Thank you to our personal sponsors for April 2024!

A quick reminder of our earlier Mail as Medicine request for Katie Hunt.  If you have the time, Katie and Doug would both benefit from hearing from their friends!

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Thank you to John Harrison, Richard Lyn, Joan Caesar, Ian Crawford, Matt DiSero, Doug Hunt, John Smithman, Robin Dawes, Loran, Peter Mennie, George Blott, Noah Nogueira, Aaron Matthews, Colin Geddes, Cam Dix, Ian Batterbury, and Eric Bedard for being Friends of Canada's Magic!

It's good to have friends like you.

You too can Be Our Friend for only $20 per year! 

Donations of any size are always welcome.

or

 

 

 

Toronto: Win tickets to see "Lost in the Shuffle" at the Hot Docs Film Festival

Great news folks! We have been offered tickets to give away to our readers, for the premiere of Shawn Farquhar and Jon Ornoy's Lost in the Shuffle at the Hot Docs Film Festival in Toronto, Canada.

Shawn Farquhar and Michael Vincent at The Magic Circle

Pick a card, any card!  

If you’re looking for magic and mystery, then you’ll love the new documentary LOST IN THE SHUFFLE which will be having its world premiere at the Hot Docs Film Festival running from April 25 – May 5.  

World champion magician Shawn Farquhar delves into a medieval murder cold case among Jacks, Queens and Kings as he devises a new trick inspired by the world’s best sleight-of-hand artists.

The film will be playing at the TIFF Lightbox on April 29 and May 1st.  If you love magic, then you’ll love this film!  

Get tickets through the Hot Docs website or visit:
https://bit.ly/HD2024LIS 

 

We can’t wait to see you there! 

 

 

Read our 2023 check-in with
Shawn Farquhar

 

 

If you don't want to leave your tickets to chance, you can purchase them directly at the Hot Docs website.


There will be a random draw for two (2) tickets to the film.  

• There will be one (1) winner.
• The prize consists of two (2) tickets. (Approximate retail value of $40.)  
• The draw results will be posted by end of day on Saturday April 27th, 2024.

To enter:

1. Log into the RaffleCopter widget at the bottom of this post, using a valid email address.
    
2. Mandatory: Leave a comment in the widget, telling us which of Shawn's special guests you're most excited to see in the movie.
    
3. If you win, you must be willing to provide your name, email address, and phone number, so that a representative from the Hot Docs Film Festival can coordinate the prize with the box office.
   
   
4. The winner will be notified by email.  You will have 24 hours to claim your prize.  If we have not heard back from you within 24 hours, your entry will be disqualified and we will draw an additional name.

The fine print:

• To participate in the contest, you must be 18 years of age or older.
  
  
• One entry per person.
  
  
• This giveaway is open to Canadian residents, excluding residents of Quebec. (Je m'excuse!)
  
  
• This giveaway is void where prohibited by law.
  
  
• This giveaway may be terminated or withdrawn at any time.
  
  
• Entries may be disqualified at any time (reasons for disqualification include but are not limited to the provision of information that is untruthful, inaccurate, incomplete, or suspected fraudulent behaviour).
  
  
• You must be able to use the tickets as offered.  (No cash value will be offered if you cannot use the tickets.)
  
  
• Transportation to/from Toronto will not be provided.
  
  
• Accommodations will not be provided.
  
  
• Photo ID will be required to claim the tickets at the box office prior to the show on your way into the theatre.
  
  
• The odds of winning depend on how many people enter the contest.
  
  
• Contest closes on Tuesday April 23rd, 2024 at 11:59pm ET.  Entries received after this time will be disqualified.

 

With thanks to the Hot Docs Film Festival for generously making these tickets available to you!

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Shawn Farquhar performing an original routine created for the documentary

Rounding the Western rings in April 2024

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

City	Club	Event(s)
Calgary, AB	Ring 66 (Calgary Magic Circle, Les Brocklesby Ring)	- N/A.
Edmonton, AB	Edmonton Magic Club	- N/A.
Winnipeg, MB	The Magic Club of Winnipeg	- SYM.
Fraser Valley, BC	IBM Ring 387 (Fraser Valley Magic Circle, Celeste Evans Ring)	- N/A.
Vancouver, BC	Ring 92 (Vancouver Magic Circle)	- N/A.
Vancouver, BC	SAM 95  (Carl Hemeon Assembly)	- N/A.
Victoria, BC	Ring 183 (Victoria Magic Circle)	- N/A.

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

 

 

 

 

 

Rounding the Central rings in April 2024

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

 

ICYMI, 

• Alex Marsh will be lecturing in Toronto on May 6.  Details at IBMRing17.com.
  
• Bill Malone will be in Montreal June 3 - 4.  Details at MontrealMagicJam.com.

