Random thoughts about Keith Brown's show "110% Wizard" at the Toronto Fringe

  110% Wizard  

• Tickets:  
  https://fringetoronto.com/fringe/show/110-wizard

 

 Yesterday, we ventured to the Aki Studio in Toronto.

• This was our first visit to this theatre which is located in the Daniels Spectrum building.  According to the Aki Studio website, they are fully accessible for both patrons and performers.
• The theatre is a cozy space, with a capacity of 120 seats (with raked seating).  The seating goes about 6 rows deep.  Every seat has a great view of the action and Keith has cameras setup to make the small details clearly visible to all.  There are seats reserved in the front row, for audience members who have accessibility issues.
• The theatre is air-conditioned (very welcome with the current heat wave).
• The show is approximately an hour in length, with no intermissions.

Pre-show: 

Keith is Fringe veteran.  (He mentioned that this was his 60th (!!) Fringe festival.)  He hosts a pre-show segment designed to make the audience feel at ease. In it he discusses:

• audience participation and what to do if you don't feel comfortable volunteering (this is the first time we can remember a performer proactively giving the audience a method by which they can decline volunteering), and
• what it means to be in his 'relaxed performance' show (sensory friendly, house-lights on the majority of the time, in and out privileges, etc). 

It's also worth noting that Keith made this showing a Pay What You Can performance, in the hopes of making live shows more accessible to everyone.

On with the show: 

• In a theatre this size, you get a good view from every seat.  (Especially with the camera's Keith has setup.)
• The show was nearly, if not completely sold out.  
• As Keith mentioned in his interview, 110% Wizard is a brand new show.
• Without giving too much away, the show did involve gift bags, money, cards, cell phone (audience supplied), luggage tags, water fowl, drinks, and family photos (his).
• There is plenty of audience participation.  By our count there were well over dozen volunteers (including one not even at the show)!
• The show is very family friendly and kept the children in the audience engaged. 
• Keith shared with us, what is was like working his first ever cruise contract earlier this year.  He punctuated his tales with effects that directly related to his experiences. 
• In his interview with us Keith mentioned a trick that fools magicians.  He said, "they think it's a trick they've seen before until it isn't."  We were very much fooled!
• If you've seen one of Keith's shows, you'll know that he's an expert at making lemonade out of the lemons he is dealt.  We're happy to that he continues to do so in 110% Wizard!

 

"110% Wizard" 

is a very refreshing lemonade! 

  Merch   

Cards, stickers, buttons, and ducks are available for purchase after the show, with a portion of the sales going to the Native Earth Performing Arts & Aki Studio.

• 100% Wizard custom playing cards (designed by Brendan Hong and exclusively available at Fringe shows),
• Sticker sheet featuring artwork from the 100% Wizard deck,
• Buttons, and
• Ducks. 

 

Don't just take our word for it, read what the press at the Orlando Fringe had to say about this show: 

• From the May 18th article "Review: HIGHER THAN RAINBOWS, 110% WIZARD, and YOUNGER US at The Orlando Fringe Festival" by Benoit Teves at Broadway World:
  Fortunately, the cruise ship staff gathered enough miscellaneous items for Brown to cobble together a performance of basic yet dazzling illusions, a few of which still grace the Orlando stage this go-round.
  Read more.
  
  
• From the May 13th article "Orlando Fringe 2026 review: ‘110% Wizard’" by Seth Kubersky at Orlando Weekly:
  If you have any doubts that Orlando Fringe changes lives, look no further than illusionist Keith Brown. A fixture of the Festival for over a decade, Brown landed an agent as a result of his 2024 show here, and is now an in-demand guest artist aboard Norwegian and Virgin cruise ships. 
  Read more.
  
  
• From the May 15th article "2026 Orlando Fringe Review: 110% Wizard" by Jimbo Wood at Orlando Shine:
  Brown, a familiar face to Orlando Fringe audiences and a three-time Critic’s Choice winner for Best Magic Show, returns with what he jokingly describes as the “same wizard, now 10% better.” The framing device for this year’s show centers around a cruise ship residency thrown into chaos after an airline loses the costumes and props intended for the run.
  Read more.

