- Magicana
-
Magicana 
Name Magicana Formed May 2000 Location(s) Toronto Artistic director(s) David Ben Website Magicana Genre(s) Magic, performing art Magicana is a Canadian federally incorporated not-for-profit arts organization dedicated to the study, exploration and advancement of magic as a performing art. Magicana is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors. Julie Eng serves as Magicana’s Executive Director and David Ben as its Artistic Director.
Contents
History
Magicana was founded in May 2000 by magician David Ben, Canadian broadcasting icon Patrick Watson, and documentary filmmaker Daniel Zuckerbrot. Magicana is funded by donations from private foundations and individuals; and from the sales of tickets and publications on a cost recovery basis.
Magicana received official status[1] as a registered charitable organization [2] in 2006.[3]
Objectives
The purpose of Magicana as stated in its Articles of Incorporation is:
- (a) to educate and increase the public’s understanding and appreciation of the art of magic by providing performances of an artistic nature in public venues;
- (b) to provide instructional seminars on topics related to the art of magic;
- (c) to stage and produce exhibitions for the purpose of educating and advancing the public’s appreciation of the art of magic; and
- (d) to educate artists through participation in such performances and exhibitions and related workshops.
Board of Directors
Chairman Emeritus: Patrick Watson
Chairman: Tim Jackson
Board of Directors:
- Michael Gillis
- Craig MacPherson
- Michael McLaughlin
- Bob Weeks
- Elizabeth Wilson
Productions
Magicana has produced a number of theatrical public performances on magic including:
- The Conjuror’s Suite (2000) - The play - an exploration of parlor magic inspired by the work of Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin, Johann Nepomuk Hofzinser and Max Malini - was originally mounted in 1999 at the Garfield Weston Exhibition Hall of the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto. The show was remounted at the Confederation Centre for the Charlottetown Festival in Prince Edward Island for the summer season of 2000.[4]
- The Conjuror (2002) - The show - a theatrical recreation of a performance by a celebrated (but fictitious) Canadian conjuror at St. George’s Hall in London circa 1909 - was remounted[5] in Toronto at the Isabelle Bader Theatre and ran for six weeks to critical acclaim.[6]
- Tricks (2004) - Differing from its predecessors, Tricks - a post-modern show of classical magic - was designed as an intimate[7] and interactive show involving a high degree of audience participation. The play was presented for four weeks at the Artword Theatre in Toronto.[8]
Juan Tamariz performing at the Panasonic Theatre in Toronto as part of the Masters of Magic series of Luminato, June 2010
- Max Maven: Thinking in Person (2006) at the Al Green Theatre (Toronto) - Magicana invited Max Maven to present his one-man show for a limited, two-night engagement in August 2006.
- Luminato 2010 Masters of Magic series featuring: Juan Tamariz of Spain, Mac King from Las Vegas, Max Maven from Hollywood were presented at the Panasonic Theatre (Toronto); and Bob Sheets from Washington, DC performed in various Festival (free) venues around Toronto.
- Luminato 2011 Masters of Magic series featuring: Eric Mead in Toast of the Town,[9] David Ben in Natural Magick[10][11] at the Tarragon Theatre in Toronto; and The Great Tomsoni & Co (Johnny and Pam Thompson), Mike Caveney, Tina Lenert, Ardan James, Gaëtan Bloom in Vodavil'[12][13] at the historic vaudeville Winter Garden Theatre in Toronto.
- Piff Paff Poof (2011) at the Lower Ossington Theatre (Toronto) - Magicana presented this new work for children[14][15] to invite them to experience live theatre with their families. The show ran for the month of March 2011.
