“How can I describe the kind of person who is on a path to mastery? First, I don’t think it should be so dead serious. I think you should understand the joy of it, the fun of it. Being willing to see just how far you can go is the selfsurpassing quality that we human beings are stuck with. Evolution is a whole long story of mastery. It’s being real. It’s being human. It’s being who we are.”
— George Leonard
Greetings friends…
Last week was filled with awards and record-breaking events here in Las Vegas. Our recent “Virtual Mystery School” on www.streetofcards.tv broke all on-air attendance records for the most people ever in the chat room during a live broadcast. If you missed it, and want to see the show, you can see the archival footage online.
The Magic School continues to grow and improve. At our last class we spent an evening with Gerry McCambridge at his fantastic show in the new upstairs venue at the V-Theater. Here is a recent photo of Jeff teaching at the Master Class, with Paul Harris watching from the front row. We really appreciate the support we get from all our magical friends here in Vegas. It’s wonderful to know how many of them really share our enthusiasm for bringing along the next generation of magicians and continuing to expand and improve our art!
I’ve always had a passion for Asian culture. Ever since I can remember, I have been infusing my magic with exotic influences from the East. I started studying judo when I was eight years old and now this passion has created a new seminar we offer to those who are looking for more than just tricks.
MAGIC & THE MARTIAL ARTS
What do magic and the martial arts have in common? 1) They both take commitment and discipline.
2) They both are paths to mastery, which take the student on an adventure of understanding and experience.
3) When combined, magic and martial arts create a dynamic fusion of physical excitement and visual wonder.
Las Vegas and the performing arts world are beginning to take notice of the magic and martial arts movement. Our school is on the cutting edge of this new trend.
In fact, our student, Leo Diaz, just won a major award at the World Martial Arts tournament. Many of you know Leo as the DJ from the WONDERGROUND. We are proud of him!
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: MASTER LEO DIAZ
News Flash, Las Vegas — Magician LEO DIAZ takes First Place at the World Martial Arts tournament 2009 ! Master Diaz is now the World Champion in Magic with Martial Arts due to his demonstration. Master Diaz is the first magic martial artist ever to win a first place trophy after performing his blend of Kung Fu and illusion.
Master Diaz participated in the Guinness Book of World Records Break-a-thon in May 2009. He began the ceremony by breaking the first board at the Martial Arts tournament that set a new world record of 70,000 broken boards, which took place at Palms Casino in Las Vegas.
If you want to learn more about magic and martial arts and how YOU can put more “punch” into your performance, join us September 22, 23, 24th for MAGIC AND THE MARTIAL ARTS. Visit the website to learn more, and to see the new video created by Sensei Strange!
Read more about Magic and the Martial Arts
LAS VEGAS…YOUR MAGIC SUMMER SCHOOL
After I return from a tour of China, I will dive into three great Las Vegas magic events. I will be teaching a Master Class with Eugene Burger at the MAGIC LIVE convention, which is SOLD OUT! The good news is that we have a few spaces left for our 7 day Master Class here at the School, August 19-25th. Call Abbi at 702-450-0021 to get more information and to reserve your spot, or  read more about the August Master Class online.
Here is a photo of Jeff giving a shuffling lesson, with Paul Harris and the film crew from True Astonishments.
We’ll look forward to seeing you at one of our upcoming classes, or at the World Championships of Magic in Beijing, China!
Your friend in magic,
Jeff
“There is a real magic in enthusiasm. It spells the difference between mediocrity and accomplishment.”
— Unknown author
Greetings magical friends…
We are enthusiastic about our new accomplishment!
VIRTUAL MYSTERY SCHOOL!
At our upcoming Master Class on June 30th from 8pm to 11pm (Pacific Time), we are experimenting with creating a “virtual magic school.” The VMS will be available for you to participate in!
Join Eugene Burger, Tobias Beckwith, Bryce Kuhlman, Abbi and me, as well as all the Magic School faculty for this new exploration into the world of magical education. Our virtual Mystery School will feature a cam chat room, so we can help you one on one and in small groups, learn some of the secrets that we share with our students here in Las Vegas. The internet is bringing people together around the world, and we are happy that we can open our School to those who cannot make the journey to Las Vegas at this time.
Tuesday June 30th at 8pm Las Vegas time
Go to your computer and log into www.streetofcards.tv.
For now, please visit our virtual home in cyber-space. This is an actual rendering of what our Magic & Mystery School looks like! It was crafted by a team of artists, and took over a year to prepare…. We are still working on it and are open to your thoughts and ideas.
http://www.mcbridemagic.net
See you on the evening of the 30th for this historic and fun event!
Jeff & the Magic And Mystery School faculty
Enjoy the super hot models!
From Tobias:
Thanks to Fantasma and all the New York magicians who made Jeff’s event there last week such a success! We’re working to get him back in your neighborhood again early next year.
