Magic Cruise and More!

 

“Achievement is talent plus preparation.”

–Malcolm Gladwell

 

While many folks complain about “the economy,” others are taking this down-time to polish their performances to perfection.  Following are just a few examples of our talented students whose preparation has paid off in major achievements.

Henry Vargas, from Brazil, attended a one day Master Class in Peru last summer, and came to our seven day Master Class here in Las Vegas earlier this year.  Just this week, all of his hard work paid off big time.  He was awarded the top prize in general magic at South America’s largest convention,  FLASOMA, in Lima, Peru.  Congratulations, Henry!!

Erica Sodos, has been working hard for many years on her one-woman show.  She’s come out to the Magic and Mystery School for Master Classes and has worked with me in private phone sessions over the years, and the fruits of her labors are blossoming now.  Learn more about her show here:

http://www.boulderweekly.com/20090205/buzz.html

 

WOMEN IN MAGIC

This Fall we will see the birth of a new seminar here at the Magic and Mystery School: THE SISTERS OF MYSTERY, A Magical Conference for Women.

September 7-9th, 2009  Join Abbi McBride and other phenomenal women in the magic world for a three day journey into the heart and soul of magic and mystery.

This conference will explore the feminine side of the mystical arts, and is open to women who perform magic, who love magic, or who are in love with a magician.  Featured events include small group discussions, hands-on learning sessions, developing material, and performance feedback sessions. For more information on this event, call Abbi at 702-450-0021.

 

JEFF ON NEW TELEVISION SERIES

Gay Blackstone is happy to inform you all that another one of our performances for Masters of Illusion is being aired on MyNetwork next week 9pm Monday, February 16th.   Check your local listings for the exact time in your area.

 

LET US HELP PLAN YOUR VEGAS VACATION!

 

CNN says “Vegas is a good deal now!” Click here for the full article.

 

Online travel giants like Expedia, Travelocity and Orbitz are offering all-inclusive packages with flights and two-night hotel stays starting as low as $270.  What’s more, we still have some spots available in our April & June 7-Day Master Classes.  There couldn’t be a better time – but register soon, as the classes promise to fill up fast.

 

Jeff & Abbi McBride in New Feature Film Documentary, WOMEN IN BOXES!

 

You can catch this amazing film if you are close to Sedona Arizona for the Sedona Film Festival on Feb. 26th and 28th (http://www.sedonafilmfestival.com/); or in Vegas for the Las Vegas International Film Festival April 9-12.  (Exact date to be announced. http://www.lvfilmfest.com/)

 

I am off to Blackpool, England for the biggest magic convention in the world. I’ll be meeting 3,000 new friends there, and will be hosting a three day Master Class Secret Session.  Learn more by going tohttp://www.blackpoolmagic.com/ and clicking on the “Jeff McBride Secret Session” link.

 

I’ll be home just in time to make some magic at the Orlean’s Hotel and Casino at the WORLD MAGIC SEMINAR, March 1, 2, 3, 4.  I’ll also be helping Lance Burton and Eugene Burger host the Teen Magic Seminar.  We look forward to this event every year, to see the new faces of magic that will carry our tradition into the future. 

 

I look forward to seeing you in Las Vegas, or on tour!

 

Yours in the art of mystery,

Jeff

 

Living in Interesting Times

“Until you are willing to be confused about what you already know, what you know will never grow bigger, better, or more useful.”
~ Milton Erickson Quotes from A Joseph Campbell Companion

Greetings, Friends! 

Tobias here – Jeff and Abbi are busy hosting “Mysterium” in Las Vegas as I write this from my new office, looking out into a stand of sunny redwoods here in central California.

The immediate reason for writing is, of course, current news:

You can catch Jeff on television again this week. On February 2nd, he’ll be one of the featured performers on “Masters of Illusion,” along with Kalin & Jinger, Farrell Dillion, Hillel, Krystyn Lambert, Amazing Jonathan, Guy Bavli, and some of our other favorite magicians. If you love a good magic show, this one promises to be just that. It’s on the MyNetworkTV (one of the FOX family). As they say “check your local listings” for the exact time in your neighborhood.

Also be sure to tune in to the DOC channel, if you can, on February 9th, for the premiere broadcast of “Women in Boxes,” a documentary film by Blaire Baron Larsen about women who are and have been magicians’ assistants over the past 50 years. Both Jeff and Abbi can be seen in short interview segments. I saw the film at its premiere in Las Vegas last summer, and it’s fascinating. 

NOW: Let’s get back to the quote above. There’s an ancient Chinese curse: “May you live in interesting times.” The implication is that it is a wish for your life to be filled with upheaval and turmoil. 

