Toronto: BuskerFest 2016

BuskerFest runs September 2-5.

From Toronto Buskerfest, magical performers include:

• Bella Magic (You may know her from "Chris Westfall Magic and the Porcelain Princess.")
• Magic Man
• Max T. Oz
• Ran'd Shine

Read more.

Matt DiSero on "Penn and Teller Fool Us" Season 3

More Canadians representing on US TV!

From Matt DiSero's YouTube channel:

[Guest post] "Can A Magician Be Too Skillful?"

The following is a guest post from an author who wishes to be known as The Magic Demon. 

--

"Can A Magician Be Too Skillful?" A fan of magic blogs about it

One of my favourite non-magic bloggers has just written an interesting post about magic.

You may agree or disagree with him but he always writes about chosen subjects with wit, insight and a heavy dose of humanity.

Why mention him here? Well, here's a born-and-raised Torontonian (although he's lived and worked in LA for many decades). Guess we can still claim him as one of ours even if he has U.S. papers. He wrote/produced some great comedy television shows (although he is now long retired) - many of which you might remember. And his thoughts on magic (from the POV of a non-magician) are worthy of reflection by all of us.

His question: Can a magician be too skillful?

To read more, check out the always thoughtful blog of Earl Pomerantz and read his post of Monday, August 8th, 2016. You'll find it here:

http://earlpomerantz.blogspot.ca/2016/08/beyond-magic.html

And who knows? Maybe like me you'll find his blog a very pleasant daily must-read habit. Even when he's not writing about magic.

The Magic Demon

 ~~~~

Thank you The Magic Demon for guest posting at Canada's Magic!

Review: Sheldon Casavant's "Ta Da!" in the Edmonton Journal

"Ta Da!" got a 5 / 5 rating!

From the Edmonton Journal:

Sometimes you come across a show so magical you have to drag the whole family to see it. This is just such a show. Pack up granny, round up the kids and run, don’t walk, to see Ta Da!

Morton loves magic. Morton the magician loves practising magic, and he loves performing magic. The young man practsces [sic] at home when he should be studying. He flings his wand around and tries out all of the staples of a beginner magician: card tricks, the broken rings and even the old ‘fire your talking stuffed rabbit across the room into a covered box.’

His mother reminds him again he should be studying, but Morton is a boy, and boys will be boys. It’s the big talent show at school that is occupying our hero’s thoughts, keeping him up at night when he should be sleeping. He is kept up by doubt and fear, emotions we can all relate to.

Read more.

Toronto: Shigeo Futagawa lecture

From the Browser's Den of Magic:

Sunday September 25th, 2016

If you've never heard of him before, that's OK.

A close-up legend in his own country, for decades, Futagawa has energized Japan with his creativity, ingenuity, and love for sleight of hand. Japanese magic enthusiasts from all over flock to Yokohama, just to meet and session with him.

Furthermore, Futagawa has spent quality time with a multitude of phenomenal western magicians like Dai Vernon, Larry Jennings, Slydini, Max Maven, Geoff Latta, Michael Weber, David Roth, etc. when they came to visit Japan.

Now it's our turn to spend time with Futagawa. And yet, we don't have to travel fifteen hours across the ocean to do so. For the first time ever, Futagawa is coming to Canada.

Accordingly, Futagawa plans to travel around by train visiting Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal sharing his magic with us -- all while soaking up our culture. Opportunities like this don't come along often.

Attend his informative talk on coins, cards, and close-up, and you're guaranteed to enjoy yourself. By the end, you'll walk out of the Shigeo Futagawa lecture with new ideas, be refreshed on old ones and filled with memories of meeting a guy that you'd normally need to travel thousands of kilometers to see.

"A true East meets West! When I spend time with Futagawa, I always learn something new." - Lee Asher (Close-up magic aficionado)

Read more and buy tickets.