Posted on Feb 14, 2011

Remember…. Monday is a School Night!

Genius is childhood recalled at will.
– Charles Baudelaire

Greetings All,
Bryce KuhlmanOur guest columnist this week is Bryce Kuhlman. Bryce is a longtime friend and magician who advises us on many matters and maintains our various web sites. He is also the creator of MyLovelyAssistant.com, the internet’s best resource for researching magic products. I know you will enjoy his insights below.
It’s the Same Every Time:
Master Class Observations
I have an interesting position at the Magic & Mystery School. I’m technically faculty, but I have asked not to be paid (other than a small travel stipend which I usually spend on dinners with the gang). In addition to all of the web and technical work, I donate about six weeks of my time every year to teach at the Extended Master Classes.
Why, you may ask, would I do this? Those of you with two or three weeks of vacation a year probably think I’m completely out of my mind!
I do it because I have never found a better source of support and inspiration. If you could spend this much time with Jeff and Eugene, the rest of the faculty, and all of the amazing students, wouldn’t you do it? As it turns out, the reason I can spend this much time is due, in large part, to these same people. They’re the ones that have constantly inspired, motivated and supported me over the two decades that I’ve known them.
(Note: The above is an excerpt from a longer piece now available in the Secret Art Journal [Read More])

Monday is a School Night!

The excitement continues around our latest creation, which we believe to be the first live global interactive Web TV show: McBride’s Mystery School Monday.

McBride's Mystery School Monday

Mystery School Monday airs every Monday at 7pm Pacific Time, live from Las Vegas and around the world. Live magic, reviews, celebrity interviews & news reports from around the world, and now we’ve added special guest reporters from around the world.
Now you can participate in our show.   Just think of a question for Jeff or one of our other regulars, record yourself on video asking the question, post it on YouTube, and e-mail the link to jeff@mcbridemagic.com. The questions must be under 30 seconds long.
Here is sample question: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h76aKRURcoQ
Each week we will choose several of these to show and answer live on the air.
In other news regarding the Mystery School Mondays, please note you can see previously archived episodes at www.mcbridemagic.tv
Wonderground News
This Thursday night is the February Wonderground. Hard to believe we’ve been at it for over a year now! Did you know you can learn the latest news about The Wonderground, including who will be appearing this week, just by going to www.vegaswonderground.com and clicking the latest news link at the right of the page? Check it out.
Magically yours,
Jeff McBride
From Tobias:
Before the next Museletter comes out, Jeff and Eugene will already have completed this year’s version of Lance Burton’s Teen Weekend as a precursor to The World Magic Seminar. We’ve heard that both Juan Tamariz and Criss Angel will be doing special things at the convention, which promises to break new ground on a number of fronts. If you go, be sure and drop into Jeff’s room, say hello, and jam some magic!
I should also point out that there are still some spaces available both at Jeff’s Focus on Masks and Magic and the Extended “Alternative Spring Break” Master Class in Las Vegas. Classes later in the year tend to fill early – so if you really want to take the next step towards lifting your magic to the next level, one of these two classes may be your best bet for this year.
Wishing you all a magical month.
Tobias Beckwith
Read More
Posted on Feb 3, 2011

Late Winter Inspiration

“A professional is a person who can do his best at a time when he doesn’t particularly feel like it.” —Alistair Cooke

