Santa Rosa: Joe Culpepper's "Enchantments" [Feb 17, 2024]

Updated October 18th to add:

• Link to post announcing rescheduled date.
   

 

From the September 27th post by Joe Culpepper:

I'm so excited to be performing my Enchantments magic show on October 21st at 2PM and 8PM in Santa Rosa, California. Tickets are on sale now at the link at the bottom of this poster or by scanning its QR code.

 

 

I'm so excited to be performing my Enchantments magic show on October 21st at 2PM and 8PM in Santa Rosa, California. Tickets are on sale now at the link at the bottom of this poster or by scanning its QR code. pic.twitter.com/L28S2VpHD7

— Joe Culpepper (@joeculpepper) September 27, 2023

 

 

Toronto: Joe Culpepper at The Magic Table at FADO [Sep 24]

From the September 22nd Tweet by Joe Culpepper:

I've arrived in Toronto to perform "The Magic Table" for FADO's On the Table / Off the Table series! It's so much fun to collaborate w/Marcin Kedzior again and to be back in town. More info and free ticket registration at this link:
http://joeculpepper.com/the-magic-table-at-fado-in-toronto-24-september-2022/

 

I've arrived in Toronto to perform "The Magic Table" for FADO's On the Table / Off the Table series! It's so much fun to collaborate w/Marcin Kedzior again and to be back in town. More info and free ticket registration at this link: https://t.co/kJDs9g4lGu pic.twitter.com/pNKuE0UHzP

— Joe Culpepper (@joeculpepper) September 22, 2022

 

 

Sebastopol: Joe Culpepper's Magic Design Workshop [Aug 13]

From the July 30th Instagram post by Joe Culpepper:

Excited to be teaching this Magic Design Workshop on August 13th in Sebastopol, CA. Learn optical illusions and how to add magic effects to your own artistic projects: https://tinyurl.com/yd2kdaa5

 

 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Dr. Joe Culpepper (@joeculpepper)

 

 

 

 

Joe Culpepper: Magic Languages at Concordia University

From the August 31st blog post at JoeCulpepper.com:

“Engl 398 — Magic Languages: Written, Oral and Visual Traditions of Conjuring” is open for registration at Concordia University’s department of English.

This special topics course examines how individuals express and experience magic through various storytelling media. Texts related to conjuring by Reginald Scot, Shakespeare, Jean-Eugène Robert-Houdin, Adelaide Herrmann, Jorge Luis Borges and others will be explored with conceptual tools from theories of adaptation, postcolonialism, cinema studies and performance studies. A special emphasis will be placed on the so-called Golden Age of stage conjuring in the West (1880-1930) and how scientific technologies, exoticism, and colonialism from that period are at once present and questioned by contemporary performance today.

Read more.

First magic performance in Canada?

Updated August 6th to add this find by Lee Asher:

• James Rannie performed in Canada as early as 1804.
  

  UPDATE: New contender for #Canada's 1st western conjurer.@David_Acer @mullins_bill @canadasmagic @joeculpepper (I x2 checked!)
  
  James Rannie performed in Canada as early as 1804. (Source: Richard Potter: By John A. Hodgson)https://t.co/z0PqnBwUMd and https://t.co/pHx2kks3lS pic.twitter.com/Nb3F6MMWPD

  — Lee Asher (@LeeAsherMagic) August 5, 2020

Updated at 8:45am to add this find by Joe Culpepper:

• Falconi, one of Canada's earliest stage conjuring shows: https://t.co/l5aQpsNSfj @LeeAsherMagic @mullins_bill @canadasmagic

  — Joe Culpepper (@joeculpepper) July 29, 2020

--

Lee Asher asked an interesting question on Twitter Monday morning.

What is the name of the first magician to perform in Canada?

Was it Maginnis (circa 1875) as reported in The Canadian Encyclopedia?

Technically it could be yes, as The Dominion of Canada was officially born on July 1, 1867.  But lets expand the question to the first magician to perform in what is now considered Canada.

Was it MacAlister performing in Montreal in 1854 as shown by this clipping in the Ottawa Daily Citizen?

Trying to unearth the name of the 1st #magician to #perform in #Canada.

Some believe it's Maginnis (circa 1875). This isn't correct.

Here's a clipping from the Ottawa Daily Citizen (Sep. 16th, 1854) talking about an Irishman performing in #Montreal named Magician MacAlister. pic.twitter.com/qd9a78tLLW

— Lee Asher (@LeeAsherMagic) July 27, 2020

No.

How about Philippe in Quebec City September 30th in 1846?

