Darcy Oake tour [October]

Buy your tickets through https://darcyoake.com/tour/

 

From the August 9th Instagram post by Darcy Oake:

Canada 🇨🇦 it’s going down!! Couldn’t be more excited to hit the road this October! Ticket presale starts tomorrow using the code ‘DarcyLive’ Link in bio! Tickets officially on sale this Friday (Aug 12)

 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Darcy Oake (@darcyoake)

 

 

 

Regina: Sitruc James at the Regina Fringe [July 6 - 9]

From the June 24th Instagram post by Sitruc James:

Regina International Fringe Festival - July 6 - 9

--------------------------------
Sask Express Theatre
--------------------------------
Length: 60 Minutes
Rated: All Ages / Family Friendly

Wed July 06, 2022
Thu, July 07, 2022
Fri, July 08, 2022
Sat, July 09, 2022

Join us for a breathtaking performance that has everything from impossible escapes to mind-blowing illusions with audience member interaction. This is definitely a show that has to be seen to be believed.

https://www.reginafringe.com/event-details/an-evening-of-magic-and-illusion-2022-07-06-18-30

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Chris Funk joins the Western Canada tour of Masters of Illusion Live [April]

From the March 25th Tweet by Chris Funk Magic:

It’s official!  I’m a part of Western Canada’s tour of Masters of Illusion Live!

Dates are:
Winnipeg April 10
Saskatoon April 11
Regina April 12
Calgary April 13
Edmonton April 14
Vancouver April 16

 

From Masters of Illusion:

• 10 Apr - Burton Cummings Theatre, Winnipeg, MB
• 11 Apr - TCU Place, Saskatoon, SK
• 12 Apr - Conexus Arts Centre – Regina, Canada
• 13 Apr - Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium, CA
• 14 Apr - Winspear Centre – Edmonton, Canada
• 16 Apr - Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Vancouver, BC
  
  
• 28 Sep - Flato Markham Theatre, ON, Canada
• 29 Sep - Flato Markham Theatre, ON, Canada 

Read more and buy tickets.

 

 

 

It’s official! I’m a part of Western Canada’s tour of Masters of Illusion Live!

Dates are:
Winnipeg April 10
Saskatoon April 11
Regina April 12
Calgary April 13
Edmonton April 14
Vancouver April 16#ticket link in bio! https://t.co/JkUPKLhUCW pic.twitter.com/4nJd9Kaixb

— Chris Funk The Wonderist (@chrisfunkmagic) March 25, 2022

 

 

 

Masters of Illusion Live [April & September]

From Masters of Illusion:

• 10 Apr - Burton Cummings Theatre, Winnipeg, MB
• 11 Apr - TCU Place, Saskatoon, SK
• 12 Apr - Conexus Arts Centre – Regina, Canada
• 13 Apr - Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium, CA
• 14 Apr - Winspear Centre – Edmonton, Canada
• 16 Apr - Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Vancouver, BC
  
  
• 28 Sep - Flato Markham Theatre, ON, Canada
• 29 Sep - Flato Markham Theatre, ON, Canada 

Read more and buy tickets.

 

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A post shared by Chipper Lowell (@chipperlowell)

A(nother) peek behind the curtain with Sam Strange

Upcoming Champions of Magic Canadian tour dates:

• 12/8/19     Brandon, MB
• 12/12/19   Ottawa, ON      
• 12/14/19   Oshawa, ON
• 12/15/19   Laval, QC
• 1/16/20     Saskatoon, SK    SaskTel Centre
• 1/17/20     Regina, SK    Conexus Arts Centre
• 1/26/20     Prince George, BC
• 2/29/20    Rama, ON        

Read more and buy tickets.

 

You may remember the fabulous interview, "A peek behind the curtain with Young and Strange," from December of last year.  I was delighted to receive an invitation to take a second pass at an email interview with Sam Strange (the taller half of Young and Strange) as part of a Champions of Magic promotion.

Many of you know that Strange orchestrated a most wonderful surprise last June for Richard Young and The Magicians' Podcast.  

You've toured a number of countries.  Have you experienced anything specific about Canadian audiences in particular?

That run of shows we did in Toronto (in December 2018) is generally considered by the cast to be some of the best shows we have ever done, with some of the best audiences we have ever performed to. That maybe in part due to the perfect theatre for the show and at Christmas time when everyone is in a great mood anyway. Young and I did have to evolve the humour and delivery for our act for American audiences, but it does seem that the Canadian audiences sense of humour is a little more aligned with the British.

What interests do you have outside of magic?
 
The 2 interests I’m about to list don’t do my reputation any favours.

Manmade underground structures.
Included in that are tunnels, bunkers and mines. Specifically NOT caves. As we all know, caves are dull.

Prisons. Difficult to articulate why or how those interests have come about it. If I were a betting man (which Young will testify is the case) I would say it’s the human history and sinister nature of both. Prisons are renowned for the evil held within and most places built underground are not for the living.