 

 

For more information about the Toronto Fringe, visit FringeToronto.com

 

  110% Wizard  

• Tickets:  
  https://fringetoronto.com/fringe/show/110-wizard

 

For more information about Keith Brown, visit his website at AbsoluteMagic.ca and follow him on Facebook and Instagram.

 

From the July 4th Instagram post by Canada's Magic (photos taken with permission): 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Canadas Magic (@canadasmagicdotcom)

 

 

 

 

Toronto: Magic at The Toronto Fringe [Jun 30 - Jul 12]

Updated June 29th to add:

•  On June 28th, James was interviewed by Donna G on CIUT’s The More the Merrier to talk about Mysteries and Lies.  Learn more about it at the June 29th post, The More the Merrier, at James Alan's blog.

-- 

The Toronto Fringe (June 30 - July 12) is fast approaching!    

 

  Tickets:   

• James Alan's Mysteries and Lies:  
  https://fringetoronto.com/fringe/show/mysteries-and-lies
  
  
• Keith Brown's 110% Wizard:
  https://fringetoronto.com/fringe/show/110-wizard

 

 

Here's what we know about the shows: 

• James Alan's Mysteries and Lies 
  
  • Watch James' June 3rd appearance on CP 24 
    
    
  • Listen to David Peck interview James in the June 19th podcast "Truth, Technology & the Art of Deception" episode 634 of Face2Face, where "They talk about creativity, philosophical issues surrounding truth, illusion and lived experience and explore the intersection of magic, AI, and technology and how their performance challenges perceptions of reality."
    
    
  • From the June 3rd post "Fringe Five 2026" from Stage Door Dialogues: 
    There are forty-five seats per performance. And we decided to take advantage of that intimacy to get up close and personal with the audience. Inspired by magicians from Spain and Argentina, we have members of the audience on stage the entire show. They make the magic happen as much as I do. We’re giving up a lot of control and a lot of certainty. It also means each show will be different and anything can happen. 
    Read more.
    
    
  • From the June 18th post "Toronto Fringe Festival 2026" by YoungW:
    We’re interested in building work that crosses boundaries: theatre, mystery, storytelling, magic, literature, and old-fashioned showmanship. We want to make live events that feel rare – the kind of thing you had to be there for.
    Read more.
    
    
  • And our interview with James  
  
  

 

• Keith Brown's 110% Wizard  
  • From the May 18th article "Review: HIGHER THAN RAINBOWS, 110% WIZARD, and YOUNGER US at The Orlando Fringe Festival" by Benoit Teves at Broadway World:
    Fortunately, the cruise ship staff gathered enough miscellaneous items for Brown to cobble together a performance of basic yet dazzling illusions, a few of which still grace the Orlando stage this go-round.
    Read more.
    
    
  • From the May 13th article "Orlando Fringe 2026 review: ‘110% Wizard’" by Seth Kubersky at Orlando Weekly:
    If you have any doubts that Orlando Fringe changes lives, look no further than illusionist Keith Brown. A fixture of the Festival for over a decade, Brown landed an agent as a result of his 2024 show here, and is now an in-demand guest artist aboard Norwegian and Virgin cruise ships. 
    Read more.
    
    
  • From the May 15th article "2026 Orlando Fringe Review: 110% Wizard" by Jimbo Wood at Orlando Shine:
    Brown, a familiar face to Orlando Fringe audiences and a three-time Critic’s Choice winner for Best Magic Show, returns with what he jokingly describes as the “same wizard, now 10% better.” The framing device for this year’s show centers around a cruise ship residency thrown into chaos after an airline loses the costumes and props intended for the run.
    Read more.
    
    
    
  • And our interview with Keith  

 

For more information about the Toronto Fringe, visit FringeToronto.com

 

  Tickets:   

• James Alan's Mysteries and Lies:  
  https://fringetoronto.com/fringe/show/mysteries-and-lies
  
  
• Keith Brown's 110% Wizard:
  https://fringetoronto.com/fringe/show/110-wizard

 

 

 

 

 

Checking in with Keith Brown's show 110% Wizard at The Toronto Fringe

The Toronto Fringe (June 30 - July 12) is fast approaching!  

