As you’ve read in this newsletter, Jeff McBride is spending a week at the Magic Castle, and he’s bringing the faculty of the Mystery School with him, including Eugene Burger, Lawrence Hass, Bob Fitch, Abbi McBride, Jordan Wright, George Parker and Just Alan.

This is great news for all AMA members, because not only will the Castle feature innovative, dynamic magic presented with a theatrical flair, but magician members will have multiple opportunities to meet with, session with, query and brainstorm with this stylistic and highly creative group of performing artists throughout the week.

Lectures from Lawrence Hass and Jeff McBride bookend the week. Bob Fitch is holding his intensive workshop the week before, and Eugene Burger is presenting a special lecture at the Magic Apple (the magic store on the second floor) the week after on Wednesday, May 28th.

Later that afternoon, from 4 pm to 5:30 pm in the Magic Castle’s Palace of Mystery, there will be a special “Mystery School Afternoon” session, in which magician members can join Jeff, Eugene, and special guests for a behind the scenes look into the history and mystery of the world famous magic school. There’s no charge for this event, and it’s a rare opportunity to share the philosophy of traditional and contemporary magic with key members of the Mystery School.

To wrap things up, Jeff McBride’s new lecture, “Magic at the Edge!” will inspire magician members with Jeff’s thoughts on artful presentation, psychology, philosophy and a few great new tricks.

And every night, in the Hat & Hare Pub, the Mystery School Faculty with meet and greet fellow magicians at a reception hosted by Just Alan. In the friendly confines of the Castle’s former “haunted winecellar,” the performers will be pontificating on all things presentational and prestidigitational in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere – with maybe an impromptu session or two to liven up the discussion!

The McBride Mystery School is a creation of Jeff McBride and Eugene Burger, who in addition to being award-winning entertainers, travel the world with an intensive series of seminars and workshops, mentoring students and aiding in their magical maturity.

The AMA Trustees wish to thank Jeff for coordinating these events with the Academy and the Magic Castle, and I hope to see many members on hand the week on May 20th through the 25th!