OWOW Recap by Ryan Joyce

From the December 7th article "Magic festival appears in Fergus Ontario" by Ryan Joyce:

We organized a three-day magicians convention, produced a four-day festival featuring five stage shows, two parlour shows, and first-ever Livestream Magic Special during the seven days.

The OWOW Festival scheduled magicians performing table-to-table at local restaurants, secret sessions for magicians, world-class gala magic shows at the Fergus Grand Theatre and exclusive private events around town. 

This year we featured twelve internationally acclaimed magicians, Stephen Bargatze, Michael Close, Greg Frewin, Carisa Hendrix, Rick Merrill, Paul Romhany, Jay Sankey, Nicholas Wallace, Owen Anderson, Ryan Joyce, Cody Moynihan, Peter Mennie, Graemazing Reed and Ed Stone.

Read more.

Greg Frewin in the Metrolinx News

From the May 16th article "No illusion – Magician Greg Frewin reveals Niagara Falls spectacles GO customers need to unlock" by Sara Wilbur in the Metrolinx News:

Greg Frewin has pulled off one of the most elaborate feats in the history of prestidigitation. He’s managed to quietly hide a very Canadian existence within a bigger-than-life Niagara Falls spectacle.

 The 52-year-old magician seems as much a modern staple of Niagara Falls as, say, running water. His production, inside a local 700-seat theatre named after him, is based on decades of performances around the world that have won him a magic box full of trophies, including the prestigious Magician of the Year Award at the World Magic Awards, as well as a first place for the International Federation of Magic Societies.

Read more.

Canadians in Masters of Illusion 2019

I spy Greg Frewin, Chris Funk, The Evasons, and Murray SawChuck.  Who am I missing?

Wikipedia suggests the 2019 season is season 9, but the performers are all referring to it as season 6 as it is the 6th season with the CW.


From Greg Frewin's Instagram:

A note to subscribers: the content of this post is embedded from another website and is not available to preview. To view the content of the post, please visit http://CanadasMagic.blogspot.com. Some of the embedded code may be visible in this notification.

View this post on Instagram

Just a little water escape in LA filming for mastersnof illusion season 6 #MOI #magiclife #magic #roadtrip #backstage

A post shared by Greg Frewin (@gregfrewin) on Jan 13, 2019 at 8:10pm PST

From Chris Funk's Twitter feed:

That’s a wrap! #mastersofillusion #season6 & the #christmasspecial shot and complete! Now some dinner, rest and a flight home! #lifeontheroad #thewonderist #internationalmanofwonder https://t.co/dy7dRgk64J pic.twitter.com/9VOmgaIhga

— Chris Funk (@chrisfunkmagic) January 14, 2019

From The Evason's Twitter feed:

So much fun yesterday working with many talented friends taping the upcoming season of Masters Of Illusion TV show. @cw_illusion #Magic #mentalistduo #theevasons #mentalist #mentalism #tv pic.twitter.com/98t5czOv9M

— The Evasons (@TheEvasons) January 11, 2019

From Murray SawChuck's Instagram:

View this post on Instagram

Back at #delfinostudios shooting #season6 of #mastersofillusion @thecw @chrisfunkmagic @charityfunkcoaching @jeffwess47

A post shared by Murray SawChuck (@murraysawchuck) on Jan 12, 2019 at 1:58pm PST

Greg Frewin's "Imagine tour"

From Imagine Tour:

Check this page often as additional dates may be added in the coming year!

IMAGINE TOUR LIVE IN SIMCOE
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019
SIMCOE COMPOSITE SCHOOL 40 Wilson Ave, Simcoe



IMAGINE TOUR LIVE IN WINDSOR
MON, FEBRUARY 11, 2019
CAPITOL THEATRE Pentastar Playhouse
121 University Ave W, Windsor



IMAGINE TOUR LIVE IN BRANTFORD
TUESDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2019
BRANTFORD'S SANDERSON CENTRE 88 Dalhousie St, Brantford


IMAGINE TOUR LIVE IN HAMILTON
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2019
MCINTYRE PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE Mohawk College - Fennell Campus
West 5th St & Fennell Ave, Hamilton


IMAGINE TOUR LIVE IN NORTH BAY
THURSDAY MAY 9, 2019
CAPITOL CENTRE 150 Main St E, North Bay


IMAGINE TOUR LIVE IN SUDBURY
FRIDAY, MAY 10, 2019
Laurentian University Fraser Auditorium
935 Ramsey Lake Rd, Sudbury


IMAGINE TOUR LIVE IN SAULT STE MARIE
SATURDAY, MAY 11, 2019
KORAH COLLEGIATE & VOCATIONAL SCHOOL 636 GOULAIS AVE, SAULT STE. MARIE

Read more and buy tickets.