I am mindful that this answer has given good ammunition in the next round of off stage ribbing from other cast members.

What are your thoughts on touring life?

If you ever get the chance to be a part of a touring show on the scale of Champions of Magic, take it.

It’s an insane experience when I reflect on it. There's a cast and crew of 14 people all travelling together, who are all passionate about magic, who are all decent people and who are all as invested in the show as anyone else  It’s constantly peppered with euphoric highs. As you can imagine, the show is the focus and pretty much all conversations outside of the theatre relate in someway back to the show. I think it’s important to have a bit of escapism from time to time and respect other peoples space when they need it.

Do you have any pre-show rituals?
 
As it’s a mixed bill of magicians, it’s always important to get the best response from the audience. I often perform a routine of sabotage on the other magicians props. It’s enormously helpful to making our act peacock ahead of the others and subsequently helps to prop up my misplaced ego.

What do you do to keep your performance fresh for both your audience and you?

As a double act we are fortunate because we can be a catalyst for each other during the performance. If I feel Young’s delivery or energy dip during the performance (or vice versa) we can pick each other up, feeding from each others enthusiasm. I also find that putting the ‘work’ into perspective really helps. [Last December's 17 day run of] 41 shows sounds impressive and tiring, but I’m not at a coalface and I am living my dream. The least I can do to sustain that is to look engaged and interested while on stage.

If you could be endowed with the talent to take on any Broadway role past or present, who would you pick?

My hands are tied. This is an interview for Canada's Magic and it’s important to do everything I can to win you round.

Therefore my answer can only be Doug Henning.

Fortunately not only is that a politically astute answer, but it’s also pretty true. The vibrancy, colour and pure joy of his act would be so much fun to do.

[Editor's note: Truly a terrific answer.  AND it shares internal consistency with last December's interview.  Well done!]

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

On a personal level, I love being a part of the Champions of Magic show. In buying a ticket and coming to support the show you are allowing me, and many other people I tour with, to live their childhood dreams. Think of it as a charity and spread the word for the next run of Canadian shows.

 

Thank you Sam Strange of Young and Strange for making the time to answer more of our questions!

Catch the Champions of Magic on tour in Canada!

Upcoming Champions of Magic Canadian tour dates:

• 12/8/19     Brandon, MB
• 12/12/19   Ottawa, ON      
• 12/14/19   Oshawa, ON
• 12/15/19   Laval, QC
• 1/16/20     Saskatoon, SK    SaskTel Centre
• 1/17/20     Regina, SK    Conexus Arts Centre
• 1/26/20     Prince George, BC
• 2/29/20    Rama, ON         

Read more and buy tickets.

Regina: Oliver, the ventriloquist dummy made in the 1910s

From the October 17th article "Black Museum exhibit in Regina shows off creepy side of Canada's true crime history" by Samanda Brace in CBC News:

One of those creepy items is Oliver, the ventriloquist dummy made in the 1910s by an RCMP member who was a magician and ventriloquist that put on shows for children.

Unfortunately, Oliver hasn't aged well, according to Eskritt. He has been designated the host of the exhibit.

"Now I can't verify that it's true or not, but some of our visitors in the past have said that it feels like his eyes follow you as you move around the exhibit, so that adds to the whole sort of atmosphere," Eskritt said.

Read more.

A(nother) peek behind the curtain with Alex McAleer

Upcoming Champions of Magic Canadian tour dates:

• 12/8/19     Brandon, MB
• 12/12/19   Ottawa, ON      
• 12/14/19   Oshawa, ON
• 12/15/19   Laval, QC
• 1/16/20     Saskatoon, SK    SaskTel Centre
• 1/17/20     Regina, SK    Conexus Arts Centre
• 1/26/20     Prince George, BC
• 2/29/20    Rama, ON        

Read more and buy tickets.

 

You may remember the wonderful interview, "A peek behind the curtain with Alex McAleer," from December of last year.  I was delighted to receive an invitation to take a second pass at an email interview with McAleer as part of a Champions of Magic promotion.

If you haven't already, check out his YouTube channel where he hosts his series Mind Games in addition to his Champions of Magic tour vlog.

What do you do to keep your performance fresh for both your audience and you?

Although my act has a solid structure, each show is different as the audience play a big part in deciding what happens, whether they know it or not. So it becomes a bit like improv for me. That helps to keep it fresh, but I always try to keep my energy and enthusiasm up for each and every audience because it might be 1000th time I’ve done the show but for them it’s their first time seeing it.

You've toured a number of countries.  Have you experienced anything specific about Canadian audiences in particular?  

Canadian audience have the North American enthusiasm like crowds in the U.S. but feel a bit more like the audiences back home in the UK in terms of their sense of humour.

Do you have any advice for touring magicians?

Advice for touring magicians...

• Travel light.
   