We still have a few spots available for upcoming classes in July and August. Check out the schedule and sign up now — Las Vegas prices will only go up from here as we move forward out of the recession. Now is the time to take time and invest in your show and career, which prices are down and work is scarce. Be ready to take full advantage and gain market using what you learn to improve your show and market share as things start to come back.
Best to all,
Tobias
“A goal is a dream with a deadline.”
–Napoleon Hill
Greetings Magical Friends…
Think and Grow Rich is one of the classics of motivational literature. The above quote is one I often use when I am working on a project. For me, goal-setting is a way of life. We here at the Magic School help many people just like you to achieve their dreams. I get asked lots of questions about how I achieved success in my field. I offer this advice to our students, and to you, friends.
WHAT SHOULD I DO?
Many students of magic ask me this question. Sometimes, it’s what you shouldn’t do that can help you with your goals. What shouldn’t you do? At a certain point in your career, it’s time to stop purchasing magic effects, DVDs and books, and get serious about practice and rehearsal. There’s a right and a wrong way to practice and rehearse. Eugene reminds us that great magicians are created one effect at a time. Here are a few ideas on how to more effectively utilize your practice and rehearsal time.Â
Read Magic On Stage
WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?
Take the time to invest in yourself…. We’ll see you here at one of our upcoming classes.
SUMMER SCHOOL, LAST CALL!
We have four excellent courses this summer. If you want to upgrade your magic skills and business and marketing, you will want to join us.
Magic School Calendar of Events
FAMILY MATTERS…. MY BROTHER CLAY ON TV
I am very proud of my brother’s recent TV appearance!
My brother Clay Patrick McBride is the SUPER PHOTOGRAPHER on the episode that aired this week…check him out:
Clay McBride on Make Me a Supermodel
It’s a blast when the remaining four models pose with fire and explosions surrounding them. They then fire up the catwalk by wearing high-fashion tuxedos and gowns. Photographer Clay Patrick McBride makes an appearance. See Clay’s site and his great photos:
Clay Patrick McBride
I am off to NYC for the show and lecture, got to go pack again! Come join us at Fantasma!
Jeff McBride Lecture at Fantasma
Yours in the art of mystery,
Jeff
From Tobias
We wanted you all to be aware that this week Jeff is the featured special guest on The Magic Cafe. This means you can log in and ask him any magic related question you want, and get an answer within a couple of hours. Things are already heating up, so get your questions in early!Â
If you’re not already aware of The Magic Cafe, and you’re a magician, now may be your time to get involved. It’s probably the largest online community of magicians interacting and helping one another out 24 hours a day. There are special forums for almost any imaginable area of interest, whether its close-up, collecting, kids shows, business…whatever you can think of. It’s all free, but you must register to post questions or comments. Log in now at www.themagiccafe.com, and take a moment to say hello to Jeff!Â
Before I turn this over to Larry Hass, who information for you regarding this year’s Magic & Meaning Festival, I suppose I should remind you we still have a slot available for the June 24 – 30 extended Master Class. This will be the last class before the big summer conventions, so if you have an act you’re polishing up for competition, you may want to take this opportunity to get the masters’ direction! Sign up now at http://www.magicalwisdom.com/events.Â
Best wishes,
Tobias Beckwith
From Larry Hass
Â
2009 Magic and Meaning Conference
Greetings Friends!Â
You may know of me from my magic book Transformations: Creating Magic Out of Tricks. Or you may have read my column in MAGIC magazine. Or you may know of my scholarly program, the Theory and Art of Magic. Indeed, my primary goal in all these activities has been to create excellent materials and magic events for thinking magicians.Â
What you may not know is that in recent years I have partnered with Jeff to help create the programming for his annual Magic and Meaning Conference. And you also may not know that the Magic and Meaning Conference is really aconference. That is, it is a warm, professional gathering of people who are interested in learning from each other about the rich complexities, significance, and history of magic.
Indeed, along with Keynote Addresses from some leading voices in magic, the conference also features a large number of 20 minute presentations from people who are attending the conference and who have something to teach the community.
So let me invite you to consider attending this year’s Magic and Meaning Conference. It is being held in Las Vegas, October 21-24, 2009. I assure you, this is not a “private club,” and there is no “party line” to follow. All that is required is that you love magic and are open to learning about it from many different kinds of magicians. Not only will you think about magic in exciting, new ways, but you will see great magic and have a blast with new friends and world-leading magicians.Â
I also want to invite you to consider making a presentation to the Conference. Yes, anyone is welcome to submit a proposal for a 20 minute presentation. To submit a proposal, all you have to do is send me a 100-200 word description of your talk, including a title, the theme, and the main claims you would want to make. The address to send your proposal is:Â lhass@austincollege.edu. The deadline for submitting a proposal is August 1, 2009; shortly thereafter, Jeff and I will announce the presentations that have been accepted.Â
I hope you can be with us at the conference! To get a flavor for the presentations, you can view some of the presentations from 2008 which are available as “The PEP Talks of Magic” on Jeff’s website at:Â
http://www.magicalwisdom.com/infopages/view/mm_talks
With all good wishes,
Lawrence Hass