From the January 3rd article "Greg Frewin brings magic show to Mohawk College in support of Diabetes Canada" by Hamilton Mountain News at The Spec:

Internationally renowned magician Greg Frewin is performing at Mohawk College Feb. 13 in support of Diabetes Canada.

The Hamilton-born entertainer is a former International Brotherhood of Magicians Grand Champion and was named 2009 Magician of the Year at the World Magic Awards.

Frewin can be seen regularly at the Greg Frewin Theatre in Niagara Falls.

Read more.

2018 Readers' Choice award results

Thank you all for participating in the spirit in which the awards were intended:  a fun way to recognize and celebrate all of the wonderful things being done by the fabulous talent in our country.

Over 2380 votes were cast in this "bragging rights" only contest.  You all have a lot of devoted fans!

Here are the results of our third annual "Readers' Choice Inspirational Canadian Magician of the Year" award!

Beacons of Inspiration (in alphabetical order by surname)

James Alan
Nominated by Ben Train.
Thank you for lecturing, coaching, and participating fully with organizations like Toronto Magic Company, Ring 17 Hat and Rabbit, and Magicana).


Website: JamesAlan.ca

Jonah Babins 
Nominated by James Alan.
One of two podcasters in this year's field, which has now enticed me into the realm of podcasts!  Keep up your great work with the Discourse In Magic Podcast, and The Newest Trick in the Book, Canada’s only open mic magic show.


Website: JonahBabins.com

Ryan Brown
Nominated by Taylor Martin.
Ryan is an inspiration to the students at his alma mater.  Ryan continues to stretch himself by seeking opportunities to learn with and from world class magicians.  Go Ryan, go!


Website: RyanBrownMagic.com

Greg Frewin
Nominated by Ryan Pilling.
It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of Greg! I've seen his show on a number of occasions and seen him donate his time to the kids at Sorcerers Safari, lending a hand to the magic community (remember the CAM-JAM and the Browser's Bash?), and supporting his local community too.  Thank you Greg!

And as Ryan stated,
"... what I got was a wonderful show with a performer who shared his passion for magic, and playing to a very full house! It was an inspiration to see one of Canada's best magicians still being amazing two decades after I first saw him, and a testament to the hard work and dedication of Greg and his team to have such a well running theatre."


Website: GregFrewinTheatre.com

Carisa Hendrix  (aka Lucy Darling)
Nominated by James Alan.
Carisa is an in demand, multifaceted performer.  In addition to magic, she does beautiful bubble, entertaining sideshow performances, and is a multiple Guinness World Record holder, while also running her own entertainment company.


Carisa is the other reason I've ventured into the world of podcasts.  She (with Kayla Drescher) is breaking ground with Shezam, "the feminist magic podcast that hopes to make itself obsolete."  They are taking on some pretty big issues in the magic world and I look forward to hearing what else they've got to say.

How big a deal is this podcast?  "This podcast is now funded, in part, through support from the Endowment and Development Fund of the International Brotherhood of Magicians."   Well done Carisa!  That's a big deal!


Website: CarisaHendrix.com

Kent Wong
Nominated by Unknown.
I can't improve on the submitted nomination:

"I nominate KENT WONG from Edmonton. He is one of the most giving an talented magicians in Canada and his shows are extremely well written, rehearsed and thought out. His unbelievable attitude to help magicians and people in general is un heard of and he never asks for anything in return. His door is always open for anyone to use. He uses his magic to raise money for charities, feed the homeless, gloves and coffee for the homeless all through magic shows and when he is not doing that he is performing for children at the hospitals. Kent does this while having a family, and a very busy full time job. He knows all aspects of magic, psychology, timing, misdirection and history. I'm glad he is my friend in magic."

Keep up the great work Kent!

Website: KentWongMagic.com

Editor's Choice

Mike Segal   
Nominated by Sam.
That Mike, through Sorcerers Safari Magic Camp, runs the ONLY magical instructional program certified by the Toronto District School Board and the Toronto Public Library is a source of inspiration all on it's own ... there are a lot of hoops to jump through to earn your certification!

But wait! There's more!

Through Sorcerers Safari, Mike has enriched the lives of so many magicians!  Camp alumni include: Nathaniel Rankin, Scott Hammel, Daniel Steep, Sheldon Casavant, Rosemary Reid, Keith Brown, Brad Bond, Ben Train, Alex Seaman, Mark Correia, Chad Juros and the list goes on.  Now think of all of the lives that those people have touched.  That's not counting the army of devoted volunteers he created whose lives were also deeply influenced from the camp experience!  Thank you Mike and keep on keeping on!

