Have you registered for the 2016 Magic Master Summit*?

  

Updated November 2017 to add:

• Register for the 2017 Magic Master Summit!

Back in May, I shared with you information about the 2016 Magic Master Summit, a FREE online magic convention featuring more than 30 presentations, from more than 24 experts, totaling more than 50 hours of incredible secrets!

Did I mention, it's completely FREE, July 18-22, 2016?

Here's the tentative schedule:

Monday - July 18, 2016

• Rick Thomas

• Brad Ross

• Dan Sperry

• Bill Gladwell

• JC Sum

Tuesday - July 19, 2016

• Shawn Farquhar

• Dr. Joe Vitale

• Kristoffer Olson

• Justino Zoppe

• Chris and Neal

• Chris Randall

• Jim Gravina

Wednesday - July 20, 2016

• Greg Frewin

• Murray SawChuck

• David DaVinci

• Steven Yerardi

• JC Sum

• Glen Foster

Thursday - July 21, 2016

• Reza

• Josh Knotts

• Brad Ross

• David Farr

• Stacey Smithson

Friday - July 22, 2016

• Josh Knotts

• Wacky Chad

• Ken Weber

• Kyle Knight and Mistie

• Justino Zoppe

From what I understand, the sessions are each free for 24 hours, then after that if you want to purchase access to them, you'll have the ability to go back to review them.

What are you waiting for?  Register at Magic Master Summit today!



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* Disclosure: I am a Magic Master Summit Affiliate and I am eligible to make a commission with every sale made using the links posted on this site.

Did you catch the Magic Master Summit*?

  

Did you catch any of the presentations in last week's Magic Master Summit?  Try as I might, I didn't get to see them all.  (A big shout out to Kidlet and KOP for their patience with me as I gorged on magic videos.)

If you missed some or all of the free event last week, fear not!  You can purchase a "LIFETIME PASS," and watch the entire event, from beginning to end, over and over, as many times as you like, for less than $6.57 per lecture!  (Dave Womach's even offering up a 100% Money Back Guarantee.)

Get Your LIFETIME ACCESS before August 1, 2016 and Save $100!

All 30+ Lectures, $197 USD.

(After Aug 1, 2016 Price is $297)
 

Some of the videos I watched:

• Rick Thomas (Performance and Personality):  I could have used some of his advice back in my high school days.
• Bill Gladwell (How to make $380,000 / year by "2-walling"):  Interesting contract advice.
• Dr. Joe Vitale (Easy and OUtrageous Marketing Techniques):  Enough said.
• Shawn Farquhar (Making Magic More Memorable):  Are you a tuxedo person, or a coverall person?)
• Chris Randall (Magic and Street Busking):  The video includes instructions on two effects.
• Greg Frewin (The Creative Process):  Greg shared his interesting tactic to get creative time during his cruise performance days.
• Murray SawChuck (Marketing and PR for Entertainers):  Do you agree with Murray's "random call" theory?
• Glen Foster (How to build a HUGE Fanbase):  Don't for get to take advantage of his discount for people who have seen this talk.
• Robert Stephens (Secrets to Six-Figure Strolling Magic):  Fun listening to him describe when things literally hit the fan.
• David Farr and Brad Ross (Internet Marketing and Lead Generation):  Giving away to Magic Master Summit attendees, for FREE, an information package valued at close to $200!)
• Theresa McLean (Secrets to Costuming):  Fun stories and great costuming advice.

Purchase your lifetime access today, before prices go up!

--
* Disclosure: I am a Magic Master Summit Affiliate and I am eligible to make a commission with every sale made using the links posted on this site.

FREE: Magic Master Summit 2016

Updated November 2017 to add:

• Register for the 2017 Magic Master Summit!

How many Canadians do you see?

From Magic Masters Summit:

Magic Master Summit 2016

Top Secrets from working pros to get more shows, enhance your performance, grow your audience, and cash in!

Featuring more than 30 presentations, from more than 24 experts, totaling more than 50 hours of incredible secrets! 

And the great news is, it's completely FREE, July 18-22, 2016.

The good news is that this coming July 18-22, 2016, we've assembled a some of the greatest minds in entertainment in one location; giving you more than 50 hours of free presentations to help you fix what's currently broken in your performance business!  They'll give you the tools and the knowledge to help you go make six or seven figures a year in entertainment!  Think it's impossible?  Think again!  We've included several millionaires in these presentations just to prove our point!

Register Now!

To ensure your future success, go now to MagicMasterSummit now and enter your name and email address, to register for this limited-time, free event!

BONUS!

We're so committed to your success, that just for signing up we'll give you 7 Free Documents delivered to your email instantly!

• Booking Form (Used for your records for all types of events)

• Client Invoice (To instantly make you look more professional)

• Confidentiality Agreement (Basic version for your casual performance settings)

• Confidentiality Agreement (Expert version for those really important contracts and secrets)

• Cover Letter (To get you started in the right direction)

• Letter of Agreement (Simple contract for most shows)

• Model Release Form (Giving you the unlimited permission to use someone’s image for your promotional or business purposes)

Don't wait, register now!

Read more and register.

--
Disclosure: I am a Magic Master Summit Affiliate and I am eligible to make a commission with every sale made using the links posted on this site.

Vote now for the 2017 Readers' Choice award

 

The nominations are closed and voting is now open for the 2017 "Readers' Choice Inspirational Canadian Magician of the Year" award!  Voting will close on Saturday, December the 23rd at 11:59pm EST.

To vote, scroll down to the bottom of this post and participate in the poll.  (Unfortunately, the poll does not appear in the mobile version of the site.)

Let's have a look at the nominees (in no particular order):

Caiden Finch (12 yo)
Nominated by Phil Matlin.
"He has performed on stage for paying audience and I might say he was great. His magic was excellent. He was dressed for the occasion. He had a themed routine and what I really liked was that came in [to Perfect Magic] about week before the show and asked for some advice. I talked, he listened and implemented 95% of it in his show."

I had the pleasure of meeting Caiden at Sorcerers Safari in 2016.  He's a fine young man with a bright future ahead of him!

Website:

• Read more about Caiden at the Perfect Magic Facebook page.
• Read more about Caiden at the Perfect Magic blog.

Ryan Brown
Nominated by dmdlfyer.

"Ryan started performing magic very early in school. While he was in my class, he would bargain his work completion in order to go to the kindergarten class and perform his latest trick. He continued to perform and cam back several years to perform free at our school's fun fair. True school and community spirit. Ryan has inspired many of the students to believe in their dream and to work hard to achieve it. He continues to seek advancement in his craft by seeking peer help and taking classes taught by more experienced magicians. In 2017 Ryan performed at Screemers at Exhibition Place Toronto in October. Great show Ryan!!  Increased his knowledge of magic by taking classes in Las Vegas with the master of masks and magical knowledge, Jeff McBride earlier this year."