• Don’t use a roller bag. They can never fit them all in the overhead bins on a flight. 
   
• Save locations like coffee shops, stores, restaurants, whatever, on Google maps so when you go back again for more shows or whatever, you’ve got a list of your favourite locations.
   
• Take time to see things the town or city is known for. Ask a local, especially Uber drivers.
   
• If you find good WiFi somewhere, use it wisely - download films, books, podcasts, whatever you need. You’ll regret it later if you don’t.
   
• Steal all the free toiletries from hotels. They might come in handy on the road, or make disappointing gifts for people you don’t like very much.
   
• Have something to do in the downtime. Usually I’m editing a tour vlog, or writing up some new ideas. Kayla and Young both have podcasts.  [Editor's note:  podcasts are Shezam Pod and The Magicians' Podcast respectively.]

What interests do you have outside of magic?
Film. Art. Cooking. Gym. Laughing. Anthropomorphising inanimate objects. Not always in that order.

Do you have any tour or pre-show rituals?

Not really as I’m not at all superstitious. However, I always brush my teeth before a show but that’s more of a courtesy to participants that join me on stage and makes me smile more on stage.

If you were to ask the others what McAleer likes to do pre-show they’d say get ready ridiculously early; costume and mic on, ready to go, long before I need to.

If you could be endowed with the talent to take on any Broadway role past or present, who would you pick?

Something from ‘Into The Woods’ ... maybe doubling up as the Wolf and one of the Princes as they get the songs that would be most fun to perform.

Those are fun parts! You can't go wrong with Sondheim.

Thank you Alex McAleer for making the time to answer our questions.


Catch the Champions of Magic on tour in Canada!

Upcoming Champions of Magic Canadian tour dates:

• 12/8/19     Brandon, MB
• 12/12/19   Ottawa, ON      
• 12/14/19   Oshawa, ON
• 12/15/19   Laval, QC
• 1/16/20     Saskatoon, SK    SaskTel Centre
• 1/17/20     Regina, SK    Conexus Arts Centre
• 1/26/20     Prince George, BC
• 2/29/20    Rama, ON        

Read more and buy tickets.

A peek behind the curtain with Kayla Drescher

Upcoming Champions of Magic Canadian tour dates:

• 12/8/19     Brandon, MB
• 12/12/19   Ottawa, ON       <<<  ** recent addition **
• 12/14/19   Oshawa, ON
• 12/15/19   Laval, QC
• 1/16/20     Saskatoon, SK    SaskTel Centre
• 1/17/20     Regina, SK    Conexus Arts Centre
• 1/26/20     Prince George, BC
• 2/29/20    Rama, ON         <<<  ** recent addition **

Read more and buy tickets.

 

I was delighted to receive an invitation to email interview Kayla Drescher, as part of a Champions of Magic promotion.  You may know already know Drescher as the winner of the Today Show's “The Next Great Magician” (judged by David Copperfield), from appearing on season four of Penn and Teller Fool Us, or from lecturing in Toronto last January. 

(Read on to learn more about Drescher's connection to the Canadian magician known as "The Beauty of Magic.")

Who inspires you magically?

My mentors are a couple from Indianapolis - Christian and Katalina.  They are my biggest inspiration magically.  I enjoy watching magicians that are grounded and “real”, like you want to buy them a beer after the show.  That’s what I aim for as a performer and am inspired by those that do the same.

What is your first memory of magic?
 
My first memories were from seeing magic at a magic shop at 7 years old.  That’s where I caught the “bug.”

Why do you think people are still fascinated by magic, especially live magic? 

Because it’s happening directly in front of you.  When magic is happening with no screen or special CGI, it adds to the impossibility.  Add in magic happening in your hands… well there’s nothing better.

Where do you find non-magical inspiration?
 
I love watching dance and choreographers tell a story through movement, listening to music that motivates something magically, or watching a movie suspend the audience’s disbelief and transport you to another world.  Comedy is also a huge influence, especially improv and character-based sketch comedy.  I’m also super inspired by Celine Dion and basically everything she does, especially her fashion.  My choice for clothing on stage is highly motivated by hers. 

What’s is it about Champions of Magic that has allowed you to draw large audiences on 6 UK tours and 3 North American tours over the past six years?

Champions of Magic features every type of magic you could possibly imagine while keeping it fun for the whole family.  But really what we feature over any other show, TV program, movie, etc, is us.  The 5 performers have strong, enjoyable, and engaging personalities.  You get to know us individually and as a performing “family.”  We truly enjoy touring together and you can see that on stage.  We probably feature more high-fives than any other show has.  Audience members come back show after show because they enjoy “hanging out” with us.  And because the audiences are different, the show is just a little different each time, making each show super memorable.    We work hard to make the show not just magically impressive, but an absolutely fun time.

What surprised you most about performing in different countries?  Have you experienced anything specific about Canadian audiences in particular?