From his nomination:
"He inspired a generation of young magicians to turn their hobbies into careers. Magic Mike gave us a space, a special club and to some, a family where we could explore our creativity and expand our knowledge with like-minded people. Magic Mike is not only an amazing mentor but he is also a fantastic performer. Whether he’s teaching a class or performing in front of a huge crowd, he’s always giving 100%. He is known in the magic community for his positive attitude and he will stop at nothing to lend a helping hand. If that doesn’t deserve recognition, I don’t know what does!"


Website: Magic-Mike.com

Readers' Choice

Jeff Christensen
Nominated by Cyril May.

Congratulations to Jeff for winning the 2018 Readers' Choice award!

Keep up your great work with the Celebrate the Child foundation.


Website: MagicalEducator.com

Vote now for the 2018 Readers' Choice award

 

The nominations are closed and voting is now open for the 2018 "Readers' Choice Inspirational Canadian Magician of the Year" award!  Voting will close on Sunday, December the 23rd at 11:59pm EST.

To vote, scroll down to the bottom of this post and participate in the poll.  (Unfortunately, the poll does not appear in the mobile version of the site.)

Let's have a look at the nominees (in no particular order):

James Alan
Nominated by Ben Train.
"In the past year he's helped numerous performers make their acts better, has participated in leadership roles on several major magic projects (including Toronto Magic Company, Ring 17 Hat and Rabbit, Magicana, etc). He's lectured on his original magic, he's supported the community..."

"I could keep going on."


Website: JamesAlan.ca

Jonah Babins 
Nominated by James Alan.
"Magician, podcast host, and neologist. Cofounded the Discourse In Magic Podcast, now with over 130 episodes. Host of The Newest Trick in the Book, Canada’s only open mic magic show."


Website: JonahBabins.com

Ryan Brown
Nominated by Taylor Martin.
"Ryan Wonder Brown is a rising star of magic from the Toronto area. He should be considered for these bragging rites."


Website: RyanBrownMagic.com

Jeff Christensen
Nominated by Cyril May.
"I would like to nominate Vancouver magician Jeff Christensen for using his magic to conjure up a better world.  Jeff has faced loss in his life* but has turned the darkness into light for so many others through his magic and fundraising.  He has raised more than $100,000 for a variety of local and international causes.  He has done this in a variety of ways such as through the sold out charity show “”A Magical Evening” and his foundation, Celebrate the Child (CtC).  CtC has built a school in Kenya, and worked on freshwater in Ecuador. Jeff has gone further to raise money through performances for a health centre in India.  His heart is good and so is his magic.  He received an invitation to attend the very exclusive 4F Close-up Convention….a sort of “Willy Wonka” ticket that every magician would love to get.  Invitation is not random, however, and is generally given in recognition of expert magical skill.  I know Jeff from our learning and work at the McBride Magic & Mystery School.  Jeff received the title of Ambassador from the School this fall at our annual gathering in recognition of his work to further meaningful magic.  Please give him your fullest consideration!"

--
* Jeff lost his six-year old sun, Jonah suddenly and unexpectedly.   In response to this tragedy he created the charity foundation Celebrate the Child and produces/performs an annual show A Magical Evening which has sold out for the past 10 years!  Through these charity shows he has raised more than $100,000 for a variety of local and international causes.

Jeff also also gives back to the magic community through his monthly column Magic is Education which can be found in Vanish Magazine.

In November Jeff was honoured by being invited to share his magical story for 20,000 people at Rogers Arena for WE Day Vancouver!

Website: MagicalEducator.com

Greg Frewin
Nominated by Ryan Pilling.
"In 2018 I was inspired when I saw Greg Frewin at his theatre in Niagara Falls. I was there on a cold day in the off-season. My first visit to Niagara and all I saw was empty streets and mostly closed attractions. On top of it all it was a Wednesday night. I had tickets to the show that night and was expecting the worst... an awkwardly empty house, and a lackluster performance."

"Instead, what I got was a wonderful show with a performer who shared his passion for magic, and playing to a very full house! It was an inspiration to see one of Canada's best magicians still being amazing two decades after I first saw him, and a testament to the hard work and dedication of Greg and his team to have such a well running theatre."

--
Greg also provides support for his local community.  For example, last week he hosted the Good News Breakfast in his theatre.  From Facebook:

"Don't forget that this Friday is the Good News Breakfast. Join us at Greg Frewin Theatre from 7-10am. Come enjoy a free breakfast, world-class entertainment and good news from the community. Donations will be accepted. YourTV will be broadcasting live and streaming it online. Don't miss out on the fun!"

Website: GregFrewinTheatre.com

Carisa Hendrix  (aka Lucy Darling)
Nominated by James Alan.
"Multifaceted magic, bubble and sideshow performer. Co-founder in 2018 of Shezam, the feminist magic podcast* that hopes to make itself obsolete."