Supporting information from Patricia Silver:

"Ryan Brown is an example of a young man who knew what he wanted to accomplish, kept focused under difficult conditions, and has achieved it - a life in magic. Not only is he talented, he is a joy to work with, both personally and professionally. My agency had the pleasure of mentoring and booking Ryan from early in his career. He takes his magic very seriously, and is constantly working to raise the bar on his show and learn from others. He is worthy of an award."

Supporting information from Anonymous:

"The magic or Ryan Brown. I have known Ryan for many years and not only is he a close friend but amazing magician who is dedicating his life to magic and works extremely hard so he definitely deserves an award."

Supporting information from Anonymous:

"I'd like to nominate Ryan Brown ("The Magic of Ryan Brown"). I've known Ryan since he was a youth and was shown his first magic tricks. From that point on, Ryan became dedicated to learning the craft, and perfecting tricks and routines. He recently won a scholarship to an exclusive magic school in Las Vegas where he had opportunity to perfect his craft further. Ryan creates routines to amaze his audiences with thought to ages he he performing in front of. He continues to create illusions himself. Seeing a performance by Ryan is nothing short of amazing. "

Supporting information from Unknown:

"I second all these nominations of Ryan. I have worked with as his assistant. And he is always improving and raising the bar, trying and accomplishing new tricks and striving to be the best magician he can be. "

Supporting information from Anonymous:

"I nominate Ryan Brown because having known him since he was 15, I have seen him hold fast to his dream of being a professional magician in the face of having his mother suffer a devastating illness when Ryan was age 11.

As a result Ryan had to grow up in a blue collar single parent household in a low income area, having to overcome many obstacles in order to be where he is today."

Supporting information from Anonymous:

"Many years ago, I gave Ryan Brown his first opportunity to perform professionally. Seeing his accomplishments to date astounds me, just like his magic does.

Ryan continues to diversify his act. In 2017 he added new stage illusions and executed them flawlessly in his own style. As Ryan moves to the next phase of his career, I can't help but be inspired by his daily dedication to the craft of magic. New wardrobe, new card manipulation, new stage illusions, he's been hard at work this year.

On a personal level, 2017 was an extra challenging year for Ryan, with the passing of his father. Ryan's first performance on a Las Vegas stage this past September would have made him very proud.

It is for these reasons that I nominate Ryan Brown for "Inspirational Canadian Magician of the Year"."


Website: RyanBrownMagic.com

Neil Croswell
Nominated by Anonymous.
"I would like to nominate Neil Croswell. I have watched Neil devote his life to magic from a young age and he has stuck to his vision from day one. His determination and work ethic over the years make him an inspiration as well as his countless awards and international TV appearances (Fool Us, etc.). In 2017, he appeared on "Masters of Illusion" , completed 250+ shows on a cruise in the Bahamas, and performed internationally across Asia which helped raise money for charitable causes in Sri Lanka. To accomplish what he has at his age, I believe, is an inspiration to Canadian magicians with goals of a professional career. "

Neil's Asia appearances include the "Knights of Illusion" magic show held in Colombo, Sri Lanka alongside Michael Finney and Xavier Mortimer.  He also performed 32 stage shows in Beijing, China at the annual "Happy Valley International Magic Festival."  This year, Neil performed over 300 shows across five countries.


Website: NeilCroswellMagic.com



 

Julie Eng
Nominated by James Alan.

Along with running programs such as "Senior Sorcery" and "My Magic Hands," this year Julie has had a few other things on the go!
 
"The Magic of Johnny Thompson": Julie has been project managing the production and publication of "The Magic of Johnny Thompson." Her roles include: photographer, photo editor, and editor.

Magic Live - performer, presenter, and host: Julie was invited back (for the third time since 2015!) to co-host all the general sessions with Jonathan Levit. Sometimes hosting meant interviewing interesting magic characters, like the one-and-only David Williamson, or being part of something like a “show and tell” with Levent (where he talked about 3D printing).

Magicana - Magic Collectors Weekend - producer, host, project manager:  As part of Magicana, Julie staged and produced a Magic History Conference called the Magic Collectors Weekend in Montreal (first time out of the USA).  It coincided with the opening of Illusions: The Art of Magic poster exhibition featuring some of the top-drawer posters from the newly acquired Allan Slaight Collection of posters.

Magicana - A Rich Cabinet of Magical Curiosities -  publisher, project manager: This year, Julie also worked closely with Dr. Eddie Dawes and his family to start the process of publishing the historical series A Rich Cabinet of Curiosities (published in the Magic Circle’s organ the Magic Circular). Magicana will produce and release Dr Dawes's collected monthly series in an epic, multi-volume compendium spanning forty years, of over 450 articles. The first volume is now in the works and with hopes of getting an edition out by the late fall of 2018 or perhaps early 2019.

Magic and Science - performer, host, presenter: Julie was included as part of the Magic and Science special, one-hour documentary for CBC’s "The Nature of Things: which will air sometime in the early part of 2018. Julie acts as “host” and helps to link the segments together, performing a bit of magic along the way. This is Julie's first major television piece.

Somehow, while doing all of that, Julie still found time to be the Executive Director at Magicana.


Website: magicienne.com

Murray and Teresa Hatfield
Nominated by The Magic Demon.
"The Magic Demon nominates Murray and Teresa Hatfield for starring in and producing their second ever extraordinary magic and illusions-filled phantasmagoria "Unbelievable" at this summer's PNE in Vancouver. For the second year in a row, it was again one of the the most inspiring and entertaining stadium-scale magical events Vancouver has ever seen."

In addition, Murray and Teresa amazed on season 4 of Penn and Teller Fool Us this year where Penn said of their performance "I haven't seen a better version of Metamorphosis ever." Murray is also the President of the Canadian Association of Magicians.


Website: MurrayHatfieldMagic.com



 

Benzi Train
Nominated by Ari.
"I nominate Benzi Train because of his tireless work over the years to promote the performance of live magic in Toronto and his efforts at the Sid Lorraine Hat & Rabbit Club and bringing in of top quality lecturers to our community. His (and partner Jonah Babbins) show Newest Trick in the Book gives any magician a venue/opportunity to perform in front of a live audience. He has inspired many magicians to challenge themselves creatively or to even perform live."