Keith Brown kindly agreed to answer some of our questions ahead of his upcoming show 110% Wizard at The Toronto Fringe.

 

 

  

 

What is your first memory of magic?

My first memory of magic is probably David Blaine's first special. I was 6 years old when it came out. It inspired my brother and me to learn tricks. I can vividly remember my brother making a card appear on the other side of a window in our front room. Not only did I want to know, I needed to know.

 

 

How long have you been performing professionally?

When I was 13, I was offered money to perform in a bar, and I never looked back. 

 

 

Why is now the right time for you to be at the Fringe?

I am working on a new show that's more storytelling based. I focus on my recent experience as a cruise ship magician. I am breaking in new material as well as some very old material. It's interesting to me to revisit a piece that I haven't touched in a decade and breathe new life into it.

I normally compare the fringe circuit to building a house. First you need to lay the foundation, which is what I did in Orlando. We learnt a lot in the first run and now have the opportunity to make bigger changes. We will build the house up and refine the insides all summer. 

 

 

How, if at all, does this show differ from your previous shows?

This show is more story based. In the past, I would be doing a magic show and then it would be story time. The story almost always leads into a trick and then I go back to doing magic. This show is more thematic, has a through line and more stories woven into the show from start to finish. It feels better crafted than some of my previous shows.



 

 

When did you start writing and preparing for this show?

In January I worked my first ever cruise contract. I wanted to use my time on the ship to develop a new show, but I didn't really have the opportunity given the circumstances. Fringe snuck up on me. They say to write about what you know, so I wrote about my experiences working the ships.

It's always scary putting new material in front of an audience, whether it's a trick or a story. You never know how they're going to respond to it, or if it's any good until you put it in front of people. After performing it in Orlando, the stories really resonated with the audience. It's also very rewarding to discover the moments when presenting it for the first time. I have a pretty good road map of how to get from A to B, but I never truly know what moments and opportunities the audience will serve me during a performance. It's my job to listen and respond accordingly. It's their input that always makes the show better than what I could have made by myself.
 



 

Will you tease an effect or two for us?

The first card trick in the show is something I am revisiting after 8+ years. When I first started performing it, many magicians came up to me after the show and told me it fooled them. I never considered it a "magician fooler" per se, but I realized it's because they think it's a trick they've seen before until it isn't. 

 

 

 

 

Is there anything else you’d like to share with the readers of Canada’s Magic?

For the last year and half, I have been working with Brendan Hong to design my very own deck of playing cards. The first run was printed with Shuffled Ink and I got my hands on them in May. For now, the cards are available exclusively at my shows. I am super proud of the cards and it's a really great feeling to be able to perform with them every night. 



 

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

For more information about the Toronto Fringe, visit FringeToronto.com

 

  110% Wizard  

• Tickets:  
  https://fringetoronto.com/fringe/show/110-wizard

 

 

For more information about Keith Brown, visit his website at AbsoluteMagic.ca and follow him on Facebook and Instagram. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edmonton: Magic at the Edmonton Fringe [Aug 14 – 24]

For more information and to buy tickets, visit the Edmonton Fringe website.   

• 100% Wizard - Keith Brown 
• The Illusionary Magic of Sitruc James - Sitruc James
• Magic Dropout - Rob Teszka 
• Oz - Jordan Rooks 
  
  
• Outdoor performance - Jay Flair

 

From the August 3rd Facebook post by Jay Flair:

 

 

 

 

Toronto: Fish Tales and 100% Wizard at the Toronto Fringe [Jul 2 -12]

Tickets for Rob Fishbaum's Fish Tales and Keith Brown's 100% Wizard* at the Toronto Fringe. 

* 100% Wizard also has a show on July 13th.