--
* Announced on Facebook on November 26th, "This podcast is now funded, in part, through support from the Endowment and Development Fund of the International Brotherhood of Magicians."

Website: CarisaHendrix.com

Mike Segal 
Nominated by Sam.
"He inspired a generation of young magicians to turn their hobbies into careers. Magic Mike gave us a space, a special club and to some, a family where we could explore our creativity and expand our knowledge with like-minded people. Magic Mike is not only an amazing mentor but he is also a fantastic performer. Whether he’s teaching a class or performing in front of a huge crowd, he’s always giving 100%. He is known in the magic community for his positive attitude and he will stop at nothing to lend a helping hand. If that doesn’t deserve recognition, I don’t know what does!"

--
Did you know that now in his post-magic camp days Mike runs the ONLY magical instructional program certified by the Toronto District School Board and the Toronto Public Library?  From Facebook:

"Sorcerers Safari Magic Camp is NOW offering The ART of MAGIC in all school programs (After 4, Artist in Residence, Lunch and Team Building). Sorcerers Safari Magic Camp is THE ONLY magic instructional program certified by the TDSB and TPL. Bring a little MAGIC to your school."

Website: Magic-Mike.com

Kent Wong
Nominated by Unknown.
"I nominate KENT WONG from Edmonton. He is one of the most giving an talented magicians in Canada and his shows are extremely well written, rehearsed and thought out. His unbelievable attitude to help magicians and people in general is un heard of and he never asks for anything in return. His door is always open for anyone to use. He uses his magic to raise money for charities, feed the homeless, gloves and coffee for the homeless all through magic shows and when he is not doing that he is performing for children at the hospitals. Kent does this while having a family, and a very busy full time job. He knows all aspects of magic, psychology, timing, misdirection and history. Im glad he is my friend in magic."

and from another Unknown:
"I too nominate KENT WONG from Edmonton. Kent had a fundraiser for the non profit organization Adarius 4 Autism. He took the time to set it up, and spent the whole day doing shows and donated all the profits. The event raised $1300. All the attendees were very entertained."


Website: KentWongMagic.com


Cast your vote now at Poll Junkie!

Back in time to 1994

I remember Herb Morrissey, back in the mid 1990s, talking about a young man in southern Ontario who was working hard to take the magic world by storm.  He very much did.

Here's a video of the bird act, that he presented at FISM in Yokohama, Japan in 1994.


From the Greg Frewin Theatre's YouTube channel:

Masters of Illusion 2018 (season 5)

I spied Chris Funk, Murray Sawchuk, Billy Kidd, and Greg Frewin.

Who'd I miss?

Masters of Illusion returns for a fifth anniversary season on The CW with two 30-minute episodes airing back to back on Friday, June 29, 2018 at 8:00 p.m./7:00 p.m. Central.


Watch the promo on Chris Funk's Instagram:

@cw_mastersofillusion sizzle reel is out! Enjoy! #magic #wonderist #magician #corporatemagician #internationalmanofwonder

A post shared by The Wonderist (@chrisfunkmagic) on Jun 12, 2018 at 4:24pm PDT

Wild about "Wild Magic"

Through a long and convoluted series of events, I found myself (along with Kidlet, Kidlet's Other Parent (KOP), and Kidlet's Friend (KF)) at Great Wolf Lodge for an overnight stay on Good Friday.  It should come as no surprise that I viewed this as an opportunity to utilize some tickets that were gifted to me to see "Wild Magic" at the Greg Frewin Theatre. (Which reminds me, I owe a now very belated thank you note to the generous ticket gifter.)

Where I was on Good Friday.@GF_Theatre pic.twitter.com/Mq58iIJ7SB

— Canada's Magic (@canadasmagic) May 2, 2018

Tip: Arrive to the theatre as early as you can to ensure good seating (the box office will let you know what time is best).   There's also a photo opportunity next the to lion statues by the front doors.

Note to parents: Bring along some distractions for little ones (such as crayons with paper, playing cards, books, quiet hand-held video games etc.) to help pass the time between arriving for the best seating and show time. 

If you think your child would be scared sitting right up close to the tigers at level one, level two offers an equally good view of the stage along with the sense of a physical barrier between you and the big cats.

Inside the theatre there's some entertainment while you wait.  We watched footage of Greg's tigers when they were adorable cubs.  People had their special occasions celebrated (happy belated birthday Donna, Jason, and Nicholas).  There were also short clips of some of the TV appearances Greg's made.  He's done a tonne of interviews!

My favourite part of the show, three viewings later, is still the illusion involving fire and water.

