“Men with secrets tend to be drawn to each other, not because they want to share what they know, but because they need the company of the like-minded, the fellow afflicted.â€
~~Don Delillo
Greetings Magical Friends!
It’s magic convention time in Las Vegas! Here’s the news: Hundreds of wand-waving rabbit pullers, clad in top hats and turbans will descend upon the mecca of magic, our Las Vegas, for a week-long magical Mardi-Gras.
It all begins at the Orleans Hotel for the World Magic Seminar, and it wraps up at the McBride House
of Mystery… This is the best time of year to visit Las Vegas; flights and hotels are inexpensive and the weather is gorgeous! If you have ever thought about visiting our school, the time is now! Just call Abbi at 702-450-0021 and we’ll be happy to help you plan your Master Class, or private session.
You are invited to our Master Class event February 23rd, 24th, and 25th. This is the last three day Master Class for this semester, and we placed it at this time because many magicians are coming into town for the World Magic Seminar. We’re very excited to be working with Lance Burton on his Teen Seminar at the WMS. Eugene and I have worked the past number of years with Bill and Becki Wells in crafting a unique program each year that stimulates creativity and nurtures a growing interest in their art.
We will also be helping the competitors prepare for the big competition. If you are planning to attend the WMS, please swing by our MCBRIDE MAGIC SCHOOL room and say hello! I’ll be demonstrating some of the new techniques from my new DVD ZOOM BOUNCE AND FLY, so if you have any questions, or if you want to witness it live and in person, close-up, stop in!
I had a passing thought the other day… I’m so happy to be a magician. I’m glad I chose this profession over ALL others. One definition of magic is that it’s the art of transformation. I asked my friend Bobby, a juggler, what the definition of juggling is. He said, “juggling is the art of throwing up and catching it.†… I’m so happy to be a magician.
We’ve had wonderful response to the television show ENIGMA. MAGIC MAGAZINE ran a piece in their recent issue and Tobias says we will have DVD copies available for you on our website soon.
We look forward to seeing you in Las Vegas soon. Special thanks to all of our mysterious friends who attended our three day MYSTERIUM event. It was, by far, the best one yet. Registration will open for MAYFIRE in the next few weeks. If you’d like to attend, please send us an email or call Abbi.
Yours in the magical arts,
Jeff & Abbi McBride
Greetings all,
We have great news — Jeff’s special television documentary is just about to air! If it is in your area, be sure to catch it. Here’s the hot news… Read on friends, and spread the word!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Las Vegas, January 11, 2006 – Local magician Jeff McBride,
last seen on the strip headlining in
“The World’s Greatest Magic Show,†is featured as the subject of “A Magickal Life: Jeff McBride,†one of the first episodes of the new documentary series Enigma on Canada’s Vision TV. The show will first air on the evening of January 24 at 9pm, or 10pm PST. Repeats air on Saturdays, starting Jan. 13 at 10 p.m. ET, and on Mondays, starting Jan. 15, 10 p.m. and 1 a.m. ET.
The documentary begins with a teen-aged Jeff McBride performing his magic at the Orange County Fair in upstate New York. By his twenties, McBride was opening for rock bands like Cheap Trick, touring with Diana Ross and headlining at The Hilton in Las Vegas. But at the height of his success, this young illusionist was overcome by the urge to explore new territory. So began his search for the source of real magic: a journey to the mythological roots of this art form that would lead deep into the worlds of neo-paganism, drum circles and fire rituals. He would return a changed man. In this documentary, McBride tells of what he learned on his quest, and reveals how even the simplest magician’s trick can hold layer upon layer of meaning. “Magic is about transformation,†he says. “It reminds us that everything changes – including ourselves.â€
Filmed mostly in and around Las Vegas during the
spring of 2006, “A Magickal Life†takes viewers on a stroll down the Las Vegas Strip, into one of McBride’s Master Classes, onto the stage at The World’s Greatest Magic Show, to local fire circle celebration, to the Burning Man Festival, and to numerous other fascinating locales. Interviewed are McBride, fellow magicians Lance Burton and Eugene Burger and many others.
Says Alberta Nokes, Vision TV’s Director of Independent Production: “As the success of author Dan Brown’s novels has shown, there is a huge appetite for knowledge about secret societies, arcane symbology, the occult and other esoteric subjects. Enigma takes a skeptical but open-minded approach to topics like these. While humor may play a part in many Enigma stories, that doesn’t diminish the essential role of good research in producing these films. This journalistic approach will distinguish Enigma from a great deal of other programming on the unexplained.â€
Enigma features “real-life stories at the edge of the possible,†delving into all aspects of esoteric spirituality and the unexplained. The hour-long documentaries commissioned for Enigma take an entertaining, contemporary view of historical subjects, investigating everything from Eastern mysticism and secret societies to psychic communication and belief in the afterlife.
McBride will also be appearing on another upcoming episode
of Enigma, “Mysteries of the Tarot Cards,†which begins airing on March 21.
