A peek behind the curtain with Hollie England [2022]

 

This is the third of a series of interviews leading up to the Champions of Magic Worldwide Wonder Tour shows in Markham [Nov 30 - Dec 1], Kitchener [Dec 2 - 3], and Peterborough [Dec 9].

Canadian tour to start April 2023!

Read our 2021 interview where Hollie shares:
 
- her first memory of magic
- who inspires her
- how she dealt with The Great Pause
- how COVID impacted his set
- her comfort binge
- her go-to Karaoke song

What is your favourite thing about going on tour with Champions of Magic?

I love when theatres display some of the famous performers who have played there in the past. It is crazy to think that they stood on the very same stage as us and got ready in the very same dressing rooms.

 

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What is your most important self-care practice while on tour?
 

Getting a tea from the tour bus/ hotel or venue and taking a solo morning walk in whatever city we are in at the time. Just getting some fresh air, sunlight and alone time can make a difference when our work is always inside dark theatres surrounded by people.

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think about performing in Canada?
 
The first time I performed in Canada was by Niagara Falls so I automatically think of beautiful views but always being very cold! I have been back to perform and direct there many times though so it just shows how much Canada loves and embraces entertainment.

 

What is your favourite part of the 2022 Champions of Magic show to perform?

 

Probably the part where I get to have my very own tea party onstage...

 

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What is your favourite part of the 2022 Champions of Magic show to watch?  

 

The energy and chaos runs all the way backstage during the finale -- I hope no-one ever switches the rest of our microphones on during that act because we are all singing along full belt!

 

 

 

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What about the 2022 show would "2012 you" find unbelievable to imagine as your current reality?

 

Er... "2012 me" wouldn't have even believed that I was a magician! She was still dancing, singing and performing as the magical assistant.

   

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

 

Catch Champions of Magic in:

• Markham [Nov 30 - Dec 1]
• Kitchener [Dec 2 - 3], and 
• Peterborough [Dec 9]. 
  
  Champions of Magic Canadian tour to start April 2023!

 

A peek behind the curtain with Fernando Velasco [2022]

 

This is the second of a series of interviews leading up to the Champions of Magic Worldwide Wonder Tour shows in Markham [Nov 30 - Dec 1], Kitchener [Dec 2 - 3], and Peterborough [Dec 9].   

Canadian tour to start April 2023! 

 

Read our 2021 interview where Fernando shares:
 
- how he dealt with The Great Pause
- how COVID impacted his set
- his comfort binge
- about touring in Mexico during a pandemic
- his go-to Karaoke song

 

What is your favourite thing about going on tour with Champions of Magic?

Two things, the first; Being able to perform with such high  production value  like the one Champions of Magic offers.  I love the pyrotechnics at times is like a war zone on stage.
And the second is riding birdies (Electric scooters)  across the world with my friend Young, they are the best way to see each city and we both love them, brings joy to our days.

 

Fernando Velasco in danger.
Photo credit: William Balfour, Spectra Experiences. Oshawa 2019.

 

 

 

What is your most important self-care practice while on tour?
 

Finding the time to decompress on my own. It allows me to then bring the best of me for people.

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think about performing in Canada?
 
I think about how cold it can get, and I hope not to freeze.

I know this sounds like an  exaggeration  but I’m Mexican and I live in LA, I don’t do well with the cold.

[Editor's note:  No worries.  We're not fans of the cold either, and we were born here!]

What is your favourite part of the 2022 Champions of Magic show to perform?

 
My favorite part to perform  is when all 5 of us are on stage together sharing the stories of how we got into magic. It allows me to get really personal with the audience and share a beautiful piece of magic.    

 

 

 

  

  

 

 

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What is your favourite part of the 2022 Champions of Magic show to watch?  

 

My favorite part to watch is the finale of the show when my friends Young & Strange go to town with their spectacular Vegas montage. It is a real WOW, full of energy and pyro, also  I just love to scream “VEGAS!!” From the wing.

 

 

 

 

What about the 2022 show would "2012 you" find unbelievable to imagine as your current reality?

 

The collaborative pieces we do together on the show, and the best part is.. they are only getting better and better, also bigger. 

 

 

   

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

Can’t wait to be back in Canada, if you’ve seen us in Canada before the show has changed a lot, it will feel like a brand new show.  I'm sure you guys will really enjoy it.

 

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

 

 

Catch Champions of Magic in:

• Markham [Nov 30 - Dec 1]
• Kitchener [Dec 2 - 3], and 
• Peterborough [Dec 9]. 
  
  Champions of Magic Canadian tour to start April 2023!

