Canada's Magic

Videos of John Giordmaine thanks to our friends at Magicana!

noreply@blogger.com (Canada's Magic) — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 04:05:00 +0000

New videos of John Giordmaine are now available to watch thanks to our friends at Magicana! With thanks to James Alan for letting us know.

From the June 17th post "John Giordmaine - Cardistry Before There Was Cardistry" at Magicana:

This footage was captured and edited by Sid Lorraine in 1931 in Lima, OH, courtsey of the David Ben Collection

John Giordmaine was a prominent Toronto magician. He was celebrated as a family entertainer but probably best known for his decades-long work demonstrating magic in the toy department of Eaton’s.
Read more and watch video.

From the June 17th post "John Giordmaine - Chicago 1940" at Magicana:

This clip was recorded at the SAM Conference in Chicago in 1940.

The performer who appears beforehand for just a brief few frames is Al Baker performing his celebrated “Cake in the Hat”.
Read more and watch video.

Saskatchewan: Danny Kazam speaking at 2027 CANSCAIP Prairie Horizons Conference

noreply@blogger.com (Canada's Magic) — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 04:08:00 +0000

From the June 17th Facebook post by Danny Kazam:

I have to say I'm incredibly honored and excited to share that I’ve been invited to speak as an expert presenter at next year’s CANSCAIP Prairie Horizons Conference (Canadian Society of Children’s Authors, Illustrators and Performers).
Read more.

Visit CANSCAIP.org to learn more about the organization.

Las Vegas: Now You See Me Live (with Gabriella Lester) [Oct - ???]

noreply@blogger.com (Canada's Magic) — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 04:06:00 +0000

Pre-sale starting later today!!!

For tickets and more information visit TicketMaster.com.

Found at the June 16th Facebook post by Gabriella Lester.

Previously shared on Facebook June 16.

Toronto: The Comedy Magic Show [Jun 25]

noreply@blogger.com (Canada's Magic) — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 04:01:00 +0000

Tickets and more information at Eventbrite.

From the June 15th Facebook post by Chris Mayhew:

... with special guests James Alan (magician) and Ernie Vicente (stand up comic).

Read more.

Vancouver: The Parlour Magic Show [Jun 17]

noreply@blogger.com (Canada's Magic) — Mon, 15 Jun 2026 04:06:00 +0000

Tickets and more information at Eventbrite.

From the June 12th Instagram post by WH Kung:

Excited to be returning to The Show Cellar for another night of impossible magic, laughs, and surprises. I’ve something special planned, and I’d love to see some familiar (and new) faces in the audience!
Read more.

Broken wand: Trent Darren Tinney

noreply@blogger.com (Canada's Magic) — Sun, 14 Jun 2026 16:33:56 +0000

Our sincere condolences to Trent's family and friends at this impossible time.

From the Christensen Salmon Generations Funeral Home:

He was also a phenomenal fly fisherman, spending several years as a guide on the Bow River, and professional magician, entertaining family and friends with his skill and sense of humour. He will be greatly missed.
Read more.

Found at the June 14th Facebook post by Brent Smith.

Guelph, Toronto, & Barrie: Magic Guys at Work & Phenomena [Jun - Jul]

noreply@blogger.com (Canada's Magic) — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 04:05:00 +0000

Tickets and more information at EventBrite.com/o/80980743733

From the June 11th Instagram post by Ian Batterbury:

Jun 12 - Magic Guys at Work: Whiskey Business, Guelph
Jun 26 - Phenomena: Distilled and Refined, Guelph
Jun 28 - Magician Showcase, Toronto
Jul 5 - Magic Guys at Work, Toronto
Jul 10 -Magic Guys at Work: Mulligans and Mind Games, Barrie
Jul 14 - Phenomena: Lifted Spirits, Toronto
Jul 25 - Phenomena: Off Course, Barrie

Previously shared on Facebook June 11.

