Toronto: "With an Extra Helping of Magic" in support of the North York General Hospital [Nov 23]

With performances by the Toronto Magic Company, Phil Pivnick, Patrick Nemeth, David Peck, Katarina Gligorijević, Rob Fishbaum, and Anthony Lindan.  (Line-up subject to change.)

 

From the IBM Ring 17 website:

With an Extra Helping of Magic 
November 23

Join us for an enchanting evening of wonder and compassion as Willowdale Rotary and the Hat and Rabbit Club come together to host a magical charity fundraiser on November 23 at 7:30 pm.

This fun and interactive magic show is not just about illusion but also making a real difference. As we gather at this memorable event, with some of Toronto's finest magicians, we'll be raising critical funds to support mental health initiatives in Toronto and in support of the North York General Hospital. With every ticket sold and every donation made you're contributing to the well-being of those in need, helping to break down the stigma surrounding mental health issues and providing essential resources for our community.

Our goal is to raise at least $2,500.

Prepare to be amazed as we unite for a cause that's truly magical - the well-being of our fellow Torontonians.

Buy tickets or donate now.

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Toronto: Potted Potter [Dec 21 - Jan 14]

From the November 9th Instagram by Starvox Entertainment:

POTTED POTTER RETURNS AND CASTS ITS SPELL ON TORONTO THIS HOLIDAY!

Tickets available now!
🎟️: bit.ly/47oiJLH

No need for a stop in Diagon Alley, the cleverly curated show features perfect Potter props complete with wand and sorting hat,  appearances from your favourite characters, and a live Quidditch match!

Perfect for those six to Dumbledore Potted Potter runs Thursday, December 21 - Friday, January 14, 2024.

 

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A peek behind the curtain with Hollie England [2023]

This is the fourth in a series of interviews leading up to the Champions of Magic Worldwide Wonder Tour Canadian dates in:

• Toronto, Ticketmaster  [Dec 27 - 31]  ** extended to Dec 31 ** 
• Lethbridge, Enmax Centre  [Mar 16]
• Regina, Conexus Arts Centre  [Mar 17] 
• Winnipeg, Centennial Concert Hall  [Mar 18]
  
• Saskatoon, TCU Place  [Mar 19]
• Lloydminster, Vic Juba Theatre [Mar 20]  ** recently added **
  
• Edmonton, Festival Place  [Mar 22 - Apr 6]   
• Prince George, CN Centre  [Apr 7] 
• Vancouver, Great Canadian Casino [Apr 8]   ** recently added **

Additional rumoured locations include cities in BC and NS!  Check the Champions of Magic website for updates.

Read our thoughts about their 2022 show:

TLDR: So. Much. Fun!

Random thoughts about "Champions of Magic" 

 

In addition to her stage shows, you may know Hollie England through her:

• involvement in Illusionarium in Toronto,
  
• appearances at Late Night Magic in Vegas, or
  
• designs at thehexclubstore.com

We're delighted to interview Hollie ahead of her Canadian Champions of Magic Worldwide Wonder Tour dates!

 

Through social media, we've watched your act change and grow over time.  When you have an audience tested, well-received show, what drives you to modify and advance your act?

I originally joined the show with the least experience as a magician with these 4 other performers who had developed and perfected their acts over many years. I guess, coming to be a magician later in life, I felt like I was ‘catching up’ at the beginning and so I was very motivated to try things, see what worked and what didn’t and make my acts bigger and better as fast as I could. I just wanted to be GOOD more than anything in the world. Every iteration of my acts have got closer and closer to being more ‘me’ and that’s what makes it fun to perform and also makes the audience connect and relate more.
 
I try to stay inspired by seeing shows and movies, watching other performers (not necessarily other magicians) and listening to Pandora stations that introduce me to new music (still within my preferred styles). I’m always trying different lines here and there when I get an idea for something funny.

Ultimately, I’ve always had this desire to create and sometimes what I create ends up being a completely new routine or it flips an existing one or it just adds elements.