The biggest difference is the style of humor.  Because I’m primarily comedy/improv based, I have to study what each audience would find funny.  What I love most about Canadian audiences is the immediate excitement when the show starts.  The roar of the audience when the lights go down is everything a performer wants to hear.  We LOVE LOVE LOVE performing for Canadian audiences and cannot wait to do it again!

Do you have a favourite touring anecdote and / or any advice for touring magicians?

There are so many stories from tour and we certainly don’t have time for them all.  My favorites come from pranking Sam Strange, like when he leaves his belongings on stage during rehearsals and I hide them in one of the cup holders in a 4,000 seat theater.  That’s always fun.

My biggest advice is to just be open to any adventure the tour can bring.  I’ve tried different foods, seen amazing parts of various countries, and rode my first Bird scooter (which I fell off) with the tour.  It’s like an adventure of no other so make the most of it!

 

With respect to your connection to Canadian magic, most of our readers will be familiar with the podcast you do with Carisa Hendrix (Shezam! the podcast hopes to make itself obsolete), and many will know about your connection with the Toronto magic crew.  Do you have any other connections to Canadian magic?

I was influenced by Greg Frewin at a young age.  And there's also Celeste Evans.

I first met Celeste Evans and her daughter Evanna at a magic convention when I was roughly 15/16 years old.  Celeste was a hero of mine, being such a trailblazer in the community and having created a full stage act in a tight dress and no suit jacket (which I was wearing at the time).  Celeste often offered unprompted advice to young magicians, especially women in the community.  She was an amazing human being and a fantastic magicians.

When she passed away, Evanna kindly sent me some of her magic-themed jewelry. After I finished crying of pure joy and honor, the jewelry quickly made its way into my usual performance attire.  Her necklace charm, in the shape of a hand with 4 multiplying balls, is what I mainly wear every show, although the ring in the same shape is often on my hand.  I’m honored to carry on a piece of Celeste through everything I do.  

Do you have any tour or pre-show rituals?

I lay on the floor a lot. It’s very comfortable.  Then I do a ton of dancing to loosen up and get happy, give Fernando a high-five, and get on with the show!

You sometimes perform extremely dense runs.  What do you do to keep your performance fresh for both your audience and you?

I try to change little things about my show each time I start to feel myself get complacent.  It could be adding in a new joke, doing a different dance, wearing a new jacket or shoes, just anything to change things up a bit.  We also all try to keep things fresh, from playing tag on stage to making each other laugh in the wings.  I’m thankful to be with a group of people that all know how to have fun and keep things fresh.

What interests do you have outside of magic?

I’m a big basketball fan and keep up with the WNBA and women’s college basketball regularly.  I try to read a lot but always just end up watching Harry Potter.  And I have a really great dog that I enjoy snuggling with.

If you could be endowed with the talent to take on any Broadway role past or present, who would you pick?

Elphaba from Wicked.

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

California weather. I’d share California weather with all of Canada.

Ohhh... best gift ever! Don't forget to bottle some for yourself though.  You'll need it when you hit SK in January!

Thank you Kayla Drescher for making the time to answer our questions!



Catch the Champions of Magic on tour in Canada!

Upcoming Champions of Magic Canadian tour dates:

• 12/8/19     Brandon, MB
• 12/12/19   Ottawa, ON       <<<  ** recent addition **
• 12/14/19   Oshawa, ON
• 12/15/19   Laval, QC
• 1/16/20     Saskatoon, SK    SaskTel Centre
• 1/17/20     Regina, SK    Conexus Arts Centre
• 1/26/20     Prince George, BC
• 2/29/20    Rama, ON         <<<  ** recent addition **

Read more and buy tickets.

A(nother) peek behind the curtain with Richard Young

Upcoming Champions of Magic Canadian tour dates:

• 12/8/19     Brandon, MB
• 12/12/19   Ottawa, ON       <<<  ** recent addition **
• 12/14/19   Oshawa, ON
• 12/15/19   Laval, QC
• 1/16/20     Saskatoon, SK    SaskTel Centre
• 1/17/20     Regina, SK    Conexus Arts Centre
• 1/26/20     Prince George, BC
• 2/29/20    Rama, ON         <<<  ** recent addition **

Read more and buy tickets.

 

You may remember the fabulous interview, "A peek behind the curtain with Young and Strange,"  from December of last year.  I was delighted to receive an invitation to take a second pass at an email interview with Richard Young (one half of Young and Strange) as part of a Champions of Magic promotion.

Many of you already know Young through his podcast, "The Magician's Podcast."  He's interviewed a handful of Canadians including Darcy Oake, Billy Kidd, and Greg Frewin.   Last June, Young aired an epic 100th (and final) episode, where he interviewed his magic idol David Copperfield.  The Magic Circle recently recognized the outstanding contribution to magic made by Young through his podcast.


From the Magicians' Podcast Twitter feed:

Thanks to everyone who was involved in me being presented with this award for the podcast last night by The Magic Circle.

