Jonah Babins: Len Cooper Memorial Award recipient

Congratulations Jonah!

From the Facebook page of Jonah Babins:

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Toronto: Champions of Magic

Catch the UK's Champions of Magic at The Bluma Appel Theatre (December 19 to January 6, 2019).

Tickets through Ticketmaster.


From the press release:

The Champions Of Magic team present incredible illusions with supercars, an impossible escape from Houdini’s water torture cell, a mind-blowing prediction that has to be seen to be believed, levitation high above the stage and a finale beyond explanation. The show features original magic that can’t be seen anywhere else.

Five magicians make up this mind-bending magical troop, including:

Kayla Drescher, named the Next Great Magician by David Copperfield.

Alex McAleer has the ability to tap into his audience's’ minds and read their thoughts.

Fernando Velasco who has triumphed over it all, from straitjackets to water tanks and handcuffs to giant steel traps, he has faced some of the deadliest escape stunts ever performed.

Young and Strange have been featured on television shows around the globe thanks to their spectacular illusions and viral videos.

The "FOOL US" Experience - TAKE TWO!

From Michael Close:

The response to the first Fool Us webinar was overwhelmingly enthusiastic. We’ve received many emails from people who missed it asking how they can view it. So...we’re going to hold the live webinar again on Wednesday, November 28, 2018, at 9 p.m. EST. This is not a rebroadcast. This will be a new, live program. I will cover the material from the first webinar and will include questions I did not get to the first time.

Read more and register.

Vancouver: Celebrate The Child - A Magical Evening

We Day Family Vancouver takes place November 21, 2018.


From Jeff Christensen:

Over the past 10 years we've held our annual event A Magical Evening to raise money for various children's charities. During that time we've supported Make A Wish, Raise A Reader, Canuck Place Children's Hospice, Me 2 We (WE). Together we've built a school in Kenya, supported a fresh water project in rural Ecuador and restored a health clinic in rural India. This is real magic and I want to thank all of the magic friends that have supported our charity foundation in memory of my son Jonah.

I'd like to publicly thank Jeff McBride, Paul Romhany, Shawn Farquhar, Murray Hatfield, Christopher Taylor, Vitaly Beckman, Eric Samuels, John Kaplan, Eric Bedard, Steve Hamilton, Bruce Hunt, Tony Chris, Chris Yuill, Steve Dickson, Henry Tom, Rod Chow, Ray Roch, Matt Johnson, Trevor & Lorena Watters, Kelvin Ng, Gabby and so many others that have helped make our charity event a success. Thanks to all of these people and so many more we've been invited to share Celebrate The Child - A Magical Evening this week at We Day Family in Vancouver for 19,000 people!

https://www.we.org/w…/we-day-events/we-day-family-vancouver/

So often we have drama in the magic clubs and in our community but these people have put all of this aside to create something truly special. On behalf of my family I'd just like to take this opportunity to say thanks for your kindness and support. We will never forget your amazing talent and generosity.

Much love,
Christensen Family
CelebrateTheChild.me

Brian Glow in the CBC News

From the November 17th article "For this Manitoba anti-bullying magician, the real trick is helping kids connect" by CBC News (with files from Nadia Kidwai):

A Manitoba magician who found solace in sleight of hand when he was bullied as a kid is using the same tools to help fight bullying in northern communities.

Brian Glow, a corporate magician and illusionist, has performed for audiences in 44 countries over the past 40 years. These days, he spends as much as four months a year in remote communities in the Northwest Territories, enthralling students with magic tricks he hopes help them deal with bullying.

His work with them ranges from performances to workshops on how to do the tricks and motivational speaking.

"Each trick actually has messaging in it, whether it's motivational, whether it's anti-bullying, whether it's what to look out for when someone's talking a certain way," Glow said.

Read more.

The 2018 "Readers' Choice Inspirational Canadian Magician of the Year" award

 

Updated November 28th to add the following nominees:

• Mike Segal - He inspired a generation of young magicians to turn their hobbies into careers. Magic Mike gave us a space, a special club and to some, a family where we could explore our creativity and expand our knowledge with like-minded people. Magic Mike is not only an amazing mentor but he is also a fantastic performer. Whether he’s teaching a class or performing in front of a huge crowd, he’s always giving 100%. He is known in the magic community for his positive attitude and he will stop at nothing to lend a helping hand. If that doesn’t deserve recognition, I don’t know what does! #MagicMike2018

Updated November 23rd to add the following nominees:

• Carisa Hendrix - Multifaceted magic, bubble and sideshow performer. Co-founder in 2018 of Shezam, the feminist magic podcast that hopes to make itself obsolete.

• Jonah Babins - Magician, podcast host, and neologist. Cofounded the Discourse In Magic Podcast, now with over 130 episodes. Host of The Newest Trick in the Book, Canada’s only open mic magic show."
   
