From November 13th upload at the Toronto Magic Company YouTube channel:
Jonah Babins and Ben Train try to Fool Penn & Teller with a couple of pieces of paper!
S10E3, The CW Channel. Original air date: Nov 10/2023
03 December 2023
Jonah Babins and Ben Train on Penn and Teller's "Fool Us" S10 E03
02 December 2023
A peek behind the curtain with Fernando Velasco [2023]
This is the fifth in a series of interviews leading up to the
Champions of Magic Worldwide Wonder Tour Canadian dates in:
This is the fifth in a series of interviews leading up to the
- Toronto, Ticketmaster [Dec 27 - 31] ** extended to Dec 31 **
- Lethbridge, Enmax Centre [Mar 16]
- Regina, Conexus Arts Centre [Mar 17]
-
Winnipeg, Centennial Concert Hall [Mar 18]
- Saskatoon, TCU Place [Mar 19]
- Lloydminster, Vic Juba Theatre [Mar 20] ** recently added **
- Edmonton, Festival Place [Mar 22 - Apr 6]
- Prince George, CN Centre [Apr 7]
- Vancouver, Great Canadian Casino [Apr 8] ** recently added **
Additional rumoured locations include cities in BC and NS! Check the Champions of Magic website for updates.
You may also know Fernando Velasco as the winner of the 2018 Junior Achievement Award at The Magic Castle.
We're delighted to interview Fernando ahead of his Canadian Champions of Magic Worldwide Wonder Tour dates!
We were fortunate to see Champions of Magic in three times in the
past five years. Your part in the show changed significantly from year
to year. In fact the 2022 experience was very different
from the first time we saw you in Toronto in 2018.
When you have an audience tested, well-received show, what drives you to modify and advance your act?
When you have an audience tested, well-received show, what drives you to modify and advance your act?
I’m not sure what the motivation factor is; I love entertaining, I love making changes to try and find the best possible version of the acts to share with audiences, It’s also a way to keep it fresh, even if its just little changes to the script that’s enough to keep us engaged and in search for the perfect/most genuine presentation.
Have you studied any magic-adjacent disciplines?
Recently I’ve been studying writing and storytelling, I think it’s definitely helped me give my magic some meaning. Hopefully sharing stories that might mean something to people and might make them FEEL something… A feeling is what I’m currently after.
I also spend a lot of time analyzing other artists from a variety of different disciplines just trying to learn anything I can from them; Michael Jackson, Tom Cruise, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Robbie Williams, Andrew Lloyd Webber, and Pixar.
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Cutting it close! |
Do you remember the specific moment when you knew you could or wanted
to perform magic full time?
YES, the moment I joined The Magic Castle Junior Society and debuted at 14 years old during Future Stars of Magic Week in 2012 -- that was the moment I knew I had found my entertaining vehicle. There was no looking back.
What is your most memorable performance misadventure?
Hahahah might be too soon... (Darkest day of my career.)
Once upon a time in Houston, Texas, (Richard) Young, (Sam) Strange, and myself had a catastrophic prop malfunction in a part of the show we do together.
I wish I could tell you that we played it off and walked off stage like heroes, but we did not.
First, we were exposed to 1/3 of the audience (being generous with ourselves), then Young fled the scene leaving me and Strange alone on stage to finish the act... to which the act finale also failed.
In other words, NOTHING worked… it was like a scene out of Magic Gone Wrong.
Once upon a time in Houston, Texas, (Richard) Young, (Sam) Strange, and myself had a catastrophic prop malfunction in a part of the show we do together.
I wish I could tell you that we played it off and walked off stage like heroes, but we did not.
First, we were exposed to 1/3 of the audience (being generous with ourselves), then Young fled the scene leaving me and Strange alone on stage to finish the act... to which the act finale also failed.
In other words, NOTHING worked… it was like a scene out of Magic Gone Wrong.
What sets Champions of Magic apart from other touring ensemble magic
shows?
First the insane production level, it blows any other touring magic show in North America out of the water.
Second, our interactions with each other, the way the show intertwines with all of us and our collaborative routines.
We are a cast rather than four ensemble acts, that’s really unique.
Second, our interactions with each other, the way the show intertwines with all of us and our collaborative routines.
We are a cast rather than four ensemble acts, that’s really unique.
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After a quick dip in the water tank. |
Do you have any guilty pleasures while on tour?
My biggest guilty pleasure is food, I love food, and I'm lucky to share this pleasure with my great friend Richie (Young). Sharing meals together tends to be a highlight of the day haha. As well as riding Birdies (electric scooters) around cities.
My biggest guilty pleasure is food, I love food, and I'm lucky to share this pleasure with my great friend Richie (Young). Sharing meals together tends to be a highlight of the day haha. As well as riding Birdies (electric scooters) around cities.
One imagines that it’s sometimes hard to leave the comforts of your home
for a lengthy tour. Do you bring a special something from home with
you?
