Dear Friends:
This month, George Parker takes us on a thought-provoking journey – from a magic shop in Cape Town to canceled shows and earnest fan mail – in search of what “real magic” truly means. Along the way, he challenges us to reflect not only on the nature of magic, but on the very human forces that shape our lives and our art: imagination, intention, transformation, and connection.
Real Magic?
“I want the real vanish box!”
I was giving a lecture at the College of Magic in Cape Town, South Africa. I was in their magic shop, when a man walked in and said he wanted to buy a vanishing box. He had seen one in Johannesburg and had traveled all the way to Cape Town to buy it. The staff demonstrated the well-known vanishing and production box with the double drawer.
“Yes, that’s the one!” he exclaimed.
After paying, he was shown how the trick worked. His reaction?
“This is a trick! I want the real vanish box. I want my money back!”
A Canceled Performance
The desire for—and belief in—real magic, as in supernatural and occult powers, is something I’ve encountered often. And there’s nothing wrong with that…until you start taking it too literally. That’s when you step onto thin ice.
I have experienced the consequences of people believing that illusionists have supernatural power a few times. I paid a price, quite literally. For example, early this year I had a great online meeting with a spirited organizing committee who were excited about hiring me and looked forward to the event. A week later I got a call. “Sorry, we have to cancel your keynote/show. My boss is a devout Christian and doesn’t want anything to do with magicians. He believes they channel dangerous occult powers.”
Where Does David Copperfield Get His Supernatural Powers?
Another example of this was an email I received a few years back. Someone asked me to reveal how David Copperfield had developed his “magical supernatural powers.” I explained that what you see Copperfield do on stage are illusions.
He wrote: “George, you said ‘he’s an illusionist,’ but not for me. Illusionists use tricks. A true Magician assures human control of supernatural agencies or the forces of nature. D.C. has some presentations where it’s impossible to believe it’s a trick. That’s where he’s using real magic powers.”
Even if Copperfield would personally teach this person how it’s done, he still wouldn’t believe they were “just tricks.” The power of mental models: a blessing and a curse. A blessing because we feel secure and stable in our mental models. It’s also a curse because being stuck in our own perspective leads to polarization and all of its ugly sides.
The Real Magic of Creation
Let’s talk about magic as an occult art. Occult means “hidden,” “invisible.” The phrase “occult powers” evoke images of mystery and magic. Films and illusionists love to lean into this romantic notion: Yoda lifting an X-Wing with invisible force…Neo bending reality with his mind…Harry Potter casting spells with a wand…David Copperfield walking through the Great Wall…Ger Copper doing his black art magic.
I believe there are two kinds of ‘hidden’ when we see those images. The first one is that the magician, filmmaker, the black art artist, indeed use methods that are hidden for the audience to conjure up these images.
The second one is that these, symbolic, images resonate with powers that are innately human but are most of the time hidden. They are the invisible forces of imagination, love, energy, will, and thought, that indeed shape the reality around us. Everything we see around us started with these hidden, or occult, forces. On stage and in films we can remove the factors of time and effort between an idea and its realization. The production, vanish, and transformations seem to happen instantaneously.
We Are Born Magicians—Just Not Literal Like in the Movies
That image of instantaneous change with a mere hand gesture is very exciting. It can work wonders as a metaphor much like the action-metaphor of a placebo. It can instill faith, belief in a better world, hope, and a strong motivation to get to work to make things happen.
Personally, I’m glad I don’t have those ‘real’ magical powers. For example, when I make the mistake of taking in too much negative news I get cranky and sometimes my mind ends up in a Hulk-like state. I wouldn’t want my thoughts to turn into reality with a flick of my fingers as you can imagine (but don’t, it might destroy your mood).
The other, more profound, reason why I wouldn’t want to have such magical powers, is the fact that I highly value living through the embodied experience of transformation. It’s not always fun to alternate excitement and frustration, smiles and tears, triumphs and failures. But they are a huge part of the alchemical process of real growth that goes far beyond the production box.