Random thoughts about Explorer 2: Build your skills

noreply@blogger.com (Canada's Magic) — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 04:07:00 +0000

Michael Close's Explorer 2: Build Your Skills
Teaching the magic beyond the tricks

This article first appeared in last month's issue of VANISH (May 2026 #142, pgs 78 - 79). Republished with permission.

From MichaelClose.com:
“Explorer 2 continues the structured training from Explorer 1, focusing on rarely-mastered sleights and advanced routining. You'll refine your technique, learn Michael's deceptive new handling of a popular stand-up effect, and develop the skills that separate hobbyists from performers.”

Prerequesite

Explorer 1: Transform Your Magic

Read our thoughts about
Explorer 1: Transform Your Magic

Michael Close has decades of experience performing and has authored fifteen books of original material for magicians, including the highly regarded “Workers” series. He is a sought-after magic consultant, notably consulting for “Penn & Teller: Fool Us.”

Last Fall, I had an overwhelmingly positive experience auditing Michael’s six week online course, Explorer 1: Transform Your Magic. In level one, Michael introduces a dozen foundational sleights (with cards and coins), more than a half-dozen tricks that incorporate the sleights, theory, critique, and insights on practise, finding your style, construction, routining, and presentation.

It goes without saying that I was eager to discover what Michael had in store for the next series of classes in Explorer 2.

The classes build directly on the material presented in Explorer 1. Michael methodically expands our knowledge base on foundational sleights with both cards and coins. In these classes there is a focus on some card and coin techniques that are often poorly executed by magicians in general. Guided by Michael’s extensive real-world experience observing what can go wrong in their execution, he teaches the skills in easy to digest layers (including the assignment of preparatory exercises), as well as alerting the students how to both mitigate and circumnavigate potential issues.

Explorer 2: Build your skills

Topics covered include:

Review of Explorer 1 foundational sleights with cards and coins.
Approximately twice as many foundational sleights are explored with cards and coins in Explorer 2 compared with Explorer 1.

More than a dozen card techniques are taught.

Roughly twice as many effects are shared incorporating those sleights (no gaffs needed!) in Explorer 2 compared with Explorer 1,

Several excellent coin effects, including one of the most baffling coin routines I have ever seen.
More than a dozen card routines.
The repertoire consists of venerable effects with Michael’s added refinements, touches, and insights. There are no performance restrictions.

Six weeks of insightful magic theory, perspectives, and history.
The critique, deconstruction, and mindful reconstruction (with deceptive new handling) of a popular stand-up effect.

The format for Explorer 2 is similar to level 1 of the course. The online classes are about an hour in length, delivered weekly, and run for 6 weeks. The class size is capped at twelve students, which allows students to participate in discussions, ask questions, and receive personal attention. The classes are recorded, which means if you are absent for a class, you can watch the recording on your own time before the next class. (It’s a tremendous gift if you’re having difficulty mastering a move because you can slow down the video!)

Michael provides many opportunities to ask questions both during and between classes. While there is no requirement for students to perform during classes, he encourages them to submit videos of their progress for him to provide feedback. He is also available by email to answer questions between classes.

One huge advantage to learning this material from Michael is his ability to draw on his considerable knowledge and experience to suggest alternative handlings if one’s skill set or dexterity aren’t quite up to the material as initially presented. He can tell you the “why, when, and how” of the technique creation and point you to suitable workarounds if required.

Michael teaches with the end in mind.

In contrast to Explorer 1, where it was recommended to practise fifteen minutes a day to achieve mastery by the next class, many of the techniques presented in Explorer 2 require greater daily effort and may take longer than a week to truly master. It is recommended that you set aside at least thirty to forty-five minutes a day for practise.