 

From the June 3rd Instagram post by Rob Fishbaum:
 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Fish The Magish 🐠🎩 (@fishthemagish)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Orlando, Ottawa, Toronto, Winnipeg, Edmonton, Vancouver: 100% Wizard - Fringe tour [May through Sep]

Tickets at https://a.tixlink.co/wizard

 

From the May 14th Facebook post by Keith Brown:

100% Wizard will be touring to:

• Orlando Fringe May 14-26
• Ottawa Fringe June 12 -22
• The Toronto Fringe July 2-13
• Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival July 16-27
• Edmonton Fringe Theatre August 14-24
• Vancouver Fringe September 4-14

 

 

 

Previously shared on Facebook May 14.

 

 

 

 

 

London: Keith Brown and Friends [Mar 22]

Tickets at Family Service Thames Valley.

 

From the February 7th Instagram post by Family Service Thames Valley:

Don’t miss out on Keith Brown & Friends - an evening of mind-blowing magic for a great cause!✨

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Family Service Thames Valley (@familyservicethamesvalley)

 

 

 

Scotland: Keith Brown and Graemazing [Oct 25]

Tickets at Flux Brews.

 

From the October 21st Instagram post by Keith Brown:

This Friday, I'll be at @fluxbrews with @graemazing

Join us for beer and magic 🪄✨

 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Keith Brown (@keithhbrown)

 

 

 

Orlando: At the Table with Keith Brown [May 16 - 26]

Tickets at the Orlando Fringe box office:

 

From the May 8th Instagram post by Keith Brown:

Wanna get blown away?!? Make sure to get your tickets to see my new show, 'At the Table with Keith Brown' coming to the @OrlandoFringe Silver Venue. Get your tickets at tixlink.co/table

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Keith Brown (@keithhbrown)

 

 

 

 

London: Keith Brown and Friends (Graemazing and Paul Hutcheson) [Mar 16]

Tickets at Eventbrite.

 

Learn more about Graeme at GraemeReedMagic.com, Paul at canuckhutch.com, and Keith at instagram.com/keithhbrown.

 

From the February 13th Facebook post by Keith Brown:

Buy tickets today (Tues) or tomorrow (Wed) to be entered into a draw for $50 Downtown Dollars!

 

 

 

 

 

Highgate: Absolute Magic with Keith Brown [Jan 20]

Tickests at MaryWebbCentre.ca 

 

From the December 21st Instagram post by Keith Brown:

ABSOLUTE MAGIC with Keith Brown coming to The Mary Webb Centre For The Arts, Saturday, January 20, 2024 at 8 PM

Critics are saying: "Real deal magician, and wonderful storyteller", "5 Stars!", Magic Done Right", "MIND-BENDING, MIND BOGGLING and MIND-BLOWING".

Get your tickets now at marywebbcentre.ca or through link in my bio. Or at our local vendors: Mittons in Ridgetown, Treasures on Talbot in Blenheim and GraveDiggerz' Variety & Restaurant in Highgate.

 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Keith Brown (@keithhbrown)

 

 

 

Toronto: Eldritch Theatre 2023/4 season announced

From the September 22nd Facebook post by Keith Brown:

Absolute Magic plays the Red Sandcastle Theatre October 10-15.

Award-winning magic and storytelling.

Family friendly. All ages.

https://bit.ly/SandcastleOct

 

From the Eldritch Theatre:

• October 25th to November 5th
  Doc Wuthergloom’s Here There Be Monsters
  "Each tale is a fearful warning from the Goblin Universe, wrapped in impossible feats of magic that will warp your very sense of reality! But never fear! Doc Wuthergloom can save you, if only you purchase his Field Guide to Monsters! Step right up and be terrified and amazed! There’s room for one more! Recommended for those with mature and jaded hearts."
  
  
• February 8th to 18th, 2024
  MacBeth: A Tale Told By An Idiot
  
  
• April 11th to 24th, 2024
  The House at Poe Corner
  
  
• Various dates TBA
  
• Eldritch Horrors: Plays from the Tombs

Dear Boss

The Babysitter

Zombocalypse!

Read more and buy tickets.