  
• James Alan -  "In the past year he's helped numerous performers make their acts better, has participated in leadership roles on several major magic projects (including TMC, Hat and Rabbit, Magicana, etc). He's lectured on his original magic, he's supported the community..."
• Kent Wong - "I nominate KENT WONG from Edmonton. He is one of the most giving an talented magicians in Canada and his shows are extremely well written, rehearsed and thought out. His unbelievable attitude to help magicians and people in general is un heard of and he never asks for anything in return. His door is always open for anyone to use. He uses his magic to raise money for charities, feed the homeless, gloves and coffee for the homeless all through magic shows and when he is not doing that he is performing for children at the hospitals. Kent does this while having a family, and a very busy full time job. He knows all aspects of magic, psychology, timing, misdirection and history. Im glad he is my friend in magic." and"I too nominate KENT WONG from Edmonton. Kent had a fundraiser for the non profit organization Adarius 4 Autism. He took the time to set it up, and spent the whole day doing shows and donated all the profits. The event raised $1300. All the attendees were very entertained."

Updated November 22 to add the following nominee:

•  Greg Frewin - "In 2018 I was inspired when I saw Greg Frewin at his theatre in Niagara Falls. I was there on a cold day in the off-season. My first visit to Niagara and all I saw was empty streets and mostly closed attractions. On top of it all it was a Wednesday night. I had tickets to the show that night and was expecting the worst... an awkwardly empty house, and a lackluster performance.
  
  Instead, what I got was a wonderful show with a performer who shared his passion for magic, and playing to a very full house! It was an inspiration to see one of Canada's best magicians still being amazing two decades after I first saw him, and a testament to the hard work and dedication of Greg and his team to have such a well running theatre."

Updated November 21 at 8pm to add the following nominee:

• Jeff Christensen - "I would like to nominate Vancouver magician Jeff Christensen for using his magic to conjure up a better world.  Jeff has faced loss in his life but has turned the darkness into light for so many others through his magic and fundraising.  He has raised more than $100,000 for a variety of local and international causes.  He has done this in a variety of ways such as through the sold out charity show “”A Magical Evening” and his foundation, Celebrate the Child (CtC).  CtC has built a school in Kenya, and worked on freshwater in Ecuador. Jeff has gone further to raise money through performances for a health centre in India.  His heart is good and so is his magic.  He received an invitation to attend the very exclusive 4F Close-up Convention….a sort of “Willy Wonka” ticket that every magician would love to get.  Invitation is not random, however, and is generally given in recognition of expert magical skill.  I know Jeff from our learning and work at the McBride Magic & Mystery School.  Jeff received the title of Ambassador from the School this fall at our annual gathering in recognition of his work to further meaningful magic.  Please give him your fullest consideration!"
  
  
  Updated November 21 to add the following nominee:

• Ryan Brown -  "Ryan Wonder Brown is a rising star of magic from the Toronto area. He should be considered for these bragging rites."

The Canada's Magic "2018 Readers' Choice Inspirational Canadian Magician of the Year" award nominations are now open.

You may nominate living Canadian Magician(s) of your choosing by leaving their name along with a short note about how they inspired you in 2018, in the comments below.  (Or you may email me your nomination.)

Nominations will be accepted up until 11:59PM on Thursday November the 29th.  I will contact the nominees via email and give them one week to accept or decline their nomination.  The full list of nominations will be published and voting will commence in December.  (Canada's Magic is not eligible for the award, nor will it be participating in the nomination or voting process.) 

This is a "bragging rights" only contest.  There is no cash value for this award.

Individuals and groups can be nominated.

I look forward to seeing your nominations!

In the spirit of celebrating all Canadian magicians, last year's winners of the Readers' Choice award (Benzi Train) or the Editor's Choice award (Julie Eng) are not eligible for nomination in 2018.

Linking Ring obituary for Erik Stefanyi (Stephany)

We previously mentioned the passing of BC's Erik Stefanyi.

Dennis Schick, the editor of the Broken Wand in the International Brotherhood of Magician's magazine, The Linking Ring, is graciously allowing me to pass this on to you.

ERIK STEPHANY
Erik Stephany (Stefanyi), 23, of Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada, died September 9, 2018 from a tragic bicycle accident. He was a former member of the I.B.M. (2010-2015). He was a member of Ring 92 (Vancouver, British Columbia), and Ring 387 (Abbottsford, British Columbia). He joined the  I.B.M. at age fourteen. He began his magic education under the mentorship of Damien Carriere. While living in Chilliwack, he took his magic to the streets, pioneering the Chilliwack Busker Program. After moving to Kamloops to pursue his degree in theater, he continued to perform for a variety of groups in various venues. In addition to magic, he loved rock climbing, white water rafting, and geocaching with his family. He was an actor, poet and playwright. Survivors include his parents, Maude and Paul; and his brother, Gilles, and his fiancee, Emily Thibert. A Broken Wand Ceremony was performed in his honor.