Niagara Falls: Piff the Magic Dragon [May 9 - 11]

Tickets at Fallsview Casino Resort.

 

Read our 2023 interview where we learn about Piff's:
 
- journey into magic
- studies in magic-adjacent disciplines
- self-care on tour, and
- show growth in 10 years

 

From the January 8th Instagram post by Piff the Magic Dragon:

New year, new show, new dates. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Piff The Magic Dragon (@piffthemagicdragon)

 

 

 

 

 

Julie Eng interviewed by Dr. Melissa Karmen Lee

From the January 25th Instagram post by Julie Eng:

It was an honour to join the @ccmuseumbc at the opening of the new exhibition “The Magic of Tony Eng” at the Victoria location in collaboration with @victoriachinatownmuseum, back in December. At that time, I was invited to also participate in a podcast to talk more about my dad, Tony Eng.
Here’s the episode!

Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/1Q6eLIyk2vR4z123WlsY4X?si=abd37475a68d4071

YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsw-nuh8g6k

 

 

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A post shared by Julie Eng (@magicienne)

 

 

 

 

 

CBC Radio: Jason Osler interviews Mel Jones and Julie Eng

Listen to Jason Osler interview Mel Jones and Julie Eng "Why aren't there many female magicians?" on the the January 10th episode of "Columnists from CBC Radio."

[via The Magic Demon]

 

 

 

 

Toronto: "A Work of Fiction" by Nicholas Wallace [Feb 23 - 24]

Tickets at Factory Theatre.

From the December 14th Instagram post by Nicholas Wallace:

TORONTO - I’m coming to the @factorytheatre for 4 shows Feb 23 - 24. It’s been a few years since I’ve done a public show in Toronto, and I would really love to fill these seats - so if you can please spread the word!!

 

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A post shared by Nick Wallace (@nickwallacelive)

 

 

 

Random thoughts about Gerry Frenette's lecture and his memoir "My Life as a Magic Maker"

Last Thursday, IBM Ring 17 (the Sid Lorraine Hat and Rabbit Club) was treated to a lecture about the Psychology of Magic by club member Gerry Frenette!

As you may be aware Gerry:

• has been building magic props and illusions through his company Magic Makers Illusions since 1985,
• previously released a series of DVDs, Building Your Own Illusions, The Complete Video Course, parts one and two,
• recently released his memoir "My Life as a Magic Maker" at Amazon (more on that at the end of the post).* 

 

  From the back cover:  

Magic Makers Gerry and Leonora Frenette travelled internationally as headline entertainers, performing their original illusions for major cruise lines, magicians' conventions, corporate events, and at the famous Magic Castle in Hollywood. Gerry also designed and built stage apparatus for magicians worldwide. His creations have appeared on numerous TV shows including the Gemini Awards, America's Got Talent, Britain's Got Talent, and touring shows like The Champions of Magic, and more.

We made the trek to the club on a cold January night, learned a lot, and had a really good time!  

 

In his lecture, Gerry:

• demonstrated how assumptions are a powerful tool to use and can sometimes be stronger than "proving" (proving can ruin the psychology of assumption)
  
• showed many of the assumptions that can be involved when using a Vortex tube
• did some magic with his assistant Gwendolyn the Psychic Chicken and showed us something that once fooled Jeff McBride
• got knotty with a piece of rope
• ran though some thoughts about using a card box
• did a beautiful Coins Across for young volunteer Andrew
• talked about illusion design and worked through examples of how to make an illusion look smaller than it is (showing examples with boxes, illusion bases, and mirror frames)
• discussed the importance of looking at things from the perspective of the audience
• showcased his poker skills against David S, Rob F, and two other volunteers (and teased a story from his book which describes how he almost lost big with this "always winning" poker routine),
• shared some interesting sub trunk stories
• highlighted more psychological sleights while performing his Chop Cup routine and Slydini Paper Balls for volunteer Nicole (and as a bonus tipped another story from the book, where he stayed in the moment with a drunk audience volunteer and performed an effect powerful enough to be considered a reputation maker!), and
• talked about his recently released memoir "My Life as a Magic Maker" at Amazon!
  
  This book starts from his childhood in Amherst, Nova Scotia and is chock full of entertaining stories from Gerry's magic journey, including: early days of illusion building, working with Dean Gunnarson, CRA audits, being suspected of money laundering, thoughts on copycats & exposure, career highlights, a plethora of photos from the past, and more!
  
  (No magic secrets are revealed in this book.  It is intended for magicians and non-magicians alike!)
  

 

It was an entertaining and informative night!  Thank you very much Gerry!

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A post shared by Canadas Magic (@canadasmagicdotcom)

--

* What people are saying about "My Life as a Magic Maker" ...

 

From the January 7th Facebook post by Matt DiSero:

 

 

From the January 7th Facebook post by Blair Marshall:

"Gerry Frenette  has put together a fun read with lots of photos of "the big stuff" ( no secrets though lol) and it's available through Amazon. 🙂"

 

Customer reviews from Amazon:

MScott - 5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating & fun to read!
Reviewed in Canada on December 30, 2023
Verified Purchase
Couldn’t put it down. As a lay person, I felt I stepped into the author’s entertaining world of magical illusions. Buy it & be amazed!

 

Raman Sharma - 5.0 out of 5 stars One of the Best Books I have read in a long time!
Reviewed in Canada on December 29, 2023
It did not take me long to realize that this book is not just for Magician's. The author does a great job in making the reader live through his experiences. I definitely feel more inspired after having read this book, and will definitely be recommending it to my friends.

 

Paul - 5.0 out of 5 stars Great book!
Reviewed in Canada on January 4, 2024
Interesting and fascinating to read all the way through!

 

 

  From the author:  

"I've spent the last 40 years making magic on stage and in my workshop. All kinds of interesting, amusing, amazing, and downright hilarious things have happened. This recollection of colorful anecdotes and photographs is not only for magicians but for anybody who enjoys a captivating and inspiring story. It looks inside a unique career that started in a small Canadian town and grew to international recognition."

 

 

 

 

 

 

Disclosure:  I received a free copy of "My Life as a Magic Maker." The opinions expressed above are entirely my own. I did not receive compensation for the writing or the publishing of this article.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Paul Romhany awarded the 2024 AMA Literary and Media Fellowship

Congratulations on this honour Paul!  Well deserved.  Keep up the great work!

 

From the January 22nd Facebook post by Paul Romhany:

It's OFFICIAL - I am totally overwhelmed that I have been awarded the 2024 AMA (Academy of Magical Arts)  Literary and Media Fellowship. I'm still in shock to be honest. I will be in attendance at the awards ceremony to pick up this very prestigious honour in LA (Hollywood) --- I'm still waiting for them to call back and say they have made a mistake like the Oscars LOL. 2024 marks 13 years of VANISH - International Magic Magazine - what a way to celebrate.

 

 

 

 

Calgary: Ryan Pilling in The WhoKnows Variety Show [Jan 30]

From the January 15th Facebook post by The WhoKnows Variety Show:

The last Tuesday of the month will be a night to remember!
Magic, poetry, one man band, Nigerian Jazz, ukuleles…what more could you ask for?
Fun times for sure Calgary! Jan 30th. call the Ironwood Stage & Grill for reservations.