To learn more about Enigma and view a clip from the show, visit www.visiontv.ca.
# # #
If by chance, you miss this airing, Tobias Beckwith, our manager, who handles our merchandising, will have DVDs available on the http://shop.yourmagic.com web
catalogue in a 
few weeks.
Magic is about stepping into the unknown and finding light in the darkness. Our magical work invites you to join us on our quest, of pushing on our perceived limitations of our reality. If you ever feel the urge to step beyond the known, and to discover what greater magic you have inside, perhaps we’ll see you at one of our upcoming events!
Yours in the mysteries of magic,
Jeff, Abbi, Eugene, Tobias, Bryce and all the faculty and students of the Magic and Mystery School
From Tobias:
We thought you might like to know the last two photos in this museletter are from Jeff’s most recent photo shoot, just a couple of weeks ago, with Richard Faverty here in Las Vegas. We will have some of the new photos available on the web-site within the next couple of weeks for anyone who is interested. We’ve also recently added a number of short downloadable free and paid video clips of Jeff teaching and performing….if you haven’t been to the catalog lately, check it out at http:/shop.yourmagic.com.
Greetings Magical Friends!
A goal is a dream with a deadline.
PREDICTIONS AND PROPHECY FOR 2007
As I gaze into the crystal ball, I see a vision swirling within its murky depths…. a magical vision, a mysterious vision, a mystical vision… I see you, dear reader, joining us on an 
extraordinary magical adventure. I see us journeying together in pursuit of the real secrets and deeper meanings of magic. New years are new beginnings, times to set goals for the year to come. At this moment, I invite you to take a breath and consider what you wish to attract into your life in this coming year. For those of us in the magical arts, let’s think about what we want our magic to be, by this time next year. What new effects or routines do you wish to polish and perform? What will you do to further your magical education this year? So, let’s start setting goals and making our dreams come true! Welcome to the world of magic for 2007.
THE SECRET
The Secret is a new movie that one of my students, Robert Ray, told me about. The Secret is a film about the Law of Attraction. This is a Hermetic principle of making thoughts manifest into physical reality. The Secret is based on The Emerald Tablet, which is the most ancient of all Hermetic texts. The Emerald Tablet is a formula for transmuting lead into gold.
MYSTERIUM
Abbi and I share a passion for Alchemy. Each year, we host a three day conference called Mysterium, where we bring in special guest teachers and authors from around the world to share their knowledge of the Royal Art.
Q. What is MYSTERIUM?
A. An alchemical fusion of art, ritual theater,
shape-shifting, trance-dance, ceremonial magick, spoken word poetry, invocation, meditation, divination, rites of purification, transformation, illumination and celebration! Oh, and did we say plenty of live drumming, dance and music? All lovingly blended together with divine inspiration into the elixir of life!!
You are invited to join our inspired magickal community! Come celebrate with us; dance, drum, dream, and learn from some of the best teachers in the world of ritual and magic.
Is it really possible to turn lead into gold?
To find out and to get more information, go to http://www.vegasvortex.com
TOUR REPORT: WHERE IN THE WORLD IS JEFF MCBRIDE?
At this moment, we are coming to you live from an internet cafe, en route to Barbados, where we’ll be meeting a ship and cruising through the Caribbean. We’ll be ringing in the new year, as is our tradition, at sea, doing our magic show. Jeff has been honing his new “oracle show” of mind reading and mental mysteries, which he’s looking forward to presenting. We’ll also be reviewing the past year, and setting goals for the year to come.
PRIVATE SESSIONS
One of my resolutions from last year was to spend more time developing our mentoring program here at the Magic and Mystery School. To that end, I am devoting more time to our one on one coaching sessions. Many of our students are not professional magicians; yet, they have a deep passion to explore the deeper meanings of the art, as well as to expand their performance capabilities. I find it especially rewarding when I can create a magical experience for magicians. Over the past year, we’ve had students from Australia, France, Hong Kong, and all over the United States stop by the school when they visit Las Vegas, and spending time deepening their passion for the art of magic. I Invite all of you to take a few hours out of your Vegas visit and stop by the school. Call Abbi at 702-450-0021 in advance to
arrange a convenient time.
MASTER CLASS UPDATE
Our January Master Class is completely sold out. We have some spaces available in February, March and April. Go to http://www.magicalwisdom.com/calendar.php
The February class will be hot on the heels of the WORLD MAGIC SEMINAR. If you’re planning to come in for the WMS,
plan to stay a few extra days with us here at the Magic and Mystery School.
NEW YEAR’S REVOLUTION–
I’ve been putting the finishing touches on a new DVD project, titled “REVOLUTION! The Evolution of the Double Dancing Cane.” This levitation effect has been one of my pet secrets for many years. Now, I’ve decided, as a part of my “letting go process,” to release it to the magic community. Look for it in the Spring. Also this year, Tobias Beckwith, my manager, director and lighting designer, will be publishing his new book on theater games for magicians, creativity, and “making it your own.†Bryce Kuhlman, our webmaster, is honing his skills in the Shao-lin martial arts. Abbi is preparing to release her new CD, Fire of Creation… and I’m writing a new column for MAGIC MAGAZINE, called THE SHOW DOCTOR. In addition, I’m devoting more time to staying connected and nurturing my relationships with the magical community and friends like you! Please stay in touch with us. We love hearing from you!