Exhibitions
Online exhibitions on magic and great magicians of yesteryear, developed, hosted and maintained by Magicana include:
- Ross Bertram: Master Magician
- Sid Lorraine: The Magical Chatterbox
- The Life & Magic of Stewart James
- Postcards of Magic: The Msgr. Foy Collection
- Bert Douglas: A Family Remembers
Conferences, seminars and workshops
Magicana has hosted a number of artist workshops and seminars by several top-rated magicians and speakers across Canada including:
Eric Mead lecturing for magic enthusiasts in Toronto, August 2008Norman Beck Rafael Benatar Gaëtan Bloom Eugene Burger John Carney Jason England Roberto Giobbi Kostya Kimlat Max Maven Eric Mead John Mendoza Patrick Page David Solomon Jim Steinmeyer Jamy Ian Swiss John Thompson Richard Turner 31 Faces North
From 2003 to 2010 Magicana hosted 31 Faces North, a four day think-tank of thirty-one of the world’s foremost magicians. The invitational conference was designed to bring sleight-of-hand experts, magic historians, and magic experts together to network, share, discuss and witness magic performances by masters of the art.
While the conference recognized giants of the magic community, it was also designed to offer promising young magicians a chance to meet and learn from magic legends. The attendees represented a who’s who of magic including Guests of Honour:
- Jay Marshall (2003)
- Tommy Wonder (2003)
- Johnny Thompson (2004)
- Harry Riser (2004)
- Billy McComb (2005)
- Charles Reynolds (2005)
- Max Maven (2006)
- Bob White (2006)
- Roberto Giobbi (2007)
- Stephen Minch (2007)
- Ton Onosaka (2008)
- Herb Zarrow (2008)
- Michael Weber (2009)
- Bob Sheets (2009)
- Gaëtan Bloom (2010)
- Jim Steinmeyer (2010)
Magic Collectors Weekend
Since 2010, Magicana has been responsible for the programming, administration and execution of the Magic Collectors Weekend - an international conference on magic history for 200 participants held in Chicago. The MCW has been staged annually since 1969.
Publications
Magicana’s publications include:
- 2006: Dai Vernon: A Biography – Artist, Magician, Muse Vol. 1,[16][17] Chicago: Squash Publishing. Toronto: Magicana. ISBN 978-0974468150
- 2007: The Essential Stewart James by Stewart James. Toronto: Magicana. ISBN 978-0978067526
- 2008: Spins and Needles: The Magic of Allan Slaight by Allan Slaight. Toronto: Magicana. ISBN 978-0978067533
- 2008: How Gamblers Win by a Retried Professional. Toronto: Magicana. ISBN 978-0978067540
- 2010: A Grand Expose of The Science of Gambling by An Adept. Toronto: Magicana ISBN 978-0978067588
- 2011: A Cut Above by Msgr Vincent Foy, Toronto: Magicana ISBN 978-0978067595
Magicana also publishes Magicol (ISSN 0460-5314), a quarterly journal on magic history and collectibles which has been in publication since 1950. Magicana began publication stewardship of Magicol in 2010 starting with issue No. 174.
Scholarships and grants
Magicana provides grants and bursaries related to the study of magic.
- The Tony Eng Youth Fund was developed in memory of the late Canadian magician Tony Eng. The TEYF provides financial assistance for young magicians (ages 13 to 18) to attend lectures, conferences, workshops, or acquire books or apparatus related to the performance of magic.
- The Edwin A. Dawes Award for Magic Scholarship is a bursary designed to provide doctoral students financial assistance toward the cost of materials and research pertaining a thesis related to the art of magic.
Community programs
Magicana developed and runs two, community outreach programs: My Magic Hands and Senior Sorcery.
My Magic Hands
Client from Holland Bloorview performing at The Big Show, June 2011My Magic Hands, originally launched in 2005, uses the art of magic as a teaching vehicle to reach children in disadvantaged communities in order to build self-confidence and essential life skills such as communication, critical thinking and problem solving. Using the theatrical process involved in staging a magic trick, the program provides a cost-efficient and systematic way for children to learn about the arts in communities that do not normally have access to quality arts-related programming. Magicana received seed funding in 2005 followed by a multi-year grant (2006–2008) from the Ontario Trillium Foundation for the program and continues to currently operate through funding from private foundations and donors.
In addition to outreach programming, My Magic Hands is also a longstanding program staple at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, specifically in occupational and speech therapy programs. The program is recognized and acknowledged by occupational therapists, staff and parents of clients as a unique, successful and motivating tool assisting clients to reach their therapeutic goals.[18]
The program is administrated by Magicana and is a core activity of the organization.