I’m absolutely chuffed to bits. pic.twitter.com/ZZoWzVfiFV

— The Magicians’ Podcast (@MagicianPodcast) September 2, 2019

You've toured a number of countries.  Have you experienced anything specific about Canadian audiences in particular?

I think the shows we did in Toronto last Christmas were some of the best shows we have ever done in our six year history. We did so many shows back to back and it was really hard work however the enthusiastic audiences kept us going and our spirits high. I think enthusiasm and energy is what I notice specifically about the Canadian audiences.

Do you have any advice for touring magicians?
 
My top tip for other touring magicians is to buy more underwear, washing machines are hard to find on tour sometimes.

Do you have a favourite touring anecdote?

Touring with Champions of Magic has been the greatest adventure of my life. I remember arriving in North America with the show for the first time in September 2017 about to embark on our first US Tour, it was one of the most thrilling times of my life. I couldn’t believe we had finally made it to America, it had been secretly talked about for a couple of years and I was worried it might never happen. Two days after we arrived we threw out the first pitch at a Cleveland Indians game in front of 30000 people to help promote the show. It really felt like we had ‘arrived in that second.’

What interests do you have outside of magic?
 
I am a huge Musical Theatre fan, I saw both Come From Away and Hamilton last week here in the U.K, I can’t get enough of Come From Away it was the 4th time I have seen it, the London cast are extraordinary.

I also have a weird life long obsession with the Titanic Disaster and know an awful lot about it, from design and conception through to the inquiries that followed the sinking and also how the wreck was found in 1985. If you’re ever struggling to sleep, give me a call and I’ll talk you through Lord Mersey’s inquiry, it was an absolute cluster f**k.

What do you do to keep your performance fresh for both your audience and you?

The fact we are facing forward and talking to the audience as opposed to being in scene or play where we pretend the audience isn’t there means the interaction with the audience will help to keep it fresh night after night. There are a few exercises taught to us by our director which we do during long runs to make sure we are still ‘in the room’ while the show is going on. The same sort of techniques they teach to actors and musical theatre performers on Broadway who do the same role every night in the same theatres for sometimes a couple of years in a row.

If you could be endowed with the talent to take on any Broadway role past or present, who would you pick?

I fantasise about being Javert from Les Miserable quite a bit, however I think if I’m being honest with myself I probably suit Thernadier more. I think I would also be a good Monsier Firmin in Phantom too. 

Could Young play Javert?

Listen to Richard Young interview Andy Nyman in episode 85 and you be the judge.  (The whole interview is fabulous, but the Javert part in particular comes shortly after the 1:14 mark.)

Listen to what Irish tenor Killian Donnelly thinks. Donnelly recently appeared in a West End production of Les Mis as Jean Valjean. 

I know all the words to both parts already so if anyone is reading this looking to fill those parts let me know. I would drop Champions of Magic like a sack of s**t to be in either of those two shows,

this may seem in written published form as a kinda bizarre form of career suicide from Champions however I know Alex the producer of our show wouldn’t take offense to my remarks and if anything would encourage me too do it, he loves both shows as much as I do and would completely understand.

[Editor's note: We certainly hope Alex is as understanding as you say he is!]

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

If you haven’t seen Champions of Magic before, I do really think you’d enjoy spending an evening with us.

If you’re a magician, you won’t like everything you see, however I promise you will love some stuff and have a great time slagging off the stuff you didn’t, so you have nothing to lose, I hope to see you at one of the shows.

 

Thank you Richard Young of Young and Strange for making the time to answer more of our questions!

Catch the Champions of Magic on tour in Canada!

Upcoming Champions of Magic Canadian tour dates:

• 12/8/19     Brandon, MB
• 12/12/19   Ottawa, ON       <<<  ** recent addition **
• 12/14/19   Oshawa, ON
• 12/15/19   Laval, QC
• 1/16/20     Saskatoon, SK    SaskTel Centre
• 1/17/20     Regina, SK    Conexus Arts Centre
• 1/26/20     Prince George, BC
• 2/29/20    Rama, ON         <<<  ** recent addition **

Read more and buy tickets.

A peek behind the curtain with Fernando Velasco

Upcoming Champions of Magic Canadian tour dates:

• 12/8/19     Brandon, MB
• 12/12/19   Ottawa, ON    TD Place    <<<  ** recent addition **
• 12/14/19   Oshawa, ON
• 12/15/19   Laval, QC
• 1/16/20     Saskatoon, SK    SaskTel Centre
• 1/17/20     Regina, SK    Conexus Arts Centre
• 1/26/20     Prince George, BC

Read more and buy tickets.

 

I was delighted to receive an invitation to email interview Fernando Velasco, as part of a Champions of Magic promotion.  You may already know that Velasco was presented with the 2018 Junior Achievement Award at the Magic Castle earlier this year.

