17 January 2023

Welcoming a new Friend, Ryan Edwards! 

Welcoming our newest Friend, Ryan Edwards

Based in Brantford, Ryan performs magic, mentalism, and has consulted and/or performed for shows on NBC, the CW, Tru Tv, the Syfy Network, the Space Network, Yes TV and CHCH.

Follow Ryan online @mentalism.ca (Facebook and Instagram) or have a look at his website:  mentalism.ca

Thank you Ryan, for befriending Canada's Magic!  

 

 

 

 

16 January 2023

Magicana accepting nominations for the 2022 Allan Slaight awards

Still no sign of a category for "Best Blog Focused on Canadian Magicians Run by a Member of IBM Ring 17."  Dang.

 

From Magicana:

And, that means the Allan Slaight Awards are now open. These awards recognize outstanding contributions to the art of magic in five categories. The Slaight Family Foundation gives away an astonishing $50,000 per year to acknowledge shining stars, magic makers and wonder sharers, all in an effort to support and encourage this wonderful art of magic.

So, come on, magic friends…. Tell us about an exciting up-and-coming magician you know or have seen. Or, tell us about a fantastic magician who should be recognized for outstanding contributions either as a performer, or from a lifetime of contributions to magic. Maybe you saw an unbelievable performance last year? Or, did you read or learn or gain special insight from a book, podcast or streaming service? Tell us. We want to know.

To make your nomination, simply visit this Allan Slaight Awards page and fill in the blanks. 

Read more and make your nomination.



 

 

 

 

 

15 January 2023

Doug Henning and Transcendental Meditation

From the January 5th article "Real Magic" by Lauren Collee in The Baffler:

As a magician, Henning was loved and admired throughout his career for leading magic “away from the tuxedo approach” and reinjecting the craft with a sense of mischief and wonder. Having initially studied psychology (with an emphasis on hypnosis), he abandoned medical school to train with magic greats like Dai Vernon (“The Professor”) and Tony Slydini. By the late 1970s, Henning’s star was rising. His magic-musical theatre show Spellbound had been a Broadway hit. He performed Harry Houdini’s water-torture escape trick live on NBC for the first time since Houdini himself pulled it off, and made a live elephant disappear and then reappear onstage. He did magic for the Reagans, and designed illusions for Michael Jackson and Earth, Wind and Fire concerts.

But those who worked with Henning directly were growing frustrated with the magician’s increasingly obsessive interest in Transcendental Meditation. While preparations for his new stage show were underway, Henning would frequently pause all activity so that he could mediate for hours on end. Often he would instruct everyone else to pause and meditate too, so that the collective energy they generated together might allow him to successfully levitate in the air; a feat he hoped to perform as part of the show. Exasperated, his long-time technical director Glenn Priest walked out mid-rehearsal in 1983. Three years later, to the chagrin of his fans, Henning himself sold his illusions to David Copperfield and other magicians, and permanently quit the world of fake magic to devote himself, full-time, to the real magic of Transcendental Meditation.

Read more.


via

 

13 January 2023

Toronto: Mystery & Magic hosted by Beyond Mental Borders

Buy tickets for the January 15th show at Eventbrite.

 

From the January 9th Instagram post by Beyond Mental Borders:

We’re back for another year of mind-reading fun starting this Sunday!

 

 

 

 

From the November 21st Instagram post by Beyond Mental Borders:

🚨EXCITING NEWS! 🚨
We’re so excited to announce that our residency at @therecroomca has been extended for a year! Tickets are now available for all our 2023 shows now!

 

 

 

 

Bill Abbott and Spidey nominated for Penguin Magic Awards -- voting ends at 5pm EST TODAY!

Congratulations to Bill and Spidey on their nominations!  

How to vote.


From the January 7th Instagram post by Penguin Magic:

Here are your 2022 Lecture of the Year Nominees:
-Spidey LIVE
-Jeffrey Wang LIVE
-Craig Petty LIVE
-Amanda Nepo LIVE
-Bill Abbott LIVE
-Benjamin Barnes LIVE




From the January 7th Instagram post by Penguin Magic:

Vote for the Penguin Magic awards at the link in our bio.

Voting ends at 5 PM EST January 13, 2023

Winners will be announced January 27th on YouTube.







12 January 2023

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