Supporting information from Steven Lafond:
"I second the nomination for Ben Train for his incredible work with the Toronto Magic Company. He is an amazing performer and producer and has worked very hard to keep magic alive in the Toronto performing arts scene."


Supporting information from Natasha:
"I’m nominating Ben Train for all the work he’s done for the Toronto magic community. Besides becoming one of the most popular performers in the city, Ben also founded the Toronto Magic Company and produces different magic shows every week across the city. Whether working with aspiring young magicians to give them the confidence to go on stage, provide professionals with new opportunities to share their magic, or bringing the best magic in the world to Toronto for public shows and lectures, there isn’t anyone in the city doing more for magic than Ben."


Website: BenTrain.ca




Cast your vote now at Poll Junkie!

Browser's Magic Bash 2019 recap

Updated on April 19th to add: 

•  An assortment of phone camera, at a distance, dark room, intended to be viewed on a small screen, photos can be viewed in this Facebook album.

  

I'm delighted I was able to live-Tweet and live-blog the 2019 Browser's Magic Bash last Saturday!  

I enjoyed catching up with the friends I've made at previous Bashes (hi Cooper) and making new friends too (I'm looking at you Don and Wil).

Here's the traditional consolidation of the posts and Tweets. (For the complete list of Tweets and photos check out this Twitter link to Tweets tagged with #BrowsersBash2019 or #BrowsersBash.) 

It's a very long post.  Click "read more" below to view it.

I hope you all had as much fun as I did!

FREE: Magic Master Summit 2017*

Did you enjoy last year's wildly successful "Magic Master Summit"?  I confess to binge watching as many of the sessions as I could!

David DaVinci is at it again, with another spectacular line up November 13-17, 2017!  Scroll down to read more details, view the schedule, and register!

Dear Friends,

Have you heard about this?

Magic Master Summit 2017

Register For Free Now! www.MagicMasterSummit.com

Top Secrets from working pros to get more shows, enhance your performance, grow your audience, and cash in!

Featuring more than 30 presentations, from more than 26 experts, totaling nearly 40 hours of incredible secrets!

And the great news is, it's completely FREE, November 13-17, 2017.

Are you experiencing one of these top 5 problems that other entertainers are experiencing?

1) Not enough shows.

2) Not enough money.

3) Not enough “A” material.

4) Real job won’t give you time off to do shows, but you’re not making enough doing shows to quit your day job... yet.

5) Show isn’t good enough to get the gigs you need to pay the bills.

With all the venues out there, the only reason you’re not working more, is you.

1) Birthday Parties

2) Grade School Shows

3) Libraries

4) Day Cares

5) Colleges

6) Fairs

7) Festivals

8) Street Performances

9) Cruise Ships

10) Corporate Markets

11) Theaters

12) Arenas

13) Magic Shops

14) Theme Parks

15) Hotels

and the list goes on, and on...

I’ve heard countless times “I hated magic shows until I saw your show.” Although we’d all like to think our shows are GREAT, that’s not the case… there are a lot of magicians (and other variety acts) out there not doing a good enough job, and it reflects poorly on the industry.  


Remember in the mid 90’s when World’s Greatest Magic aired every year for 5 years, the day before Thanksgiving? There was nearly 10 hours of incredible magicians! 

It's time to make variety entertainment amazing again by breaking it all down into these five essential categories that are ESSENTIAL to your success as an entertainer:

1) You

2) Your Market

3) Your Marketing

4) Your Team

5) Your Systems

The good news is that this coming November 13-17, 2017, we've assembled a some of the greatest minds in entertainment in one location; giving you nearly 40 hours of free presentations to help you fix what's currently broken in your performance business! They'll give you the tools and the knowledge to help you go make six or seven figures a year in entertainment! Think it's impossible? Think again! We've included several millionaires in these presentations just to prove our point!

Check out this year's schedule!

November 13, 2017 - Day 1:

• Jeff McBride - Pack Small Play Anywhere!

• Michael Finney - Behind The Scenes Of A One-Man-Show

• Michael Trixx - Six Figure Income From $150 Shows!

• Jessica Jane Peterson - Secrets to Success in Entertainment

• Chris Randall - Overcoming Addictions To Achieve Higher Success

November 14, 2017 - Day 2: 

• Garry Carson - How to Make $500,000 Per Year, Doing Fund Raising Shows!

• William Rader - Secrets to Making $1,000 In The Back Room of Restaurants

• Zach Zimmerman - Being Funny Onstage, Even If You're Not

• CustomMagicKits.com - Back Of Room Sales

• Eric Bedard - Secrets to Getting Booked To Entertain Celebrities!

• Murray SawChuck - Bonus Lecture!

• Jeff McBride Bonus Lecture - Bonus Lecture On Competitions

November 15, 2017 - Day 3:

• Tony Clark - Insider Secrets To The Business of Entertainment

• Greg Gleason - The Art of Touring Behind The Curtain Details

• Bill Gladwell - 2-Walling Secrets • 2.0 Troubleshooting

• Robert Kalina - How To Be The Act That Producers Look For

• Michael Stedman - FanCraft 2.0 To Grow Your Social Media

• Michael Trixx Bonus Lecture

November 16, 2017 - Day 4: 

• Bizzaro - Creating Unique Masterpieces To Fit Your Character

• Lefty - Details, Direction, and Professionalism

• Chance Wolf - Turning Ordinary Tricks Into Miracles

• Andy Amyx - Photographing Magic & Putting Out Products

• Lauren Phillips - Production and Stage Managing For All Styles of Acts

• Garry Carson Bonus Lecture

November 17, 2017 - Day 5: 

• Tobias Beckwith - Building and Managing Your Entertainment Business

• Niels Duinker - Brand Consistency To Better Serve Your Market

• Fielding West - Stagecraft 101

• Trevor and Lorena Watters - Working And Traveling As A Couple and Duo Act

• David DaVinci - How to Get $50,000 Worth of Free Publicity 

• Andy Amyx Bonus Lecture

$1,000.00 Grand Prize Contest Update:

Don't forget to check your email after completing registration for some important information about the contest, and how you can enter to win $1,000.00 USD!

There are SO many amazing lectures coming up, so make sure you block your calendars, and get ready to boost your career!

Register Now!

To ensure your future success, go now to www.MagicMasterSummit.com now and enter your name and email address, to register for this limited-time, free event!

BONUS!

We're so committed to your success, that just for signing up we'll give you 7 Free Documents delivered to your emailed instantly!