 

 

 

The Legacy of Sorcerers Safari - part 4

Recap (click to show | hide)

From Part 1 of the series:

In lieu of a physical reunion bringing together past campers and staff, Canada’s Magic is hosting a virtual reunion of sorts.  We’ve reached out to the Sorcerers Safari community with a dozen or so questions to help bring us up to date on what everyone has been up to since our magic camp days.

If you completed our survey, keep your eyes peeled for your segment!  

If you would like to participate but haven’t filled out the survey, there’s still time.  The survey can be found here:  https://forms.gle/umg77yj9QxUzfpm76

Thank you to all that contributed!

 

Mike, Jen, Sorcerers Safari staff, and alumni, this series is for you.

 

<<  part 3  |  part 5 >>

 

Part 4 features:  an in depth look with Keith Brown.  [Catch Keith at the Edmonton Fringe, Aug 17 - 27.]

 

  Keith Brown  

Professional magician, AbsoluteMagic.ca

Attended camp as:

• a camper (2006 - 2007), 
• counsellor in training (CIT) (2008 - 2009), and 
• counsellor (2010 - 2013). 
  (He started going on tour in 2014 and missed the final three years.)

Since his time at camp Keith:

• Did a local London TV spot and with a trick he learned at magic camp. (He used this opportunity to also promote Sorcerers Safari.  Once done, while getting lunch, he opened Facebook and the first post he saw was the announcement about closing camp.) 
• Graduated university with a double major in Dramatic Arts and Communications, Media & Film.
• Gave a TEDx Talk on the Magic of Thinking
  

• Toured every year since graduating. Participated in 40+ festivals around the world.  At Fringe Festivals Keith often receives honour such as Producer's Pick, People's Choice, Critic's Choice, and Best of Fest.
  
• Performed for:
• the President & First Lady of Iceland,
• Dave Grohl, and
  
• Joe Thornton (NHL).
• One of his greatest accomplishments is the community he has built, and the people that he has gotten to know by going on tour.
  
  

  The story of Keith and Hendrix at the Orlando Fringe: 

• I am a working professional magician. I get to travel the world and give people extraordinary moments that they hopefully will remember for the rest of their life. As great as getting a nice paycheck is, to me it's going back to cities year after year and reconnecting with people I have met over the years. They get to see me grow as an artist and I get to see them grow as human beings.
  
  
• One of my favourite things that I can't quantify is a little boy named Hendrix who comes to my show every year with his grandma in Orlando. The first year he was helping me on stage during my needle routine that put me in the hospital. I asked the audience if they wanted to go big or go bigger. The audience screamed BIGGER! You could see the blood in their eyes. This little boy in a quiet whisper said "smaller". I said excuse me and he repeated himself. He told me that he didn't want to see me go back to the hospital. He melted the hearts of the entire audience. I got down on one knee and pinky promised him I wasn't going to go back. Mostly because I wasn't insured in the states and couldn't afford it.
  
  
• It was my second show of my run that year and it was one of the best moments on stage. My heart was full. I didn't care if I didn't sell another ticket. I did what I came here to do. I connected with my audience.
  
  
• That year or the next one, he invited me to a pizza party at his grandma's house. How could I possibly say no? I was invited along with his other favourite performers. I got in the van and drove to his grandma's. There were jugglers and storytellers from his favourite shows. We ate pizza and talked. At one point he disappeared. He came back in a full tuxedo and proceeded to show me card tricks he had learnt. I realized he was doing his Keith Brown impression for Keith Brown.
  
  
• I never knew that I could impact someone so much by doing what I do. I had to leave the pizza party early because I had a show that night. I got in the van and I cried. I was this little kid's role model and hero.
  
  
• [May 2023] This is my first time in Orlando since 2016. Sure enough opening night Hendrix and his grandma showed up. He's 14 years old now. He's taller than me. He's writing an animated TV show.
  

