and Strange,"  from December of last year.  I was delighted to receive an invitation to take a second pass at an email interview with Richard Young (one half of Young and Strange) as part of a Champions of Magic promotion.

Many of you already know Young through his podcast, "The Magician's Podcast."  He's interviewed a handful of Canadians including Darcy Oake, Billy Kidd, and Greg Frewin.   Last June, Young aired an epic 100th (and final) episode, where he interviewed his magic idol David Copperfield.  The Magic Circle recently recognized the outstanding contribution to magic made by Young through his podcast.


From the Magicians' Podcast Twitter feed:

Thanks to everyone who was involved in me being presented with this award for the podcast last night by The Magic Circle.

I’m absolutely chuffed to bits. pic.twitter.com/ZZoWzVfiFV

— The Magicians’ Podcast (@MagicianPodcast) September 2, 2019

You've toured a number of countries.  Have you experienced anything specific about Canadian audiences in particular?

I think the shows we did in Toronto last Christmas were some of the best shows we have ever done in our six year history. We did so many shows back to back and it was really hard work however the enthusiastic audiences kept us going and our spirits high. I think enthusiasm and energy is what I notice specifically about the Canadian audiences.

Do you have any advice for touring magicians?
 
My top tip for other touring magicians is to buy more underwear, washing machines are hard to find on tour sometimes.

Do you have a favourite touring anecdote?

Touring with Champions of Magic has been the greatest adventure of my life. I remember arriving in North America with the show for the first time in September 2017 about to embark on our first US Tour, it was one of the most thrilling times of my life. I couldn’t believe we had finally made it to America, it had been secretly talked about for a couple of years and I was worried it might never happen. Two days after we arrived we threw out the first pitch at a Cleveland Indians game in front of 30000 people to help promote the show. It really felt like we had ‘arrived in that second.’

What interests do you have outside of magic?
 
I am a huge Musical Theatre fan, I saw both Come From Away and Hamilton last week here in the U.K, I can’t get enough of Come From Away it was the 4th time I have seen it, the London cast are extraordinary.

I also have a weird life long obsession with the Titanic Disaster and know an awful lot about it, from design and conception through to the inquiries that followed the sinking and also how the wreck was found in 1985. If you’re ever struggling to sleep, give me a call and I’ll talk you through Lord Mersey’s inquiry, it was an absolute cluster f**k.

What do you do to keep your performance fresh for both your audience and you?

The fact we are facing forward and talking to the audience as opposed to being in scene or play where we pretend the audience isn’t there means the interaction with the audience will help to keep it fresh night after night. There are a few exercises taught to us by our director which we do during long runs to make sure we are still ‘in the room’ while the show is going on. The same sort of techniques they teach to actors and musical theatre performers on Broadway who do the same role every night in the same theatres for sometimes a couple of years in a row.

If you could be endowed with the talent to take on any Broadway role past or present, who would you pick?

I fantasise about being Javert from Les Miserable quite a bit, however I think if I’m being honest with myself I probably suit Thernadier more. I think I would also be a good Monsier Firmin in Phantom too. 

Could Young play Javert?

Listen to Richard Young interview Andy Nyman in episode 85 and you be the judge.  (The whole interview is fabulous, but the Javert part in particular comes shortly after the 1:14 mark.)

Listen to what Irish tenor Killian Donnelly thinks. Donnelly recently appeared in a West End production of Les Mis as Jean Valjean. 

I know all the words to both parts already so if anyone is reading this looking to fill those parts let me know. I would drop Champions of Magic like a sack of s**t to be in either of those two shows,

this may seem in written published form as a kinda bizarre form of career suicide from Champions however I know Alex the producer of our show wouldn’t take offense to my remarks and if anything would encourage me too do it, he loves both shows as much as I do and would completely understand.

[Editor's note: We certainly hope Alex is as understanding as you say he is!]

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

If you haven’t seen Champions of Magic before, I do really think you’d enjoy spending an evening with us.

If you’re a magician, you won’t like everything you see, however I promise you will love some stuff and have a great time slagging off the stuff you didn’t, so you have nothing to lose, I hope to see you at one of the shows.