What a dream receiving this award was over the weekend, big Thanks to the AMA (thanks Steve & David for presenting it) huge thanks to my manager/mentor/ Director Chuck Jones, who is always… https://t.co/9Otpl6J073

— Fernando Velasco (@illusionistFV) May 7, 2019

What is your first memory of magic?

I must have been around 7, and my dad (who lived in the US while i still lived in Mexico) took me a DVD from the US with a number of magicians on it. there i started to fall in love with magic.

I used to think "THAT is real magic" and would invite all my neighborhood friends to come over and watch this DVD with "REAL magic."

Who inspires you magically?

Mexican magician Joaquin Ayala, along with Copperfield, and naturally HOUDINI.

What would have been in store for you had you not caught the magic bug?  

Maybe if I could sing, a singer

Why do you think audiences are still drawn to escapes, sleight of hand, and illusion?

Magic still gives people a feeling of "wonder."

Who inspires you that is not a magician?
 
Mexican singer Alejandro Fernandez as it feels like he gives it all on stage every time.

What's special about Champions of Magic draws large audiences on 6 UK tours and 3 North American tours over the past 6 years?

There is nothing like a good magic show LIVE. Not on TV or online, BUT LIVE.

You've performed in many different countries. Have you experienced anything specific about Canadian audiences in particular?

They are up for the fun.

Do you have any pre-show rituals?
  I sing, terribly but I try to sing.  As well as sometimes I watch live performances of my favorite singers/bands. I feel like I take on their energy for the show.

Do you have a favourite touring anecdote and / or advice for touring magicians?

Too many to tell!
 
(Sam) Strange and I often go urban exploring and that's fun.

@ChampionsMagic
There i was minding my own business (as usual)
... LOOKING FOR SOME TACOS... 🌮🇲🇽❤️
Somehow I’ve ended up in a very sketchy part of town ( shown in this picture) ...
FYI in case I don’t make it to tonight’s show pic.twitter.com/BsCt91Izb3

— Fernando Velasco (@illusionistFV) January 3, 2019

Advice: Have fun on and off stage!

What interests do you have outside of magic?
 
Sports.

What do you do to keep your performance fresh for both your audience and you?

Doing little things to have fun with the other performers and crew on stage.  Like playing tag on stage (without the audience noticing anything) among other small things.

If you could be endowed with the talent to take on any Broadway role past or present, who would you pick and why? 

Aladdin.  Because I had a dream I played him!

I just had a dream i was Aladdin 😂🤦🏻‍♂️

— Fernando Velasco (@illusionistFV) September 14, 2019

What's your Canadian connection to magic?

I saw Greg Frewin's show last year.

Velasco also experienced, for his very first time, the magic of real snow in Toronto last December!

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



Catch the Champions of Magic on tour in Canada!

Upcoming Champions of Magic Canadian tour dates:

• 12/8/19     Brandon, MB
• 12/12/19   Ottawa, ON    TD Place    <<<  ** recent addition **
• 12/14/19   Oshawa, ON
• 12/15/19   Laval, QC
• 1/16/20     Saskatoon, SK    SaskTel Centre
• 1/17/20     Regina, SK    Conexus Arts Centre
• 1/26/20     Prince George, BC

Read more and buy tickets.

Champions of Magic are coming back!

I was also lucky to score interviews in 2018 with two of the four acts in the show.  Have a read:

• A peek behind the curtain with Alex McAleer
• A peek behind the curtain with Young and Strange

I had the privilege of seeing Champions of Magic with Kidlet last December. So. Much. Fun! You can read my random thoughts about their show here.


From the Champions of Magic:

• 12/8/19     Brandon, MB
• 12/14/19   Oshawa, ON
• 12/15/19   Laval, QC
• 1/16/20     Saskatoon, SK    SaskTel Centre
• 1/17/20     Regina, SK    Conexus Arts Centre
• 1/26/20     Prince George, BC

Read more and buy tickets.

From the Champions of Magic Facebook page:

"The Lucky Dragon Tour" with Piff the Magic Dragon

From Piff the Magic Dragon:

OCT 10 THU - Casino Regina, Regina, SK
OCT 11 FRI - Casino Regina, Regina, SK
OCT 12 SAT - Gold Eagle Casino, North Battleford, SK
NOV 8 FRI - Sagebrush Theatre, Kamloops, BC
NOV 9 SAT - Vogue Theatre, Vancouver, BC

Read more and buy tickets.

With thanks to The Magic Demon for submitting this post idea. Submit your post idea here.

Regina: Magic and Mystery

A magical fundraiser show for the WA WA Shriners.  October 25th, 2019.


From Chester McBain's Facebook post:

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.