 

 

In his own words:

• All of them [my accomplishments] are because of, or were made easier by, my time at Sorcerers Safari!
• I am beyond grateful for camp. 
• Camp made me a better magician, but it also made me a better human. 
• I got to meet incredible friends, colleagues and mentors. 
• People that help build my skills and my confidence. 
• People who believe in me and gave me guidance.
• I can say with absolute certainty that I wouldn't be where I am today without magic camp. 
• I would be a fraction of the magician and the person I am. 
• My life is infinitely better because of magic Sorcerers Safari. 
• I will always be eternally grateful and forever indebted to Mike & Jen for the wonderful place they created and the community they fostered.  [emphasis added]
  
  
  
• Favourite Sorcerers Safari memory?  
• Omg there's so many.
• [Michael] Ammar doing Card to Sky.
• The late night cabin sessions. Especially when special guests or the heavy hitters would pop by.
• Tyler Wilson doing the LONGEST ACAAN.
• Tyler Wilson & Jeff Hinchliffe playing Eminem's Infinite as time misdirection and it ending with Tyler ripping his shirt open and he had shaved his chest into a 7 of Diamonds.
• The Bagel/Nair game.
• Fridgebox racing
• How I discovered Scott Hammell was on Ripley's.
• I remember Jason England and Michael Weber coming one year. Jason England did a bunch of gambling demos I had never seen before. Then Weber came in for the kill. I walked all the way from the mess hall to my cabin, without realizing how I got there, because I was so astonished. It was a trick I thought about for years. It took me 2-3 years to figure out how it was done and it was a method I was familiar with at the time. I just didn't realize he was using it because he's so damn good.
• I always liked swim time at camp because it meant you got to have one on one time with the pros while everyone else swam. Having access to the people that wrote the books, that make a living doing the thing, was priceless.
• I got poked fun of my first year for having bridge cards. Why couldn't I use poker sized cards like an adult? At one of the evening shows, I told Aaron Fisher that I had something to show him in the mess hall for late night snack. He asked me to show him then and there. I said he had to wait. When everyone got to the mess hall and had their snacks. He asked me again. I took out my bridge cards and sprung them into the garbage. I took out poker sized cards. He gave me a good hug and started calling me Keith "LePaul" Brown. (The cover of the LePaul book has him springing cards in an impossible fashion.) It was like my BarMitzvah of magic.
• The following year I was in a performance workshop being hosted by Lee Asher. Lee was giving campers any topic and they had to talk for 1-2 minutes on the subject. We were focusing on developing presentation skills. A handful of campers went and Lee was giving them random things to talk about, usually boring everyday things. It was my turn. Lee smiled and said "bridge cards.” Immediately I jumped into a sermon about how bridge cards were the devil! They were no good and rotten. No real magician would ever be caught dead with them in their hands.
• There was a year that late one night Jason Dean took me aside near some cabins for staff and special guests. He showed me all the tricks he had been working on since I saw him last year. Incredible card tricks. Then he taught them to me. At the end, he saved the best for last. He showed me a Which Hand routine I had never seen before. Each time became more impressive than the last. No matter what decision I made he knew EXACTLY what I did. I realized I hadn't been fooled this badly in YEARS. I didn't even have a clue of where to begin. It was the one trick he didn't teach me. It was so nice to experience that moment of wonder so profoundly and deeply, that I told him that if he ever did want to show me how that trick was done, was to wait ten years. To give me time to revel in the moment. To enjoy the mystery and wonder how it was done.
• About five years later, I was in Vegas and I saw Paul Vigil do a very similar routine with a very similar prop. A light bulb went off and I did some digging. I found the answer on my own accord. I reached out to Jason to see if my theory was correct. It was nice to catch up with him and reminisce about the moment he gave me all those years ago at camp.
• In the first couple of days during my first year at camp I saw Jason Dean perform a trick I had never seen before. A playing card sticking out of the deck slowly melted through the deck, deeper and deeper. It stopped and found my chosen playing card. He told me that the trick was called Deadliest of the Male. If I wanted to learn it I would have to ask the creator myself.
• I found Lee and asked him. He gave me some elusive answer. At the end of the week Lee hosted a Pulp Friction workshop. He taught us the move and all the different applications. One of them was Deadliest of the Male. I remember being so engrossed in what I was learning I was completely mind-blown. I remember sitting on a couch with Amazing Dan. We both looked up at each other at one point and we had the same look on our faces. We were in awe. We had just learnt a GAME CHANGER. I didn't even know this was possible with a deck of cards.
• I learnt that trick when I was 13 years old. It's still one of my favourite and something I perform all of the time.
• Before magic camp, I had only participated day camps. I had never gone to sleep over camp before. My parents drove me to to the bus pick up at Yorkdale mall. There was a small gathering of magicians from all over. I remember my dad saying "hey that's Chad Juros" I had just seen him on an episode of Criss Angel's tv show and I couldn't believe he was a fellow camper. Amazing Dan checked me on to the bus. There were all of these kids reconnecting with their friends. That bus ride was awesome. The excitement to go to camp was palpable. The magic started immediately. It was 3+ hours of card tricks the entire way to the camp ground. I already had friends by the time we made it to camp. Taking the bus to and from camp became one of my favourite parts in years to come. It was the first time we had seen each other since last year. Everyone was READY for camp and it made one of the best jam sessions ever and camp hadn't even technically started yet. The bus home was also the LAST jam session we had together until the following year.
