Our whole team joins me in wishing you all a very Happy New Year!
I’m writing today particularly because we have two classes coming up in January for which we still have spaces left – an unusual situation this close to the start of classes.
The first is our first ever “Master Class for Balloon Workers,” dedicated particularly to helping those who do magic with balloons to create stronger presentations for their work, learn some new tricks and techniques, and to learn ways they can enhance their business and marketing skills. We’re expecting Guinness World Record holder John Cassidy as our special guest, and planning a week filled with fun and lots of learning. The dates are January 18-20, and registrtions need to be complete within the next 5 days.
(The photo is of Jeff signing autographs after one of his three shows on Christmas Day in Taipei)
Immediately following the special Balloon Workers class, we’ll have our first Extended Master Class of the New Year, from January 21 – 26. There won’t be another extended class til the summer, and there is actually still some question about the ones in July and August, as we’ve had some recent requests from casinos for an extended run during July and August.
That’s really all for now – just wanted to let you all know we DO have some spaces in these two classes still available, and that the time to register is NOW!
Have a happy and safe New Year!
Sincerely,
Tobias Beckwith
Manager to Jeff McBride
Hello Magical Friends!
Jeff and I have been enjoying being at home these past few weeks. I’ve heard it said that things speed up as they fall down. This Fall, as Visionaries in presenting Fall Fest, a special weekend of magic, music, movement, and mystery…. Exciting events included our sixth annual BoneDance, a dusk til dawn Alchemical Fire Circle, one hour away from the city lights of Las Vegas, under the vast desert starlit skies, and the Witches and Wizard’s Costume Ball. To see more photos, click here and look in the photo gallery.
We immediately went into our Magic for Medical Professionals conference here at McBride’s House of Mystery. Fifteen doctors and medical professionals from many fields joined Jeff, Eugene and Dr. Lee Grotte, for a weekend exploring the connections between magic, medicine and healing.
While the conference was going on, we were joined by Daniel Zuckerbrot and his team. They were here for a week, making a documentary about Jeff and McBride’s Magic and Mystery School for a new television series called ENIGMA. 
It was a challenging and creative week. Jeff and I were filming all day, in addition to hosting the seminar, and Jeff was performing on the Las Vegas strip at night. This unique television event will chronicle the many diverse aspects that fill our lives, like drumming, dancing, teaching, performing as well as an inside look at our life at home.
This past weekend, Eugene and Jeff (and the crew) were engaged in a Master Class, and Jeff was also performing at the World’s Greatest Magic show. The show is playing at the Greek Isles Casino, and has been running for two years. It has more high quality, “A List” magicians than any other show in Las Vegas’ history. Jeff and Eugene hosted the Master Class students at the WGM show. The students were treated to meeting the stars of the show, and a special “after-party” was held on the Las Vegas strip, where Abbi and Jeff filmed special “street magic” segments for the upcoming ENIGMA project. Next Spring, when his tour schedule permits, Jeff will be returning to the WGM show. You can always check our World Tour Schedule to see where we’ll be.
Coming up next, we’ll be at the Magic Castle in West Hollywood, CA for the week of November 20-27th. Then, we’re heading out to sea with Holland America, to perform on board, en route to Oahu, Hawaii, and then on to Taiwan, Spain, and Mexico. We’ll have more stories to share soon….
Until then, as Fall turns toward Winter, may magic keep you warm!
Abbi & Jeff
“Magick is most vivid (strongest) when practiced on the edge, on the boundry of reason and paradox, in those places where the known leads into the unknown and unknowable.”
— from The Principles of High Magick
by Forrest Glen Landry
See the magic through our eyes, and let me tell you of our most recent adventures….
This last trip to Europe was pretty spectacular. I
slept most of the way from Las Vegas to Newark, NJ, which is no surprise, given that we had to be at the airport by 8 am, and you know “magician” and “morning person” are antonyms. My secret? Earplugs and a scarf over my eyes– dark and quiet, sweet dreams, no matter where. In terms of travel, I’ve gotten to the point where I can catnap just about anywhere. Once we got to Newark, we realized we had a twelve, (count ’em, twelve), hour layover. In the airport. In New Jersey. So, we had a little lunch, and found a quiet lounge where we could check email, drink tea, and snooze… and then we were on our way to Nice, France. They pronounce it “Neese,” which was news to me. I have to admit, my French is really not very good at all, even though I studied it for a year in high school. My guesses about vocabulary pronunciation in French, in my attempts to read signs or menus out loud, were pretty amusing to the locals. For instance, I often share a bit of magic where I ask my participant to make a wish, which, in French is “fait une veux.”
If, however, you say “fait une vaux” you are asking them to make a cow….
We were met at the airport by Mssrs. Jerome Trouslard and Eric Roumestan, and driven through rolling, green, mountainous countryside, through a couple of tunnels into Monte Carlo. We had arrived in the province of Monaco, on the Southeast tip of France. It’s politically separate from the rest of France, being a Principality, and is ruled by Prince Albert, who, as it turns out, happens to love magic. He also likes car racing, which explains the annual automobile race “The Grand Prix.” That race runs through the extremely winding, narrow streets, up and down the face of the mountain, all the way down to the beach of the Ligurian Sea. Mostly millionaires live there, because, (unless one is a citizen of France or of the US), one doesn’t have to pay taxes there. Most of the cars we saw driven around the area were either BMWs, Bentley’s or Benzes….