Greetings friends,
Alistair Cooke conveys a deep part of my philosophy about being a magician 24/7.  A real magician is ready and able to perform magic at any time, with absolutely no preparation.  At our upcoming Master Classes, I will teach you the three effects you need to know to do magic anytime, anywhere. For a bit more of the “Magician 24/7” philosophy, you can get a taste of it here:
See You in Texas
Eugene Burger, Larry Hass and I have a week of events for you to choose from at this year’s “Theory and Art of Magic Conference” in Sherman, TX.
Masks and Magic
It is my pleasure to share some of my inner secrets to a select few who join us in March to study “The Way of the Mask.”  We have a special guest teacher, Enrico Pezzoli, who is coming from Italy, and is a master of commedia dell’arte.  This workshop will be limited to ten participants.
Jeff McBride
Lightning Transformations: The Secret Art of Quick Change
Join world-famous expert on the art of Quick Change, Lee Alex and me for two days of immersive study in this fascinating art.
Jeff McBride, Dirk Losander and Eugene Burger
Alternative Spring Break – Extended Class
March 6-11th, 2011.
If you want to take your magic to a higher level of excellence, we have a fantastic new opportunity for you. Treat yourself to the ultimate spring break experience, even if it has been decades since you were in college:
…remember, Monday is a school night!  Join us for
McBride’s MysterySchool Monday
This Monday at 7pm, Pacific time.
LIVE magic, reviews, celebrity interviews & news reports from around the world with Jeff McBride and the Mystery School faculty  www.mcbridemagic.tv
As you know, we love to feature a few words from our alumni, faculty and friends from time to time.  This month’s special guest writer is film-maker Jordan Wright.  Jordan records some of the videos for the Magic and Mystery School. You can see many of our magic lessons here:
And now, Jordan Wright:
Jordan Wright
Magic That Moves
There is a new trend sweeping us out of our living rooms, away from our televisions and onto our computers – it is the Internet. Over the past several months, news reports have highlighted the shifting of social media into daily life. In fact, people are spending more time on YouTube than watching TV. Most of us accept that an online presence is necessary and more or less standard for every business, but I believe social media is really where we need to connect and interact in order to be perceived as relevant in today’s markets. While many seem to still feel a strong desire to go after the television market, appearing on whatever new reality show they can in hopes of getting their 3 minutes of air-time, I believe now is the time to begin placing more focus on building a presence through social media. Posting video on Facebook and YouTube, for example, will allow you to reach more people worldwide than you will on a single television appearance.
Many performers and artists still have reservations about what they put out for public viewing, and rightly so. While I do not think it wise to put your “bread and butter” money-making material on YouTube, you might consider posting something simple along the lines of a “behind the scenes” video from a recent tour or a short clip from a recent performance. Posting video blogs is another great way to build a direct relationship with people interested in your work.
Having a good viral video that you post will serve as a look into your world, allowing an international audience to experience what you do before they are able to experience it live. Your most significant cost is time and labor. A direct return on investment cannot always be realized — but, again, this is about building relationships and influencing markets. Regardless of what you are trying to sell (your show, a new product, etc.) it has become clear that the place to do it is through social media on the Internet.
To that end, I have been hard at work creating new videos this month. View our new Wonderground promo video here (http://www.vegaswonderground.com). We are also constantly adding new teaching videos to the VirtualMagicSchool.  (http://virtual.magicalwisdom.com) Watch Jeff McBride’s new Essential Card Manipulation teaching video and his torn and restored bill effect “Money!” Other new releases include two new effects by Lawrence Hass “The Impossible Prediction” and “The Tale of the Rabbi Magician”.
A brief note from Tobias:
I can’t quite believe it, but Jeff has agreed to teach the secrets of “Magic & Masks” at the upcoming Focus Session on March 2-3. He is joined by another mask master, Enrico Pezzoli. If you’ve ever wanted to learn about masks in magic from the man whose name is synonymous with the subject – this is your chance! Sign up now – I doubt we’ll offer this again. Limited to only 10 students.
Best wishes.
Sincerely,
Tobias Beckwith
Read More
Posted on Jan 17, 2011

Media Muse

“Progress is made by lazy men looking for easier ways to do things”

— Robert A. Heinlein

Dear Friends:

We have a brand new way for you to make progress – from the comfort of your own desk.

Mystery School Mondays – on Murphy’s Magic Community

You can be part of the first episode of our new interactive magic fun night!

