5. David Merry on Too Much Information - Can anyone who has seen this show report back about it?
4. Winners of the Best Magician Contest 2014 - Congrats again Luiz and Scott!
3. Niagara Falls: Mindtrix the Show - Any reviews out there to share?
2. Win tickets to see The Uncertainty Project in Toronto - Contest closed and won! Congratulations to all and thanks for playing!
1. Toronto: The Ghost Experience with Jamie Stam
Want to hear more about our Transgressive Magic shows for the Luminato Festival? Tune in to CFRB’s @newstalk1010 on Saturday May 31 at 1:30PM when David Ben (@theconjuror) will be on the air revealing all kinds of secrets!
Ross Bertram was a legendary figure in the world of magic, first coming to international prominence for his pure sleight-of-hand in the 1940s when he was invited to be part of the “Stars of Magic”, the magic equivalent of a art movement or group, whose techniques were offered by subscription to magicians around the world. Dai Vernon, his friend, and fellow Canadian, and the most influential magician of the 20th century, had invited him to participate. Ross disappeared from view in the 1960s, the stress and strain of a life in show business having taken its toll. He reappeared in the late 70s, just when my interest in sleight-of-hand began to percolate.
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“Learn as many sleights at as you possibly can and then improvise,” was Ross Bertram’s advice.
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We are sad to report the passing of one of our members, Bob Johnston. Bob was a member briefly, joining in 2011, and attended meetings occasionally when his schedule permitted. He passed away May 12 following a heart attack. The club sends its sincere condolences to his wife, Debbie.
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JOHNSTON, Bob - Suddenly at home on Monday, May 12, 2014 at the age of 57. Bob, beloved husband of Debbie for 35 years. Cherished son of Margaret and the late Johnny and treasured son-in-law of Ila and the late Jack Ellison. Dear brother of Gary. Bob will be sadly missed by family members, countless friends and much loved pets.
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June 25-27
Everyone loves a good ghost story. This is your chance to be part of one.
In this completely immersive experience, illusionist Nicholas Wallace invites you to join him in exploring the world of the Victorian spirit medium, in what is reliably being called “the first attempt to use an actual séance as part of a theatrical entertainment.”
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But as he prepares to perform live tonight, the 26-year-old said he could accept the point of view that only Britons should be allowed to compete.
[Darcy] Oake said: 'I totally understand and get that viewpoint. For me, Britain's got talent is literally the biggest talent show in the world.
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Thursday June 19
The Bill Abbott Experience is a one-man concert featuring a genre-busting hybrid of cutting edge mind reading and magical brilliance that is inarguably awe-inspiring.
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Thu, May 15: Greg Frewin is a world renowned magician and the first and only winner of: “The International Grand Champion of Magic.” He accomplished the title after winning first place in 20 different countries, stretching to six continents. This is the ninth consecutive season of Greg’s Live “Imagine” show currently taking place in Niagara.
Buffalo people ! I'll be at my old friend Rob Lederman's Comedy club on Saturday night! rare club appearance for me.
http://t.co/gqZP0D250r
— Matthew DiSero (@MattDisero) May 22, 2014
Here’s what I had not seen, until now: A young magician who’s willing to spend two weeks inside the (increasingly rank, we assume) confines of a straitjacket, in the middle of a hot Canadian summer.
But that’s what’s happening this July. His name is Mark Correia, and he’s doing it to raise money for Parkinson’s disease. Mark, who is also an actor, is a graduate of Etobicoke School of the Arts and currently enrolled at The National Theatre School of Canada. Mark is a longtime admirer of Michael J. Fox, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 1991 and currently supports research through his non-profit foundation.
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We all know J. Gordon Whithead punched Houdini in the stomach in his dressing room at the Princess Theater in Montreal on October 22, 1926. It's debated whether or not the punch caused or just masked his fatal appendicitis, but all agree that Whitehead's punch was the start of a chain of events that would lead to the magician's death on Halloween. But in his seminal work, The Man Who Killed Houdini, author Don Bell uncovered evidence of two other punches delivered by McGill University students during Houdini's stay in the city that might extend that chain a little further back.
One of those punches is said to have occurred in the lobby of the Prince of Wales Hotel. However, that incident is questionable as it only comes via second-hand sources, so I'm going to save it for another time and another post. The punch I want to discuss today is the first of the three for which there is strong evidence. This punch or "test" occurred on October 19, 1926, when Houdini was giving his lecture at McGill University. Bell calls it "the Pickleman punch."
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Recently our friends at the Houdini Museum in Scranton and Joe Notaro of HHCE turned up an amazing archive of yearbooks from McGill University. Of course, it was a student from McGill, Jocelyn Gordon Whitehead, who punched Houdini in his dressing room at the Princess Theater on October 22, 1926. Could these books give us our first look at Whitehead as a student?
There is only one known photo of Whitehead, taken almost 25 years after the Houdini incident when he was in his 50s. Because he never graduated, there is no individual yearbook photo of him as a student. However, this group shot of the "Arts '28 Class" in the 1926 yearbook is said to include a "Whitehead, J.G." (as well as Gerald Pickleman, who also "tested" Houdini that week). Unfortunately, it doesn't specify which student is Whitehead.
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May 30- June 1, 2014
Toronto City Hall Council Chamber
the global change initiative
is an annual meeting of collective minds spanning the world of academics, corporate, institution and government; all brought together in Toronto’s core for a two-day, three-night interactive Summit. Sustainability, conscious consumerism and responsible thought leadership rule the weekend.
MEET David PeckHis paramount passion is contributing to the international development community. He has worked in collaboration with organizations such as UNICEF, Plan, STN, Make Poverty History, and World Vision. He has provided consulting services for health, literacy and restorative justice projects in Cambodia, Mongolia and throughout parts of Africa. He currently devotes much of his time to managing SoChange.
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