• Booking Form (Used for your records for all types of events)

• Client Invoice (To instantly make you look more professional)

• Confidentiality Agreement (Basic version for your casual performance settings)

• Confidentiality Agreement (Expert version for those really important contracts and secrets)

• Cover Letter (To get you started in the right direction)

• Letter of Agreement (Simple contract for most shows)

• Model Release Form (Giving you the unlimited permission to use someone’s image for your promotional or business purposes)

Don't wait, register now!

--
* Disclosure: I am a Magic Master Summit Affiliate and I am eligible to make a commission with every sale made using the links posted on this site.

Grand Master of Magic: Paul Romhany

Congratulations to Paul Romhany who was recently awarded the "Grand Master of Magic Citation" at the 32nd New Zealand International Magicians Convention.

From the Brotherhood of Auckland Magicians:

The Grand Master of Magic was first awarded to Edgar the Great Benyon in 1969 and in the forty-six years since then only seventeen names have been added to the list, you Paul Romhany are now the eighteenth member. The criteria for this award is simple : 

“Its purpose is to honour those magicians who are acknowledged by their fellow magicians to be masters of the art and craft of magic. The recipients first and foremost must be magical performers of a high standard. In addition they might be originators of magical effects, or administrators giving time and expertise to running societies and conventions. They could be consistent competition winners, or have an international standing, or be known only in the New Zealand setting. But above all they are people who have served magic well, have graced our art, and made a special contribution over many years.” 

Paul you have been judged to be such a person. A Grand Master of Magic. Congratulations.

Let me share with you a little of Paul’s history in magic.

He was born in 1968 in Auckland. At the age of eight he saw his first Charlie Chaplin movie, The Circus, attended a live magic show, and became interested in ventriloquism. He joined the Shore City Magicians Club, an Auckland magic society with an emphasis on youth. At the age of twelve Paul won his first talent quest and began to perform semi-professionally. He is still a member of the Shore City Magicians Club and was its President for many years. He maintains a lively interest in the society and has donated copies of most of his published books and many magic tricks and props to the Shore magicians.

Read more.

Vote now for the 2019 Readers' Choice award

 

The nominations are closed and voting is now open for the fourth annual 2019 "Readers' Choice Inspirational Canadian Magician of the Year" award!

Congratulations to everyone for inspiring someone(s) enough for them to submit your name!  (I'm always tempted at this point, to declare all of the nominees as winners and not bother with the voting part. However, a vote was promised and a vote there shall be.)

Voting will close on Monday, December the 23rd at 11:59pm EST.

To vote, scroll down to the bottom of this post and participate in the poll. (Click through the PollJunkie link if the poll does not appear in your browsers.)

Let's have a look at the nominees (listed in alphabetical order by surname):

Gwyn Auger (aka The Magic Assistant)

Nominated by Aaron.
"I would like to nominate Gwyn Auger the Magic Assistant. Gwyn’s endless enthusiasm and passion for magic and the magic community is an inspiration, whether it is helping support young local magicians in Calgary, promoting the value of the assistant in the industry and her eagerness to help others at conventions or shows at the drop of a hat. Gwyn is one of the most professional, kindest, freelance magician assistants in the business who also recently branched out to perform her own act as part of the Celebrities of Magic in Bakersfield, CA. This year Gwyn was also the first assistant to perform at the new Magic Castle Cabaret in Santa Barbara, CA with Lance Burton."

"Gwyn is truly an amazing ambassador for the business!"

Editor's note:

• Gwyn performed solo in the May 13th Celebrities of Magic - Variety Show Spectacular #2

Website: Gwyn Auger

James Harrison (aka Pickpocket James)
Nominated by Unknown, Amy Thibodeau, Missa Deadlove, Rex P., Mike Weiland, Anonymouos, and Unknown.  The quote below is from Unknown.

"James Harrison. He's the pickpocketing MASTER, he's got a YouTube video that is going viral like crazy right now with 2 million views and counting and he works like crazy, at home and internationally. So all of that is amazing, but here's why I think James REALLY deserves a nomination: He's the kindest, most giving magician I've met in years. When he's not on stage, he's off stage sharing his knowledge to apply what he's learned in the trenches to help others. So in short, I think James is inspirational because he covers both bases. He's one hell of a performer with incredible original creations and he's one hell of a good person to go with it."

Editor's note:

• The September 26th Modern Rogue episode "How Pickpockets Steal Watches" with James Harrison has over 1.8 million views.
• The September 30th Modern Rogue episode "How Pickpockets Steal Wallets" with James Harrison trended on YouTube in early October

Website: PickpocketMagic.com

Carisa Hendrix (aka Lucy Darling)
Nominated by Lukas Stark.
"I would like to nominate Carisa Hendrix not only is her public work charming and incredible, her success in a primarily male dominated industry (and world), and her humble Canadian beginnings, but her penguin lecture is the best 5 hours I've spent thinking about my magic for years and the best work I've ever heard about bringing character to your magic."

Editor's note:

• In case you missed it, Carisa is the co-founder of Shezam, the feminist magic podcast that hopes to make itself obsolete."
• In June of this year, she received the Magicana's Allan Slaight award for Canadian Rising Star.
• Carisa lectured and performed at the first OWOW Magic Festival this year.
• Carisa Hendrix LIVE ACTS (Penguin Live).

Website: CarisaHendrix

Ryan Joyce
Nominated by Anonymous.
"Ryan Joyce for creating Canada's most unique magic festival. The OWOW Magic Festival brought more than a dozen of the top magicians to the most magical place in Canada - Fergus, ON to perform for the public this past Halloween. For magicians, Ryan has created a fun-space where they can gather and further their own careers - Wondertown - which includes Magicians Masterclass and the new podcast Magicians Talking Magic. We should all be so dedicated in furthering the art and the perception of our art."

Editor's note:

• In addition to launching the first ever OWOW Magic Festival,  Ryan co-hosts the podcast "Magcians Talking Magic," and does a lot of travelling for shows.

Website: RyanJoyce.com

Ken McCreedy
Nominated by Jason Maiuri.
"Ken McCreedy for his vast knowledge of Canadian magic as well as being a mentor to so many great acts."

Editor's note:

• Ken has an extensive knowledge of Canadian magic history and is very generous with sharing his knowledge! 

Website: KenMcCreedy.com

Mike Norden
Nominated by Anonymous.
"It gives me great pleasure to nominate Mike Norden for Canadian Magician of the Year. Mike has worked tirelessly for the magic community over the last 15 years. He has organized and co-hosted at least 8 local conventions, and several weekends of magic. He has held the positions of President, Vice President, Secretary and Sergeant at Arms in several local magic organizations, including the Vancouver Magic Circle, the Fraser Valley Magic Circle, & the Pacific Coast Association of Magicians. He was instrumental in creating the local KIDabra Chapter, as well as one of the newest rings in Canada, IBM Ring 387, aka FVMC. He spearheaded the creation of 3rd Monday Magic, a monthly magic show held in his hometown, and has performed in and produced countless of those shows. He hosted all lectures at his house for more than 8 years, and continues to host all local meetings of the FVMC. He has, and continues to donate untold hours to the art of magic, through the clubs he belongs to, the conventions he runs, the shows he produces, and the youth he mentors. Mike truly embodies all that is magic, and exemplifies what it is to be an ambassador of one's art."