Well…we certainly do live in interesting times! The economy is in worse shape than it has been since the 1930’s. People are losing their homes and fortunes. I’ve just moved away from security and long time friends in Las Vegas to explore new environments and new possibilities here in the Bay Area. At the same time, we have a new president, a commitment to change for the better – and at the same time, just when we’re at our lowest, and call to responsibility – to taking on the task of each creating our own highest visions and dreams. Not an easy task at any time – but a special kind of challenge right now, just when we’re ALL feeling kind of “down and out.” 

I’d say we might all be forgiven if we’re feeling a bit confused. But as Milton Erickson implies in his quote above – this may be just what we all NEED if we are to allow what we know to become bigger, better and more useful! 

And so my call to all of you – our friends on this magical journey through life – is to cast aside the depression and confusion of the dark times we’ve just been through. Be prepared to re-examine and re-consider all the things you think you know. Embrace the confusing new ideas, new environments, and see what is here to be learned. And allow yourselves to grow. Growth is transformation – and transformation is magic. 

I’ve been thinking a lot about what magic means to me lately. My clients are all a very special breed of performing magician who can take magic beyond tricks and illusions and use it to achieve a purpose. Sometimes that purpose is to lead an audience to some kind of enlightenment. Other times it is to help a corporation deliver a particular message. Still other times, it is to wake people up about their own interactions with their friends and families, or to their own innate abilities. 

I find I’ve become a firm believer that the real magician only uses tricks and illusions as tools to achieve his or her purposes. Magic doesn’t lie in the trick any more than carpentry does in the hammer and nail. Just as the carpenter has a higher purpose (a building, a cabinet…the joy brought by what he really creates), so does the magician. When I was a child, I loved to play with hammers and nails and chunks of wood. I created some very interesting pieces of trash with my “carpentry.” Later on, I learned to use it to create interesting stage sets…and suddenly carpentry became infinitely more interesting. Accepting the responsibility to actually make something with my carpentry gave it meaning and purpose – and it became a far more satisfying experience! 

I know many of you reading this are either magicians or fans of magic. I have some bad news for you. Lots of the magic I see out there, even while the tricks are successful, seems to be creating the same kind of “trash” I created as a child with that hammer and nails. What’s it really for? Does the magician know? Does his or her audience know? 

In my own lectures and courses, I’ve become a big advocate for discovering the purpose behind any bit of magic we do, of defining what we want to achieve in creating our businesses, and the purpose we have for each show we do. It is amazing how finding those purposes makes everything else involved in creating the magic (or the career in magic) so much clearer and more easily doable. Not only does it help you make wise decisions and choices – it gives you a way to measure your success. More than that – it gives you a way to take responsibility for the results of your magic. 

Unfortunately, discovering our purposes can be a confusing proposition. We find ourselves re-examining our every idea and belief. Sometimes we find that our ideas and beliefs conflict with one another, or that we’re holding onto beliefs that are outdated or limiting. Letting go of something you’ve lived with for a long time can be traumatic and upsetting – but if you do, you’re suddenly free to grow again. 

And that would seem to bring us full circle…we’re right back to the confusion and growth we started with. So, I’ll leave you here. Hopefully embracing your own confusion and ready to grow. The days have begun to grow longer – around here, there are already new buds on the trees and bushes. I’m looking forward to discovering what magic awaits me in the coming months. The dark times have already begun to pass. Magic is afoot! 

Best wishes. 

Tobias Beckwith
tobias@yourmagic.com

PS: I’m working on a new book, “Wizards’ Ways” about how magic can affect each of our lives. If today’s note brought back any interesting memories from any of you “wizards” out there, I’d love to hear your stories. Drop me a line!

Make Your Work Your Play!

“I slept and dreamed that life was joy, I awoke and saw that life was duty, I acted and, behold, duty was joy.”
–Rabindranath Tagore

Abbi and I love Tagore’s writings, and they inspire us as we weave our work, play and passions together into our magic. My friend, Scott Hitchcock, often reminds me: “if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life!” This sounds like something the late, great Walt Disney would say. Abbi and I love creating new projects. Over the past few years, we’ve been creating new events because YOU ask for them! At the end of every class or event, we hand out feedback forms, and we ask our friends and students “how can we make this even better?” Here are a few of the new events we have been brewing up…. 

MYSTERIUM – January 30 through February 1st
If you live around Las Vegas, or plan to visit, you may want to join us for one of our most progressive experiences. The Vegas Vortex presents an opportunity to play, to create, to learn, make music, art, share stories and magic… More info, including registration at http://www.vegasvortex.com. 

