“The word ‘magic’ is out of fashion, though its spirit was never more widely diffused than at the present time. Thanks to the gradual debasement of the verbal currency, it suggests to the ordinary reader the production of optical illusions and other parlour tricks. It has dragged with it, in its fall, the terrific verb, to ‘conjure,’ which, forgetting that it once undertook to compel the spirits of men and angels, is now content to produce rabbits from top hats.”
— Evelyn Underhill, Mysticism
Greetings all,
Putting meaning back into magic is very important to me. So much so, that I put a great deal of energy into creating events that will, hopefully, elevate the art of magic. This month, I am proud to be hosting our Mystery School reunion, that we call The Magic and Meaning Conference.
Our special guests this year will include:
Internationally acclaimed modern mage and corporate alchemist George Parker, who will teach us how to infuse our magic with powerful metaphors that relate to the business and corporate world. George has an unusual ability to empower his audiences with his philosophy of life and magic.
Dr. Lawrence Hass, award-winning author who is currently writing a monthly “Theory and Art of Magic” column for MAGIC magazine. He is the author of a brand new book, Transformations, and will be presenting “Heidegger & The Experimental Roots of Magic.” It will be a thought-provoking and discussion generating talk.
From the UK, Jon Randall, editor of Pentacle magazine, the UK’s leading independent Pagan magazine — will be presenting FRAUD! An expose of fraudulent mediums and sham psychics.
Tobias Beckwith has just finished his new book, Beyond Deception, and will be presenting a workshop based on its extraordinary content.
Also, Father Daniel Rolland and many of the Mystery School alumni will be on hand. Of course, Eugene Burger, Dean of the Magic and Mystery School and author of Magic & Meaning, one of my favorite and most-recommended books, will be joining us.
To read more about Magic and Meaning, please go to:
http://www.magicalwisdom.com
Master Class for Mentalists
… is sold out, and there is a waiting list for next year. Thank you Tobias, Abbi, Eugene, and Ross Johnson for hosting yet another great magical adventure.
Other Events in Las Vegas
Our good friend Sheila Z, is an accomplished author, teacher and spiritual life coach. Sheila’s energy and angelic presence touches everyone around her. She is coordinating the Intentional Wellness Conference on October 20th. If you’re interested in creating opportunities for wellness and health in every area of your life, check out this link for more information:
http://www.intentional-wellness.com.
Coming Next Museletter:
Wolf-boy Jeff returns!!
Enjoy the Fall…
Jeff & Abbi
PS
For those of you that are interested in ritual fire magick, check out Fall Fest at vegasvortex.com in the events section, or take a look at this clip
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSjnq_ALNVY
AND A NOTE FROM TOBIAS:
First, let us make a correction: In a previous Museletter, we listed Michael Carbonaro as one of the magicians who helped us entertain audiences before the shows at Trump Marina in Atlantic City. While Michael is a good friend and terrific performer — he wasn’t there. It was MARK Carbonaro, who was in town for the master class that week. Thanks to Mark!
Further: I’m excited. My book Beyond Deception: The Theory and Technique of Creating Original Magic, is at the printers, and we’re putting it up on the web site this week for special “pre-orders.” I’ll be signing each copy that is pre-ordered with a personal note to each person who has ordered that way. Although all copies of the book bought through our site will be signed, only those pre-ordered will get the personalized signing. I expect to be shipping by December 1st. Many thanks to Jeff, Eugene, Bob Fitch and all the others who have helped me make this book the best it can be! We’ll include a short excerpt from the book in an upcoming Museletter.
Wishing you all a magical October!
Tobias
LATE BREAKING NEWS FROM TOBIAS:
JEFF MCBRIDE on TWO (COUNT ‘EM) TV SERIES THIS SEASON
We told you in our last letter about Jeff’s upcoming featured role on the new reality TV series for VH-1. We still can’t tell you much more about it, except that Jeff is at the Magic Castle right now, preparing with the team for the tapings, which will occur over the next 6 weeks or so. In the meantime, Jeff has just reminded us he’ll probably be the only magician this fall to be seen on not one, but two different series: the one now taping on VH-1, and with Criss Angel on Mindfreak on A&E.
MORE NEWS OF THE DAY: MAGIC & MEANING
News flash! From England, special guest Jon Randall, the editor of Pentacle Magazine, the UK’s leading independent pagan magazine, will present an expose of fraudulent mediums and sham psychics as a special addition to the Magic and Meaning Conference in Las Vegas, October 24-27.
Not only that, but I’ve just been added to the schedule doing a special lecture workshop on my own about to be released book, Beyond Deception, presenting techniques you can use to jumpstart your own creative process and create power original magic. The book itself won’t be available for purchase until 2-3 weeks after the conference, but I’ll have galley copies you can check out during Magic & Meaning.
And now, on to our regularly scheduled Museletter!
“For in and out, above, about, below, ‘Tis nothing but a Magic Shadow-show, Play’d in a Box whose Candle is the Sun, Round which we Phantom Figures come and go.”