Some changes have come about through dealing with venue challenges. For example, when there were theaters on the tour that didn’t allow fire, I found a way to create a similar effect but using water instead. Both versions are custom made and so they also tick the very important box of being completely unique and ‘me’.

Performing in smaller shows in Vegas and Nashville has helped me grow exponentially as a performer. From altering, tweaking material for an adult-only, small venue, late night, 'Vegas' (sometimes very drunk) audience to getting to play with crowd work (and sometimes control), interacting differently with the rest of the cast onstage in my routines and theirs in terms of finding characters plus just being able to perform so consistently in the same venue (5 mins away from my house) and develop new routines- being able to try new things out in front of a real audience. I've also been able to get hired as a 'featured act' and ‘headliner’ in other shows and it's allowed me to see how different audiences have very different reactions and how I can adapt my acts without a video camera feed.

I've been able to create my own 20 minute set and then 30 minute set, which I'd never had to do before as my acts were always broken up throughout the ensemble magic shows.  I constantly needed to add routines to meet the required length of the show or alter some elements to meet the needs of the style of venue/ type of audience. I created 2 new acts and now they are some of my favorites to perform.
 

You come from a professional dance background. Have you studied anything else magic-adjacent? 

I studied musical theater (dancing, singing and acting) at college and also performed in musicals across the UK, USA and Dubai. I took art A-level in school and have always like to paint just for fun. Although now I get to design my own merch on thehexclubstore.com.

I truly believe everything I learnt from being a dancer, singer, actor, director, producer, artist and even an office assistant has made me a better performer. It is show BUSINESS after all- being a good performer is only a small percentage of the job! 

 

 

Tea Party with Hollie

 

 

 

 

Do you remember the specific moment when you knew you could or wanted to perform magic full time?

Magic has been the thing that has kept recurring in my life. It’s like the universe has been gently nudging me towards being a magician since I was a kid, when all I wanted was to be a dancer on the West End. Maybe that’s why I was able to achieve that goal early on (in a magic show no less), so I was then forced to find a new and bigger dream/ goal!

I always loved being the assistant or at least somehow assisting in the ‘magic effect’ as a dancer since I was on tour with Hans Klok back in 2008. I loved seeing ways to enhance the magic on stage while I was associate directing The Illusionists tours and Illusionarium.

I was originally asked to be a magician when I was producing but, at the time, felt like I had no business standing next to these giants in the industry that I hugely admired and had perfected their craft over decades. However, it definitely ignited a desire in me to at least consider the challenge. When these magicians were the ones telling me I should be a magician, I finally started to take it seriously (although it wasn’t until years later that I actually started to work on it).

I had some permanent injuries from being a dancer but I still very much wanted to perform. Everything about magic just felt right- I already had a pool of the best magicians, producers and directors in the world as close friends and colleagues, I had worked on ‘both sides of the table’ and so I felt the most prepared and abundant with resources. When I finally put out clips of me performing magic, the response was overwhelming. 

 

 

 

What is your most memorable performance misadventure? 

I feel like there have been many... Young and Strange leave a small puddle of water at the front of the stage in the one of their acts before mine and I happened to walk straight into it one show and completely fell over like a cartoon character.. with the closeup camera right on me. I think I naturally just bounce up again, but as I get older, it's harder to do!  

 

 

What sets Champions of Magic apart from other touring ensemble magic shows?

Our producer comes from a stand-up comedy background and also used to run a pyro company so… the show is very funny and as one article said ‘has more pyrotechnics than a KISS concert!’ We also all perform some acts together ‘Now You See Me’-style, we interact with each other, we all have very individual characters and personalities that feed and bounce off each other in the show. We don’t take ourselves too seriously!  

Hollie striking a pose

 

Do you have any guilty pleasures while on tour?
 
