08 December 2022

Thank you to our personal sponsors for December 2022!

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, Eric Bedard, Loran, Peter Mennie, Graeme Reed, Gwyn Auger, Chris Gowen, Cam Dix, Jokers, George Blott, and Noah Nogueira 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.





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07 December 2022

Edmonton: Keith Brown and friends (such as Jay Flair!) [Dec 9]

From the November 29th Facebook post by Edmonton Fringe Theatre:

“Fringe provided a support system of other artists who mentored me. It was invaluable to me. I just want to pay it forward. I like to bring other artists with me because other artists brought me with them. That’s what I want to do with this show.”  - Keith Brown, Fringe Artist

Don’t wait til next summer. Get your fill of Fringe magic now! Snag your tickets to Keith Brown & Friends, December 9 at 8PM in The Backstage Theatre.

Hosted by magician Keith Brown, this variety show features an electric lineup of local talent: musician Jay Gilday, magician Jay Flair, theatre creator Dayna Hoffmann and Max Hanic.

Buy tickets now: https://tickets.fringetheatre.ca/event/601:4499/601:30097/
Photo by Avan Patel.

 

 

 

 

06 December 2022

Thank you to our December 2022 sponsors!

Thank you to our sponsors for their generous support.

This site would not be possible without their backing.

We're grateful to have the support of:

The next time you see them, let them know you saw their sponsorship here!



 







 
 
For more information about purchasing Sponsored Posts or about our Platinum, Gold, or Silver level sponsorships, please visit our Sponsorship page.

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Donations of any size are always welcome.


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05 December 2022

Random thoughts about "Champions of Magic" 2022

Last chance to catch Champions of Magic in Canada this year is in Peterborough on December 9th.

 

On Saturday Kidlet, and I made the trek to Kitchener's Circle In The Square.  

  • The last time I was at CITS was for one of the very first conventions hosted by the Canadian Association of Magicians.
  • All of the theatre staff were super helpful, professional, and generally fabulous! 
  • While not mandatory, a good number of the patrons and ushers were masked.
  • The show is about an hour for the first half, with a 16 minute intermission, and about an hour in the second half.
  • As always with this show I am genuinely afraid of posting spoilers.  The less you know going in, the more you'll enjoy it.

 

 

 

We teased a few years back about a Champions of Magic Concert Album.  The show has matured to the point where it has a wonderful toe tapping soundtrack!  Going back to the 1930s with "Sing, Sing, Sing," to the 1960s with "The Girl from Ipanema," to the 1970s with "Live and Let Die" and of course the 80's hits transporting you back to 1989  Las Vegas!

On with the show...

Note to parents of young children:  The music can be very loud at times throughout the show.  There's also a smoke machine involved.  Forewarned is forearmed.

There's a videographer on hand to capture close-up miracles and project them nice and big on a screen so everyone can see!

 

 

Regular readers of the blog have probably guessed that this would be our summary of the show:

So. Much. Fun!


It's possible that between one half to two thirds of this show is new compared with their 2019 presentation.
If memory serves, there are no standard card tricks in the show!
  • As Strange, Velasco, and Young all indicated in their interviews, this show is very different from the one presented in Oshawa in 2019, and significantly different than the one mounted in Toronto in 2018.
     
  • There are more whole cast moments, making the show less of a patchwork piece and more of a thoughtfully woven production.

  • There's LOTS audience participation with both children and adults!

  • Visually stunning!

Whether you're new to magic or are a professional magician, there's something for everyone!

  • McAleer's material has undergone a significant change and he's introduced two new very strong pieces.  The first, a very visual effect with a young mentalist in training.  And the second a beautifully constructed homage to Keller.

  • England is net new to the show from it's 2019 iteration.  She showcases a strong skill set and talent that is intensely theatrical!  (I'll never look at a cup of tea the same way again.)
     
  • For those who have seen the show already, not to worry!  The cornerstone crowd-pleasers are still in the show, tweaked and refined!

  • Aerialist Michelle Mazzarella dazzled from above.

  • Velasco succeeds in breathtaking, heart-stopping escapes and then some.  Even though I've seen him do many of these things before, everything he does makes me nervous!

  • Young and Strange have carefully pruned their wonderful grand illusions and introduced some new things in their place.  Even after having seen them perform a similar set twice before, Young and Strange are remarkably entertaining to watch.  One can't help but get caught up in the fun they are having on stage!  They've introduced a collaborative piece with Velasco that has a very strong audience reaction.


While excellent magic is at the core of this experience, it's clear that the focus is providing a fabulously entertaining evening.

They definitely hit their mark!


  • This was the third time seeing the show and we were thoroughly entertained!  There are so many moments of joyous laughter, and periods of being completely enthralled in the spectacle.

  • It is clear that the acts and the scripts are a work in progress and continue to be thoughtfully curated, updated, and revised.  It gets better every time!
      
We highly recommend it!
(Even if you've seen it before.)

 

 

 

Disclosure:  Kidlet and I were guests at this show. The opinions expressed above are entirely my own. I did not receive compensation for the writing or the publishing of this article.

 

04 December 2022

Magical advent calendar from Tips & Tricks for Magicians

Each offering is available for only 24 hours.   Be sure to check Tips & Tricks (+ Treats) for Magicians (magictipsandtricks.com) every day!


From the November 28th Facebook post by Tips and Tricks for Magicians:

I'm creating a magical "advent calendar" of chocolately goodness and gifts! 🎁

Every day in December (up to Christmas) I'm giving away something fun... tips, tricks, ideas and techniques for making magic.

I've got a list of ideas, but I'd love to get your suggestions, too; what would you like me to teach and share? Could be something specific, or a general topic. Post your ideas below, please and thanks!



 

 

 

 

02 December 2022

Gwyn Auger lecturing at Blackpool 2023

Blackpool 2023 runs from the February 16th to 19th.

 

From the November 19th Facebook post by the Blackpool Magic Convention:

Gwyn Auger, the red-headed dynamo also known as "The Magic Assistant", has graced stages and conventions worldwide, winning both gold and silver medals for her assisting performances. Master Magician Lance Burton has referred to her as "The Most Enthusiastic Magician's Assistant". Gwyn can also be found online, providing helpful Marketing and Social Media advice for magicians in the magic publication "The Hermit". Gwyn is here to share that being a Magician's Assistant is more than just glitter, chiffon and a smiling face, and give you a bit of insight into all of the other aspects of her role.
Catch Gwyn’s lecture during Blackpool Magic Convention 2023