It is now less than two weeks until the return of Jawdroppers! Magic, Comedy & Illusions to Calgary.  In August of last year Magic West produced the first-annual event starring the legendary Johnny Thompson, the hilarious Stephen Bargatze, and the incomparable Mark Kalin & Jinger.  Raising the bar from last year’s show isn’t going to be easy, but we think we have found the cast to do it!

Shawn Farquhar is the only two-time world champion of magic (as awarded by the International Brotherhood of Magicians) and he’s agreed to headline the November 8 show!  Having worked with Shawn before (including just a couple of weeks ago at “One Enchanted Evening”) I know that it is going to be an amazing event featuring his unique blend of hilarious and heart-warming magic.

To give you more for your ticket price we have added some other talented performers.  Making a “guest appearance” will be Trevor Watters & Lorena from Vancouver, BC.  Their humourous take on the classics of magic is sure to delight.  (They also organized the “One Enchanted Evening” event that Shawn and I were a part of.) For the last several years this illusionist team have been traveling around Western Canada with only a very rare stop in Calgary.

Also, the comedy and magic group that I co-founded and premiered three weeks ago, Magically Delicious, will be hosting the event with some all-new magical creations.  This one-night-only event features 6 of the country’s best magicians and will be almost impossible to produce again.

Date: November 8
Time: 7:00 PM
Location: Engineered Air Theatre - Epcor Centre for the Performing Arts
(200 Block on North Side of 9th Avenue SE)
Tickets: $27 each
Order Online: http://www.magicwest.org/events/event_18.html

I truly hope to see everyone that can make it out to the show that night.  It’s going to be a “you had to be there” type show.  We’re already about 50% sold-out and only a couple of days left until showtime (I should really work on what I’m going to be doing that night).

As I am still in a sharing mood after last week’s post I thought today I would turn my attention to the maternal side of my family and “introduce” you to my Grandma Lawrence.  She is without a doubt my biggest fan and almost my agent.  In fact, the first show that I ever produced and starred in was in 2003 and I am sure that she is directly responsible for at least 100 of the 400 people in the theatre that night.

Truthfully, without a constant source of support this type of career would be almost impossible - and Grandma is that support for me.  I almost think that she has seen more of my shows than I have and my friends now call her “Grandma” (even some of my friends that are over 50 themselves).  She was even briefly featured during Magically Delicious a couple of weeks ago:

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I remember growing up and listening to Grandma sing.  That is her gift.  She has shared it with countless thousands of people and I have decided to share it with you today.  This recording was made in the 1950’s - so all the crackling noises are natural and they can’t be removed but I prefer it that way - it adds authenticity.  Here’s my Grandma’s “Danny Boy”…

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So why is this post an “Opinion”.  Well, in my opinion, I have never heard a sweeter sound.

It’s been a busy week of making people laugh (that can be more exhausting that you realize) and eating turkey (which you probably know is pretty exhausting) so after taking yesterday off, I awoke this morning to get my hair styled (yep - I go to a stylist) and vote.  It was only when I arrived home that I realized that today was Tuesday!  That means it’s time once again to share…

Last week during my radio interview to promote Magically Delicious the interview team was so disarming and comfortable that I was surprised at some of the stories that they pulled out of me.  I told them things that I had never let loose in an interview before - most likely because they were questions I had never been asked.  It was during this interview that I told a story about my Dad that I figured I would share online here as well.

People often ask me something along the lines of: “What do your parents think of this career choice?” There is no short answer to the question… they are excited and nervous for me all at the same time.  Their perception of the industry is also not quite the reality of the industry, which can cause some problems.  Fortunately, years ago my Mom shared with me a story about my Dad and his Dad (my Grandfather) that is useful and parallels my own life.

My Grandfather, in fact, both my Grandfathers, were farmers all their lives.  They knew how to farm and how to raise a family on that lifestyle.  Asking either of them to consider a different way in which to live, especially one that uses new and different technologies, would be difficult.  My Grandpa Lawrence (maternal side) has a license plate which reads: “You Can Take the Man Out of the Farm, But You Can’t Take the Farm Out of the Man.” It’s an old adage (well - as old as farms), but couldn’t be more true.  I think it’s the same for other people as well… you could take me off the stage, but… you get the idea.