Normally I have an ongoing D and D app game to stay connected with my partner. I watch a lot of the true crime YT channel ‘That Chapter’ if we are on the tour bus. I’m known for my morning ritual of making a bagel with a cup of tea. In Canada, I just have to go to Timmy Horton’s of course!

One imagines that it’s sometimes hard to leave the comforts of your home for a lengthy tour.  Do you bring a special something from home with you? 

My backpack is always full of British tea because that is one daily ritual that is mandatory! I also bring a blanket for travel- you never know when you’ll want is as a pillow on a plane, plus the company gets very divided on the optimal temperature on the bus! 

Every performer experiences some level of post-show blues.  Post-tour blues, we expect, are on a whole different level.  Do you have any tips for touring entertainers with respect to re-entering one’s non-touring life, after an extended time away from home?

Try to maintain a routine and daily habits on tour and off. Eat healthy. Get good sleep. Take your vitamins and ashwagandha and magnesium. Get a massage. Go for walks. Exercise or do something active that makes you happy. Invest in self-care (cut your hair/ get a facial etc) If you can afford it, invest in a therapist. Journal. Meditate. Read. Allocate time to spend with friends/ family. Schedule things to look forward to.  

 

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

Regardless of how many shows, or billboards or how much money I'm making, I ultimately just want to be creative, and weird and me. I'm trying to do things like no-one else does. As Marilyn Manson once said, 'The key is to change what is popular. That's why rather than submit to the mainstream, you have to become it- then overcome it.'  

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

 

Learn more about Hollie at HollieEngland.com and follow her on Facebook, and Instagram. 

 

  Champions of Magic  

Catch Hollie in Champions of Magic touring across Canada in 2023 - 2024:

• Toronto, Ticketmaster  [Dec 27 - 30] 
• Lethbridge, Enmax Centre  [Mar 16]
• Regina, Conexus Arts Centre  [Mar 17] 
• Winnipeg, Centennial Concert Hall  [Mar 18]
  
• Saskatoon, TCU Place  [Mar 19]
  
• Edmonton, Festival Place  [Mar 22 - Apr 6]   
• Prince George, CN Centre  [Apr 7] 
• Vancouver, Great Canadian Casino [Apr 8]

Additional rumoured locations include cities in BC and NS!  Check the Champions of Magic website for updates.

 

Read our 2023 interviews with:

• Alex McAleer
• Michelle Mazzarella
  

Read our 2022 interviews with the cast:

• Hollie England
• Alex McAleer
• Sam Strange
• Fernando Velasco
• Richard Young 

 
Learn more about Champions of Magic at ChampionsOfMagic.co.uk and follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. 

 

 

 

Toronto: An intimate workshop with John Bannon [Dec 1]

From the November 9th Instagram post by IBM Ring 17:

Dealing With It: An Intimate Workshop with John Bannon

— ♣️♥️♠️♦️—

When: Friday December 1st, 7PM
Where: Agricola Lutheran Church - 25 Old York Mills Road
Tickets: $100

We are honored to be able to host an intimate workshop with John Bannon for a limited number of participants. If you are interested, please email the club to arrange payment: ibmring17@gmail.com 

It’s been said that all you need to perform card magic is a pass, a palm, and a top-change. That may have been good advice a century ago, but modern card magic requires a different mindset … and skillset. John Bannon will share his modern magical mindset in which construction is as important as sleights, and where how you think about a trick can make a real difference. Let’s take advantage of a broader, but easier skillset, for maximum effect. 

During the Workshop, we’ll look at a wide range of tricks whose common thread is that they use a regular deck and many are impromptu. There will be discussion on how certain tricks were put together and what tradeoffs were involved. John will also answer all questions, help with the few moves required, and talk about any topic or trick requested.

John hit the scene in the early 90s with the smash hit books, Impossibilia (1990) and Smoke & Mirrors (1992), followed by his best-selling trick Twisted Sisters (1993).  His book, Dear Mr. Fantasy (2005) is widely hailed as one of the best magic books of that decade. His collections High Caliber (2013), Destination Zero (2015), and Mentalissimo (2016), had enthusiastic receptions and quickly sold out.