• One of the things I love most about camp, is that it didn't matter how long it had been since you saw someone, the moment you did it was as if the other 51 weeks of the years didn't exist. Our friendships picked up immediately where we left them. It didn't matter if you had been away for years. We were always warmly welcomed back to camp.
• I got in trouble my very first day at magic camp. I was the only card magician in my cabin. There were stage magicians and jugglers. Card tricks felt like an afterthought to them. The cabin beside mine was FILLED with card magicians and their special guest bunking with them was Sean Fields. I became a regular at my neighbouring cabin because there was always card magic happening. The very first night I was there in an awesome jam session. The head counsellor paid a visit and found out I was not in my cabin and that I had to go back to my cabin. I told her none of the kids in my cabin did cards tricks. She didn't care. I told her my counsellor knew where I was. She didn't care. She told me to stop doing magic and go back to my cabin. Stop doing magic at magic camp? I couldn't believe it. I came here to learn and do magic and I was being told to stop on the very first day. I packed up my cards and went back to my cabin and started hatching a plan.
• The very next day I started asking my counsellor, Marc Chalmers, when and where I had to be next? We made a deal that I would always be where I needed to when I needed to so that he didn't get in trouble or that he had to go searching for me. In return I got free-reign to do whatever I wanted in the mean time, which was as much card magic and I could possibly squeeze in before I had to show up for lunch time or the late night show.
• I really appreciated Marc for doing that for me. 
• Before magic camp, I didn't have many interactions with other magicians. I didn't really have anyone to compare myself to. I remember going to my first ever card class at camp. It was hosted by David Mitchell. The class started with everyone doing a trick so that Dave could assess our skills and see where we were at. I performed a trick I had recently learnt off of Ray Kosby's VHS, Ray's Rise. I don't even think I was finished before Dave said "oh you're advanced, you'll be reassigned tomorrow". No one had ever told me that before. I was just learning as much as I possibly could at the time. No one told me the books or videos I was watching were hard. I just thought it was what you were supposed to learn. The next day I got moved to the Advanced Card class that was being taught by Aaron Fisher.
• Aaron became my first serious card mentor. He always answered my questions. He always gave me homework for after camp. Books to read or things to explore. One thing I always remember about camp is seeing a specific trick from a working pro and asking to learn how it was done. Sometimes they would teach you on the spot. But more often than not they would ask you what you were working on. You'd show them a trick and then they'd give you this nugget of gold, something that would propel you forward. They had spent their life working on these things and why would they just give you the keys to the kingdom? You had to earn it. You had to show them you were serious enough. That you respected the craft. In showing them what you were working on they got a good sense of where you were at and where you needed to go.
• It was always great reconnecting the following year because you could show your mentors and your idols all of the things that you learnt during the year. You could show them hey I did do the homework you gave me, I found that book, here's what I learnt. Then they'd give you more homework and send you on your way.
• One of my favourite times was the process of learning the Gravity Half Pass. It was struggling with the move at camp. I kept using my hands rather than let gravity do the work for me. I went home and practiced and practiced until it finally started to click.
• The following year at camp, it was near the end of the week, I showed Fisher my half pass. He was like a proud father. He asked me why I didn't show him sooner. It immediately proclaimed me as gravity half pass certified which he signed and dated on a set of lecture notes. I could do and teach the move.
• I loved that camp had shows every night that were filled with professional magicians. To see them showcase their talents was a lesson in and of itself.
• The camper show at the end of the week where the campers got two minutes to showcase a trick that maybe they learnt during the week at camp, or had spent all year honing was an incredible opportunity. Every time I got on the Pinetages [Theatre] stage at camp I always felt welcomed and supported by my fellow campers, staff, mentors and community. It was really the best place to workshop and develop your skills because every person in the room was rooting for you.
• I remember in particular another camper named M getting on stage. His card trick didn't work. There was an audible "ahh" from the audience. He was flustered and a bit embarrassed, but instead of quitting, he tried again. The second time around the trick worked. Everyone applauded and cheered loudly. He left the stage with a proud smile on his face. To see your friend stare failure in the face, try again and triumphantly succeed was awesome. I always admire M for his courage that night.
• The access to high level talent was unparalleled.
• I remember a round table discussion that Shawn Farquhar was a part of.  [Editor's note:  Shawn told the story from early in his career, about his experience with hecklers and apartment fires.]
  