With respect to teaching effects and routines, Michael provides insights into an effect’s construction. Theory is interspersed with the card and coin technique. He shares his thoughts about the routining and what can be done to elevate the experience of the spectator. Michael offers constructive criticisms and encourages his students to do the same. Thought is given to the optimal way to present the effect and reading material is assigned to provide context regarding an effect’s creation and subsequent evolution.

Similar to Explorer 1, Michael has both assigned and supplemental reading, sharing wisdom from magicians such as Stewart James, Roberto Giobbi, Arturo De Ascanio, Jon Racherbaumer, Frank Garcia, Johnny Thompson, Martin Gardner, and John Carney. (We also received the notes to Michael’s fantastic 2017 lecture "Magic Theory, or Magic Fact? Let's Find Out.") The reading material serves to frame the lessons by reinforcing critical thinking skills, walking through the history and refinement of effects, and expanding on the opinions and observations of notable figures in magic.

As with Explorer 1, most of the class materials for Explorer 2 continue to be available to the students beyond the six week course enrolment.

I had a fantastic time and learned an incredible amount participating in Explorers 1 and 2! If you’re looking for a way to refine your technique and elevate the impact of your performances, the Explorer series is for you!

For more information about the Explorer series of classes, visit MichaelClose.com.

---

Disclosure: I audited the classes as a guest. The opinions expressed above are entirely my own. I did not receive compensation for the writing or the publishing of this article.

Windsor: Eric Bedard at the Harbour House Waterfront Eatery [Sun & Thurs]

noreply@blogger.com (Canada's Magic) — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 16:06:00 +0000

From HarbourHouseWindsor.com/events.html:

Weekly Events

Sunday's 5pm to 8pm: Tableside Magic with Eric Bedard (Kid's Eat Free)

Thursday's 6:30pm to 9:30pm: Tableside Magic Social Hours with Eric Bedard

Read more and make your reservation!

From the June 6th Facebook post by Eric Bedard:

Harbour House Waterfront Eatery where we have Magic Drinks, A Magical Atmosphere and Award Winning Magic at your Table.

Read more.

Thank you to our personal sponsors for June 2026!

noreply@blogger.com (Canada's Magic) — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 04:08:00 +0000

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!

Thank you to John Harrison, Richard Lyn, Joan Caesar, Ian Crawford, Matt DiSero, Doug Hunt, John Smithman, Loran, Peter Mennie, Noah Nogueira, Aaron Matthews, Cam Dix, Ian Batterbury, Eric Bedard, Sonny Patel, and the Toronto Magic Company 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.

Montreal: Simply Darling with Lucy Darling [Jul 26]

noreply@blogger.com (Canada's Magic) — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 16:08:00 +0000

Presented by: Just For Laughs

From CarisaHendrix.com/tour/montreal-july-2026:

Lucy is bringing her signature charm and mischief from screen to stage. Simply Darling is the perfect chance to take a break from reality and indulge in the mischief, sarcasm, and wonder that we all deserve.

Sunday, July 26, 2026 @ 5pm
Sunday, July 26, 2026 @ 8pm
Read more.

Road Ready -- Variety Arts Touring Intensive Program [Aug 13 - 15]

noreply@blogger.com (Canada's Magic) — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 04:01:00 +0000

From CarisaHendrix.com/roadready:

Road Ready -- Variety Arts Touring Intensive Program
Hosted by Carisa Hendrix and the Lucy Crewcy and some ducks.

You’ve polished your act, you’ve mastered your gear, you’re booking shows… but what does it take to run a successful tour?
Read more and apply.

Found at the June 7th Instagram post by Carisa Hendrix.

Montreal: There's magic at The Fringe [Jun 1 - 21]

noreply@blogger.com (Canada's Magic) — Mon, 08 Jun 2026 04:03:00 +0000

For more information and tickets, visit MontrealFringe.ca

A Magician
A one-of-a-kind memoir of the life of Las Vegas entertainer Jordan Rooks. This isn't your average magic show, leave the kids at home!
Something From Nothing
What do I have to do to get superpowers? This question has been the obsession of magician Ben Bisaillon since they were a kid. With little more than sleight-of-hand and the audience’s dreams, Ben sets off on a journey to find the meaning of “real” magic.

