Old School Magic Rocks

“The classics of magic teach us about ourselves; they are the heart and soul of our magical art.”  –Sam Sharpe

Old School Meets New School.

I started my magic career by learning classic “old school” magic. I learned the “building blocks” of how to make magic, then added a modernistic twist to the classic routines to build my original act that took me around the world.

Many of the world’s top magicians learned by performing “The Classics.” David Copperfield, Lance Burton, AGT winners Mat Franco and Shin Lim, and many others, worked on classic magic to springboard to global fame.

What Makes a Classic a Classic?

• Works in nearly all conditions–indoor, outdoor, or surrounded. Works in pantomime, talking, or to music.
• Minimal skills to perform the basic routine.
• You can add more complexity depending upon your skill level.

 The Classics of Magic endure the test of time and each generation of performers brings new and fresh presentations to them.

Here are just a few of the effects that you can explore with me in my upcoming class! 

Egg Bag, Linking Rings, Zombie Floating Ball, Miser’s Dream, Chinese Sticks, Torn & Restored Paper, Water in the Newspaper, Professor’s Nightmare, The Salt Pour, Ring on Rope, Cut & Restored Rope, Razor Blades, Hydrostatic Glass, Silk to Egg, Chop Cup, Chinese Sticks, Six-Card Repeat, Grand Finale Card Stab. These and many more will be covered in this “skill building” class!

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Each of these timeless favorites has a lesson to teach us. 

• The methods are deceptive and easy to learn.
• Perfect for adding your personality.
• Can be performed in all conditions, close up, stage, and often surrounded.
• Learn secrets of the Classics of Magic and why they have endured over the years.
• Learn the correct techniques and practice disciplines that lead to a professional presentation.
• You will learn both basic and advanced techniques, suited to your skill level, and how to make your magic entertaining and play BIG in large venues.
• The Classics work in pantomime, talking, or to music.
• Minimal skills to perform or add more complexity and nuances, depending upon your skills.  

Join us for three Saturdays, July 10, 17, and 24, starting at 12 noon pacific time. Ninety-minute class, followed by thirty minutes of discussion, and Q&A. All classes will be recorded so you can view them later.

Learn the real secrets to the world’s most beloved magic!

Imagine yourself receiving personal instruction from Jeff McBride and some of the top experts in the world of magic as they teach you the real secrets of the Parlor Magic Classics.

• We will explore the hidden MEANING of these magic effects, why they are memorable, and how they can touch the souls of the audience.
• We will explore the symbolism, mystery, and metaphors of each of these classics of magic.
• By the end of this course, you will have the ability to present a practical and powerful stage performance. 
• Jeff will draw from his more than 50 years of teaching and performing experience to give you insights and empowering lessons in presentation, technique, and character.

Take-Aways

• PARLOR MAGIC CLASSICS includes six plus hours of powerful content and personal interaction.
• Free bonus videos and resource lists.
• This could be the last time this class is ever offered online! Our classroom is opening in September for live events in Vegas, so register now! 

https://shop.magicalwisdom.com/event/parlor-magic-classics-online-on-zoom

NOTE: This class will be recorded, and available to all registered students to view, so you can watch them at any time if you miss the live class. These videos will be available for twelve months following the conclusion of the class.

Private Classes Live in Vegas …or online.

For the summer, I will be teaching online and hosting private classes in Vegas. Call Abigail for more info: 702-450-0021, or go here https://www.magicalwisdom.com/about/private_sessions.

Free Lance Burton Teen Seminar for Kids

Lance Burton Teen Seminar

Join us for the 2021 Lance Burton Teen Seminar. If you are an I.B.M. Member between the ages of 13-19, or the child or grandchild of an I.B.M. Member, and are between the ages of 13 and 19, you can attend the online Lance Burton Teen Seminar this year ABSOLUTELY FREE.

The Seminar will be facilitated by none other than Jeff McBride and Dr. Lawrence Hass, the Founder and the Dean of the world-famous Magic & Mystery School in Las Vegas. It will also feature special guests. 
Dates for the Seminar are  July 6th, and  July 7th. 

We are ecstatic to announce that as well as the Lance Burton Teen Seminar being FREE, the actual online convention will also be FREE to all I.B.M. Youth Members under the age of 18. Please register for the online convention by CLICKING HERE.

The McBride Magic and Mystery School has been facilitating Lance Burton’s Teen Seminar since its inception in 2003. In the past, our special guest instructors have included Jeff McBride, Eugene Burger, Suzanne, Oscar Munoz, Joe M Turner, Larry Hass, Joshua Jay, Jessica Jane, Bill Cook, and Shawn Farquhar.

If you are a teen and have a serious interest in magic then this is the place to be in July, 2021… seriously! Need more info? Contact Simone Marron at simone@marrons.us. To sign up for the Lance Burton Teen Seminar, please download the application form by CLICKING HERE. You can complete and email it back to simone@marrons.us. Don’t forget to register for the 2021 I.B.M. Convention by CLICKING HERE.