Featured Mysterium events include:

• Community Feast
• CandleDance: a techno-tribal dance party!
• Dream Alchemy
• Alchemical Ritual Theater
• Indoor All Night Sacred Fire Circle

NEW MAGIC MEDIA, AND HOW WE CAN TALK IN CYBER SPACE!
I have been learning some new technologies by participating in an online magic community called STREET OF CARDS. Each night, after work, I share ideas and magic with online friends and students at http://streetofcards.tv. 

Now we can talk to our friends all over the world! This is a great new magic community that I encourage you to explore. Many of the Las Vegas pros are there, talking shop and sharing ideas. This is a very interesting way to study magic. There are a lot of great magic videos, both modern and classic. Make sure you explore the “on demand” part of the site. It’s sort of like MTV for magic! It also has a chat room and a “cam-chat” section too. I have my camera on, and can visit with small groups of friends, to share ideas and stories. See you on the Street of Cards, friends!

WORLD TOUR NEWS
The next few weeks will take me to Peru, and Blackpool, England. I will be doing a special three-day Master Class as part of the Blackpool convention. Blackpool is one of the most amazing magic events in the world, and I would love to see you, my friends. If you would like to attend my special class, contact Derek Lever d.lever1@sky.com.

NEW CLASSES & SPECIAL EVENTS
Our Museletter readers are the first ones to know about new classes. Most of our events we keep to about one dozen students. This creates real intimacy and allows for hands-on attention. Here is a list of new classes that have just gone up on our online schedule today. First dibs are yours! Call Abbi for more information at 702-450-0021. 

Focus on Quick Change Costumes, with Lee Alex: August 12, 13
Extended Master Class: August 19 – 25
Sisters of Mystery, a Magical Conference for Women: September 7, 8, 9
Magic & Martial Arts: September 22, 23, 24
Master Class: September 25, 26, 27
Focus on Street Magic: October 9, 10, 11
MAGIC AND MEANING: October 21, 22, 23, 24
Magic and Medicine: November 6, 7, 8
Master Class for Mentalists: November 11, 12, 13

PRIVATE SESSIONS
When I’m back from tour, I will be holding a few private sessions here at the House of Mystery. So, when you come to Las Vegas, make sure to set up your session a few weeks early. You can do this easily by emailing Abbi, Spinner@mcbridemagic.com or by phone: 702 450-0021. 

Your friend,
Jeff

January Museletter

One of my favorite quotes is from Higher Magic, by Oscar Teale, subtitled Magic for the Artist. It was written in 1912. This quote has given me courage when I have been accused of being “too flamboyant,” in speech, action, or costume.

“The feather that adorns the royal bird supports his flight. Strip him of his plumage and you fix him to the earth.”
–Janius

Greetings All,

Recently, we’ve had a royal visitor at the McBride House of Mystery. No, we’re not just talking about Eugene being here for the past week. Lord Peacock arrived the other day, and we now have a peacock in our backyard! He just showed up, and is probably an escapee from one of the neighborhood mansions near the House of Mystery. He’s made a home in our backyard, roosting just above our waterfall.

Abbi opened the front door one day, and he was standing directly in front of her, so she gave him some birdseed. He has become a very friendly neighbor, and the unofficial mascot of the Magic and Mystery School.

Masters of Illusion: Mondays at 9pm, MyNetworkTV
Monday night, January 19th with the third of thirteen episodes, featuring Jeff McBride, Arian Black, Ed Alonzo, Kyle Eschen, Ai & Yuki, Mark Kalin & Jinger

On January 26th, Magic and Mystery School Alumni and Friends Chris Randall, Fielding West, Jonathan Levit, Kevin James, Krystyn Lambert will all be on the show. Be sure to catch it!

MCBRIDE ON TOUR IN ITHACA, NY

McBride Magic at the Edge is coming to Ithaca, NY! On Friday January 23, 2009 Abbi and I will be doing our full-evening show from 7:30 – 10:00 pm. Cost is $25.

On Saturday January 24, 2009 2-6pm, I will be offering a “Secret Session” workshop.

All the information is online at http://lightinwinter.com/.

If you are interested in signing up for the Secret Session, please contact Bruce Purdy (eg@cynmagic.com) and he’ll get you into this very special 4-hour Master Class.

MYSTERIUM LAS VEGAS: Jan 30 – Feb 1, 2009

…an in-gathering of old and new friends, in the darkest time of the year, a point in time where we can reflect, as individuals and a community, the light that shines within each and every one of us.

Featured events include:

• Community Feast
• CandleDance – Techno-Tribal Dance Party
• Ritual Drum Ceremonies
• Alchemical Ritual Theater
• Indoor All Night Sacred Fire Circle

Please note, this event has been growing each year, and due to spatial limitations, we have to limit the number of registrants for the playshops and overnight ceremonies.