Found at the June 5th Instagram post by Ben Bisaillon.

Broken wand: Bill Jones

noreply@blogger.com (Canada's Magic) — Sun, 07 Jun 2026 04:02:00 +0000

Our sincere condolences to Bill's family and friends.

From the McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes:

He had a playful side as a magician, bringing smiles and laughter to those around him.
Read more.

Found at the June 5th Facebook post by Paul Alberstat at the Calgary Magic Circle Facebook group.

Checking in with James Alan's show Mysteries and Lies at The Toronto Fringe

noreply@blogger.com (Canada's Magic) — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 04:02:00 +0000

The Toronto Fringe (June 30 - July 12) is fast approaching!

James Alan kindly agreed to answer some of our questions ahead of his upcoming show Mysteries and Lies at The Toronto Fringe.

What is your first memory of magic?

Memory is tricky at that age. I can reconstruct after the fact that I definitely saw Penn & Teller do “Blast-Off” on the Muppet Show.

How long have you been performing professionally?

My first paid performance was in 2007. I think I started identifying as a professional around 2012.

Why is now the right time for you to be at the Fringe?

At any given time, I have three or four shows I could do. I interact with the audience a lot. So what I do really has to be grounded in the space I’m in. Magic & Martini (2016-2020) always took place in a cocktail lounge. My virtual show, Bring Magic Home, never tried to hide the fact these weird Zoom get-togethers were utterly mad.

The Toronto Fringe is enormous. This year it has one hundred twenty-three shows. And those slots are assigned by lottery. Some years I get busy and don’t get around to applying. But really it was a random number generator that decided this was the time. And so I didn’t know what the show would be until I found out where it was going to be. But once we knew, the whole show basically came together in one afternoon of shuffling index cards around a coffee table.

What is the title of the show?

Mysteries and Lies. I’m chronically obsessed with the paradox of truth in magic — that there is no way to do what we do honestly. My last Fringe foray was called Lies, Damn Lies & Magic Tricks. There’s a naive version of magic which is about fooling people — I know something you don’t know, Nyah! But there’s a more interesting more grown up version which is about getting people to think about what shouldn’t and shouldn’t be possible. But fooling someone is tightly bound up in that project so it’s a very fine line to walk.

I want people to have an amazing — maybe even a profound — experience. But I don’t want to fall into the trap that so many in the industry do of thinking that you need people to think it’s “for real” in order to be respectable. There shouldn't be a contradiction between being totally amazing and being “just a magic trick”.

How, if at all, does this show differ from your previous shows?

Because the theatre is a very intimate space, 46 seats, with raked seating, we decided this was going to be a close-up show — like what you might see at the close-up room of the Magic Castle. The format is one I hadn’t really worked in before 2020. I never really sat down, even to do close-up magic. I got used to it doing virtual shows, where I opted to sit behind a desk. And during re-opening after the pandemic, there was an awkward period in Canada where you weren’t allowed to have more than ten people in a gathering. So my private shows moved from the end of the room to around the coffee table or the dining room table. (Again, so that the magic can be grounded in the environment. The show happens in your living room. I don’t try to make you pretend your living room is a bar or a theatre or a comedy club.)

But it also means this show is really brand new. If you saw Magic & Martini, before the pandemic, this will be completely different.

The show is thematically richer — maybe just because I’m older. Recently truth has been top of mind. We’re bombarded by fake headlines, fake experts, AI slop and the threat a Large Language Model is coming for your job. So as someone who is trying to walk this tightrope of honest lying, my job is to channel all that angst into a real experience, but without making things explicit so you feel like you’re watching a TED talk about what to do if you think your toaster might be conscious.

When did you start writing and preparing for this show?

