Tickets go on sale Monday, Sept 18th, 2017 - 10 am Sharp!
Talent currently booked for 2018 include:
- Dick Joiner as emcee,
- Michael Close (author of the Workers series and other ebooks), and
- Nicholas Wallace.
Read more and buy tickets!
Tickets go on sale Monday, Sept 18th, 2017 - 10 am Sharp!
Talent currently booked for 2018 include:
- Dick Joiner as emcee,
- Michael Close (author of the Workers series and other ebooks), and
- Nicholas Wallace.
Read more and buy tickets!
Michael Weber will be joining us in Owen Sound. Check it out: https://t.co/3J6p6Z0kOt— Michael Close (@MikeCloseMagic) August 16, 2017
You are cordially invited to join Michael Close and Jason England on October 17-20, 2017, for a unique workshop in the beautiful cottage country of northern Ontario (Owen Sound, ON). You’ll be away from the physical and mental noise of the city, but you won’t be roughing it; the accommodations are luxurious.
You’ll fly into Toronto on Monday, October 16, Tuesday morning you'll be bused to beautiful Owen Sound, ON where you will spend most of Tuesday, all day Wednesday, and all day Thursday talking magic and receiving personalized instruction from two of the most knowledgeable magicians on the planet. You'll return to your hotel in Toronto on Friday, and fly home on Saturday.
Read more and register!
Guess where I was last night?@theBrowsersDen pic.twitter.com/q6R8EZYofZ— Canada's Magic (@canadasmagic) August 14, 2017
It was standing room only for the @MikeCloseMagic lecture @theBrowsersDen pic.twitter.com/ADymaPhGnC— Canada's Magic (@canadasmagic) August 14, 2017
Far out Magic Dude.
"Magic Theory, or Magic Fact? Let's Find Out."— Canada's Magic (@canadasmagic) August 14, 2017
-- @MikeCloseMagic @theBrowsersDen pic.twitter.com/TXs6r6q4lr
Eugene Burger was special, as a magician and as a person. The first and most important memory I have of him was when he came to Montreal to lecture for Magie Montréal. It was many years ago and I was not that into magic at the time, but I went to the lecture to help Phil and Vim Vermeys with registration, etc. and stayed of course for the lecture.
Anyone at that lecture learned valuable lessons. I don’t rememberphil-eugene-and-tom one trick that he did. It wasn’t about the tricks, it was about performing. Every word was well thought out and had a reason for being there. His jokes were not to get a laugh, which they got, but as he explained, when you laugh you close your eyes for a second and that’s all the time he needed to do what he had to do in front of your eyes.
Read more.
Magic Theory, or Magic Fact? Let's Find Out.
Michael Close Lecture - August 13, 2017
Dear Denizens,
All of us here at Browser's are certain that Mr. Close's brand new Magic Theory Lecture will be a truly inspiring and fun event at our shop. We are convinced that it will have a long lasting effect on your magic journey.
In short...it may be the most important lecture you will ever have an opportunity to see.
Some of the topics that he will be covering in great detail will be...
Michael Close has a worldwide reputation in the magic community as an author, a creator, a performer, and a consultant. He has been a student of the conjuring arts for over fifty years, and has been performing professionally since 1978. His specialty is sleight-of-hand, close-up magic, but he also has extensive experience in stand-up magic. He has lectured and performed for audiences around the world.
- What is theory?
- Your definition of magic
- The Power of a Real Magician
- Conviction
- Assumptions
- Scripting vs. Not Scripting
- Who (or What) Has the Power?
- Control, Repose, and Chaos
- and much more. (There may even be a trick or two.)
Read more and buy tickets.
You are cordially invited to join Michael Close and Jason England on October 17-20, 2017, for a unique workshop in the beautiful cottage country of northern Ontario (Owen Sound, ON). You’ll be away from the physical and mental noise of the city, but you won’t be roughing it; the accommodations are luxurious.
You’ll fly into Toronto on Monday, October 16, Tuesday morning you'll be bused to beautiful Owen Sound, ON where you will spend most of Tuesday, all day Wednesday, and all day Thursday talking magic and receiving personalized instruction from two of the most knowledgeable magicians on the planet. You'll return to your hotel in Toronto on Friday, and fly home on Saturday.