 

Thank you Richard Young of Young and Strange for making the time to answer more of our questions!

Catch the Champions of Magic on tour in Canada!

Upcoming Champions of Magic Canadian tour dates:

• 12/8/19     Brandon, MB
• 12/12/19   Ottawa, ON       <<<  ** recent addition **
• 12/14/19   Oshawa, ON
• 12/15/19   Laval, QC
• 1/16/20     Saskatoon, SK    SaskTel Centre
• 1/17/20     Regina, SK    Conexus Arts Centre
• 1/26/20     Prince George, BC
• 2/29/20    Rama, ON         <<<  ** recent addition **

Read more and buy tickets.

A peek behind the curtain with Fernando Velasco

Upcoming Champions of Magic Canadian tour dates:

• 12/8/19     Brandon, MB
• 12/12/19   Ottawa, ON    TD Place    <<<  ** recent addition **
• 12/14/19   Oshawa, ON
• 12/15/19   Laval, QC
• 1/16/20     Saskatoon, SK    SaskTel Centre
• 1/17/20     Regina, SK    Conexus Arts Centre
• 1/26/20     Prince George, BC

Read more and buy tickets.

 

I was delighted to receive an invitation to email interview Fernando Velasco, as part of a Champions of Magic promotion.  You may already know that Velasco was presented with the 2018 Junior Achievement Award at the Magic Castle earlier this year.

What a dream receiving this award was over the weekend, big Thanks to the AMA (thanks Steve & David for presenting it) huge thanks to my manager/mentor/ Director Chuck Jones, who is always… https://t.co/9Otpl6J073

— Fernando Velasco (@illusionistFV) May 7, 2019

What is your first memory of magic?

I must have been around 7, and my dad (who lived in the US while i still lived in Mexico) took me a DVD from the US with a number of magicians on it. there i started to fall in love with magic.

I used to think "THAT is real magic" and would invite all my neighborhood friends to come over and watch this DVD with "REAL magic."

Who inspires you magically?

Mexican magician Joaquin Ayala, along with Copperfield, and naturally HOUDINI.

What would have been in store for you had you not caught the magic bug?  

Maybe if I could sing, a singer

Why do you think audiences are still drawn to escapes, sleight of hand, and illusion?

Magic still gives people a feeling of "wonder."

Who inspires you that is not a magician?
 
Mexican singer Alejandro Fernandez as it feels like he gives it all on stage every time.

What's special about Champions of Magic draws large audiences on 6 UK tours and 3 North American tours over the past 6 years?

There is nothing like a good magic show LIVE. Not on TV or online, BUT LIVE.

You've performed in many different countries. Have you experienced anything specific about Canadian audiences in particular?

They are up for the fun.

Do you have any pre-show rituals?
  I sing, terribly but I try to sing.  As well as sometimes I watch live performances of my favorite singers/bands. I feel like I take on their energy for the show.

Do you have a favourite touring anecdote and / or advice for touring magicians?

Too many to tell!
 
(Sam) Strange and I often go urban exploring and that's fun.

@ChampionsMagic
There i was minding my own business (as usual)
... LOOKING FOR SOME TACOS... 🌮🇲🇽❤️
Somehow I’ve ended up in a very sketchy part of town ( shown in this picture) ...
FYI in case I don’t make it to tonight’s show pic.twitter.com/BsCt91Izb3

— Fernando Velasco (@illusionistFV) January 3, 2019

Advice: Have fun on and off stage!

What interests do you have outside of magic?
 
Sports.

What do you do to keep your performance fresh for both your audience and you?

Doing little things to have fun with the other performers and crew on stage.  Like playing tag on stage (without the audience noticing anything) among other small things.

If you could be endowed with the talent to take on any Broadway role past or present, who would you pick and why? 

Aladdin.  Because I had a dream I played him!

I just had a dream i was Aladdin 😂🤦🏻‍♂️

— Fernando Velasco (@illusionistFV) September 14, 2019

What's your Canadian connection to magic?

I saw Greg Frewin's show last year.

Velasco also experienced, for his very first time, the magic of real snow in Toronto last December!