Special thanks to the I.B.M. Endowment & Development Fund (EDF) for sponsoring this event.

In the Fall, WONDERGROUND will reopen and so will LIVE events at our Mystery School in Vegas! 
 
Until then… See you all online!

Jeff 

What is Alive in You?

Our guest writer this month is Abigail McBride.
 
Greetings Magical Friends,
 
The man who is recognized as the “Father of Nonviolent Communication,” Marshall Rosenburg, would often ask students to be honest by saying what was alive in them at the moment… and I thought, as I sat down to share my thoughts with you all in this Museletter, that this might be a good place for me to start.

As some of you know already, my beloved parents, Ken & Marthajoy, have just recently moved into our neighborhood, right down the street.  So, a lot of what is alive in me these days centers around them, making sure they are safe and comfortable, reworking my schedule so I can see them, bringing them some food, or just calling and checking in. I am fully aware of what a tremendous gift it is to be able to be close to them as they enter their eighties, and what a precious treasure each moment with them really is, now, more than ever.

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Recognizing that time is short makes it all the more dear, and makes me all the more committed to using the time I have, both with them, and in the rest of my life, wisely.
 
One of the wisest ways I use my time is in making music. I’ve been doing a couple of online classes over the past year, deepening into my practice and writing new songs.

I am very grateful to be nominated Best Female Artist of the Year by the IPMA. If you’d like to vote for me, you can, right here:
https://ipaganma.org/2021-ballot/

Jeff and I got to spend some time at the Zen Mountain Monastery in upstate New York many years ago, and we were very taken with the Evening Gatha, which says:

Let me respectfully remind you,
Life and death are of supreme importance.
Time swiftly passes by and opportunity is lost.
Each of us should strive to awaken…
Awaken… take heed!
Do not squander your life!

So, friends, this is a gentle reminder to be present in the moments we have, to love those we are close to, to savor the times we have, and to do what we love… even as the seconds slip through our fingers like sand.  These are the kinds of thoughts I like to share with my followers on Patreon, along with music, and some of my writing from the road.

Feel free to join us here: https://www.patreon.com/AbigailSpinnerMcBride

Yours in the present moment,
 
Abigail

A Light at the End of the Tunnel

Dear Friends,

Our guest author this month is Simone Marron, listed on our site as: 

Simone Marron – Social Coordinator, performer, eternal student, and best friend to magicians the world over.

I can’t think of a truer description for her. She has some true words of wisdom for us.

As the light gets increasingly brighter at the end of the tunnel of solitude, what have we learned?

• Procrastination is not caused by lack of available time.
• We were able to spend more time alone than we previously ever thought possible.
• You can count on some friends more than others.
• The magic community is there for us.
• Zoom has helped most of us through.

The McBride Magic & Mystery School has been teaching online for more than ten years. The phrase “Monday is a school night,” has been a frequently heard phrase throughout our homes during that time. So, it is no surprise that the early adopters of online classes specifically for those wandering through the “tunnel,” would be the creation of the Mystery School.

Without doubt, this quote written decades ago did not refer to the Zoom that we have become so familiar with. Almost certainly, it is coincidental that the word Zoom was used when talking about Elvis in the context of innovation. However, what have we learned about this medium, and the advantages of its use for teaching in relation to magic—especially as it relates to Mystery School?

• Lessons can be learned without leaving home.
• Classes are less expensive.
• There are no travelling expenses.
• Participation worldwide is possible.
• Easy access to some of the greatest minds in magic.
• Recordings and digital documents are available for reference later.
• Social interaction, although different, is possible with breakout rooms.
• Magic that looks miraculous can be performed close-up in the camera frame.

The learning curve has differed between performers in our art, but for many, it has opened a new window—a new way of achieving their career goals. It is a personal decision to either make the transition to walk through this newly opened door, or to stay in the comfort zone, and to wait until they can return to normal life.

Live in-person performance will return soon, as will in-person classes. However, it does not look like online entertainment is going away. The future will likely be a hybrid of live and online, enabling endless possibilities of international visibility with much wider audiences.
 
The price of Zoom stock at the beginning of 2020 was $68.28. At the time of writing, the value is $427.10 per share, with a high of $568.34 reached in October 2020. Frequent software updates are released with groundbreaking options—always improving the experience. One year ago, we could not have conceived how much would have been possible in Zoom advancements in such a short space of time. The endless possibilities keep building…
 
Of course, Zoom is not the only pony in the race. There are also Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, and countless other candidates. However, Zoom seems to be the most user-friendly, flexible option available to entertainers at the current time.
 
In the meantime, if you want to catch one of the Magic & Mystery School’s online offerings, you can see a list of upcoming classes here: https://shop.magicalwisdom.com/events.
 
Remember, things are usually better than you sometimes think. The light at the end of the tunnel is not an illusion…the tunnel is.