So, my Dad, after living on the farm for 18 years heads off to college in Edmonton (from his Saskatchewan roots - Go Riders!).  His degree has something to do with mechanical engineering and/or technology.  It prepared him to do what he loves - build stuff out of sheet metal.  For a few years he worked for a company in Calgary and then opportunity knocked: the chance to buy his own manufacturing company.  After what I can only imagine was a TON of leveraging he was successful.

Dad had his own shop.  A couple thousand square feet with the machinery he needed.  He knew that this would be successful - but probably couldn’t explain why. A small start in South Calgary (after years of hard work) would turn into an incredibly successful enterprise with millions in sales and hundreds of customers.  Dad was right - but we are jumping ahead in the story…

A little while after opening this business my Grandfather (Dad’s Dad) comes to Calgary to see what his son has started.  Dad gives Grandpa the full tour, explains what the equipment does, points out some customer orders that are about to completed, and introduces him to this industry.  After all that my Grandpa looks around and says, “So, you can make a living at this?”

So now, if my folks ever ask me about the career or use the “U-word” (university), I always remind them of this story.  Just because they haven’t experienced it before, doesn’t mean it won’t work.

And if the public asks me what my parents think?  Due to time constraints and the length of this story I usually just say, “They’re fine with it!” Which is true - it’s just not as interesting as the longer version.

These past few days have been a flurry of great shows and even better friends.  It all started with One Enchanted Evening in Vancouver, BC - a benefit show for a family on the coast.  My friends Trevor Watters and Lorena had me do a spot on the show and I couldn’t have had a better time surrounded by (and hanging out with) Canada’s best magicians (including Shawn Farquhar - the star of Jawdroppers 2 - coming to Calgary next month).  Not only was the show on par with anything you would see in Las Vegas - it raised over $11,000!

A HUGE thanks goes to Trevor, Lorena, Dave, and Cathie, (collectively - the Watters and a Paradon) for treating me like a king while out there.  They made it far too easy to say “yes” to appearing on the show.  Thanks again!

The performers on One Enchanted Evening

I arrived back in Calgary on Sunday afternoon and was quickly whisked into the final rehearsal for Magically Delicious for the premiere of the show last night and I couldn’t have been happier with the result.  The audience turnout was larger than I expected and their response was amazing - they even thought our screw-ups were jokes… good times!  The Magically Delicious “troupe” will be back to host Jawdroppers 2 on November 8.

The stars of Magically Delicious, from left to right, Tyler Wilson, myself, and Ryan Pilling.

(Also, another thanks to Terry and Patti on the Q107 morning show.  They did a great interview with me yesterday morning to promote last night’s show and actually had me telling stories that I didn’t think I EVER would.  Got me thinking about stuff to share on this blog in the future…)

As always there is no rest for the weary as I start a week of hosting at The Comedy Cave tonight (until Sunday) on a headliner split week (Daryl Makk starts off the week and Roman Danylo finishes it off on the weekend).  Then, with only two days off, another appearance at The Comedy Detour on Wednesday, October 15.  With my previous appearance on this show just a couple of weeks ago I think I will feature my comedy magic instead of just the stand-up.  So, if you saw me a few weeks back at this venue there will definitely be something new for you that night.

Thanks to The Comedy Cave (the venue for Magically Delicious) I’ve got another excuse to set an alarm.  On Monday morning I’m joining the Q107 morning show (Terry and Patti) at about 8:00am.  (In Calgary that’s on the radio at 107.1FM and online you can listen live here: http://www.q107fm.ca/).

We’re going to talk about Magically Delicious and probably do some magic on the air (keep in mind - that’s not easy to do).  Terry and Patti always do a great interview so I’m looking forward to setting that alarm and picking up that coffee.

If you don’t yet have your tickets to Magically Delicious, click here.