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...

A Magical Vision

After award winning festival screenings from Chicago to India and over 14,000 on line viewings, A Magical Vision is getting its premiere DVD release. A Magical Vision spotlights Eugene Burger—his magic, his philosophy, and his influence on the art of magic. For Museletter subscribers, Eugene Burger hardly needs an introduction. That said, Eugene is a far-sighted philosopher and magician who is...

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...

Sisters of Magic and Mystery

Magic books are written for right-handed men. If you’re a left-handed woman, you’re in trouble. –Eugene Burger I’m a left-handed woman. Not only that, I’m not even a magician. So what am I doing in the McBride House of Mystery attending the first biannual Sisters of Magic and Mystery gathering in September 2009? On the last day of our three-day gathering, Abbi Spinner McBride passes the...

The First Timers

Two young amateur magicians were invited to be in the big show… what was it like for them? Presenting The First Timers (Magic Show) a photo documentary about newcomers to a Magic Show, by Ashton Vazquez. The interviews were held while preparing for Cavalcade of Magic, Nov. 15, 08, in Columbia, SC. It features Bauer Westeren, a young Mind Reader, and Cameron Burks, a young Escape Artist....