I found out where the show was going to be in mid January and that’s when I seriously started preparing. The origin of the show we wound up doing is actually a bit stranger.

I did get used to the idea of performing at the table during re-opening. But the first one of those shows was actually in January of 2020. I received a last minute inquiry on a Sunday morning for a show that night. It was for four people. They wanted something to lighten the mood after they got back from a funeral. (Friends of mine know that the stranger the request, the more likely I am to say yes.) So in my mind, that show was Mysteries and Lies v1.0. And there is actually one trick from that which survives into this version.

The other weird thing that seeped into this show is that the theatre is inside of a converted school classroom. It’s one of the old red brick kind built in 1914. So the hallway has that odd proportion designed to funnel hundreds of kids to and from recess. The doors are classroom doors. So we’re playing with the idea that we’re surveying all of the regular school subjects — science, history, math — through the lens of magic.

Will you tease an effect or two for us?

I would rather people be surprised. But if someone is willing to do some work, they can earn a spoiler. When The Beatles appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show, we got so swept up, we forget that immediately after that, there was a magician on, who did two tricks. The show contains one of those. There is also a piece by Tommy Wonder that he was so protective of that he withheld it from publication in The Books of Wonder. (But he later softened and ultimately shared it in 2003.) I’ll be doing a version of that.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with the readers of Canada’s Magic?

If they have the time, they should take the time to experience the Fringe. There are over a hundred different shows. So part of the fun is making a day of it, and seeing what new and different things you can experience.

Thank you James, for making the time to answer our questions!

For more information about the Toronto Fringe, visit FringeToronto.com

Mysteries and Lies

Tickets:
https://fringetoronto.com/fringe/show/mysteries-and-lies

A Week in the Life of Champions (of Magic) -- part 1 of 3

noreply@blogger.com (Canada's Magic) — Thu, 04 Jun 2026 16:04:00 +0000

An abridged version of this article first appeared in last month's issue of VANISH (May 2026 #142, pgs 48 - 53). Republished with permission.

Wherein we share some trivia about a cast member, take a good look at the behind the scenes effort involved in putting on the show, and take a bit of a tangent in order to drop Alan Hudson's name.

A Week in the Life of Champions (of Magic) -- part 1 of 3
On a cold and grey December day, I met up with the Champions of Magic crew at the Bluma Appel Theatre in downtown Toronto.
My mission: to shadow the company from load-in to load-out, for their 13 day Toronto stay.

I was unable to attend two of the days and four of the days were statutory holidays. Allow me to take some liberties with the timeline and present to you what I learned spending A Week in the Life of Champions (of Magic).

Continue reading this password protected article.

Password clue:

the Canadian magician who appeared on The Muppet Show

Format: Firstname_Lastname

Post-script

In 2026 the Champions team will present their biggest engagement to date, a summer residency at the Studebaker Theatre in Chicago. Alex, their producer, said, "Our run in Toronto was something of a test for this longer engagement. Taking away concerns of trucking and travel allows us to add even more magic and production, to deliver the greatest version of the show possible. The Studebaker is an ideal environment to present what we’ve been honing over the last 13 years, as well as some brand new illusions that we’ve been developing which can’t be done on a touring schedule."

Be sure to check out their show if you’re in the Chicago area this summer!

For tickets and more information, visit ChampionsOfMagicTour.com

Read Part 2 in this month's issue of VANISH Magic Magazine (June 2026 #142, pgs 48 - 53)

From the May 30th Instagram post by Champions of Magic:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Champions of Magic (@championsofmagic)

Thank you to our June 2026 sponsors!

noreply@blogger.com (Canada's Magic) — Thu, 04 Jun 2026 04:03:00 +0000

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:

Clive Court - Life Member, Canadian Public Relations Society,
Jeff Pinsky, owner of The Browser's Den of Magic,
Michael Close, author of the new Paradigm Shift ebooks, the Workers series and others, and
Toronto's IBM Ring 17, the Sid Lorraine Hat & Rabbit Club!