Now in its seventh year, John’s cutting-edge column, “Dealing With It,” in Genii Magazine continues to highlight his streamlined, yet elegant card magic.  

John’s highly-acclaimed 2023 card trick collection, Very Hush-Hush, sold out in a matter of weeks.  Its second printing is underway.

 

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Toronto: Talent call for “Cheap Tricks” part 3

Contact Chris for more information.

 

From the November 10th Facebook post by Chris Doyle:

Toronto area magicians. Who would like to be part of “Cheap Tricks” part 3

If you are not familiar, this is a live show where the “contestants” draw a style of magic (illusion, mentalism, in the style of copper field etc) a money envelope with $0-40 and a location in the vicinity of the venue to buy and create a 5 min show performed that evening on live stage. 

What would you do with $7 at the drug store in the style of horror mentalism 

 

 

 

A peek behind the curtain with Michelle Mazzarella

This is the fourth in a series of interviews leading up to the Champions of Magic Worldwide Wonder Tour Canadian dates in:

• Toronto, Ticketmaster  [Dec 27 - 31]  ** extended to Dec 31 ** 
• Lethbridge, Enmax Centre  [Mar 16]
• Regina, Conexus Arts Centre  [Mar 17] 
• Winnipeg, Centennial Concert Hall  [Mar 18]
  
• Saskatoon, TCU Place  [Mar 19]
• Lloydminster, Vic Juba Theatre [Mar 20]  ** recently added **
  
• Edmonton, Festival Place  [Mar 22 - Apr 6]   
• Prince George, CN Centre  [Apr 7] 
• Vancouver, Great Canadian Casino [Apr 8]    ** recently added **

Additional rumoured locations include cities in BC and NS!  Check the Champions of Magic website for updates.

Read our thoughts about their 2022 show:

TLDR: So. Much. Fun!

Random thoughts about "Champions of Magic" 

 

We're delighted to interview aerialist, and serial big box illusion victim, Michelle Mazzarella ahead of her Canadian Champions of Magic Worldwide Wonder Tour dates!

 

What is your first memory of magic? 

Growing up, my father was a Magician Member at the Magic Castle in Los Angeles, so we would occasionally head there for Sunday brunch and a show. While I was really young at the time, I still remember details like the secret bookcase entrance, the portraits whose eyes would follow you, the iconic owls, the red velvet showroom curtain, and of course, all the stairs.
 

What surprised you most about touring with magicians? 

This one’s hard for me! Alex, Young, and Strange did a really great job of managing my expectations before I joined the tour. I knew that every day was going to be so wildly different from the next, and I really appreciated their transparency. It helped me figure out that I really wanted the job, and it has been quite an adventure!

 

Michelle on the Silks

 

 

 

 

What is the most annoying thing about touring with magicians?

I would call it more fascinating than annoying, but everyone talks about magic… a lot. Coming from a non-magic background, I often have no clue what they’re talking about, but I’ve been enjoying piecing things together over the months, and I’m learning a ton. 

 

 

 

Have you learned how to do any magic since you joined Champions of Magic? 

Ha, yes, but only the basics… I actually have a silly secret goal of learning at least one trick per tour leg, and all my friends at home are enjoying the results.  

 

 

How do you keep your skills fresh and performance ready?

In every new city, if time allows, I make an effort to connect with the local circus community. Sometimes they have open gyms, or I’ll even teach workshops. When we’re in hotels, I try to take advantage of their Fitness Rooms, or I’ll do a little workout on a yoga mat in my dressing room. Unfortunately, it’s hard to train Silks without actually being on a Silk, so the skills do ebb and flow a little bit, but they always come back. 

Michelle preparing to descend

 

Do you have any guilty pleasures while on tour?
 