On top of that, the joy of experiencing these ups and downs with family, friends and our tribe can’t be replicated by just a flick of the finger. Ever.
George Parker is faculty at large. He’s a bestselling author of books on the creative process as well as Index-terity and Performing Magic with Impact for magicians. He’s performed in over 5,500 custom keynotes/shows and theater shows in over 35 countries.
The Only Living Magician Honored by Copperfield…is Jeff McBride
Legacy is sealed. Discover why this moment changes magic history.
“Jeff McBride’s expert skill, and wide spanning knowledge, have made him one of the greatest teachers in the history of magic.”
-David Copperfield
A Monumental Moment in Magic
This May, something deeply meaningful happened. At the Magic Collectors Expo in Las Vegas, I received one of the greatest honors of my career: a permanent installation at the David Copperfield Museum. I am now the only living magician, besides David himself, to be featured there.
The Copperfield Museum is more than a collection – it’s a sanctuary for our art. It holds the legacy of our greatest magicians, and now includes the story we’ve written together through decades of teaching, performing, and creating. I am proud to be a part of that history!
To see the installation in person, you must register for Bill Smith’s Magic Collector Expo at https://magiccollectorexpo.com. That’s the only way in – no private tours, no exceptions. But if you do attend, you’re in for something you will always remember.
The Rise of Mat Franco: From Student to Star
You never know who’s walking through the door.
Years ago, a 12-year-old named Mat Franco came to our school. Just a kid with a love for magic. What set him apart wasn’t just talent – it was relentless dedication. He wasn’t just learning tricks; he was performing nonstop, in every type of venue, for every kind of audience.
Before America’s Got Talent, before the fame, Mat was crisscrossing the country doing college shows, learning the craft through the grind. He didn’t wait for the spotlight – he earned it. And now he’s been awarded the highest honor in the world of magic!
MAT FRANCO: THE MAGICIAN OF THE YEAR!
Mat has become one of the finest magicians in the world. To say I’m proud is an understatement. To see a student rise that far – that’s the true reward of teaching. In 1993, I won this award and it was my honor to present the award on stage at the Linq hotel in Las Vegas. Take a look at the video.
Building the Future: Lance Burton’s Free Teen Seminar
If you’ve ever asked me what the greatest joy in my career is, it’s this: mentoring the next generation of great magicians. That’s why I’m honored to support my dear friend Lance Burton in his Teen Magic Seminar this summer. It’s a free program for young magicians and it changes lives.
Over the years, this seminar has helped launch the careers of magicians like Shin Lim, Trigg Watson, Bill Cook, and Gabriella Lester – and she is now stepping up to lead the program into the future.
If you, or a young magician you know, are looking for a place to grow, this is the one.
Learn more and register here – https://ibmconvention.com/lance-burton-teen-seminar/. Get your application in today, as time is running out. Free registration for the convention is also still available for I.B.M. Members under 18 years old for a limited time.
Study Privately with Jeff McBride
If this newsletter resonates with you – if you’re feeling the call to go deeper in your art, to push your magic further, and to learn in a focused and personal way – I invite you to study with me directly.
I offer private, one-on-one magic lessons, tailored to your style, goals, and skill level. Whether you’re just starting out or preparing for the stage, this is your opportunity to study with a mentor who’s helped magicians reach the highest levels of the craft.
Click here to learn about private lessons – https://shop.magicalwisdom.com/event/private-magic-lessons-with-jeff-mcbride
A Final Thought
Legacy isn’t a moment. It’s a journey – one we walk together, one student at a time. This month reminded me of that. From receiving a place in the Copperfield Museum, to watching Mat Franco take the world stage, to helping new stars emerge through Lance Burton’s seminar, I’m grateful to still be part of the magic.
Thank you for being part of it with me.