Here are some random thoughts that came to mind while watching "Wild Magic":

• The show starts strong and keeps getting bigger and better.
• There's a smattering of mentalism and close-up magic to keep things varied, but make no mistake, Greg's large illusions dominate the show!
KF's favourite part of the show: all of the tiger productions.
• There are three large video screens making it easy to see the close-up parts from any seat in the house.
• The show is different enough from the last time we were there, that it felt new to us.
• It made me happy that some of my favourites (for example, the illusion with water and fire) are still in the show. 
• It looked like the show was sold out.  (The house is deep and narrow and particularly good for viewing magic.  I don't think there's a bad seat.)
KOP's favourite illusion: when Greg makes one of his assistants 'dissolve' into a metal plate.
• A good pair of theatre binoculars give you a seat upgrade!
• The show involved newspapers, a parakeet (or was it a macaw?), an invisible deck, artwork, handcuffs, tigers, talented ladies, candles, fire, doves, a dog, tigers, kids, a little bit of Sting, and a little bit of Shania Twain.  And a whistle. (One of Kidlet's favourite parts.)
• Greg even teaches a trick!
Kidlet's favourite illusion, three viewings later:  the one I referred to in 2012 as the "Assistants' Revenge."
• As I've previously noted, how magicians treat audience members is something to which I pay close attention.  For me, one of the things that brought me great joy, was when Greg asked a young boy to come up on stage to help.  They boy said, "no."  Greg didn't miss a beat and went on to find someone else.  I think more kids were interested in helping out after that.  They got the sense that they weren't going to be pressured into doing something they didn't want to do.
• Greg had an eye-popping and ambitious take on sawing a person into halves.  It was hard for me to count 'cause they kept moving things around, but I think that his poor assistant was broken up into 9 segments!
• It is a really physically demanding show.
• Greg and his crew deliver the same level of energy and passion for performing as I first witnessed six years ago!
• The evening was fantastically entertaining! 

All the excitement and entertainment of a Las Vegas show, for a fraction of the cost!
(A deal made even better with the current exchange rate.)

During the intermission I was delighted to spot Sorcerers Safari alumnus Christian Mascia demonstrating magic.  He was doing an excellent job of it too.  He had a crowd gathered that was at least 8 people deep and practically engulfed him.  I'm sure he sold a lot of magic kits for Greg that night!

I should also note that I think I saw Ben up on stage doing what looked like a fabulous job assisting.

After the show we queued up for the photo illusion with tiger Cashmere.  Kidlet and KF had their photo taken.  The adults watched on, secure in the knowledge that the tiger trainer is right there keeping a careful watch at all times.  (And because we were getting two copies of the same photo, one each for Kidlet and KF, the second copy was half price!)

Note: The profits from the photos go to a tiger sanctuary, and to feed hungry tigers. 

After the show (photo or not) you can queue up for an autograph from, a bring-your-own-camera photo with, and have a quick chat with Greg!

If you get the chance, I highly recommend the "VIP backstage tour package add-on."  We experienced the backstage tour in 2016 and it was fabulous

Thank you to John, Alex, Erika, and everyone else involved in making it such a magical evening for my family.  A special thank you to Greg, for his hospitality and for sharing his magical talent!

Who are the top 10 Canadian magicians of all time?

Updated April 3rd at 6pm to add the following nominations:

• Celeste Evans and Reveen The Impossiblist (Reveen Sr.)

Updated March 31st at 9pm to add the following nominations:

• Greg Frewin and Mahdi Gilbert

Updated March 29 at 7am to add the following nominations:

• Billy Kidd, Carisa Hendrix, Joan Caesar, and Julie Eng

Updated March 24 at 10am to add the following nominations:

• Alain Choquette, David Drake, Mickey Hades, and Shin Lim

Updated March 23 at 9am add the following nominations:

• Bob Farmer, Carl Coultier, Francis Martineau, Gary Ouelette, Howard P. Lions, Mel Stover, Romaine, Roy Cotte, Tom Ransom, Tony Eng, Willis Kinney

Updated March 23 at 7am add the following overnight nominations:

• Additional submissions:  Bedros "Spidey" Akkelian, Bill Abbott, Bobby Motta, Dale Harney, Eric Leclerc, Johnny  Giordmaine, Juliana Chen, Leon Mandrake, Sid Lorraine, Stewart James, Ron Leonard, and Vincent C

Updated at 12:15pm to add:

• Additional submissions: Darcy Oake, Luc Langevin, Murray Hatfield, Ross Bertram, Tom Auburn

Updated at 10:15am to add:

• The following names have been submitted for consideration:  Chris Ramsay, Dai Vernon, David Acer, David Ben, Doug Henning, Gary Kurtz, James Randi, Jay Sankey, Martin Nash, Richard Sanders, Shawn Farquhar

Complete list of nominations received (alphabetical by first name):