Editor's note:

• This is a very complete nomination submission.  I've got nothing to add!

Website: MagicShows.ca

Ted and Marion Outerbridge
Nominated by Unknown.
"I would like to nominate Ted & Marion Outerbridge as being truly inspirational entertainers in the world of magic. What you see on the stage is exactly what you get off the stage. They are soft spoken, humble and sincere - but extremely passionate and talented in everything they do. From costuming to scripting, choreography and illusion, they do it all!"

Editor's note:

• Ted and Marion lectured and performed at The Browser's Bash this year.
• They moved to Smith Falls, ON earlier this year and created an opportunity for themselves to have a very well received standing show at their local theatre!
• Ted and Marion are in the process of restoring their new home, the "Keyhole House."  They've found a note dated 1892 and signatures that date back to the year the house was built, 1897.

 
Website: TedOuterbridge.com

The Sentimentalists (Chris Mysterion and Steffi Kay)

Nominated by Ross.
"I always felt the Toronto fixtures known as "The Sentimentalists" would shine on a bigger international stage. Their numerous TV appearances this year solidified this. They are an inspiration as a fellow Toronto based Canadian performer. Especially Steffi being the first woman Mentalist to fool Penn and Teller."

Editor's note:

• After being eliminated from America's Got Talent Season 14 during the Judge Cuts, they returned as the wildcard in the quarterfinals!

Website: TheSentimentalistsMagic.com

Anastasia Synn (aka Sia Synn)
Nominated by Krystal Lawrence.
"She's a freakin cyborg pioneering a new brand of magic! It's been getting worldwide attention, she's been on international news with her crazy implants."

Edtitor's note:

• Anastasia has over 30 implants.
• You can read more about her biohacking in the September 6th article "A cyborg magician explains why she implanted 26 microchips and magnets in her body" by Rebecca Robbins in Stat News.
• Jonah Babins interviews Anastasia in the September 19th episode of Discourse in Magic, "Biohacking Magic with Anastasia Synn."

 
Website: Synnister.com







Cast your vote now at Poll Junkie!

The secret to Sorcerers Safari's success

Almost sixteen years ago, armed only with the idea of making magic more accessible to kids who want to learn magic, "Magic Mike" Segal opened the doors to Sorcerers Safari magic camp.  Flash forward to 2011 to see how far Segal's magic camp has come from its humble beginnings.  Sorcerers Safari is Canada's only sleep away magic camp, hosting up to 150 campers a year.

What is the secret to this Canadian magic camp success story?  I spent 24 hours at camp in August 2011 and here's what I discovered.

Toronto: Round-up from The Toronto Magic Company

Thanks Ben and Jonah for putting this list together!

From the Facebook page of The Toronto Magic Company:

Hello Magic fans!

The The Toronto Magic Company is on summer break while Ben and Jonah are on tour (performing private and public events as well as lecturing across North America) but that doesn’t mean the magic is stopping. Check out our list of the best magic things to do this summer and let us know which one’s you’re excited to check out!

July 6th-14th- Circus Shop of Horrors featuring Illusionist Ryan Wonder Brown
Circus Shop of Horrors is an eclectic musical revue, paying homage to beloved horror films by melding the grotesque with acrobatics, circus, dance, drag, and illusion. Definitely not a show for kids or the squeemish! https://fringetoronto.com/…/fringe/event/circus-shop-horrors

July 14th and 18th- Magic and Martini starring James Alan
Enjoy cocktails and cuisine while watching one of the world's best conjurers perform a full evening show in an intimate close up setting. You and your astonished guests will experience an evening quite unlike any theatrical performance you have ever encountered. Turns out magic really is for grown ups! http://www.magicandmartini.ca/

July 19th and 20th - Chris Westfall & The Porcelain Princess
This full stage show is packed with illusions, juggling, and non-stop fun perfect for the entire family. Join magician Chris Westfall the crazy Professor Weir Doe, and living doll Bella M. Eurta for a night filled with laughs, gasps, and audience interaction your kids will never forget! http://www.chriswestfallmagic.com/…/toronto-theatre-magic-…/

July 20-28th- El Diablo Of The Cards 2.0 starring Ewerton De Andrade Martins
International award winning clown/magician, Ewerton Martins returns to Storefront Fringe with an astonishing new show: El Diablo of the Cards 2.0. A Brazilian Master of the Cards, Ewerton Martins is crossing 52 countries thrilling audiences around the world with a unique card magic style that combines improvisation, a clowns foolishness and amazing magic skills! Laughs guaranteed! https://www.kingstongrand.ca/even…/el-diablo-of-the-cards-20

July 25th- The Sentimentalists LIVE in Toronto
For one night only world renowned mentalists Chris Mysterion and Steffi Kay will transport you back to the golden age of magic. Minds will be read, thoughts will be transmitted, and miracles will happen in front of your eyes. One night only at the beautiful Revival theatre. https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/the-sentimentalists-live-ticket…

August 11th- James Harrison at the Coldwater Steampunk Festival
Take a step into the weird and wonderful world of Coldwater’s Steampunk festival with master of the strange, and Canada’s favorite pickpocket magician, James Harrison. Tickets are free for the entire event, so bring the whole family! http://www.steampunkfestivalcoldwater.com/

August 18th- Magic and Martini starring James Alan
Enjoy cocktails and cuisine while watching one of the world's best conjurers perform a full evening show in an intimate close up setting. You and your astonished guests will experience an evening quite unlike any theatrical performance you have ever encountered. Turns out magic really is for grown ups! http://www.magicandmartini.ca/

August 30th- The Art of Magic
The The Toronto Magic COmpany has partnered with the Super Wonder Gallery to put together something that’s part magic show, part work of art, and 100% an evening of unforgettable fun. Witness the incredible magic of Mark Tricks, Isthis Yourcard, Jonah Babins, and Benzi. Tickets for this event will sell out, so get them fast! https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/the-art-of-magic-with-headliner…

A Q&A with Erin Thomas

Author Erin Thomas kindly agreed to a brief Q&A about her latest book for the 11-14 set, "Forcing the Ace."  Read what Erin has to say about The Den, Magic Mike, Justin Flom, Sorcerers Safari and more!