— Omar Khayyam
Greetings Magical Friends,
THE MAGIC AND MEANING CONFERENCE Oct 24 – 27, 2007
Magicians and storytellers from all over the world are coming to what we think of as “The Mystery School Reunion,” also known as The Magic & Meaning Conference! Along with many shows, lectures, and works in progress this event will feature special guest presenters, performers and lecturers, including:
George Parker from the Netherlands. George is a fine motivational speaker and magician, who weaves inspiration and metaphor into his presentations. He is going to teach us some of the tools of his art.
Larry Hass, Professor of Philosophy at Muhlenberg College. Larry is an award-winning teacher of phenomenology, aesthetics, magic performance, and magic theory. He is also the Founding Director of the Theory and Art of Magic program—an ongoing educational symposium that brings the world’s greatest magicians to the campus to perform, lecture, and teach about their amazing art.
WITCHES AND WIZARDS, OH MY!!!
Also at the Magic and Meaning conference: attendees will celebrate the season with the LAS VEGAS WITCHES AND WIZARDS BALL with live DJ Sylvia Brallier, special performances and an outrageous midnight seance by master storyteller Eugene Burger. Creative costumes welcomed and encouraged, but not required.
For more info, go to http://vegasvortex.com/pages/FallFest
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
Our friend and magic student Tom Mesoroll has just published a very fine book: Magus, Master of Martial Magic, Book 1. A recent reviewer wrote that “It has the potential to be thought provoking rather than just entertaining, and the science behind it may be more realistic than one realizes. It is a very interesting blend of Magic, Martial Arts, and Quantum Physics. That in itself makes for a most unusual concept, and Tom, being involved with and quite knowledgeable about all three topics, pulls them together in a very entertaining manner. With many references to Magic, such as The Castle, and actual practitioners like Eugene Burger, Jeff McBride, and others, and then delving into some rather esoteric theories of Physics, this book is much more than a simple novel.”
And, of course, the great Eugene Burger:
“A fabulous tale incorporating Magic, Martial arts and Eastern Philosophy. I loved it! Tom Meseroll has managed to meld the many forms and philosphies of magic into a marvelous tale of good and evil. I can’t wait for the sequel!!”
Tom is offering to sell you a signed and numbered limited edition copy via his web page: http://www.martialmagician.com
MCBRIDE ON MINDFREAK!
In case you missed Jeff on Criss Angel’s MINDFREAK, doing a very special fire initiation with Criss, you can see it here:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=B9xq52x4Sh0
Special thanks to Jordan Wright for editing this together!
We’ll look forward to seeing you in Las Vegas at one of our upcoming events or classes.
Your friends in magic,
Jeff & Abbi McBride
“There is a real magic in enthusiasm. It spells the difference between mediocrity and accomplishment.â€
— Norman Vincent Peale, The Power of Positive Thinking
SHHH! JEFF IS ABOUT TO BEGIN TAPING A NEW SERIES WITH VH1. IT’S ALL VERY HUSH HUSH – BUT WE’LL FILL YOU IN ON THE DETAILS JUST AS SOON AS WE CAN!
Greetings Friends,
I wish I could tell you all about it – but for the moment suffice it to say I’m very excited to be working with the folks at VH1 on what promises to be a very exciting project.
BACK FROM THE EDGE
It’s strange to think that I’ve been performing for Donald Trump for almost twenty years. I started at “the Donald’s†birthday party bash in 1988. I was the opening act with co-stars Liza Minnelli and Billy Crystal. Now, almost twenty years later, I am the headliner and Liza is appearing next door at Trump Plaza…. Feels like we’ve made it to the top!
All of us here at McBride Magic have continued our
magical relationship with the Trump organization and it was a pleasure to be the featured headliner this summer. Here is a photo of our magic company, including Abbi and Jordan Wright, in front of our gigantic billboard, on the way into town.
What I learned on my summer vacation; give your audience more than they expect! The biggest improvement in our show this season was adding one extra hour of pre-show street magic and improvisation before the show. Our audiences, made up of old and new friends, were able to share more magical time with our cast, not only before the show, but after the show as well. Abbi, Jordan, and I were blessed to have many of our Magic and Mystery School students join in the pre-show festivities. Hats off to: Chad Juros, RJ Lewis, Michael Carbonaro, Michael Trixx, Mike Hankins, Russ Clark, Benjamin Corey, and many others, for helping to make the show wonderful!
Magic at the Edge also hosted a post-show friends and fans
party in the lobby outside the theater after each show. Not only did this give us an opportunity to meet and greet and spend more time with our friends, we also utilized the pre- and post-show parties to work in new material that will be featured in next season’s shows.
Love and magic have a great deal in common. They enrich the soul, delight the heart. And they both take practice.