1. Alain Choquette
2. Bedros "Spidey" Akkelian
3. Bill Abbott
4. Billy Kidd
5. Bob Farmer
6. Bobby Motta
7. Carisa Hendrix
8. Carl Coultier
9. Celeste Evans
10. Chris Ramsay
11. Dai Vernon
12. Dale Harney
    
13. Darcy Oake
14. David Acer 
15. David Ben
16. David Drake
17. Doug Henning
18. Francis Martineau
19. Eric Leclerc
    
20. Gary Kurtz
21. Gary Ouelette
22. Greg Frewin
23. Howard P. Lions
24. James Randi
25. Jay Sankey
26. Joan Caesar
27. Joel Machtinger
28. Johnny Giordmaine
29. Juliana Chen
30. Julie Eng
31. Leon Mandrake
    
32. Luc Langevin
33. Mahdi Gilbert
34. Martin Nash
35. Mel Stover
36. Mickey Hades
37. Murray Hatfield
38. Reveen The Impossiblist (Reveen Sr.)
39. Richard Sanders
40. Romaine
41. Ron Leonard
    
42. Ross Bertram
43. Roy Cotte
44. Shawn Farquhar 
45. Shin Lim
46. Sid Lorraine
47. Stewart James
48. Tom Auburn
49. Tom Ransom
50. Tony Eng
51. Vincent C
52. Willis Kinney

Devon Murphy recently posted the article, "Top Canadian Magicians and the Tricks That Made Them Famous," at the CBC website.  Devon lists seven outstanding magicians (Julie Eng, Dai Vernon,  Doug Henning, Billy Kidd, Mahdi Gilbert, Greg Frewin, and David Ben).  (Of note, two of the seven on that list are recipients of the "Editor's Choice Award" in the Canada's Magic "Readers' Choice Award" festivities.)

Devon's list got me wondering.

Who do you, dear readers, consider to be the top 10 Canadian magicians of all time?

For those of you who don't like to be influenced by the decisions of others, we're going to start with a clean slate and let you choose all ten!

Submit your nominations in the comment form below,* by 11:59PM EDT on Friday April 6th.  You may nominate as many Canadian magicians as you like.  (Number of nominations don't influence the vote.  If you see your choice(s) listed, please refrain from submitting duplicates.)  Voting will open shortly thereafter.  

What say you?  Who are your top (living or dead) Canadian magicians of all time?


--
* or email me.  I'll send a confirmation back to let you know I received your email.

Greg Frewin Theatre: Winner of 2017 Top Performing Arts Award from Attractions Ontario

Do you remember, back in May, when I was bugging you to vote for Greg at Attractions Ontario?  Enough of you did!

Congratulations Greg, et al! Well deserved!

And you can wake up with Greg on Friday the 13th! From the Greg Frewin Theatre Facebook page:

WAKE UP WITH GREG-
 Greg & Nick from the #GregFrewin Theatre LIVE #610AM - round table with #TimDenis tomorrow at 7:30am

From the Greg Frewin Theatre Facebook page:

A note to subscribers: the content of this post is embedded from another website and is not available to preview. To view the content of the post, please visit http://CanadasMagic.blogspot.com. Some of the embedded code may be visible in this notification.

Greg Frewin Theatre: Attractions Ontario finalist

You can vote for Greg at Attractions Ontario.

From the Greg Frewin Theatre Twitter feed:
A note to subscribers: the content of this post is embedded from another website and is not available to preview. To view the content of the post, please visit http://CanadasMagic.blogspot.com. Some of the embedded code may be visible in this notification.

We're a finalist for the 2016 Ontario Choice Award for Top Performing Arts Attraction! Vote here! https://t.co/KbHWqtKBE7 @AttractionsOnt pic.twitter.com/gGr1zvOPn3

— Greg Frewin Theatre (@GF_Theatre) April 26, 2017

Thank you to Greg Frewin for your help with setup.

  

Thank you also to Jeff Hinchliffe, Jonathan Sy, & Luiz Castro.

First mini-talk of the day by professional director, writer, and magician, Rosemary Reid!

Next mini-talk about his personal story of near-death, by Keith Brown.

Greg Frewin on "Penn and Teller Fool Us" Season 3

Watch Greg Frewin's amazing performance on "Penn and Teller Fool Us" Season 3!  (If you think his television performance is breathtaking, I encourage you to see his show live at the Greg Frewin Theatre.)


From the Penn and Teller Fool Us YouTube channel:

A note to subscribers: the content of this post is embedded from another website and is not available to preview. To view the content of the post, please visit http://CanadasMagic.blogspot.com. Some of the embedded code may be visible in this notification.

[Guest post] Can Canada's top mentalists fool Penn and Teller?

The following is a guest post from Clive Court.