I really love touring, it's our life.
But touring can be hard, it can get lonely. You are in a bubble for months in which nothing enters or leaves, it's like we are isolated from the real world…
I wear bracelets that friends and family give me, I wear them all the time, it's my way of keeping a part of loved ones near all the time.
But touring can be hard, it can get lonely. You are in a bubble for months in which nothing enters or leaves, it's like we are isolated from the real world…
I wear bracelets that friends and family give me, I wear them all the time, it's my way of keeping a part of loved ones near all the time.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with the readers of
Canada’s Magic?
Best version of Champions of Magic is on its way. We hope you come to the shows and enjoy them as much as we do.
Thank you Fernando, for making the time to answer our questions!
Learn more about Fernando at FernandoV.net and follow him on Facebook, and
Instagram.
01 December 2023
Richmond Hill: The Aces of Magic [Dec 10, 17, 22]
From Jokers.ca:
December 10 - Henry Cheng, Ken Pham, and Mysterion
December 17 - Chris Westfall, Henry Cheng, and Ken Pham
December 22 - James Alan, Mysterion and Ken Pham
30 November 2023
Top 5 (er, 6) posts in November 2023
There were 37 posts at Canada's Magic this
month. Here are the six most viewed posts in the past 30
days (two of them are interviews promoting the same show, so we went for top six this month):
6. Chris Mayhew on CP24 - Watch Chris in a rare TV appearance!
5. Broken wand: Micky Hades - We encourage you to click through the link in the broken wand post, to read Brent Smith's heartfelt tribute to Micky.
4. Random thoughts about "An Evening of Magic and Laughter" - Great night with Matt DiSero, Steve Valentine, and Evan Carter! (And Masterclass in AV with Steve!)
- Catch Steve in Toronto as part of The Illusionists – Magic Of The Holidays [Nov 28 - Dec 3].
3. A peek behind the curtain with Michelle Mazzarella
2. A peek behind the curtain with Hollie England [2023]
- Catch Hollie and Michelle as part of Champions of Magic on their Canadian tour dates: Toronto [Dec 27 - 31], Lethbridge [Mar 16], Regina [Mar 17], Winnipeg [Mar 18], Saskatoon [Mar 19], Lloydminster [Mar 20], Edmonton [Mar 22 - Apr 6], Prince George [Apr 7], and Vancouver [Apr 8].
and the most viewed post this month ...
1. Alexandra on Penn and Teller's "Fool Us" S10 E02 - Congratulations Alexandra on your excellent segment on Fool Us!
December at The Magic Castle
Confirm details at The Magic Castle.
December 11 - 17
- Murray SawChuck
- Erik Tait
December 26 - 31
- The Evasons
From the November 21st Instagram post by Mentalist Duo:
29 November 2023
Montreal: Up Close Montreal with special guest Clément Le Roux [Dec 9]
Tickets at Eventbrite.
From the November 21st Instagram post by Up Close Montreal:
Very excited to present to you our special guest for the fall edition, Clément Le Roux. We can't wait to see him perform live on Saturday, December 9th @ L'Espace La Risée. He will perform in English show and in French show! But first.....
Who is Clément Le Roux ⁉
A sailor? A magician? A storyteller? A "putpocket" (yes, you read it right)? A violin player? Clément Le Roux is a bit of all that at once. He recently returned from Finland, where he created an immersive show in the heart of a Scandinavian forest, collaborating with circus artists and classical musicians.
Joined by Fred Péloquin, a singer-accordionist with whom he has been working for years, they will take you to a world where music, magic, and stories gradually intertwine throughout the narrative. Should you be carried away by the gentle melodies of the accordion or focus your attention on the small object just placed on the corner of the table? Did they improvise this moment, or perhaps everything was planned from the beginning? If you want to find out, just come and form your own opinion!
28 November 2023
The Montreal Trio sur La France A Un Incroyable Talent
We couldn't find the YouTube video mentioned by Michel below, so at the bottom of this post we embedded their fantastic performance from a video on Facebook.
From the November 22nd Facebook post by Michel Hout (translation by Facebook):
In September and October, I visited France twice. One of these times was because we had been invited Marc Trudel , Yannick and I: The Montreal Trio) to come perform an original number at France's got incredible talent.
It was a bit crazy because on August 29th in the evening, I was performing in Prévost and had to go directly to the airport. Immediately heading to the recording studios upon arrival. So 2 shows in 18 hours on two different continents. Hehe. Watch 28 Nov on M6. For America, the whole thing will be on YouTube the next day.
From the November 26th Facebook post by Michel Huot (translation by Facebook):
Several years ago I watched the show Whose Line is it Anyway and saw this principle there. I have always wanted to do something similar After the very good Chick N Swell had done some circus themed floor (excellent). We decided to get involved in magic. 🙂
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