An update from ReginaCadabra

From the ReginaCadabra Facebook page:

ReginaCadabra Magic Festival would like to announce with regret that we will not be holding the Festival in 2019 and beyond. This decision was not made without a great deal of thought and discussion with the stakeholders. We sincerely appreciate all of the magic fans that attended the wonderful event in 2017 and 2018. We thank all of our community partners and sponsors that participated in the past events. We thank all of our magician friends that performed at the event and those that helped to promote the event to fellow magicians and magic fans. Thank you to all of the volunteers that donated so much of their time to help make the event run smoothly and professionally. Thank you to the Regina Hotel Association that created the Event of Events contest that brought forth this event to Regina. Finally thank you to the Festival Committee and Board who gave countless hours of meetings and time to help produce and run the event.

For the magic fans, we hope you remain a follower of this page as we will from time to time communicate (post) magic events that are occurring in the area.

Again on behalf of the Board, Thank you!

Brent Kloeble
President
ReginaCadabra Magic Festival.

Regina: ReginaCadabra now with Danny Kazam

From the ReginaCadabra Facebook page:

The Family Magic Show Saturday July 28 has added magician
Danny Kazam originally from Montreal. Danny is a full time magician. Danny will open for Eric Leclerc at this event. Eric is Canada's Two-Time Magic Champion from Ottawa. Danny brings a laugh out loud interactive comedy ride of fun and amazement for the whole family! Only a week until showtime. Tickets are disappearing fast. Get yours today at https://www.picatic.com/event15271723187499

Reginacadabra 2018: Talent

The Reginacadabra Magic Festival will be held July 25-28, 2018.

The eagle-eyed among you may have noticed the sign-up for more information about CAM 2019, July 24-27, 2019!


From Reginacadabra:

Matt Gore aka “The Ginger Ninja” from South Africa

• After winning the title of FISM Africa Magic Champion in 2012, and competing in the World Championships of Magic twice, Matt has achieved international recognition for his performances. Matt is a talented entertainer with over 12 years’ experience performing all around the world; add to that his cheeky character and sharp sense of humour and you have the ultimate comedy magician. Matt interacts among your guests, standing or seated at tables, bringing his exceptional brand of interactive comedy magic right to them. Your guests may have seen magic on stage or TV, but never has the impossible happened so close to them, the magic will literally happen in their own hands!

Danny Kazam

• Danny is a full time professional children’s entertainer, magician, and puppeteer. He is also a talented song writer, and has created magic for other magicians. He studied acting at Studio Sound Stage in Toronto, Ont. and has a background in both theatre arts and child development. Two of his biggest influences in becoming a children's entertainer was Shari Lewis and Ernie Coombs/Mr. Dressup.

Andrew Kinakin

• Andrew Kinakin is a professional entertainer from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Having travelled five continents around the world, he is happy to be back performing in the province he calls home. Being one of the youngest professional performers around this area Andrew brings a new, fun, high energy form of entertainment that you will find both captivating and refreshing. In the past few years Andrew has had the opportunity to make appearances on media outlets such as Global, CTV, C95 and CruzFm. Performing close-up magic gives everyone an opportunity really experience the entertainment right under their noses! Be prepared to experience entertainment with extra excitement!

Eric Leclerc - Canada's Two-Time Magic Champion from Ottawa

• Eric Leclerc is a globetrotting speaker and magician that performs feel good magic for your brain. His popular YouTube videos have gathered over 10 million views worldwide. He currently co-hosts the game show AU DÉFI on TFO Networks and is a regular guest on National Geographic's top rated show Brain Games. His original magic and hilariously crazy attitude have made him a 2-time winner of the "Canadian Magic Championship" title. Whether it's in front of the camera, performing live on the world's stages or simply speaking to inspire, Eric uses his charismatic personality to delight and connect with any audience. His shows have been described as ''a unique journey through interactive experiments and calculated craziness''. Think you know what magicians do? Think again. See why Eric's performances guarantee a healthy dose of laughter for your soul, and magic for your brain.

Chris Lovely

• For almost as long as I can remember I wanted to be an entertainer. Wasn’t sure just what at first, all I knew was that I loved to see people having a good time and laughing. When I was 11 years old I saw David Copperfield on TV for the first time, and I was hooked, I had found my calling in the entertainment world. Every year since I looked forward to his yearly T.V. specials and counted the days when his next special was airing. It was something my Mother and I watched together year after year. I started doing some research on how one becomes a magician. When I was 14 I met the local magician in Fredericton NB named Pearly Palmer. He became my mentor and is one of my main reasons I became the magician that I am. He gave me my first paying gig. My passion for magic and entertaining people has never changed. I am dedicated to providing not only a quality show but being sure you get the right show for your event.

Richy Roy

• Saskatchewan's own Richy Roy has been performing magic across Canada, for over a decade, entertaining audiences with his amazing magic, incredible balloon twisting, energetic stage performances, and hilarious antics! Nobody entertains quite like Richy! Card manipulations, linking rings, unbelievable rope magic, and levitation are only some of the impressive routines Richy Roy will perform. Hilarious entertainment professionally crafted to keep you amazed and laughing all show long!

