Rounding the Eastern rings in January

Confirm details about dates and locations by visiting each club's website.

Halifax, NS	Ring 316 (Conjourer's Court)	- n/a
St. John, NB	Magic Circle of St. John	- n/a

Please leave a comment or e-mail me about corrections or omissions.

Celeste Evans: Queen of Magic

Part 1 from iTricks:

Celeste Evans is a living legend in the world of magic. She describes herself as “a museum relic.”

One of the most successful women magicians in history, Celeste spent the 1960s touring around the world literally performing for royalty. Now retired, she was good enough to talk to iTricks in this two part interview.

Read more and watch video of Celeste on To Tell the Truth.

Part 2 from iTricks:

Last week iTricks spoke to her about breaking through the boys’ club of magic and finding success in New York and on television. This week she talks about her international stardom and even offers some advice to today’s magicians.

Born in a small town in British Columbia just north of the Washington State border, Celeste Evans was initially drawn to magic partially because she was told it was something girls simply could not do. Dedicating herself to practice, she studied magic on her own for years. As a young woman, she moved to Vancouver for a job and was finally able to acquire sleight of hand lessons from local magic store owner Jon Kirby, although the local magic club was for men only. Shows around town led to an Asian tour of Canadian military bases, more touring and eventually her first television show. By 1957, Celeste Evans was not only doing nationally televised American shows such as To Tell The Truth, she was featured in an important SAM show and even landed on the cover of Genii.

Read more.

Luc Langevin and David Blaine on television in the coming week

On Monday night, CBOFT shows it will be airing "Luc Langevin: aux limites de l'illusion 2."

On Wednesday night, catch David Blaine's "Real or Magic" on ABC.

Magic and rehab help transform kids with disabilities

From The Star:

Presto! Change-o! Magic is all about transformation.

We are mesmerized by what we cannot explain, enthralled when hands deceive our eyes.

So it was on a recent afternoon in a compact auditorium that’s part of Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital and was filled with an audience of 50 facility staff, clients, friends and family of the small performers who individually sat in front of the proverbial magician’s table with black cloth and fringe.

Read more.

Toronto: Kenton Knepper workshops

Some of you already know that Kenton Knepper will be lecturing at Ring 17 in April.  What you may not know is that Kenton will also be offering an "Introduction to Mentalism" workshop and a "Mentalism Intensive." 

From Ring 17:

Introduction to Mentalism

Friday, April 4, 2013

The 3 Hour Workshop will contain strong yet easy mentalism material anyone can do. Most of the effects use very basic props, such as business cards, playing cards, candy and other easily found objects. You need not be a mentalist to attend this workshop. You will leave doing memorable, sure-fire mentalism, that you can perform close-up, stand-up and in intimate situations.

Mentalism Intensive

Saturday, April 5, 2014

You need not be a mentalist to attend this workshop. You should be prepared to leave as one.

• Learn how to use personality and symbolic readings to connect to your audience and potential clients.
• Learn how Kenton Mind Reads personalities in performance and gives mini-readings before engaging a spectator in an effect. Then practice with Kenton as he helps you do it too.
• Learn how to make standard magic and mentalism effects connect with audiences deeply by adding in short impressions. Even your equivoque routine will seem to be real Mind Reading.
• Learn Kenton’s color and symbol reading cues and applications.
• Learn an unusual book test effect and method, which also allows you to connect more deeply with an audience.
• Learn how Suggestion and Mentalism must work together to make for realistic presentations.
• Plenty of experiential time to practice the methods taught and get Kenton’s personal help in perfecting these and other routines and methods.

More will be revealed, but only to those who attend.

Workshops are each limited to 20 participants. Spaces are filled on a first-come, first served basis.

Read more and buy tickets.

Canada at Magi-Fest 2014

Canada will be well represented at Magi-Fest 2014!  Both Chris Pilsworth and Ben Train are listed as performers.  In addition, a crew from Sorcerers Safari Magic Camp will be there including: Magic Mike Segal, Jen Segal, Steven Kline (event production and late night lecturer), and Eric Leclerc.

I hope one of you will be sending me a trip report!

Happy 2014!

Wishing you and yours a year filled with awe and wonder!