Read more and register!
As I left my forties behind and entered into late middle age, I became aware of a sad, odd occurrence. Some of my friends were turning into books. They had left flesh and blood, heart and bone behind, transforming into a form that allowed one-way (but sometimes surprisingly comforting) communication. I would regulary head to my library, not so much to seek information, but to visit again with Stewart James, Billy McComb, Howard Lyons, Arturo Ascanio, Barrie Richardson, T.A. Waters, Tommy Wonder, and Dai Vernon. And now, eight years after his death, another friend arrives from the printer in a beautiful and most fitting presentation.
The Aretalogy of Vanni Bossi features a portion of the creative output of a true polymath – a collector, historian, craftsman, performer, and creator. Concerning Vanni’s collection, Roberto Giobbi writes in the Foreword, “He possessed practically every important book of magic, from the beginning of printing to modern times, in many languages, but above all in Italian. He also knew what was in them, how to place their contents in the evolution of magical ideas, and who invented what. He was one of the most educated and well-informed people in magic that I’ve ever met.”
Read more.
When that tour wrapped up, Alison stayed in England to visit with relatives and Daryl returned to Vegas. The day he got in, he called to say he was back. I suggested he come over to our house for a home-cooked meal, something I thought he’d appreciate after such a long time on the road. He came by that evening.
Lisa and I prepared a pasta dish, with salad, bread, and red wine. We ate, talked, and listened to stories of the life of a lecturer. It was obvious Daryl was jet-lagged and beat to hell, which made him the perfect foil for a practical joke.
Read more.
A post shared by Shawn Farquhar (@magichampion) on
"with thoughts that maybe we could have said or done something, or with guilt over having missed any warning signs."
Daryl. |
Learning from Daryl during free time. |
2015 camp photo. |
"All I ask is, in the present or future, you support magic and mentalism creators with your wallet, not just words, so they can make a living too."
PLEASE DONATE TO THE DARYL EASTON FAMILY FUND
The office at the Magic Castle has received calls from members and magicians around the world, asking how one can offer support and donations to the Daryl Easton family.
The Academy of Magical Arts has now established a fund to receive donations for Alison Easton, Daryl’s wife, and their two daughters. You can also send bereavement cards for Alison to the AMA offices as well, who will forward them to the family.
If you would like to make a donation to the family, please send a check payable to “The Academy of Magical Arts, Easton Family Fund” to:
The Academy of Magical Arts
ATT: Daryl Easton Family Fund
7001 Franklin Ave
Hollywood CA 90028
If you would like to donate via credit card, please call Trish Alaskey at 323-851-3313 ext. 301.
The Academy will work with Alison and the family, and pick a date in the future to hold a memorial for Daryl. If you have any questions, please email the General Manager, Joe Furlow, at: jfurlow@magiccastle.com.
You can also donate via PayPal directly using magic@daryl.net
Happy Freethinkers Day! 10% off all my ebooks using this code: THANKYOU14 - Today only! https://t.co/SPvbNijhQC— Michael Close (@MikeCloseMagic) January 29, 2017
Close/Thompson Magic Workshop - May 5-7, 2017 ***LIMITED TIME OFFER***
You are cordially invited to join Michael Close and Johnny Thompson on May 5-7, 2017, for a once-in-a-lifetime weekend workshop in the beautiful cottage country of northern Ontario (Owen Sound, ON). You’ll be away from the physical and mental noise of the city, but you won’t be roughing it; the accommodations are luxurious. Registration opens Monday, January 23, 2017 at noon (EST).
You’ll spend Friday afternoon/evening, all day Saturday, and Sunday morning talking magic and receiving personalized instruction from two of the most knowledgeable magicians on the planet. Because of the informal nature of this gathering, you’ll have unprecedented access to two of magic’s living legends – access and interaction you would only find with private instruction and consultation, but at a fraction of the cost. Be aware, however, that reservations are extremely limited; only ten spots are available.
Read more and register tomorrow.
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – Each and every week Dick Wolfsie shares an interesting and unique story that has a connection to central Indiana.
This time Dick Wolfsie talked to magician Mike Close.
