Toronto: Magical Mystery Cabaret

From the Magical Mystery Cabaret Facebook page:

Thursday July 25

Come out for a cool evening of entertainment with Vojin Vasovic, Natalie Mathieson, Sasha Kovacs, Joe Culpepper (aka Ars Mechanica) and friends at the Reposado Tequila Bar.

Drink a cold "cerveza" with us as we raise funds, raffle off prizes and sell early tickets for our upcoming Summerworks production "Show and Tell Alexander Bell" www.arsmechanicatheatre.com

What will happen at this party? Who knows?!
It's impossible to predict a magical mystery cabaret!

Read more.

Murray Sawchuck in the Las Vegas Weekly

From the Las Vegas Weekly:

There is a high volume and range of entertainers and assorted familiar names to skewer Goodman in the spirit of the old Dean Martin Celebrity Roast (and newer Comedy Central roasts). The roastmaster is Murray SawChuck, comic magician at the Tropicana’s Laugh Factory. The lineup of roasters includes Mac King, Clint Holmes, Pia Zadora, Rich Little, Steve Rossi, the Amazing Johnathan, chef Carla Pellegrino, Rick’s Restorations star Rick Dale, KLUC DJ Chet Buchanan and Review-Journal columnist Norm Clarke. Lon Bronson will front the house band, and “surprise guests” are promised.

Read more.

Ben Train on Full Circle Magic

From Full Circle Magic's, March 11th Q&A with Benzi Train:

What I have noticed, in the real world, from those who succeed is that they are IRREPLACEABLE. If you’re just a guy who does card tricks then ANYONE who does good card tricks can fill in for you. But if you’re LAURA, and that means something, then no one can fill in for you. It could be your character, or the clients perception about who you are and what you do. Either way, if the client thinks “I want LAURA” rather then “I want a magician”, you’re on you’re way to, well, something.

Read more.

Reveen: The legend continues

From YouTube:

The Reveen Legend Continues!

2013 Tour Dates begin on October 12th.

Reveen's show was without a doubt the most popular attended theatre show in Canadian history during the 20th century.

Now Ty Reveen; the son of the World's most famous Hypnotist, chosen by his father to follow in his footsteps is doing so with tremendous success.

On September 22nd of 2011 during a special ceremony in Las Vegas hosted by Jeff McBride during a Wonderground Event, The Great Reveen passed his Tuxedo on to his son Tyrone to allow the Reveen legacy to live on!

Read more and watch the video of Ty Reveen.

[via Perfect Magic]

Our sincere condolences to David Ben and his family

It is with a heavy heart that I share the news of the recent passing of David Ben's wife, Jan Howlett.

For those of you unfamiliar with this remarkable woman, I refer you to her tribute site:
http://ljanhowlett.howlettacademy.com/

David penned a touching obituary which can be read here:
http://ljanhowlett.howlettacademy.com/obituary-globe-mail/

In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate that donations in Memory of Jan Howlett be sent to the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation.

Updates will be posted on the Facebook page, In Memory of Jan Howlett.  A celebration of Jan's life is being planned for August 10th.  Please RSVP if you plan on attending.

Our sincere condolences go out to David and to his sons Courtney and Harrison.  Our thoughts are with you at this most difficult time.

Toronto: Open mic magic night

From the Open Mic MAGIC Night Facebook event:

Thursday July 25th

Jekyl & Hyde Pub & Restaurant

2340 Dundas St W, Toronto, ON M6P 4B2

  

Come witness 3 of Toronto's TOP Magic Performers as they

amaze and astound!

• Ken Margoe - www.kenmargoe.com 
• James Alan - www.jamesalan.ca
• Phil DaCosta - www.dacostamagic.com

Strolling Performances, Close Up Magic, Stage Shows!

Read more.

Wendy's: Act 6 - Ken Margoe

The sixth act in Wendy's advertising campaign featuring nine Canadian magicians performing real magic!

You can read about the promotion over at Reality Based Magic.

Watch Act 6, Ken Margoe, on YouTube:





Previous acts:

• Act 1 - James Alan
• Act 2 - Baldini
• Act 3 - Magic Mike Segal
• Act 4 - James Alan
• Act 5 - Mike D'Urzo

Wendy's: Act 5 - Mike D'Urzo

The fifth act in Wendy's advertising campaign featuring nine Canadian magicians performing real magic!

Watch Act 5, Mike D'Urzo, on YouTube:



Previous acts:

• Act 1 - James Alan
• Act 2 - Baldini
• Act 3 - Magic Mike Segal
• Act 4 - James Alan

Wendy's: Act 4 - James Alan (again)

The fourth act in Wendy's advertising campaign featuring nine Canadian magicians performing real magic!

You can read about the promotion over at Reality Based Magic.

Watch Act 4, James Alan, on YouTube:




Previous acts:

• Act 1 - James Alan
• Act 2 - Baldini
• Act 3 - Magic Mike Segal

Shawn Farquhar and Alex Seaman promoting the IBM convention in Phoenix

Watch this YouTube clip of Alex Seaman, Oscar Muñoz and Bill Cook talking about the IBM Convention in Phoenix on ABC.