• This entire story made Shawn rethink his persona on stage and tried to eliminate the adversarial relationship many magicians have with an audience. He wanted to be so nice on stage that if anyone did heckle him, everyone else would know the heckler was the a$$hole.
  
• Hearing this story as a young teenager made me re-examine my persona on stage and adopt a similar one to Shawn. Be so nice that they want to help you and they never heckle. At any point on audience member can just say no magic boy that's not my card if they aren't on your side. Being so nice has helped me countless times in my career winning over audiences by approaching it with love and good intentions. Because magicians need audiences. We can practice as much as we want but we need a willing audience because the magic happens in their minds. We know how the tricks work and we can't fool ourselves. We need an audience to live vicariously through them so that we get a glimmer of that moment of wonder that got us into magic in the first place.
  
  
  
• Biggest take-away from Sorcerers Safari?
• All of it.
• One of my biggest take aways in the tangible sense of community and camaraderie. We all decided the gather in the woods in northern Ontario, year after year, because we love this thing so much. We got to share that love with other people who loved it as well. We were able to foster our love and talents with each other and get better every year.
• Camp friends and friends for life. It doesn't matter how much time passed, we always picked up right where we left off.
   

Honestly, I could probably go on all day if you let me. I often refer to Sorcerers Safari Magic Camp as the closest thing to Hogwarts because it was. It was a magical place that has given me friends and profound education in magic.

What I've written so far is me just scratching the surface. I haven't even told you about the late nights around the camp fires telling jokes. Or the notebooks I have from every year at camp that I still have to this day. They're some of my most prized possessions as they a time capsule filled with magic. I took more notes in those books than I would in an entire semester of school.

Camp gave me access to a lot of incredible people that were willing to answer my questions and give me guidance.

Sorcerers Safari enriched my life with friends and skills. It fostered my talent and helped me become the person I am today. It allowed me to pursue my passion with like minded people. It gave me the career I have today. 

I will always remember Sorcerers Safari fondly and would do ANYTHING for one more year at camp.

 

Thank you Keith, for sharing your fantastically detailed memories! 

[Catch Keith at the Edmonton Fringe, Aug 17 - 27.]

Check back throughout the month to read updates from other Sorcerers Safari alumni and staff!

 

 Previously featured 

• Ben Train - part 1
• Brad Bond - part 2  
• Brett Chrest - part 3
  
• Byron Berry - part 1
• Cameron Dunlop - part 2
• Dick Joiner - part 3 
• James Carey Lauder - part 2
• Matt DiSero - part 3
  
• Sam Pearce - part 1
  

 

Learn more about Sorcerers Safari. 

part 1 | part 2  | part 3 | part 4 | part 5 | part 6 | part 7 | part 8 | part 9 | part 10 | part 11 | part 12 

<<  part 3  |  part 5 >>