I actually went to boarding school in British Columbia, and I really miss some of the old snacks I had, like poutine, Aero Bars, Sour Jubes, and Beaver Tails. I try to grab some whenever I can, but really any delicious food will do it for me.

One imagines that it’s sometimes hard to leave the comforts of your home for a lengthy tour.  Do you bring a special something from home with you? 

I actually had a friend attend one of my first shows with Champions of Magic. She asked me the night before what my favorite colors were, and she crocheted me a little jellyfish! I named him Squort and he has stayed in my crate ever since, often hanging on my dressing room lights or sitting nearby. 

Michelle and Squort

 

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

Thanks for reading, and I hope to see you at a show!

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

 

Learn more about Michelle at MichelleMazzarella.com and follow her on Facebook, and Instagram. 

 

  Champions of Magic  

Catch Michelle in Champions of Magic touring across Canada in 2023 - 2024:

• Toronto, Ticketmaster  [Dec 27 - 30] 
• Lethbridge, Enmax Centre  [Mar 16]
• Regina, Conexus Arts Centre  [Mar 17] 
• Winnipeg, Centennial Concert Hall  [Mar 18]
  
• Saskatoon, TCU Place  [Mar 19]
  
• Edmonton, Festival Place  [Mar 22 - Apr 6]   
• Prince George, CN Centre  [Apr 7] 
• Vancouver, Great Canadian Casino [Apr 8]

Additional rumoured locations include cities in BC and NS!  Check the Champions of Magic website for updates.

 

Read our 2023 interview with:

• Alex McAleer

Read our 2022 interviews with:

• Hollie England
• Alex McAleer
• Sam Strange
• Fernando Velasco
• Richard Young 

 
Learn more about Champions of Magic at ChampionsOfMagic.co.uk and follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. 

 

 

 

Toronto: Jonah Babins and Ben Train in Hocus Jokus [Nov 19]

From the November 2nd Instagram post by the Toronto Magic Company:

Toronto’s most MIND-BLOWING COMEDY SHOW is back November 19th at @yukyukstoronto.

Starring Ben Train (as seen on “Penn and Teller’s Fool Us”), Jonah Babins (2021 Allan Slaight Rising Star of Canadian Magic Award winner), and all the way from the UK illusionist Steve Jones.

Now all we need is people who want to laugh their faces off. People like YOU.

Click the link in our bio to get your tickets!

 

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A peek behind the curtain with Alex McAleer [2023]

This is the fourth in a series of interviews leading up to the Champions of Magic Worldwide Wonder Tour Canadian dates in:

• Toronto, Ticketmaster  [Dec 27 - 31]  ** extended to Dec 31 **
• Lethbridge, Enmax Centre  [Mar 16]
• Regina, Conexus Arts Centre  [Mar 17] 
• Winnipeg, Centennial Concert Hall  [Mar 18]
  
• Saskatoon, TCU Place  [Mar 19]
• Lloydminster, Vic Juba Theatre [Mar 20]  ** recently added **
  
• Edmonton, Festival Place  [Mar 22 - Apr 6]   
• Prince George, CN Centre  [Apr 7] 
• Vancouver, Great Canadian Casino [Apr 8]   ** recently added **

Additional rumoured locations include cities in BC and NS!  Check the Champions of Magic website for updates.

Read our thoughts about their 2022 show:

TLDR: So. Much. Fun!

Random thoughts about "Champions of Magic" 

 

In addition to his stage shows, you may know Alex McAleer through:

• his book This Book Will Read Your Mind,
• his mentalism offerings (under the name Alexander Marsh and available at The 1914 as well as other magic shops including The Browser's Den of Magic), or 
• his weekly podcast Through the Magic of Television (also available on Apple Podcasts) which is part of Richard Young's Magicians' Podcast Network (Apple Podcasts link).  In his podcast Alex, along with the help of a special guest, reminisces about iconic magic TV shows from the past.