And watch this YouTube clip of Shawn Farquhar on KPHO News:

Toronto: Dan FREE at Harlem

From Dan McLean Jr's Facebook event:

Saturday, July 20

FREE show at this really wonderful soul food & soul music club! Three-and-a-half hours of solo acoustic soul. Philly, Motown & more, plus a few originals.

This show always is sold out for most/all of the night, so your best best is to make reservations. 416-368-1920. The food really is great. My faves are the Southern Fried Chicken & Waffle, the Blackened Catfish, the Jerk Beef Meatloaf, and the Guinness-Marinated Stewed Chicken.

Read more.

Ariel Frailich on Full Circle Magic

From Full Circle Magic's May 6th Q&A with Ariel Frailich, owner of I Saw That Exclusive Magic:

Magic is theatre, not circus. With proper attention to presentation, we can invoke any emotion we want, we can show who we are, we can become real people instead of cardboard cut-outs. Then we become unique, uncopyable, and with any luck, in demand. It’s the difference between people saying, “I saw Ariel perform”, rather than, “I saw a guy do card tricks”.

Read more.

Wendy's: Act 3 - Magic Mike Segal

The third act in Wendy's advertising campaign featuring nine Canadian magicians performing real magic!

Watch Act 3, Magic Mike Segal, on YouTube:




Previous acts:

• Act 1 - James Alan
• Act 2 - Baldini

Vintage Toronto: Browser's Den

Over at the Vintage Toronto Facebook page, they've posted a photo of a "1982 Interior of The Magic Store" (photo via Cathy Pitre).

This is what Jeff Pinsky had to say about it at the Browser's Den Facebook Group:

I love this. Just a nice shot of the shop and it really captures the feel of the shop with Len and Bernice running the operation. This was the second location of Browser's Den. Four years later Len & Bernice moved the shop to Bathurst & Eglinton.

The Zombie post, now with pictures!

The unabridged version of  the "Michael Weber Zombie Workshop" post is now available with photographic illustrations over at Reality Based Magic.

You're welcome.

Magic in the Rockies

James Alan thought our readers might be interested in reading the note below:

Hello,

I am the Secretary for Ring 250, the Presto Digitators, in Fort Collins, CO.  I am contacting you on behalf of our Ring and our annual convention, Magic In The Rockies.  After some consideration of not having our 20^th anniversary edition of the convention (due to problems with our hotel's availability) we are trying to get the word out that we will have the convention, just on different dates than in the past.  Would it be possible to get the following notice into your monthly club newsletter, or otherwise pass it along to your membership?  We would appreciate any help you could provide in getting the word out to magicians in your area.


******************************************************


Magic In The Rockies 2013

We are pleased to announce that Magic In The Rockies, our 20^th anniversary edition, will take place this year, though we have a few changes in store.  The biggest change is the date.  This year, MITR will be held Oct 3-6 at the Marriott in Fort Collins, CO, a full month later than in years past, but otherwise it will be the same convention that all of our regular attendees have come to know and love.  We have headliners and attendees from all over the world yet the convention is still an intimate gathering (usually under 250 magicians) where you get to rub elbows with some of the great names in magic.  For a review of last year's MITR, take a look at your December copy of The Linking Ring, page 42, for a review of last year.  Also, there is a slide show of highlights from last year's convention on our club website, www.prestodigitators.com.

One thing that has not changed for 2013 is our prices.  We have kept the registration fees the same as last year!

Keep checking our website www.magicintherockies.org or www.prestodigitators.com for updates, headliner and dealer lists, and registration information.  Additional names of headliners, dealers and schedules will be added soon.   For questions or registrations, we can be reached by email at mitrcon@gmail.com.



Thanks in advance, and please let me know if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Bob Blea
Secretary
IBM Ring 250, The Presto-Digitators

Wendy's: Act 2 - Baldini

The second act in Wendy's advertising campaign featuring nine Canadian magicians performing real magic!

Watch Act 2, Baldini, on Youtube:




Previous acts:

• Act 1 - James Alan.

David Ben wins Milbourne Christopher Foundation’s Masters Award

From Sharing Wonder:

Magicana’s Artistic Director, David Ben, received the Masters Award in recognition for his contribution to the art of magic. The award was presented on July 6, 2013 in Arlington, Virgina at the Society of American Magician’s National Convention.

The Milbourne Christopher Foundation was established to encourage excellence, originality and leadership in the magical arts and to help conjuring to remain on par with other entertainment mediums such as dance, drama, comedy and music.

Read more.

Congratulations David!

Wendy's: Act 1 - James Alan

Apparently Wendy's has a new advertising campaign featuring nine Canadian magicians performing real magic!

Watch Act 1, James Alan, on Youtube:

Toronto: Learn hypnosis

Taught by Gabriello Pitman:

From Meetup.com:

Sunday, July 14, 2013

Come out and get an introduction to hypnosis! We'll run through the basics and get you learning how to test for suggestibility. You'll get the chance to practice hands-on with other attendees!

Read more.