 

A peek behind the curtain with Richard Young [2022]

 

This is the first of a series of interviews leading up to the Champions of Magic Worldwide Wonder Tour shows in Markham [Nov 30 - Dec 1], Kitchener [Dec 2 - 3], and Peterborough [Dec 9].    

Canadian tour to start April 2023! 

 

 

Read our 2019 interview where Richard shares:
 
- touring advice
- his interests outside of magic
- he keep performances fresh
- and his Broadway role of choice!

What is your favourite thing about going on tour with Champions of Magic?

Other than the never ending supply of Bird scooters across North America, it has to be seeing the relentless progress the show makes. It’s never finished and we all keep working and working and working at making it better and better. I think people across Canada will be surprised how much it has changed since we were last there in early 2020.

 

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Richard enjoying a ride on a Bird scooter

 

 

What is your most important self-care practice while on tour?
 

I think we all struggle with this in different ways to be honest. It’s really hard to take care of yourself on the road, although our tour buses and hotels are pretty swanky these days I think we all suffer from sleep deprivation to an extent. The crew which has grown significantly since we were last in Canada work extremely hard making this huge show work every night. We are up to 3 trucks now, last time we were in Canada I think we only had one. 

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think about performing in Canada?
 
Poutine!! You still have that right? They didn’t get rid of that during COVID or anything!?

[Editor's note:  Not to fear, poutine's still here!]

What is your favourite part of the 2022 Champions of Magic show to perform?

 

I won’t spoil anything too much but since we were last in Canada there’s a new sequence in the show where Young & Strange perform an illusion with Fernando Velasco. We are such great friends off stage and now we are starting to be able to relax with the routine (after many disasters with it in the early days) I think you’ll be able to tell we really enjoy sharing the stage with him for those few moments. 

 

  

 

 

Fernando on stage with Young and Strange

 

 

 

What is your favourite part of the 2022 Champions of Magic show to watch?  

 

I’m really enjoying watching our new co-star Hollie England finding her way. She had a really tough job coming into the show when the other 3 acts have been here for so many years and have such established ‘Champions’ suiting acts. She gets better and better every night. 

 

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What about the 2022 show would "2012 you" find unbelievable to imagine as your current reality?

 

I think the frequency with which we are able to perform now. The pandemic obviously set us back but we are now by far the worlds busiest ‘touring’ magic show from a schedule on the road perspective with the most dates coming up. When we started it was so hard to get stage time which is the only way you get good, now we are able to tweak and play almost every day.

   

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

We have some really loyal friends in Canada who come back to see Champions time and time again, we can’t wait to get back there in December and show you all the new things! See you there!

 

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

 

Catch Champions of Magic in:

• Markham [Nov 30 - Dec 1]
• Kitchener [Dec 2 - 3], and 
• Peterborough [Dec 9]. 
  
  Champions of Magic Canadian tour to start April 2023!
  

 

Peterborough: Risky Business with Lukas Stark [June 17]

Tickets on sale at Eventbrite.

 

From the June 14th Instagram post by Lucas Stark:

This FRIDAY #downtownpeterborough I'll be reading minds and doing dangerous stunts in my new show risky business. It'll be a laugh riot. Early bird tickets only 20$
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/risky-business-a-mind-reading-stunts-comedy-show-tickets-342554518787

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A peek behind the curtain with Alex McAleer [2021]

 

Learn more about Alex, in the fourth of a series of interviews leading up to the Champions of Magic World Wide Wonders Tour shows in Kitchener and Peterborough early next year.

Read our 2019 interview where we learn Alex's thoughts on:
 
- Canadian audiences,
- keeping his performance fresh,
- advice for touring magicians,
[Editor's note: there's some great advice here!]
- non-magic interests,
- pre-show rituals, and
- Broadway dream role!

And the 2018 piece in which we learn about his
- first memory of magic,
- non-mentalism magic,
- creating new effects
- non-magical inspirations,
- our fascination with magic,
- performing in different countries,
- memorable touring mis-adventures, and
- his connection to Canadian magic.

Champions of Magic performed in Canada in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020.  After a two year absence, what are you most looking forward to on your return to Canada in early 2022?
 

I’m looking forward to being in front of a Canadian crowd again, they always give good audience. And the food - I managed to find a vegan poutine last time we were there and I suddenly saw what all the fuss was about.

 

 

The Great Pause (COVID Lockdowns)
 

Did you experience any silver linings? 
 

Time with the family has been wonderful. My son turned 12 this year so frankly it was a great opportunity to have so much uninterrupted time with him at this age.

Also, for the past 3 years we’ve had hotel room Christmas mornings, and as fun as they are, it was great to be home with the family for Xmas 2020.