1. Your book portrays magic very authentically.  How much time did you spend researching the magic community? 


First of all, thank you for the compliment! Of all the books I’ve written, this is probably the one I enjoyed researching the most. That’s lucky, because I had originally pitched a few different ideas to Sarah Harvey, the editor of the Limelights series at Orca. Most of them were for areas of the performing arts where I had at least a little bit of knowledge or experience. And then there was the magic idea. When that one turned out to be her favourite, I knew I was going to be doing a lot of research.

I spent months learning about magic. Many months. I initially met with a friend’s son, who happens to be a magician. He sent me to Browser’s Den magic shop in Toronto, and suggested that I get in touch with “Magic” Mike Segal, who runs a week-long summer camp for young magicians. Both of those turned out to be incredible leads.

I read instructional books about magic and watched a ton of videos and television specials, including those “magic’s secrets revealed” types of shows. I learned how a lot of magic effects are created, but I don’t kid myself that it’s the same thing as being able to actually create the effects—that would take hours upon hours upon hours of practice. I did fumble around with cards a little bit… enough to gain a healthy respect for how hard it is. I also attended a workshop that Justin Flom presented at Browser’s Den and met some of the magicians there.

The best research opportunity was the visit to camp when you and I met, Nicole. It was incredible to have the opportunity to speak to so many young magicians in person and learn what they feel is most important about the art. That was relatively late in my writing timeline, and I remember wishing I could re-imagine the whole book after that. I made some adjustments to the storyline I had, and decided that I’m probably not done writing about magicians—there are so many more stories to tell.

2. How does the performance art of magic differ from any of the other performance arts that you know about?  How is it the same?


I think one thing that makes magic special is that it rewards a certain kind of suspension of disbelief. When you see a play or a ballet, you know that you are watching a show unfold… you’re conscious of the artifice. With magic, that’s still the case—we all know that chairs can’t float and cards don’t change colour—but I think there’s a tiny voice inside saying, “Maybe.” The magician and the viewer agree together to pretend that the laws of physics can be suspended, just for a little while. At least, that’s how I prefer to watch magic performed.

Another thing that makes magic special is that it can be enjoyed on so many levels. There’s the element of wonder and the feeling that the world might have possibilities in it beyond the everyday—that’s the first level. On the second level, it’s a puzzle to be solved, if you enjoy that sort of thing. I don’t think I’d want to try too hard to solve it, but sometimes that can be fun. And even when you know how an effect is performed, the third level of enjoyment kicks in, which is just the pure pleasure of watching someone do something well.

Of course, all the performance arts have some things in common. What strikes me most is the extreme amount of dedication and focus required. Even a short performance requires countless hours of learning and practice, whether you’re playing the piano or making one disappear.

3. What were the three biggest surprises to you, about the magic community?


I was most surprised by how welcoming and forthcoming everyone was. There were magicians I reached out to via email, and some I met in person. Nearly without fail, they were all warm, polite, supportive and extremely helpful. Seriously, falling-over-backwards helpful. I wasn’t kidding about wanting to write more about magicians; there just wasn’t room in one small book to use all the story possibilities that people opened up for me, or to do credit to the amount of help they offered. Maybe because of the secrecy associated with the craft, I had expected to meet with more resistance, but that wasn’t the case at all.

One thing I found interesting was the overlap between magic and other crafts. I hadn’t thought of it, but a magician needs to master stagecraft the way an actor does—voice projection, bearing, even character creation. It’s funny, but I never thought about a magician putting on a “persona” for an act. To me as an audience member, they simply were the way they were. It’s silly in retrospect. And then, of course, there’s the storytelling aspect—a performance can be like a short story, in a lot of ways. Some of the best short stories show a character in a moment of change, and create that change for the reader. A magician creates that change moment in the audience. That takes planning, and a rigorous editing process. I got a glimpse at that editing process when I sat in on a performance workshop at the Sorcerers Safari camp.

The third surprise reveals more about my ignorance going into this, I think. I really had no idea that some of the people I met were “big deals” in the magic community until after the fact. They didn’t act like it—they were just these lovely, friendly, down-to-earth people, happy to talk about magic. It was kind of like meeting Margaret Atwood in a bookstore and asking her for reading recommendations without having any idea who she is. I hope I didn’t annoy anybody too much.

4. How did you learn about magic being used for physical rehabilitation?  Did you know there's a Toronto based organization, Magicana, that runs a program like that at a children's rehabilitation hospital?


Oh, yikes. I don’t remember who told me about that initially, and I don’t see it in my project notebook right now. I do remember that as soon as I heard about magic being used this way, I loved the idea, and wanted to include it in the book somehow—I thought it was absolutely the perfect thing for someone struggling to re-learn motor skills. I’ve known some people involved in terrible accidents, and so I know how long the road back can be. This just struck me as a wonderful, positive aspect of the magic community, and I wanted to make it part of the story.

I didn’t know about Magicana, but I researched other organizations that run similar programs. It’s wonderful that there’s one right in Toronto.

5. Currently, magic is strongly male dominated.  I was surprised to see so many magical females represented in your book.  Was that a conscious decision?  If so, why?

It was a conscious decision. I wanted to admit in the book that magic is male dominated, but still present some female magicians as characters, to show that to readers as a possibility. I didn’t have room for a huge cast, so the balance probably comes out more female because of that. Partly, it was in response to the fact that Zoe’s backstory, the way she comes to magic, is a bit tragic and atypical. Because of that, I didn’t want hers to be the only ‘female’ story in the book. I gave Donna a more conventional magic backstory—her father was a magician. “Magic families” were something else I learned about by talking to magicians, and I love the idea of the craft being something shared between a parent and a child. Jack and Donna end up on rocky ground later in life, but magic remains their connection point.

6. Is there anything else you'd like our readers to know?  (About you, your research, your books, the limelight series, as examples.)

Mostly just that I enjoyed learning more about the magical community, and I’d like to thank everyone who helped, especially the Sorcerers Safari group. Magicians are a fascinating bunch.

Overall, I think the Limelights books do a great job of providing a behind-the-scenes look at the different arts, so I’d recommend them to anyone who’s curious about what goes on backstage. 

Thank you Erin for your candid insight into the writing process!



A reminder to enter today to win your copy of Forcing the Ace!

Toronto: John Carney Lecture and Workshop

From the Browser's Den of Magic:

LECTURE: Sunday, February 18, 2018
WORKSHOP: Monday, February 19, 2018

Dear Denizens,

Please, please do not miss this rare opportunity to learn from a true living master of magic.