-- 
MEET THE EVASONS---THEY READ A LOT OF MINDS IN WASHINGTON, D.C. BUT CAN THEY FOOL PENN AND TELLER?

TORONTO,Ont--(Sept.1)   The Evasons are a Toronto couple who make a good living reading the minds of corporate and political leaders on the U.S. East Coast.

On Wednesday, Sept.7, at 8pm.ET, they will challenge the famous Las Vegas magical duo on Penn and Teller:Fool Us! the popular primetime series on the the CW Network.

Recognized as one of the world's top mentalism acts, The Evasons appear to be part of an emerging trend which is bringing more magical and visual entertainers to primetime TV audiences in the United States.

Network TV series like NBC's America's Got Talent, CW's Masters of Illusion, and Penn and Teller:Fool Us! are introducing a greater number of magical and visual entertainers to North American viewers.  This, in turn, has meant more exposure for Canadian magicians.

Why is this?  Because Canadian magical entertainers are ranked among the best in the world by other nations. The Evasons are known worldwide for their second-sight act where a blindfolded Tessa describes in intimate detail the personal items held up by members of the audience.

Although based in Toronto and Annapolis, Maryland (just outside Washington,DC) Jeff and Tessa are in demand around the world as entertainers for major corporate and international conventions.

Born in Toronto, Jeff met Tessa in the early 80s while hosting a fashion show where she was a model. Tessa was working part-time while studying at Ryerson University. They have been together since 1983.



--

                                 
For further information, photos and video:  Please go to www.evasons.com.