Thank you Fernando Velasco for making the time to answer our questions!



Catch the Champions of Magic on tour in Canada!

Upcoming Champions of Magic Canadian tour dates:

• 12/8/19     Brandon, MB
• 12/12/19   Ottawa, ON    TD Place    <<<  ** recent addition **
• 12/14/19   Oshawa, ON
• 12/15/19   Laval, QC
• 1/16/20     Saskatoon, SK    SaskTel Centre
• 1/17/20     Regina, SK    Conexus Arts Centre
• 1/26/20     Prince George, BC

Read more and buy tickets.

Champions of Magic are coming back!

I was also lucky to score interviews in 2018 with two of the four acts in the show.  Have a read:

• A peek behind the curtain with Alex McAleer
• A peek behind the curtain with Young and Strange

I had the privilege of seeing Champions of Magic with Kidlet last December. So. Much. Fun! You can read my random thoughts about their show here.


From the Champions of Magic:

• 12/8/19     Brandon, MB
• 12/14/19   Oshawa, ON
• 12/15/19   Laval, QC
• 1/16/20     Saskatoon, SK    SaskTel Centre
• 1/17/20     Regina, SK    Conexus Arts Centre
• 1/26/20     Prince George, BC

Read more and buy tickets.

From the Champions of Magic Facebook page:

Random thoughts about "Champions of Magic"

Before I begin, have a peek at a snippet of the most recent Champions of Magic press release:

TORONTO, ON, December 21, 2018: Last night, the UK’s biggest large-scale illusion spectacle Champions Of Magic left Toronto spellbound after its spectacular opening night performance. Running for a limited-time engagement at The Bluma Appel Theatre (St Lawrence Centre for the Arts, 27 Front St E.), with an unprecedented three shows a day, the popular production has to be seen to be believed.

As The Bluma Appel Theatre’s highest selling holiday extravaganza ever, ​Starvox Entertainment is proud to announce the addition of five new performances across the following dates, including a death-defying fourth show on January 5, for a total of 40 performances over 18 days!

• Wednesday, December 26, 2018 at 5:00 p.m. EST
• Thursday, December 27, 2018 at 5:00 p.m. EST
• Friday, December 28, 2018 at 5:00 p.m. EST
• Wednesday January 2, 2019 at 5:00 p.m. EST
• Saturday January 5, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. EST

A four show day, 17 days into the run?  Death-defying indeed!

 

On with the show...

After missing out on the opportunity to interview Alex McAleer and Young & Strange live, I knew I had to jump on the chance when I was invited to attend Champions of Magic (especially after what Strange told me I missed by not making it to interview day).

We arrived early and had a chance to get the feel of the theatre.  The Bluma Appel Theatre seats just under 900 guests and is a cozy theatre.  I'd venture that there are no truly bad seats in the house.

• I experienced my first feat of astonishment when the usher read my mind and gave me directions to the rest room before I'd even asked the question!
• Kidlet observed that there were a lot of children in the audience and was surprised by the number of girls in attendance.
• If not a sold out show, the theatre looked very close to capacity.
• If you're chatting with Brendon at the merchandise table, tell him to visit the Browser's Den of Magic if he gets any off-time.  
• The show is about an hour for the first half, 15 minutes intermission, and about an hour in the second half.
• I am genuinely afraid of posting spoilers.  The less you know going in, the more you'll enjoy it.

Note to parents of young children:  The music can be very loud at times throughout the show.  There's also a smoke machine involved.  Forewarned is forearmed.

So. Much. Fun.