On episode 4 of Through the Magic of Television (Apple Podcasts link), Alex and guest Erik Tait

   CanCon  

discuss The Worlds Greatest Magic 4 (1997), which includes performances by Juliana Chen and Carl Cloutier.
[Editor's note:  This podcast requires a paid subscription.]

We're delighted to interview Alex ahead of his Canadian Champions of Magic Worldwide Wonder Tour dates!

 

We were fortunate to see Champions of Magic in three times in the past five years.  Your part in the show changed significantly from year to year.  In fact the 2022 experience was almost completely different from the first time we saw you in Toronto in 2018. 

When you have an audience tested, well-received show, what drives you to modify and advance your act?

It’s very tempting to just do the tricks and lines you’ve been doing for years, and the temptation is even greater when you’re waiting in the wings about to go on stage and do a new routine. It’s very rewarding however to keep things fresh, in my own act there are sections that are brand new every night so I have to think on my feet.

 
I think what drives me to make changes is not wanting things to become stale, and it’s always fun to tinker and improve each performance of a new routine.
 

Have you studied any magic-adjacent disciplines? 

I’ve studied various other skills that have all informed my performances. Theatre work when I was younger and performing in plays, readings, even panto! I’ve also studied a bit of comedy writing and physical comedy. I also went to Art School so that's given me an interest in aesthetics. 

 

 

Alex on stage with an audience member keeping Alex's eyes shut

 

 

 

 

Do you remember the specific moment when you knew you could or wanted to perform magic full time?

I think it was probably after my first “show” - I did a twenty minute show on stage in between some one-act plays in my hometown. The show I did was dreadful in hindsight but the audience really responded to it; this shy young man they all knew could now apparently read minds and hold a room’s attention. 

 

 

 

What is your most memorable performance misadventure? 

Probably when a prop we were using in Champions malfunctioned and the ‘big prediction moment’ I had been teasing throughout the show just didn’t happen. Foolishly, there was no out. I just had to move onto the next, much smaller and less significant, part of the prediction.  

 

 

What sets Champions of Magic apart from other touring ensemble magic shows?

I think it’s probably that you’re seeing a full show, not just a series of different acts doing their own thing. There are multiple moments when we are all working together on stage, or involved in another performer's act. 

Alex on stage

 

Do you have any guilty pleasures while on tour?
 
Vegan junk food. Vegan Poutine is always a highlight for a trip to the true north.

One imagines that it’s sometimes hard to leave the comforts of your home for a lengthy tour.  Do you bring a special something from home with you? 

As silly as it may sound but having a VPN on my iPad means I can enjoy the comforts of UK television. 

 

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

Subscribe to the Magicians' Podcast Network (Apple Podcasts link) to hear my nostalgic-rewatch-podcast Through the Magic of Television (Apple Podcasts link) . Oh and I guess you can listen to [Richard] Young’s podcasts on there too.  
[Editor's note:  These podcasts require a paid subscription.]

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

 

Learn more about Alex at AlexMcAleer.com and follow him on Facebook, and Instagram. 

 

  Champions of Magic  

Catch Alex in Champions of Magic touring across Canada in 2023 - 2024:

• Toronto, Ticketmaster  [Dec 27 - 30] 
• Lethbridge, Enmax Centre  [Mar 16]
• Regina, Conexus Arts Centre  [Mar 17] 
• Winnipeg, Centennial Concert Hall  [Mar 18]
  
• Saskatoon, TCU Place  [Mar 19]
  
• Edmonton, Festival Place  [Mar 22 - Apr 6]   
• Prince George, CN Centre  [Apr 7]
  

Additional rumoured locations include cities in BC and NS!  Check the Champions of Magic website for updates.


Read our 2022 interviews with the cast:

• Hollie England
• Alex McAleer
• Sam Strange
• Fernando Velasco
• Richard Young 

 
Learn more about Champions of Magic at ChampionsOfMagic.co.uk and follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. 

 

 

 

Checking in with Ben Train and The Art of Magic [Oct 21]

This morning we let you know about the upcoming The Art of Magic show presented by The Toronto Magic Company.  