Close, who is the president of the Society of American Magicians, discusses the intricacy and process that goes into performing an illusion and a trick.
Read more and watch videos.
Coming soon:
- Greg Paul – Episode 193
- Brian McKenna – Ep. 192
- Alex Hinton – Episode 191
- Jay Whitelaw – Episode 190
- Mac King – Episode 189
- Jeff McBride – Episode 188
- Marcie Hume – Episode 187
- Michael Coren – Episode 186
- Mitch Abrams – Episode 185
- Nicholas Greco – Episode 184
- Susanne Regina Meures – Episode 183
- Peter Stockland – Episode 182
- Christal Earle – Episode 181
- Alethea Arnaquq – Episode 180
- Todd & Jedd Wider – Episode 179
- Anjali Nayar – Episode 178
- Viveka Melki – Episode 177
- “Best and Most Beautiful Things” – Ep. 176
Read more and listen to podcasts.
Cheesy omelette breakfast. I saw the rabbits again! And I saw a bright green frog too. Still no sign of the deer.
At card class Shawn Farquhar talked to us about stuff I’d never considered. He said, “give people a sense of wonder. Don’t make them feel stupid or small.” And then he said this quote from American poet Maya Angelou:
“I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
We played “Capture the Flag” which was so. much. FUN!
6pm
The camper show was fantastic. Before the show, Lee Asher made his group perform walk around for the audience. They did really well.
Pre-show walk around. |
Then the show started. Some of the kids performed things they just learned (or even made!) this week! Others made stuff up and some came prepared with things they’d been working on the whole year. Shout out to them all!
Emcees: Chaz and RJ.
Performers: Cathy, James, Brad, Matt, Tariq, Jordan, Ava, Vincent, Landon, Matthew, Nathan, Will, Ben, Jack, Nick, and Jeff.
Backstage: Simon, Holden, Serena, and Jarrett.
Sound and tech: Steve Kline (for this and all the other shows!).
Production assistants: Mike and Lisa Close, Dan Wiebe, and Mike Toal.
Owning the stage. |
Sponge balls. |
Something big is about to happen! |
The coolest thing about the show was that everyone’s performance looked good. Beginner kids went first so they didn’t have to go after someone who had more experience. I don’t see any competition between the kids. The adults want us all to shine.
Today’s electives were Pulp Friction (with Lee himself!), linking rings, Gravity Half Pass (with Aaron Fisher!), Assistant’s Revenge stage illusion, Miser’s Dream, any card at any number, and Patriotic Ropes.
Bill Wells and Sheldon Casavant talking coins. |
I did the linking rings and was kinda surprised (and disappointed) to learn how they work. It seems that some of the most wonderful effects are based on simple ideas. Loran was a great teacher, but I’m going to have to practise a lot more until I feel comfortable doing it in front of anyone!
Rats. Camp swim got rained out. (I wish I tried the high jump yesterday). Silver lining: we all piled into the Staff Lounge and had a big impromptu panel with Shawn, Eric, Phil, and Mark. They do things off the top of their head better than I can do anything I’ve rehearsed a million times. I wonder how much of it is pure talent and how much of it is hours and hours of practise.
Shawn speaking at the panel. |
To be continued ...
9pm
Dinner was good but the ice cream pie was AMAZING!
At the theatre they said Chris Mayhew is making a video of camp. I can’t wait to see that! Rosemary said she runs the Sorcerers Safari social media accounts and will help promote events that campers are involved with. Impressive. I don’t get the sense that people here think they’re better than anyone else -- they all just want to see everyone succeed. Just like our moms and dads. But WAY cooler.
Mike Close played some beautiful piano before the show. (Is everyone here crazy talented?) The lip syncs were extra funny tonight. Rosemary (singer) and Chris Westfall (background cheerleader) did “Cheerleader" by Omi, and Jonah (with Jonah supporting) did a duet -- "Love Is An Open Door" from Frozen. HYSTERICAL!!!!
Found myself a cheerleader! |
Jonah backing up Jonah. |
Tonight’s show was called the “World Champion Show” and featured three award winning magicians! I got to see Greg Frewin, Shawn Farquhar, and Daryl all on the same stage. I bet that the evening shows alone are worth the price of camp.