Master of Magic is used far too much in our current digital age where there are no filters.  But make no mistake about it Mr. John Carney is a master. A living master of sleight of hand who makes everything look like magic!

It has been about fifteen years since John Carney last lectured and gave a workshop at our store.

Many of you know that we do not usually sell tickets to workshop. But John Carney is exceptional.

For some of you who may be new to 'magic' here is a little bit about John Carney:

* Has won Hollywood’s Magic Castle award for Magician of the Year seven times
* Two -Time Award Winner World FISM magic championships  
* Last true and real student of Dai Vernon
* Many TV performances
* The author of books including: Carneycopia, Book of Secrets *

In both his lecture and workshop Mr. Carney explains the how and the why of everything he does, which serves to teach much more than a few secrets or stratagems. If you pay close attention he will teach you the real secrets of how to grow in magic and to grow yourself through magic.

Read more and buy tickets.

Random thoughts about "The Science of Magic" on CBC's "The Nature of Things"

Updated at 9:30am to add links to: 

•  MORE TRICKERY FROM THE MAGICIANS FEATURED IN THE SCIENCE OF MAGIC from the CBC,
• WHAT MAGIC HAS TAUGHT US ABOUT HOW THE BRAIN WORKS from the CBC, and 
• The CBC promo page for The Science of Magic

"The Science of Magic" boasts an extraordinary list of participants, which include: Julie Eng, Ronald Rensink, Jay Olson, Gustav Kuhn, Anthony Barnhart, Amory Danek, Matthew Tompkins, Thomas Strandberg, Billy Kidd, Tom Stone, Thomas Fraps, Pit Hartling, and Juan Tamariz.

Had I known it was possible to do university level research involving the magician's force, mind-reading MRIs, or magic beans*, I may have reconsidered the focus of my post-secondary education.

I am, however, on the ball enough to jump at a chance to take an advance peek at (and ask questions about) "The Science of Magic," a documentary that examines these subjects and more!

Tune in to "The Science of Magic" on CBC’s "The Nature of Things" on Sunday, March 18, 2018 at 8PM (8:30 NT). The documentary will also be available to watch online at cbc.ca/natureofthings on Friday, March 16 from 5:00 pm EST.

When Donna and Daniel Zuckerbrot from Reel Time Images (who brought us  "Dai Vernon – The Spirit of Magic," "Max Maven: a fabulous monster," "The Houdini Code,"' and "Jeff McBride: a magickal life" among other titles) realized how much research was going on in the field of science and magic, they knew they had to investigate it further.
 

"You can see that the real question about our film 'The Science of Magic' isn’t why we wanted to make it, but rather, how could we not have?"
-- Donna Zuckerbrot

Julie Eng's reaction to being brought on board the project?

"I was thrilled. I have known the Zuckerbrots for many years and I am a big fan of their work."

  "The idea of using magic as a mechanism for study into how we think, and how we perceive the world is fascinating for me.  It was a huge honour to be asked to be the 'magical guide' for this film."

"Magicians don't have supernatural powers. Instead what they do is exploit very powerful and often very surprising limitations in human cognition."

-- Gustav Kuhn

In "The Science of Magic," the Zuckerbrots along with magical host Julie Eng, take us across Canada, the US, and Europe to visit with scientists using magic as an investigative tool in their exploration of cognition and behaviour.  (Pay close attention to catch cameos by Daniel Zuckerbrot, David Ben, and magic enthusiast Ari.)

The show is full of fascinating insights sure to capture the attention of those who like to be entertained by magic, those who perform magic, as well as those who are interested in psychology and behaviour.  There are even opportunities to participate in on air magic tricks!  From the press release:

"... viewers are able to feel the power of magic from the comfort of their homes and experience some of the psychological principles these tricks reveal (including ‘magicians choice,’ and choice blindness,' ‘failure to see,’ ‘change blindness,’ inattentional blindness, as well as the ‘aha’ moment)."

I'm not too proud to admit that on more than one occasion Julie had me right where she wanted.  I was also properly schooled by Anthony Barnhart.



On the other hand, I did well with Ronald Rensink's challenge and some of the other ones too!

Julie also teaches a coin trick that even I could master, with a little practice.

"We take these principles that magicians know, we bring them into the lab and we try and figure out how they work."

-- Jay Olson

It is humbling (and a bit disconcerting) to discover, as the press release describes, that "we sometimes don't see what's right under our noses," "we see tricks that fool us despite nothing actually happening," and that "we can be blind even to our own choices."

"We were all surprised at how magical the science was. It was astonishing to realize that we don’t see what we think we are seeing, that our memories are as slippery as our perceptions, that who we are — even our deeply held beliefs can change without us knowing. Like good magic the science left us with a feeling of wonder."  
-- the Zuckerbrots

For some behind the scenes photos have a look at the Reel Time Images Facebook page, Instagram account, or Twitter feed.  I look forward to hearing Daniel's thoughts at his Browser's Bash mini-talk.

During the making of the documentary, Julie said she was pleased to learn that "old magic tricks that I have known and have performed since I was a child can still have a deep and profound affect on people, particularly with the right presentation."


There are a variety of real world applications to the knowledge gained:

• Work on "how small distractions can blind drivers" can help improve driver safety.  ("Driver looked but failed to see" is an actual category of accident!)

Anthony Barnhart's studies showing how "off beats" work across sensory systems, help me better understand my habit of turning off my radio when I'm in a situation that requires my full attention.

• Suggestion-based treatments have promising uses in the medical field.
• The Zuckerbrots noted that Rensink's findings with respect to 'change blindness' "seems to underlie film editing.  It is apparently the reason why you don’t notice the change of pictures, from wide shot to close up for example, while you are watching a film."  
• In addition to psychology benefiting from the insights discovered using magic as an investigative tool, the Zuckerbrots observed that "some magicians believe they have already gained from what they’ve learned from psychologists.  Tom Stone is a great example, he certainly credits work he did with experimental psychologists as having changed his own performance in fundamental ways."
• Julie posits that "... from learning how intention and actions (movement) can help create smoother technical manipulation, to how it can mask the most technical sleight… is useful."  After all, she continues,

"If we can use science and technology to work out the perfect angle for speed skaters to maximize physics to their advantage, why can we not benefit from learning more about human behaviour and cognition to advance our field?"

"Each of these areas can bring a lot of insights to magicians to heighten the “magic" experience for audiences."

Is there anything else you'd like our readers to know about the show? 

"We hope they find watching it as interesting and as much fun as we did making it." 