For more info and to register go to http://www.vegasvortex.com/

MCBRIDE WORLD TOUR

Jeff will be holding a special three day series of Secret Session workshops at the upcoming Blackpool Magic Convention in the UK. For more information on this event, contact Derek Lever (d.lever1@sky.com).

Jeff McBride & Eugene Burger
Sunrise at StoneHenge
Mystery School Workshop, 2006

Peru, England, Spain and many new dates appear on our World Tour Schedule. If you would like to see our show, take a look and see if we’re going to be near you.
http://www.mcbridemagic.com/pages/calendar.php

We encourage you, dear friends, to show your royal colors, and take flight!! See you one day soon, and introduce you to our feathered friend!

Jeff McBride

End of 2008

Here we are coming into a month named after the Roman god Janus, an appropriate personification of the start of the new year. This particular Roman god had two faces so that he could look ahead toward the future and back at the past at the same time. As we get rid of an old year and look forward to a new one, we all try to be a little like Janus. We know through experience what we did wrong and what we did right, and hope to do better this year. Some people make ambitious new year’s resolutions; others just take a deep breath and hope for the best.…

—From The Complete Speaker’s Almanac

 

Greetings from Las Vegas! 

 

The snow has all disappeared from the Las Vegas valley, but the mountains are shimmering.  The sun is out again, and I’m getting ready to go skiing atop Mount Charleston with my friend Dr. Joshua Levin! Yes, we have skiing in sunny Las Vegas, just 50 minutes from the Strip!  I’ve been an avid skier since I was 6 years old. I grew up skiing. In fact we had a ski area literally in our back yard… you could see the chairlift from the kitchen window! I would ski every day after school and on weekends too. I used to compete in the East Coast Freestyle Skiing Circuit…. I love “stunt-ballet” skiing, and in many of my competition routines, I actually mixed magic and special effects into my ”hot–dog” skiing; appearing ski poles, fire on my skis, and the occasional poof of a flash powder charge, as I swirled and whirled down the slopes doing my trick skiing act. The magic and effects I added to my routine gave me a “winning edge.”  I stood out from all the other competitors because I did something new and different! I guess I’ve always combined my passion for magic with my other interests. I think that’s one of the things that helped me with my performing career. Here is a vintage photo of me doing a flip, in a Freestlye skiing competition at Holiday Mountain in Rock Hill, New York, 1975!

 

 

A PASSION FOR SIMPLICITY

 

Many of our students here at the school are not full time performers. Many of them are public speakers who combine business messages with magic.  I often help these speakers to come up with ideas to illustrate their points with magic, comedy and special effects. In short, we work together to “punch up” their presentations.

 

I encourage them to share real stories from their lives, and to add a bit of magic to these stories as they communicate with their audiences. In Tobias Beckwith’s book BEYOND DECEPTION, there is an exercise called “PASSION PIECES.”  This essay gives the secret formula on how to turn simple magic effects into pure theater.  Here is a short version of that magic formula: Take a real story form your life, something you are really passionate about and tell people about that passion when performing a simple magic effect. Why a “simple effect?”  The best reason is so that you can connect more with the emotion of the story rather than worrying about the technique of the effect. I have learned over the years to focus on the story as much as the trick. Give the audience “more truth than trick” is a formula that has been successful for me!

 

JEFF ON TELEVISION – CATCH IT JANUARY 1st & 5th!

I will be appearing on My Network TV for Masters of IllusionMasters of Illusion series.  I had a great time shooting the show in Los Angeles, along with Abbi and Jordan Wright.  Oh…and if you missed The World Magic Awards last month, they are re-playing it on New Year’s Day at 8pm. 

 

 

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT—EDUARDO FROM SPAIN

 

Eduardo Galeano, from Spain, recently joined us at a Master Class.  He also made his Las Vegas debut on our “Midnight Magic Show” at THE WONDERGROUND.   This week, he shared the good news that he will be representing his birth country, Argentina, in the competition at the World Magic Seminar here in Las Vegas in March!  We were all impressed with his card routine, and thought you’d like to see it, too!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_H1f47cczU

 

 

It is a great pleasure to introduce some of our students to our Museletter readers, so we can all share in their success!  I look forward to featuring many of our students in upcoming Museletters.

 

If you would like to see more of our award-winning students, you can enter the WINNERS CIRCLE, by going to http://www.magicalwisdom.com/winners.php

 

Stay warm, my friends, and if you get too chilly, why not join us for some fun and magic in sunny Las Vegas!

 

Yours in mystery,

 

Jeff and Abbi McBride