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

Sid Lorraine Hat & Rabbit Club

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

Or you can Be Our Friend for only $20 per year!

Donations of any size are always welcome.

Lévis: Michael Demers presents SECRETS - Le Spectacle [Jul 29]

noreply@blogger.com (Canada's Magic) — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 04:04:00 +0000

Tickets and more information at lepointdevente.com/billets/hkj260729001.

Win tickets to the premiere of SECRETS! Details at the June 1st Instagram post by Michael Demers.

Found at the March 17 Instagram post by Michael Demers.

Hollywood: Billy Hsueh at The Magic Castle [Jun 15 - 21]

noreply@blogger.com (Canada's Magic) — Tue, 02 Jun 2026 04:08:00 +0000

From the May 27 Instagram post by Billy Hsueh:

I’m excited to be back at @magiccastlehollywood June 15–21!
Read more.

Previously shared on Facebook May 27.

Toronto: Javi Benitez workshop [Jun 3]

noreply@blogger.com (Canada's Magic) — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 04:05:00 +0000

From the May 31st Facebook post by James Alan at the Sid Lorraine Hat & Rabbit Club Facebook group:

We're extending members a last minute invitation to a special workshop with Javi Benitez. (Javi has been on Fool Us twice and did a virtual lecture for the club during the pandemic.)
It's Wednesday, June 3 at 7pm, near Yonge and Eglinton.

$100 per person.
Read more.

ICYMI: New additions to the Screening Room at Magicana

noreply@blogger.com (Canada's Magic) — Sat, 30 May 2026 04:06:00 +0000

Three videos have recently been added to the Screening Room at Magicana.

From the April 14th article "Back to the Screening Room" by James Alan at Magicana:

So with these challenges in mind and wanting to adhere to Prof. Edwin Dawes’ motto (“Collect, Collate, Communicate!”) we want to share video from the collection on a regular a basis. Our working title for the series is “The Good, The Bad and the… You Decide”.

We want to begin with this recording of Lewis Ganson. This is a short excerpt where he performs “The Diminishing Cards.” (Please note this clip has no audio.)
Read more and watch video.

From the May 5th article "Principles, Deceptions and a Phantasy" by James Alan at Magicana:

Continuing our series of “The Good, The Bad and the… You Decide” we are pleased to share two clips from Arthur Buckley. (If you missed the previous release featuring Lewis Ganson, consider stopping there first.)
Read more and watch video.

Gabriella Lester in Forbes!

noreply@blogger.com (Canada's Magic) — Fri, 29 May 2026 04:07:00 +0000

ICYMI, from the May 27 article "Why Hollywood And The Creator Economy Are Trading Places" by Taylor Reilly in Forbes:

Gabriella Lester, is no different. A touring magician, a Magic Castle headliner, and a Penn & Teller Fool Us alum, she joined the four Horsemen of Lionsgate's Now You See Me LIVE for its 2025 Sydney Opera House premiere. Her social channels alone are now pulling roughly 100 million views a month.

Read more.

Found at the May 27 Facebook post by Gabriella Lester.

Previously shared on Facebook May 27.

Also ICYMI, the folks at the Canadian Association of Magicians named Gabriella their Canadian Magician of the Year for 2025!

New Westminster: Lectures by Nathan Coe Marsh [Jun 1] and Ice McDonald [Jun 15]

noreply@blogger.com (Canada's Magic) — Thu, 28 May 2026 04:01:00 +0000

Tickets and more information at the Vancouver Magic Circle website.

From IBM Ring 92:

Monday, June 1
Nathan is in Vancouver between headline performances on cruise ships. Because of baggage limitations he is only bringing and sharing actual material he is currently performing for real audiences on real world gigs.
Read more and buy tickets.

Previously shared on Facebook May 26.