Monday, Jan 17th, 2011

7pm Pacific time

Live from Las Vegas; Chicago; Phoenix; Sherman, Texas; and San Francisco!

Join us in experiencing a new way to share magic, and good times, with friends from all over the world.

Monday night we try something new and different for you, and it is completely free!

McBride’s Mystery Monday (MMM) will be hosted by the faculty of our school.   Jeff, Eugene, Larry, Jordan, Bryce, Tobias and Master Diaz will all be coming to you LIVE online.

All you have to do is go to http://murphysmagiccommunity.com/, the new and rapidly growing site sponsored by Murphy’s, and sign up for a free account. Then go to the groups area and sign up for our “Mystery School Monday’s” group.  This will take you to our online studio where, for now, you can watch some select Jeff McBride videos…but on Monday night at 7pm, you can chat with all of us!  This is a new experiment for us. Help us build a great show by just showing up!

All of us will be offering segments on diverse areas of magical arts, new works, books, film, video reviews and all of this with a focus on YOU our home viewers! Yes we have a chat feature that allows YOU to talk with us and we will be taking questions and doing our very best to make this a great night of magical wisdom.

We encourage you to prepare a question or two for us to answer. You will have the opportunity to log in and talk with us via a chat feature on the website. The best part is that it is all free, complements of your friends here at the Magic and Mystery School and Murphy’s Magic!

On a related note:

WWW.MCBRIDEMAGIC.TV hits the air!

WATCH JEFF MCBRIDE’S NEW TV CHANNEL!

My internet ‘Livestream TV’ has lots of fun videos for you to watch, and we will also be using it to broadcast live on January 17th, starting at 7pm pacific time, sponsored by Murphy’s Magic Community.  We hope you will join us for an evening of magical inspiration and wisdom from the faculty of the Magic and Mystery School. The Murphy’s event is slated to continue one Monday each month for the next six months…and will be just one of the regular events offered on www.mcbridemagic.tv.

Still more on the video front:

NEW WONDERGROUND VIDEO

Mystery School filmmaker Jordan Wright’s latest short about our favorite Las Vegas nightspot…watch it and tell us what you think!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HdYc93XtK4

Have a look, and let us know what you think!

Austin College hosts a night of ‘Magic, the Secret Art’

Magic comes to Sherman this winter as some of the world’s most famous and influential magicians appear at Austin College in “Magic: The Secret Art” at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 10 in Ida Green Theatre of Ida Green Communication Center. This Las Vegas-style show starring internationally acclaimed magicians Jeff McBride and Eugene Burger, along with Austin College professor Lawrence Hass, is suitable for all ages.

Tickets are $10 each for the general public and available from Carolyn Cranford from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Friday by phone at 903-813-2281 and in person in Room 103 of Ida Green Communication Center. For more information, contact her at ccranford@austincollege.edu.

The performance is part of the Austin College Theory and Art of Magic series, which Hass coordinates through the Department of Communication Studies.

A special evening for those interested in a more close-up look at the art of magic will be offered through “Love and Magic” at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 11 at the Park City Club in Dallas. This unique fundraising event combines a Valentine’s Day banquet, magic by acclaimed magicians Jeff McBride, Eugene Burger, and Lawrence Hass and scholarship support for fine arts students at Austin College.

BURNING MAN, ART, RITUAL, MAGIC AND ALCHEMY!

Listen to a fun new Jeff McBride interview with techno-mage Erik Davis. Just click here:

http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/expanding-mind/2010/12/28/expanding-mind-122310.html

WORLD TOUR NEWS

Tobias called and said that I will be going to Japan on tour in late March and April. Tobias is working hard on arranging all the details…more news on the world tour next month! We are also going to join the It’s Magic tour for the Easter weekend engagement at the Mohegan Sun in Connecticut. Looking forward to seeing all my New England friends and fans there!

See you online or at one of our shows in Las Vegas!