With wonder,
Jeff McBride
Dear Friends:
In this Museletter, Eric Henning pulls back the curtain on one of the most powerful illusions in our art: the illusion of improvisation. From the quiet precision of Eugene Burger’s impromptu set to the razor-sharp recall of Robin Williams, Eric shows how the appearance of spontaneity is built on a foundation of intense preparation, thoughtful study, and lived experience.
Have you ever watched an artist just create amazing, beautiful art, music, comedy or anything out of thin air on the spur of the moment? Many of those we consider great improvisationalists – jazz players like Miles Davis, comedians like Robin Williams, even great speakers like Winston Churchill – have all impressed the public with their ability to seemingly pull great works out of thin air.
Let me tell you a secret. It’s an illusion.
Let’s begin with a story. At the 1998 World Magic Summit in Washington, DC, I had the privilege of sitting beside the great Eugene Burger as he performed impromptu close up magic after his lecture. He smiled at me, and as he sat down, I noticed that he did several secret things, calmly and unhurriedly, and then he winked at me. He knew he was sharing an important secret.
The secret things he had done had put him so far ahead of the audience that for the next twenty minutes it looked like he was improvising his entire act. But he wasn’t. His act had been carefully crafted to look completely impromptu. This was the greatest illusion he performed that night. How did he achieve this? The same way that all great masters do it – preparation. The good news is that this mastery is available to all of us, but it requires three things: knowledge, skill, and discipline.
Eugene Berger could apparently do “jazz magic” because he had spent years studying and mastering technique, and had performed for real people in the real world for a really long time. He knew what situations could come up, and he had thought deeply about every possibility that could emerge during his performances. Then, with great discipline, he prepared for every single one of those possibilities. This is the work, the invisible work, that makes improvisation appear effortless.
Miles Davis didn’t create his amazing riffs because he flouted the rules, but because he had mastered the rules, and had tried, and failed, so many times, that he had learned what worked on a deep, subconscious, muscle memory level. The things that you hear on his albums were developed through trial and error, endless rehearsals and actual gigs in front of the public before they were ever committed to vinyl.
Likewise, Robin Williams, who created this wonderful persona of an improvisational stream of consciousness comedian, was doing anything but improvisation. He had brilliant writing talent, of course, and was a great performer, but what made him able to create the illusion of improvisation, was his ability to catalog and recall thousands of snippets of comedy gold.
Williams’s comedy bits had been honed and polished to perfection in countless comedy clubs, and later, in his concerts and talk show appearances, it looked like he was simply pulling comedy out of thin air. In reality he had hundreds, if not thousands of bits committed to memory, and an incredibly quick mind that could pull those bits together and connect the dots faster than most of us can. His talent was not improvisation so much as synthesis. I’m not diminishing his talent at all–I’m astonished by it.
Sir Winston Churchill is widely considered one of the greatest speakers of all time, but many people don’t realize he had a tremendous problem speaking at all. From childhood, Churchill had a horrible stutter. Because his mother was American, Churchill knew that he wouldn’t inherit his British father’s title or property, and would probably have to pursue a political career. That meant having to speak in public, so he spent years studying the great speakers of history, learned what they had in common, figured out how to do it, and practiced relentlessly until he could do it himself.
He created a signature slow, deliberate, speaking style that accommodated his stutter while giving him the gravitas he needed to convince his listeners, and his writing was so good that his notes read like poetry, not prose. It’s not a coincidence that Churchill won the Nobel Prize – in Literature. His great talent was not his speaking, it was his writing, and that’s what enabled him to create this illusion of pulling things out of thin air.
You and I each have this potential for greatness.
I believe that every person has the ability to do something that is so good that the world has to sit up and take notice. But in order to develop that talent fully, it requires study, it requires diligent, disciplined practice and rehearsal, until we know our craft so well that it becomes art, and we know our art so well that we can break the rules and still create beauty.
I know someone who is such a great cook that they can walk into somebody’s house, and with whatever it is at hand, create a feast. That didn’t happen by accident. It took many, many years of study. It took being around masters and learning from them. It took applying those lessons every day.