Kent Wong

• Kent Wong is one of the most sought after entertainers in North America. With numerous appearances on national television, he is also a two-time, international Gold Medal Champion and a member of Hollywood’s famous Magic Castle. Kent has astounded audiences with his unique brand of magic and humour for over 35 years. From strolling magic to banquet shows and grand scale illusions, Kent has done it all. Kent’s close-up magic is similar to the Street Performing festivals prevalent throughout many cities each and every summer, with much of the magic happening right in your hands. Kent Wong can bring the joy and excitement of this festival right to your doorstep!

Read more and register.

Regina: Murray the Magician

From Casino Regina:

April 20, 2018

Murray the Magician - As seen on Pawn Stars, America's Got Talent & YouTube!

Murray who is currently headlining at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino on the Las Vegas strip nightly really made his mark as a household name when he exploded onto the entertainment scene after his successful run as a semi-finalist on NBC-TV’s “America’s Got Talent.” The #1 network summer series was viewed by over 22 million fans nationwide. Murray dazzled the judges: Piers Morgan, Sharon Osbourne and Howie Mandel by producing a Ferrari from thin air, transforming a girl locked in a cage into a 450 pound tiger and did the largest trick ever on “AGT” by vanishing an entire 1918 steam train locomotive in mere seconds. All of these illusions took place before a “live” and national “TV” audience, and brought standing ovations from the judges.

Murray has won over 32 awards for his performances nationally and internationally and received the title of “World Champion.”  He has delighted audiences in theatres from Monaco and Paris to Las Vegas and the legendary Playboy Mansion.  Recently he was honored with 4 awards, The Hollywood FAME Award for contribution to Magic on TV, the LA Comedy Award for BEST COMEDY SHOW, TOP 100 Business Men of Nevada and 100 Most Distinguished Men of Nevada.

Read more and buy tickets.

ReginaCadabra: Save the dates!

Stay tuned for the talent announcement!

From ReginaCadabra:

The ReginaCadabra Magic Festival, North America's Premiere Magic Festival will be held July 25-28, 2018.

The Illusionists: MB, SK, AB, BC, ON

From The Illusionists Live:

• WINNIPEG, MANITOBA - APR.10
• REGINA, SASKATCHEWAN - APR.11
• SASKATOON, SASKATCHEWAN - APR.12
• RED DEER, ALBERTA - APR.13
• LETHBRIGE, ALBERTA - APR.14
• KAMLOOPS, BRITISH COLUMBIA - APR.16
• PRINCE GEORGE, BRITISH COLUMBIA - APR.17
• KITCHENER, ONTARIO - MAY.17

Read more and buy tickets.

From the April 9th article 'Works like magic: Illusionists get to shine in "roller-coaster" show' by Cam Fuller in the Saskatoon Starphoenix:

“The Avengers of magic.” That’s what Jeff Hobson feels like as part of The Illusionists.

The necromantic spectacular features stars in five disciplines, from traditional magic to mind-reading: The Inventor Kevin James, The Deductionist Colin Cloud, The Manipulator An Ha Lim and Hobson, the Trickster.

“We’ve been all over the world and this is our first chance to get to the western side of Canada, which is great,” said Hobson.

“I love Canada. We always have great audiences. We just finished in Ottawa for a week and did Toronto for a month back in December.”

Read more.

Outerbridge Magic Fall 2017 tour dates

If you can catch Ted and Marion Outerbridge on their upcoming tour, I highly recommend it!

From Ted Outerbridge:

• October 14, 2017:  Organization of Saskatchewan Arts Councils (Showcase), Regina, SK
• October 15, 2017:  Organization of Saskatchewan Arts Councils (Showcase), Regina, SK
• October 27, 2017:  Gracie Theatre, Bangor, ME
• November 18, 2017:  (Holiday Magic Show), St. Catharines, ON
• November 20, 2017:  Capital Theatre (Holiday Magic Show), Windsor, ON
• November 21, 2017:  Kiwanis Theatre (Holiday Magic Show), Chatham, ON
• November 22, 2017:  Library Theatre Holiday Magic Show), Sarnia, ON
• November 24, 2017:  Forest City Church Theatre (Holiday Magic Show), London, ON
• November 28, 2017:  (Holiday Magic Show), Belleville, ON
• November 30, 2017:  Rose Theatre (Holiday Magic Show), Brampton, ON
• December 1, 2017:  Sanderson Centre (Holiday Magic Show), Brantford, ON
• December 2, 2017:  Humanities Theatre (Holiday Magicc Show), Waterloo, ON
• December 7, 2017:  Jeanne and Peter Lougheed Performing Arts Centre, Camrose, AB
• December 8, 2017:  Esplanade Arts and Heritage Centre, Medicine Hat, AB
• March 14, 2018:  First Ontario Arts Centre Milton, Milton, ON