Shamrock Shuffle by Lynn Miner

Effect: This three-phased jumbo card effect is an Irish-Themed Sidewalk Shuffle using ungimmicked cards. The spectator attempts to follow the Black Shamrock (Ace of Clubs) as it never appears in the chosen location. Props: Three jumbo Aces of Clubs and one blank face card. The backs must match. Set-Up: In this version, the Black Shamrock is the Ace of Clubs. From top to bottom, position the...

No Touch Magic Experience By Phil Tilston

I perform regularly at Houdini’s Magic Bar. There is one in Canterbury and one in Broadstairs in the UK (see http://www.houdinis.co.uk ). Close up magic is performed at the bars, along with a couple of more formal parlor type shows. The bars have been shut for a number of months, opened for a couple of weeks and unfortunately they are about to close again for a short period due to the...

“IT’S NEVER TOO LATE TO LIVE YOUR DREAM.” THE GREAT LORENZO.. in his words…

This past January was my second-anniversary in magic. That is to say, it was my second second-anniversary. My first second-anniversary was back in 1982, and I celebrated it by auditioning at the Magic Castle to become a magician member. It took me two years to go from being a long-time magic enthusiast to performing in front of the Academy’s membership committee. Those were two years of focused...

“Get Real” — The Most Important Feat of Magic? by Craig Conley

When the latest news from quantum physics (and frankly the oldest news from Buddhism) proclaims that the universe is one big illusion, the magic community might get a certain thrill: the entire universe, literally the oldest trick in the book?! But then a sinking feeling: do magicians need to stop striving to be /real/ professionals, /real/ successes, if nothing is genuine?  More troubling,...

“24/7” – Game On by Geoffrey Grimes

An inaugural recipient of the “Eugene Burger Legacy Award,” Geoffrey Grimes, a member of the IBM and SAM, is a performing magician and 2019 president of the Fort Worth Magicians Club. “Hey, magic man!” came the shout from across the college plaza between buildings. “If you’re so good, man, you won’t have to reach into your pockets!” After years of staging community magic shows at the...

Audio Ape Recommendation By David Reed-Brown

David Reed-Brown has been a professional magician since 1998. He has been one of Jeff McBride’s primary “audio guys” since 2000. David writes Magic Tech articles for the Magic and Mystery School’s Secret Arts Journal and produces Pro Hacks video segments for Mystery School Monday’s online video classes. He is regular guest faculty for those classes and frequently lectures for the school’s annual...

A visit to Mystery School and an interview with Jeff McBride by Av Dag Lofalk

I was in Las Vegas and had been in contact with Jeff McBride who had promised to set up and give a quick tour of his house and site of the Mystery School. Mystery School is a concept that he developed to support interested in magic and those who want to further develop their technique and presentation skill in the field of magic. Me and Kim Gordon who drove the car were searching for the correct...

Squeeky, The Golden Voice Thrower By Gary R. Brown

In an unsuccessful attempt to acquire the most coveted, albeit useless, ventriloquism gizmo of the 20th  Century, I inadvertently unearthed a deeper, darker and far more dangerous ventriloquial secret.   Ironically, though as ineffective as the original object of my search, this newly uncloaked gimmick bears ...

The Smallest Marvel of IBM 2018 By Gary R. Brown

Participants in this year’s convention can attest to its many wonders, including informative lectures, amazing shows, engaging contests, and friendships formed and renewed. Perhaps the smallest marvel bestowed upon attendees came in the form of a gift from Jeff McBride and the good folks at McBride’s Magic & Mystery School: a spinning disk illusion, about the size of a half dollar and...

Eugene’s Legacy by Lawrence Hass, Ph.D., Associate Dean

As I write this, the sunny heat of August has become the cool air and vibrant colors of late September. It is a refreshing time—the threshold of my favorite season. And this year early autumn brings something extra to my spirit: profound appreciation for our recently departed friend, Eugene Burger. For me, the shock of his death (in early August) has passed. The deep pain of personal loss is...