Mes amis . . . they were preceded by Philippe in Quebec City, 1846 pic.twitter.com/rqtU1qsHiG

— Joe Culpepper (@joeculpepper) July 27, 2020

Wrong again.

From an Ottawa Daily Citizen article published on May 22nd in 1852, discussion a performance by a Signor Blitz:

He was preceded by Signor Blitz: Ottawa Daily Citizen, 5/22/1852 pic.twitter.com/PAMwdJa8V3

— Bill Mullins (@mullins_bill) July 27, 2020

Based on your find, I went back to reference your Blitz credit in the Ottawa Daily Citizen. While I have access to that issue, I cannot find it. Would you be kind enough to share a link with me? Thank U, in advance. :)

BTW, I found this. Blitz's official announcement. 1wk later. pic.twitter.com/e8pq25CW27

— Lee Asher (@LeeAsherMagic) July 27, 2020

https://t.co/hZ8y2EMaDv

(note -- the earlier ones I just posted are from https://t.co/4ORSVKypUv)

— Bill Mullins (@mullins_bill) July 27, 2020

So far the earliest named and documented magic performance in what is now Canada, goes to Mons. Desage, as referenced in the Kingston Chronicle and Gazette December 30 1835.

And finally (and I don't think I'll antedate this one, so maybe he will end up with credit as the earliest)
Desage, from the Kingston Chronicle and Gazette Dec 30 1835 pic.twitter.com/Kyhby00Gal

— Bill Mullins (@mullins_bill) July 27, 2020

Desage, from Paris, is a great find. I'd never heard of him. Looks like he did a little Canadian tour. Here's a review from his show in Quebec City a few months after Kingston: pic.twitter.com/yR3pllgoRG

— Joe Culpepper (@joeculpepper) July 28, 2020

There's evidence of an unnamed woman doing magic in Kingston in 1835!

Here's an unnamed woman doing magic in 1835, in the Kingston Chronicle and Gazette 17 Oct 1835. Wish it had more detail. pic.twitter.com/XkgP14na3p

— Bill Mullins (@mullins_bill) July 27, 2020

And ventriloquists too.

Do Ventriloquists count? If so, a performance by Mr. White (Kingston Chronicle May 26 1832) may be the first. pic.twitter.com/gGezsEWD4S

— Bill Mullins (@mullins_bill) July 27, 2020

People were complaining about magicians as early as the January 21st 1805 edition of the Quebec Mercury:

Here is a lovely letter to the editor of the Quebec Mercury on 21 Jan 1805 complaining about various magicians (no names) performing in Montreal: pic.twitter.com/9irkemPN2h

— Joe Culpepper (@joeculpepper) July 28, 2020

A final very important note from Joe Culpepper:

We should add that earlier than 1805, we have at least 1,806 years during which we might find evidence of illusions performed by indigenous magicians in Canada: https://t.co/9GPQXTMJ5J

— Joe Culpepper (@joeculpepper) July 28, 2020

With thanks to Lee Asher for asking this question and Bill Mullins and Joe Culpepper for their hard work and sharing their findings!

McCord’s Camp ABRACADABRA

From Joe Culpepper:

It’s not the magician who teaches the children. It’s the children who teach the magician.

I had a great time working with the McCord Museum’s education team to teach over 100 different mini-Montrealers how to perform magic onstage this summer as part of their ABRACADABRA camps.* This series of week-long summer camps was inspired by the ILLUSIONS exhibition. The exhibition contains beautiful chromolithograph posters from the Allan Slaight collection acquired with help from the Emmanuelle Gattuso Foundation. Each week, the ABRACADABRA kids took a tour of this magnificent collection as part of their discovery of Montreal’s entertainment history. They then worked with me and their camp counselors (Skippy, Scala, Echo, Stein and Marc-André) to learn a new effect or two each day as preparation for their “Grand Spectacle” at the end of the week. As part of preparing for this big show for their friends and family, they learned fine motor skills, creative brainstorming techniques, performance vocabulary, public speaking skills and how to interact with audience members onstage.
Read more.

McCord Museum: Magic, music, and dance

From Perfect Magic:

If you haven’t been to the McCord Museum this summer it’s worth going to. Not your usual museum exhibition. It’s called ILLUSIONS – The Art of Magic and Luc Langevin is the ambassador of the exhibit. It’s the Allan Slaight collection, which was acquired by the McCord with the help of the Emmanuelle Gattuso Foundation.  A tip of the Top Hat to the people who designed it.. Phil and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

We were invited by magician Dr. Joe Culpepper, magician, scholar, consultant and friend and customer of Perfect Magic. Before the guided tour, we were treated to a magic show, in a lovely little theatre there, given by the young students, who attended the McCord Museum Camp, Abracadabra, who were guided and taught by Joe and the counsellors. The kids did a great job and they all knew how to take a bow when the applause came.