Jeff

Read More
Posted on Jan 12, 2011

A New Year

Greetings my friends

“Don’t part with your illusions. When they are gone, you may still exist, but you have ceased to live.”

— Mark Twain

Jordan Wright, Jeff McBride and Alan Wong in Hong Kong

Greetings my friends,

I am just back from Hong Kong, where I had the great pleasure of sharing time with Master Magician Albert Tam. Our Mystery School presented Mr. Tam with a certificate of recognition for his accomplishments in magic, and the launch of his new Albert Tam Magic Dojo. Many of the Hong Kong magicians said they will tune in on January 17th for our new internet TV show. Read all about it just below the banner:

WATCH JEFF MCBRIDE’S NEW TV SHOW!

My internet ‘Livestream TV’ has lots of fun videos for you to watch, and we will also broadcast live on January 17th, starting at 7pm pacific time, sponsored by Murphy’s Magic Community. We hope you will join us for an evening of magical inspiration and wisdom from the faculty of the Magic and Mystery School.

MYSTERY SCHOOL MONDAY

We encourage you to prepare a question or two for us to answer. You will have the opportunity to log in and talk with us via a chat feature on the website. The best part is that it’s all free, complements of your friends here at the Magic and Mystery School and Murphy’s Magic! http://www.mcbridemagic.tv

IS THIS THE YEAR YOU UPGRADE YOUR LIFE?!

We’ve just listed new classes for 2011. There are only fifteen spaces open in each class, so if you want to study with us this year, the time to register is now! There is still time to register for the Master Class that runs from January 28-30th. With the CES conventioneers gone, Vegas prices are at their lowest ever right now.

http://www.magicalwisdom.com/

WONDERGROUND

Wow! It’s hard to believe that it’s been over one year of performances for WONDERGROUND at its new home, The Olive. You can join us at the most happening magic party in Las Vegas, on Thursday, January 20th, starting at 8pm sharp. This will be an all-new show, with many special guests. Read the details at www.vegaswonderground.com.

And remember, you can also watch from home at http://www.streetofcards.tv

THE MCBRIDE MAGIC EXPERIENCE IN SEATTLE

Jan 14, 15 http://tinyurl.com/mcb-seattle

One of the great pleasures of teaching magic is to forge lasting relationships with students who become very good friends. I have the pleasure of traveling the world and being hosted in interesting cities by dear friends.

This month, my friend Fredrick Turner will host my “MCB-EXPO” in Seattle. Fredrick performs “Magic Before Your Eyes.” With his unique blend of magic, Yoga, and humor, he evokes feelings of wonder and connection with his audiences. He has been performing magic for over thirty years.

Fredrick produces and performs at Seattle’s longest running magic showcase, Magic Monday. He uses his magical talents to design and deliver learning experiences across the US and Canada.  He is the co-author of the recently published, One Jinxed Year.

A lifetime student himself, he frequently presents, performs and studies right here at Magic and Mystery School in Las Vegas. He received training in mime at Le Centre du Silence and has performed extensively in theatre and stand-up comedy. These wide and varied experiences have enabled Fredrick to continually grow in his appreciation and understanding of the Art of Magic.

WORLD MAGIC SEMINAR

Join Eugene Burger and me for the must-see event of the year! Look at this amazing line-up!

http://www.theworldmagicseminar.com/

Juan Tamariz will headline the WMS this year, and is not to be missed. Lance Burton will host the Teen Magic Seminar, which is featured in the new movie Make Believe. For details about the Teen Magic Seminar, go to:

http://www.theworldmagicseminar.com/teenweekend.html

Mini-Mystery… I really do not understand why this magic effect is so popular. Do you?

Looking back over the last year, I noticed that the most popular item in my magic catalogue was the “ Ritual of Liberation.” Look what people have to say:

Ritual of Liberation

See you on the road, or at a show here in Las Vegas!

Jeff

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