Montreal, QC	Ring 62 (20th Century Ring)	- N/A.
Hamilton, ON	Ring 49 (The Doug Henning Magic Wand Club)	- N/A.
Hamilton / Burlington, ON	Hamilton Burlington Magic Society	- N/A.
London, ON	Ring 265 (London Magician's Guild)	- Round robin.
Kitchener, ON	Ring 235 (KW Magic Society)	- N/A.
Ottawa, ON	Ring 151 (Ottawa Society of Magicians)	- N/A.
Ottawa, ON	Ottawa / Gatineau magicians	- N/A
Toronto, ON	Ring 17 (Sid Lorraine Hat and Rabbit Club)	- Social meet-up. - Chris Mayhew lecture

Please leave a comment or email me about corrections or omissions.

 

 

 

 

Rounding the Eastern rings in April 2024

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

Halifax, NS	Ring 316 (Conjourer's Court)	- Visit their Facebook page.
St. John, NB	Magic Circle of St. John	- N/A.

Please leave a comment or email me about corrections or omissions.

 

 

 

 

 

Canada's Got Talent: Getting to know Alexandra Burgio

Last in our series of short interviews with some of the magic acts listed in the March 5th Canada's Got Talent media release is Alexandra Burgio!
 

You may already know that Alexandra:

• fooled Penn and Teller last November, and 
• is starring in the show Evolution at The Greg Frewin Theatrical Centre.
  

We're delighted that Alexandra made time to answer our questions ahead of her April 16th appearance on Canada's Got Talent! 

 

Who inspires you that is not a magician?
 
Being a female of the millennial generation - I grew up admiring all the pop stars of the 1990s and 2000s. The command they evoked on stage lent inspiration to how I carry myself when I’m in front of the crowd.

 

What is your first memory of magic? 

My first memory of magic would be watching World’s Greatest Magic on TV in the 90’s when I as a child. Initially being drawn to the glamour of the stage spectacle, I was intrigued by the sly cunningness of the performers, namely the deception the magicians assistants added.
 

Who from the magic community inspires you?

I would be foolish to say Greg Frewin hasn’t been my number one inspiration in magic. From creativity in his workshop and nostalgia from his younger years, to his current on stage demeanour - I draw inspiration from what he continues to provide to the industry.
 

Was there anyone or anything instrumental to you becoming a magician?

When I first started in magic as an assistant, my mentor allowed me to borrow a set of hard drives consisting of virtually any and all magic acts ever captured on film from all the way from the 1960s /1970s to current time! Very educational and very top secret - if you know, you know! ;)  

📸 : CGT

Did you ever get discouraged and think about quitting magic?  
 
Through hardships and learning challenges, I am proud to say I was never discouraged enough to think about quitting magic - and of course, fooling Penn and Teller helped with the encouragement!

Do you have any tour or pre-show rituals you’d be willing to share with our readers?
 

Espresso, baby!.. And of course the right playlist to get pumped up to!

 

Why is now the right time for you to be a part of Canada's Got Talent?
 

I believe the time was right for me to participate in Canada's Got Talent to showcase another discipline of my magic. The piece performed in the competition was something contrasted to the last performance I showcased on television.

 

 

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
 

Shout out to all the ladies in magic - keep doing your thing!
xo 

 

 

Thank you Alexandra, for making the time to answer our questions!  Break a leg on CGT!

Learn more about Alexandra at the Greg Frewin Theatre website and follow her on Instagram and TikTok.

 

 

 

Watch Alexandra on Canada's Got Talent Tuesday April 16th on CityTV!

 

 

 

 

[Guest post] April 2024 Genii Issue Features Canadians

The following is a guest post from an author who wishes to be known as The Magic Demon.

--

CANADIANS FEATURED IN THE APRIL 2024 ISSUE OF "GENII"
Exclusive to Canada's Magic
by The Magic Demon

In the current April 2024 issue of "Genii, The Conjurors' Magazine", one of Canada's best known magicians, Bill Abbott, rates an almost half page review of his most recent (fourth) appearance at The Magic Castle in Los Angeles. Shawn McMaster's column, "Knights at the Magic Castle", includes a great action photo of Bill receiving what appears to be an enthusiastic round of applause mid-performance. McMaster details Bill's act which when read certainly sounds like both Bill and his audience had an enjoyable time.

In her regular news column "The Eye", Vanessa Armstrong has a feature item on "The Magic Word" podcast with Scott Wells, who recently interviewed Murray SawChuck about his spate of on-line exposures. While making his own position against such exposure clear, Wells feels he has at least tried to offer a platform for both sides of this controversial and divisive issue.

Finally, in his editorial "Genii Speaks", editor Richard Kaufman offers an unambiguous personal endorsement for the craftsmanship of Roy Kueppers, now residing in Las Vegas. Kueppers' "cornucopia of coins gimmicked in a fantastical variety of ways" clearly delights Kaufman who concludes his editorial this month simply: "If you need a gimmicked coin, he [Roy]'s your guy". Also noteworthy, Roy has taken out a two page ad (the first time he has ever done so I believe) which includes an impressive testimonial from David Copperfield about Roy's latest "Statue Vanish" trick.

Genii is available by subscription, as a digital or printed-on-paper publication, as well as through your local magic dealer such as The Browser's Den of Magic in Toronto. The author paid for their own copy.

- The Magic Demon

 

 

Thank you The Magic Demon for guest posting at Canada's Magic!