NB.  A great example of a Canadian magician appearing on a US network primetime show was Winnipeg's Darcy Oake introducing guest artists from The Illusionists (on Broadway) on the August 31 edition of America's Got Talent.  Among the other Canadian magicians appearing on US primetime TV this summer were: Shawn Farquhar, Murray SawChuck, and Vitaly Beckman (from Vancouver); Mahdi Gilbert, Neil Croswell, Ryan Joyce, and Matt DiSero (from Toronto); and world-champion magician, Greg Frewin, from Niagara Falls.


~~~~

Thank you Clive for guest posting at Canada's Magic!

Did you catch the Magic Master Summit*?

  

Did you catch any of the presentations in last week's Magic Master Summit?  Try as I might, I didn't get to see them all.  (A big shout out to Kidlet and KOP for their patience with me as I gorged on magic videos.)

If you missed some or all of the free event last week, fear not!  You can purchase a "LIFETIME PASS," and watch the entire event, from beginning to end, over and over, as many times as you like, for less than $6.57 per lecture!  (Dave Womach's even offering up a 100% Money Back Guarantee.)

Get Your LIFETIME ACCESS before August 1, 2016 and Save $100!

All 30+ Lectures, $197 USD.

(After Aug 1, 2016 Price is $297)
 

Some of the videos I watched:

• Rick Thomas (Performance and Personality):  I could have used some of his advice back in my high school days.
• Bill Gladwell (How to make $380,000 / year by "2-walling"):  Interesting contract advice.
• Dr. Joe Vitale (Easy and OUtrageous Marketing Techniques):  Enough said.
• Shawn Farquhar (Making Magic More Memorable):  Are you a tuxedo person, or a coverall person?)
• Chris Randall (Magic and Street Busking):  The video includes instructions on two effects.
• Greg Frewin (The Creative Process):  Greg shared his interesting tactic to get creative time during his cruise performance days.
• Murray SawChuck (Marketing and PR for Entertainers):  Do you agree with Murray's "random call" theory?
• Glen Foster (How to build a HUGE Fanbase):  Don't for get to take advantage of his discount for people who have seen this talk.
• Robert Stephens (Secrets to Six-Figure Strolling Magic):  Fun listening to him describe when things literally hit the fan.
• David Farr and Brad Ross (Internet Marketing and Lead Generation):  Giving away to Magic Master Summit attendees, for FREE, an information package valued at close to $200!)
• Theresa McLean (Secrets to Costuming):  Fun stories and great costuming advice.

Purchase your lifetime access today, before prices go up!

--
* Disclosure: I am a Magic Master Summit Affiliate and I am eligible to make a commission with every sale made using the links posted on this site.

The secret lives of magic tiger cubs

From the Greg Frewin Theatre YouTube channel:

A note to subscribers: the content of this post is embedded from another website and is not available to preview. To view the content of the post, please visit http://CanadasMagic.blogspot.com. Some of the embedded code may be visible in this notification.

Have you registered for the 2016 Magic Master Summit*?

  

Updated November 2017 to add:

• Register for the 2017 Magic Master Summit!

Back in May, I shared with you information about the 2016 Magic Master Summit, a FREE online magic convention featuring more than 30 presentations, from more than 24 experts, totaling more than 50 hours of incredible secrets!

Did I mention, it's completely FREE, July 18-22, 2016?

Here's the tentative schedule:

Monday - July 18, 2016

• Rick Thomas

• Brad Ross

• Dan Sperry

• Bill Gladwell

• JC Sum

Tuesday - July 19, 2016

• Shawn Farquhar

• Dr. Joe Vitale

• Kristoffer Olson

• Justino Zoppe

• Chris and Neal

• Chris Randall

• Jim Gravina

Wednesday - July 20, 2016

• Greg Frewin

• Murray SawChuck

• David DaVinci

• Steven Yerardi

• JC Sum

• Glen Foster

Thursday - July 21, 2016

• Reza

• Josh Knotts

• Brad Ross

• David Farr

• Stacey Smithson

Friday - July 22, 2016

• Josh Knotts

• Wacky Chad

• Ken Weber

• Kyle Knight and Mistie

• Justino Zoppe

From what I understand, the sessions are each free for 24 hours, then after that if you want to purchase access to them, you'll have the ability to go back to review them.

What are you waiting for?  Register at Magic Master Summit today!



--
* Disclosure: I am a Magic Master Summit Affiliate and I am eligible to make a commission with every sale made using the links posted on this site.

Greg Frewin on "The Peet & Reet Show"

While we're on the topic of Greg Frewin, have a look at his recent appearance on "The Peet & Reet Show."

From The Peet & Reet Show YouTube channel:

A note to subscribers: the content of this post is embedded from another website and is not available to preview. To view the content of the post, please visit http://CanadasMagic.blogspot.com. Some of the embedded code may be visible in this notification.

Grand champion magician honoured at the 2016 Academy of Magical Arts awards

As a follow-up to this post, read the official press release from the Greg Frewin Theatre:

Hollywood, California - May 16th, 2016 EST - The Academy of Magical Arts delightfully announced Greg Frewin as the 2015 recipient of the Performing Fellowship Award. Established in 1968, the award recognizes outstanding achievement and significant contribution to the performance art of magic.  Frewin is the 2nd Canadian in the Academy’s history to have won this award.

"We were honored to bestow Greg with the Performing Fellowship for his great work in his Niagara Falls theatre," commented Academy of Magical Arts President, Randy Sinnott. “Greg has done a tremendous job advancing the Art, and with his creativity and energy and his year round/full-evening show has created a positive image of magic for the thousands that have seen him perform."

Frewin performs nightly at his own theatre in Niagara Falls, Ontario. He and his long-running production have become one of magic's great destinations in the world.

Previous to owning and running his own theatre in Canada, Frewin appeared on stages all over the world, including Caesars Palace, Tropicana and Flamingo Hilton in Las Vegas, Showboat in Atlantic City, Crystal Palace Casino in Nassau, Bahamas, the fabulous Genting Resort in Malaysia, Kaula Lumpur, Malaysia. He has also appeared on over 35 television programs, including NBC's World's Greatest Magic, ABC's Champions of Magic, CW's Masters of Illusion, and his own three-part CBC special Magic Man: Home for the Holidays.

"It's a great honour to be singled out by the Academy of Magical Arts & Magic Castle," Frewin remarked after learning of the award. "Bringing the prestigious fellowship home to Canada means so much to me, my family, and those who share my vision at the theatre. Moreover, I feel extra special to win because world renowned Illusionist Doug Henning, my childhood hero, is the only other Canadian to ever win this award. I'm in excellent company!"

"Greg Frewin's influence on magic is deep and broad," said Vittoria Wikston, the General Manager of the Greg Frewin Theatre. “He performs nightly entertaining thousands of people from different walks of life, all while creating lifelong devotees of magic in the process. Additionally, Frewin tirelessly demonstrates that if you keep focused, committed and true to yourself then you will attain your dreams. Now that's real magic!"

Among Frewin's awards are 'Magician of The Year' from the World Magic Awards, First Place in the International Brotherhood of Magicians (IBM) competition of professional magicians, The Gold Medal of Excellence, First Place at the Society of American Magicians (SAM) annual magic convention competition, and First Place at FISM, the Olympics of magic.

Driven by the promotion and development of the art of magic, The Academy of Magical Arts is the proud founder of the Performance Fellowship award. Since its inception almost fifty years ago, the AMA has continually been a passionate advocate for the magical arts.

###

For more information about the magic of Greg Frewin visit the official website:
www.gregfrewintheatre.com
 

And from the Greg Frewin Theatre Twitter feed:

So proud to be the 2nd #Canadian ever to win an @AMA_Magic Performing Fellowship Award! #niagarafalls #theatre pic.twitter.com/LSxD9PFPnk

— Greg Frewin Theatre (@GF_Theatre) June 15, 2016