-- the Zuckerbrots

"Bring their eyes and ears (and to be prepared to have fun!)"    -- Julie Eng

I certainly had fun learning and I'm sure you will too!  (As the scientific field evolves, I hope they'll film a second part.)

Tune in to "The Science of Magic" on CBC’s "The Nature of Things" on Sunday, March 18, 2018 at 8PM (8:30 NT). The documentary will also be available to watch online at cbc.ca/natureofthings on Friday, March 16 from 5:00 pm EST.



--
* Maybe they're really magic. Who knows? **
** With apologies to Stephen Sondheim.

The 2019 "Readers' Choice Inspirational Canadian Magician of the Year" award

 

Updated December 3rd to add: 
- Nominations are now closed.  Stay tuned for voting information!

Updated December 1st to add a nominee submitted on November 29th:
- Mike Norden has accepted his nomination by an anonymous reader who wrote:
It gives me great pleasure to nominate Mike Norden for Canadian Magician of the Year. Mike has worked tirelessly for the magic community over the last 15 years. He has organized and cohosted at least 8 local conventions, and several weekends of magic. He has held the positions of President, Vice President, Secretary and Sergeant at Arms in several local magic organizations, including the Vancouver Magic Circle, the Fraser Valley Magic Circle, & the Pacific Coast Association of Magicians. He was instrumental in creating the local KIDabra Chapter, as well as one of the newest rings in Canada, IBM Ring 387, aka FVMC. He spearheaded the creation of 3rd Monday Magic, a monthly magic show held in his hometown, and has performed in and produced countless of those shows. He hosted all lectures at his house for more than 8 years, and continues to host all local meetings of the FVMC. He has, and continues to donate untold hours to the art of magic, through the clubs he belongs to, the conventions he runs, the shows he produces, and the youth he mentors. Mike truly embodies all that is magic, and exemplifies what it is to be an ambassador of one's art.

Updated November 29th to add:
- Gwyn Auger has accepted her nomination by Aaron who wrote:
I would like to nominate Gwyn Auger the Magic Assistant. Gwyn’s endless enthusiasm and passion for magic and the magic community is an inspiration, whether it is helping support young local magicians in Calgary, promoting the value of the assistant in the industry and her eagerness to help others at conventions or shows at the drop of a hat. Gwyn is one of the most professional, kindest, freelance magician assistants in the business who also recently branched out to perform her own act as part of the Celebrities of Magic in Bakersfield, CA. This year Gwyn was also the first assistant to perform at the new Magic Castle Cabaret in Santa Barbara, CA with Lance Burton.
Gwyn is truly an amazing ambassador for the business!

Updated November 28 to add:
- James Harrison has accepted his nomination by multiple readers who wrote:
James Harrison, for being such an amazing ambassador of magic pretty much every time I see, as well all the awesome youtube video he has been part of explaining and showing off his skill.

James Harrison, The Pickpocket magician , out of Barrie, On., is a favourite of mine. There are many videos on YouTube, and as a human being he is so warm and excellent with working an audience. He absolutely needs to be in the running, as his work is so impressive!

James Harrison is a thoroughly entertaining and incredibly talented magician!! His slight of hand is so fluid you'll never know what he might have walked off with lol

I would like to nominate Pickpocket James Harrison! He has an amazing array of skills, and he's a master of sleight of hand. He's been featured in programs throughout North America. Off stage, he's extremely friendly, creative, funny, and always seems to work hard at encouraging those around him. On stage, he's very much the same, but with an extra aire of mystery and amazement! You can absolutely tell that he's a man doing what he loves, and he does it extremely well. He wears his passion on his sleeve with such a drive that he does more than entertain - he inspires!

I would like to nominate James Harrison for his passion to entertain people with his amazing magical skills and showmanship. I’ve had the pleasure to see him preform numerous times and it’s always an enjoyable time. 

James Harrison , also known as Canada’s Pickpocket Magician is astounding - he has done many acts over the world and his art of picking pockets and close up magic as gained him notoriety - he is a true inspiration and fantastic performer.

James Harrison. He's the pickpocketing MASTER, he's got a YouTube video that is going viral like crazy right now with 2 million views and counting and he works like crazy, at home and internationally. So all of that is amazing, but here's why I think James REALLY deserves a nomination: He's the kindest, most giving magician I've met in years. When he's not on stage, he's off stage sharing his knowledge to apply what he's learned in the trenches to help others. So in short, I think James is inspirational because he covers both bases. He's one hell of a performer with incredible original creations and he's one hell of a good person to go with it.


Updated November 27 to add:
- Ryan Joyce has accepted his nomination by an anonymous reader who wrote:
Ryan Joyce for creating Canada's most unique magic festival. The OWOW Magic Festival brought more than a dozen of the top magicians to the most magical place in Canada - Fergus, ON to perform for the public this past Halloween. For magicians, Ryan has created a fun-space where they can gather and further their own careers - Wondertown - which includes Magcians Masterclass and the new podcast Magicians Talking Magic. We should all be so dedicated in furthering the art and the perception of our art.

Updated November 25 to add:
- Ted & Marion Outerbridge have accepted their nomination by an anonymous reader who wrote:
I would like to nominate Ted & Marion Outerbridge as being truly inspirational entertainers in the world of magic. What you see on the stage is exactly what you get off the stage. They are soft spoken, humble and sincere - but extremely passionate and talented in everything they do. From costuming to scripting, choreography and illusion, they do it all!


Updated November 23 to add:
- Ken McCreedy has accepted his nomination by JM who wrote: Ken McCreedy for his vast knowledge of Canadian magic as well as being a mentor to so many great acts.  
  
Updated November 21 to add:
- Anastasia Synn has accepted her nomination by KL who wrote: She's a freakin cyborg pioneering a new brand of magic! It's been getting worldwide attention, she's been on international news with her crazy implants. 


Updated November 19th to add: 
 - The Sentimentalists, Mysterion and Steffi Kay, have accepted their nomination by Ross who wrote:
I always felt the Toronto fixtures known as "The Sentimentalists" would shine on a bigger international stage. Their numerous TV apperances this year solidified this. They are an inspiration as a fellow Toronto based Canadian performer. Especially Steffi being the first woman Mentalist to fool Penn and Teller.

The Canada's Magic 2019 "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 2019, in the comments below.  (Or you may email your nomination.)

Nominations will be accepted up until 11:59PM EST on Friday November the 29th.  We 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.

We look forward to seeing your nominations!

In the spirit of celebrating all Canadian magicians, last year's winners of the Readers' Choice award (Jeff Christensen) or the Editor's Choice award (Mike Segal) are not eligible for nomination in 2019.