Looking forward to seeing all of you at the other end of the “tunnel.”
 
Simone Marron
simone@marrons.us

Magic for Speakers

Greetings my friends,

You may not know this, but it is true! For over 25 years I never spoke onstage. I was scared to death to speak in front of audiencesa—a  mime trapped behind a mask!

Here is a photo of me at 20 years old.

Breaking the Sound Barrier
It was not until I met great acting coaches like Bob Fitch that I learned the secrets of successful speaking. Since then, I’ve been seeking out the best speakers in the business to teach me—and now they can pass their professional secrets on to you in our upcoming class Magic for Speakers & Presenters.

One of Those Secrets is Attention
In order to survive, companies need to get people’s attention for their products and services. Who are the masters of attention? Magicians are masters of the art of attention!

Words are Magic
The power of magic words can move your audiences. This is why corporations hire magicians for keynote talks and speeches at their online and live conferences. You could be working in this industry; we are hosting an event just for you!

Magic For Speakers and Presenters

Who is This Event For?

• Magicians who want to learn the art of public speaking.
• Keynote speakers who want to add magic to their presentations.

Powerful speakers and presenters can move people’s hearts and minds, and make positive change in this world. Now you can learn magicians’ secrets for effective communication—and even add a touch of magic to your presentations.

Adding Magic to Your Message
The ability to surprise with magic, and to link that surprise to your message as a speaker, can provide that special touch to give your talks the edge you need in today’s competitive marketplace. Our program is designed for both magicians who wish to add professional level speaking abilities to their repertoire, and for speakers who want to add something amazing to their presentations. 

In this workshop you will:

• Learn fool-proof methods to connect with your audiences using magic.
• Discover the power of metaphor and magic to engrave your message on your audiences’ minds.
• Find the perfect story and trick to demonstrate any message.
• Learn new techniques for building stronger visual support for your magic & stories.
• Develop and practice your vocal abilities and build vocal strength.
• Learn the secret mental mechanisms you can trigger in your audiences to remember and act on your presentations.

Register now!
https://shop.magicalwisdom.com/events

MagicQuest News:
Only 8 performances May 7-16. Tickets are now on sale for the VIP party and show. Here’s a taste!

We have limited shows, so please get your tickets today.

https://mcbride.wellattended.com/events/jeff-mcbride-magicquest

Yours in magic.

Jeff 

Jeff McBride’s World Premiere Show on ZOOM

Greetings Magical Friends,

Tobias Beckwith, Scott Steelfyre and I have been working hard for the past couple of months on a new project. We have been getting everything ready for you — and now, for the first time, I am happy to invite you into the home I share with my wife Abigail, for a brand new, unique experience. 

Very few outside our inner circle have ever seen the mysteries housed here. That’s all changing now! 

Our House of Mystery is the setting for Jeff McBride – MagicQuest,” a once-in-a-lifetime, magical experience. During this interactive virtual event, our guests will visit my studio and the secret archives. This is a night of magic and wonder, where we’ll explore everything from the supernatural to sleight-of-hand…and I’ll reveal the stories behind the mysterious secret artifacts I’ve sought out and collected while touring the world. 

I hope you will join us for this adventure unlike anything else you will ever encounter. I’ve been preparing my whole life for this, and I can’t wait to share it with you!

MagicQuest is my brand-new online magic show that will take you on an extraordinary journey all around the world of magic, and will highlight my amazing adventures from New York City to Las Vegas, from Tokyo to Burning Man, and beyond.

You will —

• Enter the Golden Book of Magic Secrets.
• Discover the Kabuki Magic of Japan.
• Encounter the Fire Shaman.
• Experience the Death & Resurrection Show.
• Witness the Award-Winning Magic that fooled Penn & Teller.
• Learn what I consider to be the Secret of Real Magic! 

Jeff McBride — MagicQuest is my combination tour and show, in which I will share my encounters with the magical and the miraculous, in a fully interactive online experience coming to you live from The McBride Magic & Mystery School in Las Vegas!

The VIP Tour & After Party
Step behind the secret bookcase and enter a world of wonders. Join me after the show in the Library of Secrets for a personal Q&A session. VIP guests get the rare opportunity of having personal time behind the scenes. See the Exquisite Collection of a lifetime of world adventures in the Cabinet of Curiosities, and hear stories I have never told before! Special VIP magic only for those on the after-party tour. Delightful Deceptions, Magic with Meaning, and much more await….

Join me for a most memorable, magical, and meaning-full evening …. for MAGICQUEST!

ONLY 13 VIP tickets will be sold for each performance.

Your VIP ticket includes THE MCBRIDE MAGIC TREASURE BOX, a virtual vault containing rare archival videos, photos, and mysteries, unlocked only with your personal key!

Seating is limited, so get your tickets now. Currently on sale from May 7-16.
https://mcbride.wellattended.com/events/jeff-mcbride-magicquest

I look forward to seeing you at the show!

Prepare for the adventure!

Jeff