— Nora Roberts
BACK TO SCHOOL
I learned a lot of new lessons about interactive street magic and walk around mentalism this summer… knowledge and wisdom that I will share with you at our next class! You can learn a lot about your potential audience participants by just meeting and greeting them before the show, seeing if they make and hold eye contact, and how energetically or softly they shake your hand. With younger audience members, seven to teen, I ask them “Are you a big magic fan?†If their eyes light up, and they energetically shake their head yes, they are more likely to find their way on stage. I also, in casino environments, pay very close attention to the kind of beverages that are in front of people who I am considering for selection. I never select audience participants or “volunteers†without meeting them and engaging them in conversation before the show. I suggest, if you are doing a stage show, to take the time, pre-show, to meet and greet your audience participants. I feel that this is one of the most important lessons I can share with you.
Abbi and I will be working out of our home base here at the Magic and Mystery School for September and October. If you’re going to be in town, check the www.magicalwisdom.com site and book your private session, or scheduled Master Class. We’ll look forward to seeing you soon!
Your friends in magic,
Jeff & Abbi
QUICK NOTE FROM TOBIAS:
As luck would have it, we still have 2 slots left for the September Master class. This is the last non-themed class of the year. It’s the perfect time to tune up your act for the holidays, and to spend some time thinking and learning about the best ways to promote those holiday season shows. Be there!
Tobias Beckwith
tobias@yourmagic.com
“Logic only gives man what he needs. Magic gives him what he wants.” – Tom Robbins, Another Roadside Attraction
Greetings magical friends!
Tobias here, just home from a chocked-full week of rehearsals, press events and fun in Atlantic City! Jeff, Abbi and Jordan Wright opened Jeff Mcbride – Magic at the Edge at the Trump Marina this week, to overwhelming success. For my money, this is Jeff’s riskiest show in some time, with lots of new pieces. Perhaps the most noted of them is his “Time and
Memory,†in which he tears up this week’s copy of TIME Magazine and tosses the page out to random audience members. Asking them to shout out their page numbers, Jeff proceeds to tell them exactly what’s on the page they are holding, in great detail. He goes through a half dozen pages during the show, then challenges those holding all the other pages to meet him in the lobby after the show, and challenge him with the remaining pages then. The truly amazing thing about this is that it’s not a trick – Jeff really does memorize the whole magazine! It makes great theater.
Reviews in Atlantic City have been glowing. I think my favorite so far is Chuck Darrow’s review for the Courier
Post and Daily Record newspapers.
A brief clip from the review:
“With the exception of a weekend gig at Trump Plaza a couple of years ago, master illusionist Jeff McBride has not spent any time in Atlantic City since 2001. Suffice it to say, it’s we fans of the veteran wizard who have gotten the crummy end of that deal.
That’s because McBride… has always been among the very best magicians who have earned Atlantic City gaming hall paychecks.
As “Magic at the Edge” clearly illustrates, McBride’s brilliance remains intact. Foremost among his considerable talents is his ability to be cerebral and arty, yet totally accessible to audience members of all ages.â€
This week, Eugene Burger and a dozen students from around the world are joining the company for a special edition of the McBride Magic & Msytery School extended Master Class. The press coverage has been great fun, — they’ve dubbed the class “Hogwarts by the Bay,” with even a TV crew turning out to cover it as a special feature!
You can read a great South Jersey Courier Post article by clicking here.
By the way: We do have a few slots left for September’s 3-day Master Class in Las Vegas. This will be our last “regular†Master Class of 2007, and if you’re looking to tune up your magic before those holiday season parties, this is a great opportunity. I’d advise registering early by clicking here and then clicking on “Register Online†and getting that space reserved!
We have other news, as well.
After several months, we finally have the Enigma – Jeff McBride, a Magickal
Life available in our online catalog, each copy signed by Jeff. The price is $30, and we currently have only a limited supply. While we’ve recently had to raise our price for the popular Kundalini Rising to $18, we now have refill kits available for the first time for those who previously bought the effect. The refills don’t contain any instructions, and will go for $10 each. We have also begun selling the McGrip Tip card spinning gimmick as a replacement for those of you who may have lost the one that comes with Jeff’s Zoom, Bounce & Fly video. At present the McGrip Tip comes in a small plastic bag, but we’re working on having it available as a boxed item with some special tips not contained on the DVD included within the next 6 weeks. Explore all this and much more by going to http://shop.yourmagic.com.
Back here in Vegas, I’ll be running the stage shows next week at Magic Live! For those of you planning to be there, you’re in for a treat. If you haven’t already made plans, you’re out of luck, as the convention has been sold out for several months now. Stan likes to keep as many of the details of the convention a secret right up until the last minute, so I can’t even tell you who is on the bill – but I can tell you 
it looks like a great show! If you’re visiting and you see me at the convention, please stop me when you see me and say hello.
One last tip: Did you know you can receive this newsletter as an RSS feed? It’s fun, and you can use it to go back and catch up on issues you may have discarded.
Just go to:
http://mcbridemagic.com/rss/
Have a great week!
Oh… and mark September 21 on your calendar.
Best wishes.
Tobias Beckwith