• The show starts strong with Young and Strange and keeps up an astonishing pace.
• As with Starvox Entertainment's Potted Potter, Champions of Magic is absolutely D'liteful!
• The four acts are interwoven through out the night, which works really well at keeping each of the disciplines fresh.
• Kayla Drescher, Alex McAleer, Fernando Velasco, and Young & Strange all do what they do very well indeed!
• There's a tangible camaraderie among the cast.  Kidlet likened the feeling of the group to the team of illusionists in Now You See Me (but without the audience payout at the end of the show).
• There's a tonne of audience participation with both children and adults!
• One of the pieces performed was something submitted in the contest from earlier this month.  Can you guess what it was?
• McAleer does impressive mind reading.  He even offers a wager with an audience member for a substantial amount of money. (And he knew how to pronounce "Toronto" like a local!)  If he asks you how you are, be sure to ask him how he's doing too, so he knows that Canadians are a caring bunch.
• Velasco does more than impressive breathtaking, heart-stopping escapes.
• Drescher did some mind-boggling close-up in the audience, a couple of types of "arts and crafts," and made her young volunteer, Malia, feel very special. (Also of note, Drescher's volunteer Andy, was very reluctant to break her heart.)
• Young and Strange performed a super tight, high energy set while channeling their inner SARMOTI.  It's refreshing to see a man get put into boxes to be squished and skewered!  On a personal note, it was fun to see them perform an original illusion by Canadian magician Gerry Frenette.
• Annalisa, the aerialist was fabulous! As were Brendon, Brandon and the rest of the stage crew and theatre crew.  Those folks hustled to keep the pace going.
• I had many "how'd they do that?" thoughts, along with so many moments of joyous laughter, and periods of being completely enthralled in the spectacle.
• Kidlet can't stop talking about the ending.  It caught us both completely by surprise!

Don't just take my word for it, have a read of Wayne Leung's post "Review: Champions of Magic (Starvox Entertainment)" from December 21, over at Mooney on Theatre.

Hang out in the lobby after the show and have a picture taken with the @ChampionsMagic cast.#ChampionsOfMagic #championsTO pic.twitter.com/Y42ZWLMUyF

— Canada's Magic (@canadasmagic) December 21, 2018

Catch the Champions of Magic at The Bluma Appel Theatre through to January 6, 2019.  Tickets through Ticketmaster.

(Don't forget about Drescher's Toronto lecture in the New Year!) 

Disclosure:  Kidlet 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: American Sign Language interpreted magic show

From the Champions of Magic Press release:

TORONTO, ON, DECEMBER 13, 2018: The holiday season just got a little more magical as ​Starvox Entertainment announces a very special performance of ​Champions Of Magic accompanied by American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation. On December 29 at 5:00 p.m. at Toronto’s​ Bluma Appel Theatre ​ (​St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, 27 Front St E), the UK’s mind-bending magical troop, will deliver their jaw-dropping, mind-bending performance and mesmerising illusions with ASL interpretation to Toronto for the first time ever.

“Fully immersing deaf audience members into a grand scale illusion show, such as Champions of Magic, is no easy task, and is rarely done,” stated Corey Ross President and Founder of Starvox Entertainment. “While magic is very visual, the sleight of hand often involves distracting the audience through audio cues and the traditional magician’s patter.  The Champions are preparing themselves for the challenge of performing for this new audience without giving away the secrets of the illusions. It will be incredibly suspenseful to see if this works.”   

“It was really important to us that the show to be fully inclusive of the diverse Toronto audience,” says Kayla Drescher, the show’s close up Magician. “Having a performance with American Sign Language interpretation allows the entire audience to be totally immersed in the magic and enjoy the camaraderie that is an integral part of the performance.”

Champions Of Magic’s five world-class illusionists deliver a mesmerizing experience that’s entertaining for the entire family. Featuring incredible illusions with sports cars, an impossible escape from Houdini’s water torture cell, mind-blowing predictions that must be witnessed to be believed, levitation from wonderous heights and a finale beyond explanation, Champions of Magic showcases original magic that can’t be seen anywhere else.

To reserve seats for the December 29th ASL performance, please use code “ASL” when purchasing tickets through ​www.ticketmaster.ca to ensure assigned seating. For assistance, contact the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts box office via tquinlan@stlc.com or call 416-366-7723.

Toronto: Win tickets to see "Champions of Magic"

Great news folks! I have been offered a family prize pack of four (4) tickets to give away to my readers, to attend the Champions of Magic at The Bluma Appel Theatre December 23, 2018 at 5:00 pm, Toronto, Canada. 

