Canada at Magi-Fest 2013

Updated at 8:32am to add info about Magic Mike and Sorcerers Safari!

We've got some talented peformers at Magi-Fest 2013!

Representing the Great White North will be:

• Ben Train
• Chris Mayhew
• and last but not least, the newest addition to the line-up is non other than Len Cooper Memorial award winner, Mahdi Gilbert!

In addition, Magic Mike Segal from Sorcerers Safari will be at the convention for their 10th year doing the youth activities.

They'll be a part of the international cast which includes Justin Willman, Dani DaOrtiz, John Archer, John Guastaferro, Troy Hooser, Justin Flom, Peter Pitchford, Simon Aronson, Scott Robinson, Simon Lovell, Tony Chang, Eric Jones and Kainoa Harbottle.

What a terrific line-up!

Are you going?

Update to the Johnny Giordmaine tribute site

From the Johnny Giordmaine tribute site curator:

Just in time for happy holiday reading, John Giordmaine Dot Com (www.johngiordmaine.com) - the online tribute to Canada's most beloved children's magician (1898-1974) - has added new pages. Highlights include rare photos of Doug Henning accepting the first ever SCM John Giordmaine Award in 1980; a review of an insightful television profile of Johnny from the late 1960s; and - in time to commemorate Genii's 75th anniversary - an outstanding Genii cover featuring Johnny in 1964 along with a warm appreciation written by its then editor/publisher Bill Larsen, Jr. (Genii's current editor/publisher Richard Kaufman was kind enough to give his permission for the reproductions). Of course readers with recollections of Johnny are always welcome to share; contact information is on the site - which now consists of over 36 pages of photos and text dedicated to preserving the memory of one of this country's finest magicians.

James Randi with a Mayan calendar

A 2013 Mayan calendar.

View on imgur.com

United Kingdom: Bill Abbott's Pack Smart Play Anywhere lecture

We'd previously reported that Bill Abbott will be will be presenting at The Session, the UK's only close-up magic convention, in January 2013.  I've just learned he'll also be lecturing through the UK as well.

From Bill Abbott:

PACK SMART PLAY ANYWHERE LECTURE TOUR 2013!

 

The new Pack Smart Play Anywhere lecture is heading to the UK for the month of January.  This will inevitably be the first and likely the last time to see this lecture in the United Kingdom.  Here are the dates & locations.

• Sunday Jan. 6th Derbyshire, High Peak Magician's Society, Buckingham Hotel
• Monday Jan. 7th Portsmouth, Portsmouth 7 District Magic Circle, Buckland Community Centre
• Tuesday Jan. 8th Dorset, Wessex Magic Association, Bourne Valley Comm. Association
• Wednesday Jan. 9th West Midlands, Wolverhampton Magic Circle, West End Working Men's Club
• Thursday Jan.10th Leatherhead, Surrey Society of Magicians, Bookham Grange Hotel
• Saturday & Sunday Jan.12-13th the Session Convention, Thistle Hotel Gloucester Road
• Monday Jan.14th Manchester Circle of Magicians, Salford Masonic Hall
• Tuesday Jan. 15th Blackpool Magician's Club, Blackpool Magician's Theatre Club, North Shore
• Wednesday Jan. 16th Hull Magicians Circle, Sailmakers Arms
• Thursday Jan. 17th Nottingham Guild of Magicians, The Arts Centre, Ponds Hill Lane
• Sunday Jan. 20th Scottish Lecture Myreside Pavillion, 79 Myreside Road, Edinburgh contact Gary Dunn
• Tuesday Jan. 22nd British Magical Society, The Selly Oak Ex-Servicemen's Club, Birmingham
• Wednesday Jan. 23rd Leamington & Warwick Magic Society, Cubbington Sport & Social Club
• Thursday Jan. 24th Exonian Magic Society, Exeter CVS Centre

THE PACK SMART PLAY ANYWHERE LECTURE DETAILS

• 5 Complete Stand-Up Routines that feature General Magic, Geek Magic and Mentalism, are performed as a full show and then explained.
• The Theory of The Pack Smart Play Anywhere approach is discussed, examined and demonstrated during the performance.
• How to develop your own Pack Smart Play Anywhere Show to take with you on your next flight, throw into the glove box of your car or perform at your next paid function.
• The Pack Smart Play Anywhere material is exclusively a lecture experience. The products, routines and props that will be presented, demonstrated and for sale during the lecture are not and will not be available anywhere or anytime else.

 

Tony Eng Youth Fund website

From Sharing Wonder:

In 2008, Magicana created the Tony Eng Youth Fund program in memory of Tony Eng (1946 – 2008). Its main goal is to promote and support youths as they pursue the art of magic.

Over the years, the fund has evolved to accomodate the needs of young magicians, from funding convention registrations, to covering lecture costs and mentorship programs. Like Tony, the fund strives to promote and encourage magic-mad youths by providing bursaries and scholarships in the pursuit of magic.

And so, without further ado, we are thrilled to present our new TEYF website: teyf.magicana.com The new site includes:

• A blog that focuses on TEYF news and events;
• A page that honours past TEYF winners through the years; and
• A programs page to keep you up to date to our current programming and challenges!

Feel free to explore and visit our new site and tell us what you think in the comments section below.

Read more and leave your comments at the Sharing Wonder site.

 

This was cross-posted with permission from Julie Eng.

Doug Henning

We've had a lot of Doug Henning related anniversaries come through our calendar this month!

John Cox has a great post up commemorating the 35th anniversary of Doug's third live "World of Magic" television special on NBC.
 
From Wild About Houdini:

It was 35 years today ago on December 15, 1977, that NBC aired Doug Henning's third live "World of Magic" television special. Having performed the Chinese Water Torture Cell and Vanishing Elephant on his first two specials, Henning once again built his show around a Houdini classic -- Walking Through A Brick Wall.

Read more.
 

And for your viewing pleasure, two YouTube videos recently posted at iTricks:

"Here we are!" with Bill Abbott at Morrissey Magic

Those of you who have seen the TV show This Is Daniel Cook, will instantly recognize "Here we are!" as Daniel's opening line.  I'll admit to seeing many an episode.  However, I haven't seen "This is Daniel Cook doing magic."

Watch the YouTube video of Bill Abbott (and Chico) thoroughly entertaining the young host of the show:




[via: Morrissey Magic]