May you transmute all of your lead into gold, and achieve
all of your golden goals.
May the New Year be filled with peace, prosperity and magic
for all of us!
Jeff & Abbi McBride
Greetings from sunny Las Vegas!
There are many myths and legends surrounding this holiday
season. Let’s examine some of them now.
SANTA, FACT OR FICTION??
Yes, Victoria, there is a Santa Claus and his name is Eugene
Burger! We have proof and the facts… Read on!
Fact #1 — We are his elves. We joyfully do his bidding by creating extraordinary magical gifts, just for you. These gifts often come in the form of our unique magical events.
Fact #2 — He knows if we’ve been naughty or nice, and he
prefers naughty.
Fact #3 — Here is living proof,
a photo of Eugene, preparing for his sleigh ride… ‘nuff
said.
THE NIGHT BEFORE…
As a young child, I remember the feeling of the night before
Christmas, the excitement was palpable in the air, and none of us kids ever wanted to go to bed. My dad always read The Night Before Christmas out loud to us… My father has passed away, and now, Eugene plays Father Christmas for our family and friends.
Seasons greeting from all of us at the McBride Magic and Mystery School:
Jeff, Abbi, Eugene, Bryce and Tobias!
GIFTS OF THE MAGI
Legend says that thousands of years ago, magi were led out
into the desert, following a star. We invite you to follow us out here to the city of lights in Las Vegas, where we can help you become the star that we know you are! You can view our upcoming events online. YOU ARE INVITED! Please take the time to look over our 2007 events, and see which one suits you the best.
GIFTS FOR THE MAGI
We’re sending our warm winter wishes to all of our friends
and family. We also invite you to share in the warmth of Las Vegas at one of our upcoming gatherings. Our classes are the perfect holiday gift for the magician you love, especially if it’s you! To make your holiday shopping easy, go to shop.yourmagic.com
And send some holiday magic cheer to yourself or someone you
love!
Seasons greeting from all of us at McBride Magic!
Love,
Jeff & Abbi McBride
Real strength never impairs beauty or harmony, but it often bestows it; and in everything imposingly beautiful, strength has much to do with the magic.
–Herman Melville, Moby Dick, chapter 86 “The Tail”, 1851
Greetings Magical Friends!
We’re all excited here at the Las Vegas Magic and Mystery School! So many good things have been happening lately; let us tell you all about them! Did you hear the great news, Romany, the Diva of
Magic, recently spent some time in Las Vegas, doing some private sessions with Jeff, as she was preparing to enter the competition at the Magic Circle in England. After several hours of inspired time together, she went on to win first place in the competition, winning the Best Stage Magician prize. She is the first woman in history to claim this title from the Magic Circle, and we are absolutely thrilled for her success! Congratulations, Romany!!
To learn more about this “original, zany and theatrical magical artiste,” go to:
We had a great time in Orlando, Florida two weeks ago doing eight shows in two days for ten thousand people at Universal Studios for
their “Horror Comes Home” weekend. We were performing on the same stage where Animal Planet is filmed each week, and thoroughly enjoyed being there. We got to meet some of the animal actors, and had a lot of fun with the giant alligator in the lagoon onstage with us, too– watch out for those teeth!
We came home just in time to rehearse our magic for the String
Cheese Incident’s “Vegoose” concert, where we, along with
about ten of our magical friends, were onstage, doing our own versions of The Death and Resurrection Show, while the band accompanied us. Performing in the biggest arena in Las Vegas, for thousands of screaming fans was definitely a highlight of the weekend.
During the same weekend, we were excited to host the Magic and Meaning conference. We had George Parker and Robert Neale as our special guests, along with thirty participants from all over the world. Everyone had a great time, learning how to weave deeper meanings into their magical performances. Two noteworthy events during the weekend included the Witches and Wizard’s Masquerade Ball, and an all night, outdoor fire circle in the middle of the desert, called BoneDance. From start to finish, the weekend was a roaring success!
And now, we’re moving full steam ahead to open our full evening
show at the Edgewater Casino in Laughlin, Nevada this weekend! Jeff is happily editing the music for the show, and our new assistant, Jayson Morrison will be arriving tonight to work with us for the run. Also, coming up this weekend, Dr. Jay Ungar will be joining us for the Magic for Medical Professionals conference, happening here at the House of Mystery. We’re expecting a house-full of physician-magicians, and looking forward to being able to say, “Yes, there *are* doctors in the house!!”
In the meantime, stay healthy as it begins to get chilly, and we’ll hope to see you at one of our upcoming conferences or performances soon!
Magically yours,
Jeff & Abbi McBride