This is the paradox of improvisation: what looks impromptu is the tip of an iceberg of preparation.
You and I can do the same thing in whatever our chosen field is. I urge you to find where your chance of excellence lies. Find your talent and commit to it. Put in the work to study your craft, become a master of the content and technique of your art, and develop your own voice. Then you too, will be able to improvise, or at least create the illusion of improvisation by doing art that flows out of you organically.
I can’t wait to experience what you’ll create.
Eric Henning is an Ambassador for the McBride Magic & Mystery School, and has been performing magic professionally for 53 years. His website is EricHenningMagic.com
Hey, Magical Friends,
We’ve just made improvements on the House of Mystery that you’ll see when you come visit us. Our garden has roses blooming, and Abigail is working outside today, harvesting lemons from our tree.
Spring is the season of fresh starts, and there’s no better time to take your magic to the next level. I remember when I started out. I thought I was nailing my card handling – until I met Jeff Sheridan.
In the 1970s, Jeff Sheridan was the most skilled, talented, and artistic magician in New York. He developed a powerful theatrical style. Here he can be seen stopping huge crowds in New York City performing with only cards and rope.
Personal instruction is the best way to learn magic. Jeff Sheridan was the first real pro who took me under his wing and said (gently), “Let me show you how it’s actually done.” That changed everything. I learned how to “do it the right way.” Jeff helped me in so many ways to advance my skills and performance style.
Building a Career and Building a School
Years later I studied with Eugene Burger, who is often quoted as saying, “The house of magic has many rooms.”
Pop Quiz! Which would you choose? A Lamborghini or a library?
When I turned 50, I realized I had a choice to make – it was either a Lamborghini or a library. As many of you know, I chose to build a library and a theater space/dance studio onto our school. Eugene was right – we needed many more rooms, so we built them…for you!
Building this new wing was the best choice I ever made. Well, okay, second best choice (the first best choice I ever made was marrying Abigail.) I knew in my heart that our magic library could take more people to more places than a Lamborghini ever could.
Today I decided to open a few new doors of my own and share what I’ve learned. You have two chances to visit us and train with us in person.
The Mystery School Experience (before & after Magic Live)
Immerse yourself in a five-hour magical journey that will take you through the art and heart of magic, all while discovering the world’s premiere magic learning experience.
IMAGINE yourself guided on a mysterious adventure as your host Jeff McBride invites you to join him for an unforgettable experience at the Magic & Mystery School.
Watch Jeff perform some of his NEW and classic pieces, and then embark on a guided tour of the magic school. You’ll visit our incredible magic library and behold the thousand and one wonders of Jeff McBride’s extensive magic collection–a treasure trove he has gathered from his many years adventuring around the world.
You’ll also get to participate in lectures, hands-on workshops, and of course, lots of magic. To keep you fueled throughout the day, snacks and drinks will be provided.
Register here – https://shop.magicalwisdom.com/event/the-magic-mystery-school-experience-session-1-2025-08-02
Take a tour of the McBride Magic Museum & Library by clicking the video below:
Magic Summer Camp for Grown-Ups
Yes, it’s a thing – and it’s amazing.
Think of it as a magical retreat–new routines, new friends, and a magical Las Vegas adventure of a lifetime. These are intimate, powerful days of training with Jeff and the rest of the faculty. You’ll get personalized coaching, stage time, and professional secrets we don’t put online.
“All magic is about transformation…You are the magician in your own life.” – Eugene Burger
So if you’re ready to deepen your magic, build your character (onstage and off,) and hang out with a bunch of other cool “grown up kids” who love this art as much as you do, come join us for a unique magical experience.
Reserve Your Spot Now.
https://shop.magicalwisdom.com/event/summer-magic-camp-for-grown-ups
Magically yours,
Jeff & Abigail
McBride
Magic & Mystery School
Las Vegas, NV
www.magicalwisdom.com