If you've never been to one of these shows, they're a very unique experience.  Ben Train was kind enough to answer some questions we had about The Toronto Magic Company, and The Art of Magic.

 

Ben Train

What is the Toronto Magic Company (TMC)?

In 2016 I partnered up with my best friend Jonah Babins to produce magic shows across the GTA. Specifically, we wanted to produce GOOD magic shows - the kind of shows we’d be excited to see.

Since then we’ve produced more than 200 shows a year, worked with hundreds of amazing magicians from around the world, and entertained thousands of people.

 

Who are the players in TMC?

There’s myself, Ben Train, and my good buddy Jonah Babins. We’re the two co-founders. We also have an amazing team working behind the scenes; video editors and photographers, our incredible magicians and volunteers, and of course - our audiences!

Ben and Jonah Babins on an adventure.

 

 

What is The Art of Magic?

Magicians have been talking about magic being an art form for hundreds of years. So in 2018 Jonah and I had an idea. What if we produced an event that wasn’t just a show, but rather a “gallery” of magic art?

And that’s what we did! We filled a gallery with magic-themed art (posters, props, and interactive exhibits), invited some of our favourite close-up magicians to walk around the space performing, and finished the whole experience off with a stage magic show filled with mind-reading and illusions.

 

Admiring the art at
The Art of Magic

 

How does The Art of Magic differ from the Toronto Magic Company's other offerings? 

All of our shows have different concepts, because we want to appeal to different audiences and we want to explore different ways of presenting magic.

What most of our shows have in common though is that they follow a pretty traditional show format: you arrive at the venue, sit in your seat, watch a show, and then go home. (I promise the shows are waaay more fun than that description makes them sound!)

What makes The Art of Magic different is that it’s not just a show, but rather an interactive exhibit that lets you explore magic in different ways (including actively being part of the experience in ways you simply couldn’t do with a typical show).

Oh… and on top of all that you ALSO get an amazing show!

 

Jonah entertaining at The Art of Magic

 

 

How was the recent September show (the 30th Art of Magic show) different from the very first The Art of Magic show?

The first Art of Magic, back in 2018, was very different. We were in a different location, which meant different limitations (and advantages), we didn’t have access to enough magic-themed art, and we were relying more on out-of-town talent.

When the pandemic temporarily shut us down we used our time to retool everything.

We found a better venue (two floors which allowed us to have different experiences happening at the same time), we got WAAAY more magic-related art pieces (Several dozen and counting), and watched as the talent in Toronto developed to a point where we no longer needed to bring in outside help (though we still bring in performers from all over the world - because we love featuring the best magicians on the planet!).

The concept is ALWAYS something we’re tweaking with, because we’re always trying to make it better. Speaking of which, if anyone reading this has been to one of our shows and has ideas for how we can improve… please message me! ( ben at TorontoMagicCompany dot com)

Ben entertaining at The Art of Magic

 

What have you learned from producing 30 of these shows?

That there are waaaaay easier ways to make money lol.

Also, I’ve learnt that sometimes the things that excite ME (or passionate magic lovers like me) aren't necessarily what excites the general public. So as we test and try new things we pay special attention to which exhibits resonate with people and WHY, so we can make all our future events better.

 

 

Is there anything else you'd like to share with our readers about The Art of Magic?

Yah. Buy some tickets and come on out!

If you’re a magic fan, this is a must-attend. I truly believe that.

And if you’re not yet a magic fan but you are a fan of fun nights… come on out and we’ll convert you. ;)

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

 

 

You have two chances to catch The Art of Magic on Saturday October 21st.  The show features:  Jeff Hinchliffe, Harry Zimmerman, Jonah Babins, and James Alan.  (Ben Train will be appearing in the second show.)   Tickets at Eventbrite.

 

Learn more about The Toronto Magic Company and follow them on Facebook, and Instagram. 

 

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