Each day, on our way to the Princess Grace Theater, Jeff and I would
stop and look at all the yachts in the harbor. The biggest one there used to belong to Mr. Onassis. Last year, his claim to “biggest boat in the bay,” was usurped by a Sheik from Saudi Arabia. Well, that’s what Rodger Moore told us on the balcony of the Prime Minister’s place, during that champagne reception. Who would have known that James Bond’s real life dad was an amateur magician known as “The Hazy Wizard,” and that 007 had a few tricks of his own to share….
When the Grand Prix of Magic was started, it was a competition, with special prizes awarded by the previous prince, Rainier. It was a very high-end contest, like the Olympics of Magic. As the years went on, instead of a competition, the Grand Prix became more of a celebration with a full week of shows, sponsored, in large part, by the Royal Family.
Yes, we all stand up when the Prince or Princess enters the room, and we don’t sit until they do. If we’re all at dinner together, no one eats until the Royal one begins. Yes, if you speak to them, you really say “Your Majesty.” Royal etiquette, you know.
For one week, marking the 20th anniversary, many of the winners from
past years competitions were invited to return. We
were happy to be in the show, along with Mirko from Argentina, Norbert Ferre from France, Vic and Fabrini, from Brazil, who do a wonderful act involving a mechanical man and magic. Also on the bill was Tommy Wonder, from Holland, performing his classical magic with cups, balls and class. Rein Weindong, from China offered his clock act. Otto Wesley and Christa, from Austria were hysterically funny and a little out of control, both onstage and off, and delightfully entertaining to be around. Voronin brought his brilliant “Count” to do several different segments in the show. Topas, from Germany, presented his toy act, and illusions were performed by Dani Lary and also by Paul and Ajna Philippart. The Tarmac Co. did a great job as the MCs of the show with their combination of comedy and magic.
After the last reception was over, and the last show completed, we took a short nap, and were on our way to Belgium.
We flew from Nice, up to Brussels, Belgium, where Rafael picked us up. (http://www.magic-Rafael.com) The flight was only about an hour and a half, Brussels is just east of the northern tip of France. We arrived in Leuven a short while later and checked into the Ibis hotel, right in the center of town.
Magical Greetings for October!
Hi, this is Tobias again. Jeff and Abbi are just winding up their European Tour, and will be home this week to prepare for some exciting events here at home in Las Vegas. More about these in just a moment.
First I wanted to share this photo of Jeff and Abbi “Bonding” with 
Roger Moore in Monte Carlo. They performed there at the 20th anniversary of the Monte Carlo Festival of Magic, along with some 20 other top acts who have appeared there. One of the highlights was a command performance for Prince Albert, after which the Prince requested that Jeff show him some close-up magic, of which he is a big fan. Monte Carlo is always a fun and rewarding experience for Jeff. This was his fourth time there, and every time he seems to bring home another award! I’m not even certain what this one was for, but a very large box arrived here from Monte Carlo just a few days ago.
From Monte Carlo, the McBride’s traveled on to Belgium, to appear
with Jeff’s student and friend Rafael (recent winner of the Golden Lion at the World Magic Seminar). Rafael was celebrating his own 20th anniversary in magic, and hosted a fabulous show in which Jeff starred along with Avner the Eccentric, Rafael himself, Hans Klok and Michael Goudeau. Following the shows in Belgium, Jeff, Abbi and Rafael headed to Strasbourg, France for a 3 day Master Class AND the French National Convention, at which Jeff delivered two lectures and performed on the gala show, for which he received a double standing ovation. I’ll let Jeff and Abbi fill in the details of their experience in France themselves when they do their next Muse letter in about 10 days time.
For now, I wanted to let you know of several events here in Las Vegas we’ll all be involved in over the coming weeks:
Next weekend is our annual “Fall Fest,” with a “Witches and Wizards Ball” being held at Studio Open on Friday evening, and “Bone Dance” in the desert on the following evening. A fabulous time for all, and you can learn more by visiting www.vegasvortex.com.
The following weekend we’ll be hosting our first ever “Magic for Medical Professionals,” with Jeff, Eugene and special guest Dr. Lee Grotte. The event is nearly sold out, and promises to be a most fascinating exploration of just how magic and medicine have been and continue to be intertwined in many ways. From exploring ways of using magic and performing techniques to improve practitioners’ relationships with their patients to learning of the historical relationship of the medical and magical arts, the weekend should be a fascinating one. We do still have two slots available for the class, so if you’re interested, please go to http://www.magicalwisdom.com/details.php?id=336, read more, and sign up!
You’ll be hearing more from us over the coming weeks. I’m dying to read Abbi’s write-up on the whole European trip, and I’d watch here for more pictures, as well.
Til then, we wish you all the best in magic.
Sincerely,
Tobias Beckwith