So what’s the link between magic and music?

Read more.

Montreal: Masters of Spectacular 5

From the Masters of Spectacular 5 Facebook event:

11 June
Dollar Cinema




A family friendly stage show featuring magic, illusion, juggling, comedy & more!
Hosted by Ozzie E. 
Featuring:

• Jason Acoca
• Jason Hatrick
• Magician Rory Elias
• Magician Jacob Koffler
• Joshua Clarke
• with headliner Joe Culpepper

More acts to be added!!!

Houdini and Doyle: World of Wonders

You may already know that "Houdini and Doyle: World of Wonders" launched earlier this month.  But were you aware of the Canadian connections?

• Joe Culpepper was a magic consultant for the series.
• Lawrence Larouche demonstrates a water tank escape.
• Nicholas Wallace holds a seance.
• Lucas Wilson demonstrates a suspended straitjacket escape.
• Scott Hammell demonstrates needles and mesmer.
• Other episodes include Nathan Kranzo, Banachek, and James Reese.

According to Joe, "The goal of the web series was to share some magic history and practical demonstrations inspired by the real-life relationship of Harry Houdini and Arthur Conan Doyle."

How well do you think they did?

Joe Culpepper in Montreal and Toronto

Joe Culpepper will be:

• At McGill giving a Visiting Scholar Lecture, Friday, March 13 at 2PM, Redpath Museum (auditorium) at McGill, 859 Sherbrooke West
• In Toronto on  Sunday, March 22nd giving a workshop with fellow Ars Mechanica members called "Adapting Magic Effects for Contemporary Performance."

Report: David Kaplan and Buster Keaton

From Joe Culpepper:

Last night I attended my first magic lecture since moving to Montréal. David Kaplan, also known as The Great Kaplan, shared some tips, tricks, and stunts from his professional repertoire.

Since I’m in this city to research the relationship between magic and other circus disciplines, I enjoyed hearing Kaplan’s thoughts on variety material. He performed a version of the torn and restored newspaper for us that ends with a giant, over-sized newspaper that he gets tangled up in. The inspiration for this piece came from a Buster Keaton film

Read more.

Toronto: Magical Mystery Cabaret

From the Magical Mystery Cabaret Facebook page:

Thursday July 25

Come out for a cool evening of entertainment with Vojin Vasovic, Natalie Mathieson, Sasha Kovacs, Joe Culpepper (aka Ars Mechanica) and friends at the Reposado Tequila Bar.

Drink a cold "cerveza" with us as we raise funds, raffle off prizes and sell early tickets for our upcoming Summerworks production "Show and Tell Alexander Bell" www.arsmechanicatheatre.com

What will happen at this party? Who knows?!
It's impossible to predict a magical mystery cabaret!

Read more.

Toronto: Joe Culpepper’s Exits and Entrances at the New Gendai Workstation

From The Toronto Review of Books:

In his performance art–magic act Exits and Entrances, performed Friday 25 November at New Gendai Workstation, Joe Culpepper explored thresholds as places of illusion—“liminal boundaries,” he notes, “that separate the inside from the outside; the interior from the exterior.” Thresholds are also boundaries that invite us to cross over; they mark a space between, even as they reveal what lies just beyond.

~~~

The gallery will be exhibiting the aftermath of the performance space as an installation from 13 December to 17 December (11.00AM to 6.00PM).  Footage of Exits and Entrances will be projected onto the gallery walls for any visitors who wish to see a recording of the event while standing in its traces and remnants.  New Gendai Workstation is an open gallery and there is no cost for admission.

Read more.

Gazzo interviewed by Joe Culpepper

From The Magic Broadcast:

“Streets is a lifestyle,” says Gazzo. And he should know.

Garry Osborne has been busking as a magician in Britain, North America, and all over the world since he was fifteen. Join me, Joe Culpepper, in episode two of the Culpepper Cast as I catch up with him at Toronto’s recent Buskerfest (August 2011).

Read more and listen to the interview.

Toronto: Show and Tell Alexander Bell

From the Facebook page:

October 20th, 21st, 22nd , 8 pm, $10
October 23rd 2pm PWYC

SHOW AND TELL ALEXANDER BELL
(postdramatic performance)

Created by Vojin Vasovic, Natalie Mathieson, Sasha Kovacs, Myrto Koumarianos and Joe Culpepper

A surreal exploration of the famous inventor Alexander Graham Bell. Living with a mother and wife who both lost their sense of hearing at an early age, this Canadian star creates a device to fulfill his dreams of communication with the ones he loves.

Read more.