Winner of the Best Magician Contest 2013 announced

From Popular Magic News:

Here is the result of the contest:
Champion Award:  Mr. Keith Brown

My Favourite Magician Award:  Mr. Keith Brown

Read more.
 

Congratulations Keith!


[via Arthur Poon]

Broken wand: Greg Kramer

From the Montreal Gazette:

Greg Kramer has passed away. In addition to being a fine actor, an excellent director, and an award-nominated author of novels and  short stories, Kramer was also a magician of considerable expertise. He was hired as a consultant by the Stratford Festival to help create the special effects for their recent production of The Tempest starring Christopher Plummer as Prospero.

Read more.

From the CBC:

Montreal's close-knit theatre community is still reeling from the shock of losing Greg Kramer, the 51-year-old playwright, actor, director, songwriter and magician found dead in his apartment Monday — the very day rehearsals began at the Segal Centre for the last play he wrote.

Kramer performed on stages across Canada, the country he made home after leaving Britain in 1981 because of Margaret Thatcher's cuts to arts funding.  

Read more.

From the Globe and Mail:

Riding in on a skateboard as a juggling, fire-breathing Mustardseed in the 1987 Vancouver Playhouse production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Greg Kramer, a free-wheeling and sometimes outrageously multi-talented artist, tripped over his feet and cracked both ankles. He was so high on adrenalin that he carried on until the end of the show.

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[With appreciation to Phil Matlin for letting me know.]

New contest for Quebec Magic Festival

From Le Soliel:

C'est en l'honneur de Michel Cailloux, alias Michel le Magicien de la série La boîte à Surprise (1956-1971), que le Festival de magie de Québec lance un tout nouveau concours s'adressant aux magiciens amateurs et professionnels d'à travers le monde souhaitant montrer l'ampleur de leur talent à Québec. Après avoir franchi la première étape d'évaluation, par une vidéo mise en ligne d'ici le 21 juin, les participants sélectionnés seront invités à monter sur la scène du Petit Impérial afin de présenter leur numéro lors des prégalas, qui auront lieu à l'occasion du Festival de magie les 31 août et 1er septembre. Par la suite, les 10 magiciens qui se seront le plus démarqués auront la chance de se produire à nouveau, le 1er septembre en soirée, devant le jury et le grand public à l'Impérial de Québec. Le grand gagnant recevra une bourse de 5000 $
Read more.
 

More information can be found at Festival de Magie de Québec.  The line up for the third season will be announced mid-May.  The festival will run from August 30th to September 2nd.

Ben Train in "Creative Careers"

From the Ring 17 Facebook page:

Ben Train was the subject of a Ryerson Student Documentary which you can watch at:

http://www.ryersonian.ca/article/27957/

Toronto: Help send a kid to camp

From Sorcerers Safari Facebook page:

April 30th 

The next SLICE OF MAGIC show will help send a kid to camp!! Stand up style magic show with Chris Westfall, Benzi Train & Rosemary Reid! great food, fun raffles and prizes and a good old fashioned amazing time! message me for details!! go reserve/buy tickets from my website. www.chriswestfallmagic.com

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Toronto: Slush Powder Lightening Gel contest

From The Browser's Den:

(Free Slush Powder will be given out on Sunday, April 14… the day of the Sorcerer Safari’s Magic Camp Open House at Browser’s Den! And…On that day Jeff will be demonstrating and teaching a couple of fun and easy tricks that can be done with the powder!)
First Prize - $100 Gift Certificate to Browser’s Den
Second Prize - 40% off up to $100 at Browser’s Den
Third Prize - 25% off up to $100 at Browser’s Den
Fourth Prize - 10% off up to $50 at Browser’s Den
Fifth Prize 10% off up to $25 at Browser’s Den 

CONTEST DATE:   SUNDAY, MAY 26
Read more.

Ryan Pilling lecture at Magician Village

From the Magic Lecture Series Facebook page:

Until April 21st

MagicianVillage proudly presents our next "Magic Lecture Series" Backstage Access Member Exclusive Event with our very own Ryan Pilling!

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From Playing Big Magic's Facebook page:

I created a video magic lecture for members of the MagicianVillage which is live this week. (part of their once-a-month lecture series for just $25 bucks a year... good deal!) Here's one review:
"Just watched Ryan Pilling's lecture in the [members area]. Great lecture. Lots of good advice on scripting, improvisation, thinking about magic and making it your own. Concrete advice on taking a trick, deconstructing it and turning it into a workable, effect. As a mentalist, his prediction 'Suitcase of Wonders' effect is a common sense knock-out prediction (think Master Prediction System) that could save you anywhere from $1000 to $3000 dollars. And he gives you three different methods!"
- Christopher Faria
Read more.
 

Ryan is one of our generous sponsors, the mastermind behind Calgary's Magcial Arts Festival - WowFest and the author of Finding The Funny.