Who will be at MINDvention 2012?

From the Magic Convention Guide:

I want to give you a brief update and overview of the 2012 MINDvention mentalism convention taking place in Las Vegas from November 11-13th.

Read more.

It goes on to state that Canadians Tony Chris and Christopher Taylor have been added to this year's line up.  Visit the 2012 MINDvention for more information.

From the Dark: an interview with Juan Esteban Varela and Michael Weber

From Cadence Canada:

Cadence recently had the opportunity to sit down and chat with Juan Esteban Varela and Michael Weber, the incredible mind and director behind the astonishing illusionary production From the Dark, which makes its North American debut this weekend as part of the sixth annual Luminato Festival of Arts and Creativity. As part of the third joint venture between Luminato and the Canadian magic non-profit group Magicana—this year titled Mind over Matter—Varela’s show is one of the most unique magical productions to ever be staged, a production that involves blindfolding both the performer and the audience, to experience a wide breadth of classic magic tricks from a sightless perspective. A novel show and celebration of magic unlike any other, Varela’s show debuted in 2010 at the National Magic Congress in Madrid, Spain, and has since been spellbinding audiences around the world. Stemming from an idea that pegs the question of whether a person truly needs the sense of sight to reason, imagine, and be amazed, Varela’s From the Dark is a conceptual behemoth and an experience that will surely tanzilize the senses—minus those involving the eyes, of course—and promises to give the audience a show unlike any they’ve experienced before.

Read more.

Visit Magcana's website for more information about The Luminato Mind Over Matter magic series.

Welcoming a new patron: Magic Information Canada

Welcome to our newest sponsor, Magic Information Canada!

For those of you who aren't familiar with Magic Information Canada, it is a fabulous repository of links helpful to Canadian magicians.  Established near the end of the 1990s, the site has fabulous lists of Canadian magic:

• shops (complete with contact information, map location, and identification of whether it's a virtual or bricks and mortar shop)
• clubs,
• tutors (lists of those willing to teach individuals and / or groups) and
• events (location, price and contact information are provided). 

I especially like the events section, which primarily includes lectures and workshops, because the events are listed sorted by date and are also entered into Google Calendar!

The site is maintained by magic enthusiast Doug Cuff from Ottawa, Ontario.  Doug is proud of the fact that he has attended every CAMaraderie since 2001.  (That's eight in total!)  In his own words, he's "downright smug about it."

Thank you Doug, for all of the work you put into the Magic Information Canada website and for your sponsorship!

Vernon and Henning at the Magic Castle

Watch 1972 CBC footage of Dai Vernon coaching Doug Henning at the Magic Castle:



[h/t: The Magic Newswire]

Remembering Gary Ouellet

Last Friday I sent out a tweet, remembering the anniversary of Gary Ouellet's passing in 2002.  Imagine my surprise to see this in the twitter-stream:

@CanadasMagic - Magicians of the World... please share your memories of Gary Ouellet who we remember today. fb.me/1KdHuivGG #Magic
— HamnerBarber (@HamnerBarber) June 8, 2012

Go on over and have a visit at the Hamner Barber Theater website.  From their post Gone For A Decade, But Still Influential:

Ten years ago today, the world lost one of the greatest influences in the world of magic when Gary Ouellet passed away unexpectedly at the age of 58.

Gary succumbed to a heart attack while in the midst of producing a television special in Portugal, and his untimely death sent a shock-wave through the magic fraternity around the globe.  Although the name Gary Ouellet (pronounced wal-let) may not be recognized by most people, nearly everyone who has ever watched a network television magic special has witnessed the influence that this talented man had on a multitude of magicians and illusionists from around the world.

Read more.

Darcy Oake at the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre

From the Winnipeg Free Press:

For the first time in his 15-year-career, Winnipeg illusionist Darcy Oake will literally be playing with reality.

He'll hang by his ankles five metres above the ground, bound by a straitjacket. Reality will be waiting -- with giant metal jaws held open by a piece of burning rope -- to devour him if he doesn't get out in time.

"It's a race-against-time type of effect," says Oake, 24, who will perform the stunt at three shows at the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre this Thursday and Friday.

Escaping Reality is his first full-scale solo show in his hometown. It's also a benefit to raise money and awareness for the Bruce Oake Memorial Fund. 

Read more.

Winners of Sorcerers Safari scholarships

From the Sorcerers Safari Facebook page (requires a FB account):

The Society of American Magicians Magic Endowment Fund Scholarship Chairman, Warren J. Kaps, is pleased to announce that two young magicians have been awarded scholarships to Sorcerer’s Safari Magic Camp in Toronto, Canada.

Read more to find out who the winners are.

Congratulations to the winners!  I have no doubt that you'll have a fabulous time at camp this summer!