Greg Frewin. |
Shawn Farquhar. |
Daryl. |
Rocket popsicles for bedtime snack! (The sugar will help keep me awake for cabin visits!) Eric came and gave us all mouth coils to try. (I thought they would never end!! We’re going to decorate the bunks with them tomorrow.) Lee Asher showed us some super cool tricks with cards and then he showed us specialty decks we’d never heard of. They looked really fancy.
Eric sharing secrets. |
Goodnight.
5pm
Camp swim is so much fun! We get to use huge inner tubes to float in the docks at the lake. Eric Leclerc went out of the designated area in an inner tube, to get a ball that floated away. It was funny to watch him try and paddle with his hands! There’s a slide that goes into the lake and a super high platform that you can jump off of too.
Inner tubes are fun! |
Squeezing more magic in before the swim. |
We had “performance workshop” where some campers performed something and everyone got to tell them what they liked about it and what they thought could be improved. Some kids got up and did things that we just learned at electives today! Everyone seems really supportive and encouraging here. No one was mean about it.
Then we played the “Umm” game. It’s where you have to talk as long as you can about an assigned topic (think unicorns, chocolate, soccer, etc) without saying things like “umm” or “ahh.” It’s hard! (And fun to watch!) Now I know that I need to script my performances because I’m not so good at improvising!
Performance workshop. |
10pm
What a night! We ate chicken burgers and chocolate mousse! At the theatre we watched video messages for us from magicians from Las Vegas and other places in the US. Apparently there’s a camper show later in the week. I wonder if I have anything good enough to do for the show...
The evening performance was mind blowing. Mike Close, Eric, Sheldon Casavant, Scott Hammell, Neil Croswell and Ashley Da Silva are all fabulous. I got to see dove magic live for the first time. Neil made birds appear out of NOWHERE.
Mike Close. |
Eric Leclerc. |
Neil Croswell and Ashley Da Silva. |
Rosemary Reid, Mark Correia, and Chris Mayhew did lip syncs tonight. I laughed so hard when Chris “blah, blah, blahed” his way through "Single Ladies" by Beyoncé.
Chris Mayhew channeling Beyoncé. |
After that we had a beach party -- wait for it -- on the beach! There was fire floating in the lake (I’d never seen that before). We had fries and chicken nuggets and fried zucchini for snack. Phil DaCosta, the DJ, had everyone moving and doing the limbo and forming conga lines. I liked it when he played the “Cha Cha Slide” and “Uptown Funk.” I complained when my counsellor said I had to leave early ‘cause I’m so little. Secretly I’m glad I’m back at the cabin. I’m pooped.
How low can you go? |
Beach party! |
More beach party! |
Pound for pound, the Browser's Magic Bash packs in more magic with more value for your dollar than anything we have offered you. Where else can you get a scrumptious free lunch & dinner, and twelve hours of magic with so many top name magicians?
MORE TALENT = MORE FUN!
http://www.browsersden.com/bash
Therefore, without further adieu, we'd like to share more wonderful names with you. These artists will appear at this year's Bash. In no particular order, it's our pleasure to announce:
Additionally...
Saturday, April 2nd will be a day that we will all be together celebrating our common love for magic. If this fun sounds like the time you're looking for, please take two minutes to register for the 2016 Browser's Magic Bash at our official Bash website - http://www.browsersden.com/bash
We hope you will join us. Book your ticket today, and see you at the Bash!
Thank you for your support.
Magical Hugs,
Jeff Pinsky
(Your faithful magic shopkeeper)
ps. The gold section is almost sold out, with the silver section not too far behind. Don't wait any longer to reserve your seats.
Mark Twain said a classic is a book that people praise and don’t read, a definition that certainly applies to The Expert at the Card Table by S.W. Erdnase. Dai Vernon was the primary champion of the book; his approach to card handling, shaped by Erdnase’s philosophy and techniques, astonished everyone. Vernon shared his insights to the members of the New York inner circle, and years later even offered personal lessons on the techniques (a project abandoned because of too few interested parties). Charlie Miller and Ross Bertram (in Canada) were also exponents of Erdnase.
Read more.