Senior Sorcery
Performance of Hocus Pocus for seniors at a senior's residence and community centre in the Greater Toronto Area, November 2008Senior Sorcery, launched in 2006, is designed to bring live theatre in the form of magic shows to the senior citizen community, particularly to isolated seniors in remote residences and/or community centres. The program engages seniors by breaking the "fourth wall" of theatre and involving their participation in the magic. The program also empowers by giving seniors the ability to invite their family and friends to a special event. The program also aims to bridge or connect generations by offering a group activity that all can participate in, enjoy together and to discuss afterwards.
The program is administrated by Magicana and is a core activity of the organization.
References
- ^ Canada Revenue requires an extensive review of an organization to quality as a registered charity under paragraph 149(1)(f) of the Income Tax Act. Magicana received the charitable designation (charitable status effective May 10, 2006) "because it benefits the community by raising the esthetic taste of the community through magic performances and through the provisions of seminars and workshops on the art of magic". (Canada Revenue, Notice of Registration. July 27, 2006)
- ^ "Canadian Arts Charities - Arts & Culture Non-Profit Listings". Canadian Arts Charities. http://www.canadacharity.ca/arts-charities. Retrieved 1 September 2011.
- ^ Canada Revenue. "Registered Charity Listings". Canada Revenue Agency. http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/ebci/haip/srch/charity-eng.action?r=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cra-arc.gc.ca%3A80%2Febci%2Fhaip%2Fsrch%2Fbasicsearchresult-eng.action%3Fs%3Dregistered%26amp%3Bk%3DMagicana%26amp%3Bp%3D1%26amp%3Bb%3Dtrue&bn=865913297RR0001. Retrieved 1 September 2011.
- ^ "Magician ready to conjure up entertaining, unique show". The Guardian. July 24, 2000.
- ^ Ouzounian, Richard (December 9, 2002). "Ben conjures up Harry". Toronto Star.
- ^ Ouzounian, Richard (December 11, 2002). "All ages, that's the trick". Toronto Star.
- ^ Crew, Robert (December 10, 2004). "Two thumbs up for Tricks". Toronto Star.
- ^ Al-Solaylee, Kamal (December 13, 2004). "Bright spot in a string of tricks". The Globe and Mail.
- ^ Godfrey, Laura. "A Magical Night Out at Luminato". torontoist. http://torontoist.com/2011/06/a_magical_night_out_at_luminato.php. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
- ^ Medley, Mark (June 14, 2011). "Tricks of the Trade". National Post. http://www.nationalpost.com/todays-paper/Tricks+Trade/4940712/story.html. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
- ^ Marshall, Lindsay. "Luminato 2011: Natural Magick". Press+1. http://www.pressplus1.com/arts-culture/natural-magick.html. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
- ^ Citron, Paula. "Vodavil and TSO Goes Late Night". Classical 96.3FM. http://www.classical963fm.com/arts/reviews/item/Vodavil-and-TSO-Goes-Late-Night+. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
- ^ Landau, Emily. "Friday’s Luminato Picks: Sargasso, k.d. lang and Vodavil". Toronto LIfe. http://www.torontolife.com/daily/hype/to-do-list/2011/06/17/fridays-luminato-picks/. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
- ^ Berube, Chris (March 10, 2011). "How did you like the magic show?". Eye Weekly. http://media.eyeweekly.topscms.com/images/3d/5d/1b47275f4eca902b0e49bdc7f60e.png. Retrieved 9 August 2011.
- ^ Skinner, Justin. "Piff Paff Poof - a magic show for kids runs until March 27". InsideToronto.com. http://www.insidetoronto.com/what%27s%20on/article/968887--piff-paff-poof-a-magic-show-for-kids-runs-until-march-27. Retrieved 9 August 2011.
- ^ Stashower, Daniel (September 21, 2006). "A Master of Magic Revealed". The Washington Post.
- ^ Quarrington, Paul (April 2007). "Magic Man". Books In Canada: 17, 18.
- ^ "Magic medicine". The National CBC News. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 18 June 2011. Television.
External links
Categories:- Magic (illusion)
- Arts organizations based in Canada
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