Champions Of Magic’s five world-class illusionists deliver an action-packed show to entertain the entire family featuring; incredible illusions with sports cars, an impossible escape from Houdini’s water torture cell, mind-blowing predictions that have to be seen to be believed, levitation from wonderous heights and a finale beyond explanation. The tour features original magic that can’t be seen anywhere else, in an explosive show that will delight audiences of all ages.

Five magicians make up this mind-bending magical troop, including:

• Kayla Drescher, named the Next Great Magician by David Copperfield.
• Alex McAleer has the ability to tap into his audience's’ minds and read their thoughts.
• Fernando Velasco who has triumphed over it all, from straitjackets to water tanks and handcuffs to giant steel traps, he has faced some of the deadliest escape stunts ever performed.
• Young and Strange have been featured on television shows around the globe thanks to their spectacular illusions and viral videos.

The cast will be in the lobby after the performance for photos at no cost.

If you don't want to leave tickets to chance, you can purchase them at ticketmaster.ca

I will be holding a random draw for the family pack of tickets (minimum retail value $516 CAD).  (There will be one winner.)  The draw results will be posted by Sunday December the 16th.


To enter:

1. Log into the RaffleCopter widget below, using Facebook or a valid e-mail address.
2. Mandatory: Leave a comment in the widget, telling me what you think is the most difficult magical effect to take on tour and perform in front of a large audience night after night (from a personal experience, stories from peers, personal opinion etc).  (You do not need to be a magician to enter the contest.  You could simply say “All of them, I’m not a magician!”)
3. Optional: For an additional entry
   a) Sign in to your Twitter account
   b) Use the RaffleCopter widget to send this message to your Twitter followers:
   

   "Enter by Dec 13 to win a family pack of tickets to see Champions of Magic at the Bluma Appel Theatre via @canadasmagic https://canadasmagic.blogspot.com/2018/12/toronto-win-tickets-to-see-champions-of.html"

   
   c) Enter the URL of your Tweet into the RaffleCopter widget to validate your entry.

   (The optional entry is only valid if the Tweet URL is included.)

4. If you win, you must be willing to provide your full name and contact information so that a representative from Champions of Magic can coordinate with the Bluma Appel Theatre box office.

The fine print:

• To participate in the contest, you must be 18 years of age or older.
• One entry (and one optional entry) per person.
• This giveaway is open to Canadian residents, excluding residents of Quebec. (Je m'excuse!)
• This giveaway is void where prohibited by law.
• If you experience difficulties leaving a comment, you may e-mail it to me for posting.  (I am not responsible if your e-mail is misdirected or gets stuck in my Spam folder.)
• This giveaway may be terminated or withdrawn at any time.
• Entries my be disqualified at any time (reasons for disqualification include but are not limited to the provision of information that is untruthful, inaccurate, incomplete, or suspected fraudulent behavour).
• You must be able to use the tickets as offered.  (No cash value will be offered if you cannot use the tickets.)
• Transportation to/from Toronto and accommodations will not be provided.
• Photo ID will be required to claim the tickets at the the Bluma Appel Theatre box office prior to the show on your way into the theatre.
• The odds of winning depend on how many people enter the contest.
• Contest closes on Thursday December the 13th, 2018 at 11:59pm ET.

With thanks to Starvox Entertainment for generously making these tickets available to you!



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Toronto: Champions of Magic

Catch the UK's Champions of Magic at The Bluma Appel Theatre (December 19 to January 6, 2019).

Tickets through Ticketmaster.


From the press release:

The Champions Of Magic team present incredible illusions with supercars, an impossible escape from Houdini’s water torture cell, a mind-blowing prediction that has to be seen to be believed, levitation high above the stage and a finale beyond explanation. The show features original magic that can’t be seen anywhere else.

Five magicians make up this mind-bending magical troop, including:

Kayla Drescher, named the Next Great Magician by David Copperfield.

Alex McAleer has the ability to tap into his audience's’ minds and read their thoughts.

Fernando Velasco who has triumphed over it all, from straitjackets to water tanks and handcuffs to giant steel traps, he has faced some of the deadliest escape stunts ever performed.

Young and Strange have been featured on television shows around the globe thanks to their spectacular illusions and viral videos.