 

 

 

What was your comfort binge?
 
We’d never watched Downton Abbey so we watched it all - from episode 1 right up to the film. Great British Bake Off (it didn’t help the baking skills). X Files. The Simpsons… thank goodness Disney plus launched in the UK when it did. Also I found myself watching very niche things on YouTube… Documentaries about theme park rides, or Adam Savage from Mythbusters making an iron man helmet or a place to keep drill-bits.

 
Were you able to explore your personal passions (film, art, cooking, gym, laughing, and anthropomorphising)?
 

Those are all still very much at the top of the list.

I’ve done plenty of laughing.

I’ve cooked lots but baking still remains an absolute disaster.

I got to explore my passion for film by watching nearly everything on Netflix and Disney plus… turns out when you ‘complete’ Netflix, all the film titles bounce around the screen like when you win Solitaire on an old Windows PC.

[Editor's note:  Must keep watching Netflix to unlock this bonus!]

I also made a series of short films with my partner Daisy, combining her skills as a circus performer and writer.

I started running/jogging as the gyms were closed. Almost immediately gave myself shin splints but then I got some better shoes.
 
 

Did The Great Pause allow you to do anything that you wouldn't likely have been able to accomplish if you were touring?
 

Yes. For several years I’ve had a sideline in teaching and lecturing to other performers but The Great Pause allowed me to do more of that. I created a few online lectures discussing my work including a full course on stagecraft. I also launched a few niche products for fellow performers. The feedback has been great and I’ve made some new friends and connections along the way too.
 

Did you have to adjust anything in your set to incorporate COVID precautions?
 

This is something tha'ts still very much in a state of flux, I think. For example, throwing the Chimpion of Magic out into the audience… that might have to change. Essentially it’s all about keeping everyone safe and comfortable… anything people handle, such as a pen or a pack of cards, is cleaned before, during, and after shows.
 
 
 

Kelly and Dave help out Alex McAleer. 
Photo credit: William Balfour, Spectra Experiences. Oshawa 2019.

 
How did you keep your skills fresh and performance ready?

 
I’ve done a few smaller shows and events over the past 18 months or so, and it took me awhile to get the rhythm back. I felt a little rusty but the energy from an audience brings it all back.

 

What was it like travelling and performing with Champions of Magic in Mexico during the pandemic?
  
It was strange, mostly because the airport and trains were so quiet, security took no time at all! Also, on the plus side for me, because of the airlines social distancing measures I got upgraded to first class! Strange was absolutely livid.

The show was great, we performed a version for streaming plus some live shows. We had to change certain elements of the show not just because of COVID related restrictions but also because of the language barrier.

There was a panicked moment backstage when the venue staff were using this sort of disinfectant-fog-machine. It filled the whole dressing room area with fog. None of us knew it was going to happen and we thought the place was on fire!

Was there anything particularly memorable about your first live performance after The Great Pause?
 

I did a show in my hometown and I felt it didn’t go as well as I’d hoped, it wasn’t bad but not as good as it could have been. Speaking to people after the show however they thought it was great. It just reminded me that my perception of a performance has very little to do with the audiences enjoyment, and they are the ones the show is for!
 
 

Have audience reactions to live magic performances changed after Lockdown? 
 

They seem the same, but I think the thrill of seeing a live performance has added to their enjoyment.

 

 

 

In September, we learned that Hollie England will be joining the Champions of Magic family.
 

How will you welcome Hollie into the Champions family?

By showing her where we keep the kettle backstage.
 

What advice do you have for Hollie to help her thrive in the Champions family?
 

I don’t think I can really offer her any advice, Hollie has toured with other shows and performers many times before so I’m sure she’ll fit right in.
 
 

If you could go back in time to study (magic or otherwise) under anybody, who would you choose to be your mentor?
 

Hmm… a silent act of some kind. I’ve done some silent work on stage before and I enjoy the challenge. Probably comedy based, not magic… I guess I just want to be Buster Keaton (who is funnier than Chaplin, don’t @ me)
 

 

 

What’s your go-to Karaoke song?

4’33’’ by John Cage.

[Editor's note: Now there's a "pro-tip" I can implement immediately with excellent results!]

If you could only perform one effect for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Despite how egotistical this may come across, I think it would have to be my own routine, the first one I do in my first set in Champions. It’s a very simple and direct piece of mind reading.

 

 

If you could eliminate other performers performing an effect forever, what would it be?
 

That one where an audience member colours in a Lego Man.
 

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

Now please wash your hands.

 

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


Catch Champions of Magic in Kitchener and Peterborough early 2022! 

 

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