Stage Door News
Stage Door News
TORONTO (March 14, 2012) – Luminato, Toronto Festival of Arts and Creativity announced today that after successfully partnering with Magicana in 2010 and 2011, an organization dedicated to the study and exploration of magic as a performing art, they will once again shine a light on Magic as a form of creative expression. This year, David Ben, Artistic Director of Magicana has invited three world-renowned performers: Banachek and his show THE ALPHA PROJECT; Richard Turner with THE CHEAT and Juan Esteban Varela in FROM THE DARK, will literally mesmerize audiences and demonstrate how the impossible can be possible.
“I have always been fascinated by magic,” said Jorn Weisbrodt, Artistic Director of Luminato. “Magic is wrongfully so the "bastard" in the canon of the arts. Magicians are virtuosos who carry the key to a world of possibilities beyond our real world, the same world that all artists enter into through different doors.”
THE ALPHA PROJECT June 8–10, Fleck Dance Theatre THE ALPHA PROJECT is the world premiere of Banachek’s astonishing new show. It features psychokinesis, telepathy, precognition, clairvoyance, hypnotism, séances and, perhaps most amazing, dermaoptics—the magic of sensing without sight. Often described as the world’s greatest mentalist, British-born Banachek earned international headlines at the age of 18, when after two years of close examination the scientists at the Washington University declared him a genuine psychic. He later revealed he had fooled the experts, debunking their entire study.
"The strangest thing I have ever seen, amazing!" – William Shatner
THE ALPHA PROJECT is co-written and directed by Jim Millan, founding artistic director of Crow’s Theatre and the creative director of Kids in the Hall. Recently, Millan directed Play Dead by Teller and Todd Robbins, off Broadway and in Mexico City; and created Mythbusters Live with Adam Savage and James Hyeneman. Johnny Thompson, virtuoso magician and creative consultant to Penn & Teller, David Blaine, Criss Angel and Lance Burton provides expertise as the show’s creative consultant. Bonnie Beecher provides lighting design.
THE CHEAT June 11–14 , The RBC Lobby at TIFF Bell Lightbox As charming and funny as he is thrilling, Richard Turner’s abilities to manipulate cards in THE CHEAT leaves audiences utterly astonished and completely dumbfounded. Turner isn’t just a card cheat, he’s a blind card cheat. The Texas-born Turner is a master card mechanic who has entranced such legends as Muhammad Ali, Johnny Carson, Bob Hope, and more recently, Brad Pitt. With the ability to wipe out any high stakes gambler, Turner’s finger sensitivity is so acute that United States Playing Card Company employs him as a “touch analyst” to test the texture and flexibility of its decks.
FROM THE DARK June 15–17, Hart House Theatre Can the non-sighted experience the same sense of astonishment that a sighted audience feels when witnessing magic? So asked Chilean magician Juan Esteban Varela. FROM THE DARK is a unique and interactive experience that takes place in complete darkness. After blindfolding spectators and providing them with a box of props, Varela directs the audience in the dark and creates magical feats – and the experience of a magic show – without the audience seeing it, proving that, as long as a person has the ability to imagine, they can use fantasy to create fiction.
For its Canadian premiere at Luminato, Varela will be working under the direction of Michael Weber. A magic consultant for the original David Blaine Street Magic television special, Weber helped redefine magic for his generation and, with his co-conspirator Ricky Jay, founded the consulting company Deceptive Practices. He has worked with such legendary writers and directors as Wes Craven, Martin Scorsese, George Wolfe, David Mamet and Robert Zemeckis. Examples of his work can be seen in dozens of plays and feature films including Forrest Gump, Angels in America, The Illusionist, and The Prestige.
LUMINATO in association with MAGICANA present MIND OVER MATTER
THE ALPHA PROJECT Banachek Directed by Jim Millan June 8–9 @ 8:00 PM, June 10 @ 2:00 PM Fleck Dance Theatre, 207 Queens Quay West
105 minutes, with intermission $35, $45
THE CHEAT Richard Turner June 11 @ 5:30 PM, June 12–14 @ 7:15 PM The RBC Lobby at TIFF Bell Lightbox, 350 King Street West 45 minutes, no intermission FREE
FROM THE DARK Juan Esteban Varela Directed by Michael Weber June 15–16 @ 8:00 PM, June 17 @ 2:00 PM Hart House Theatre, 7 Hart House Circle 75 minutes, no intermission $35 Presented in collaboration with the CNIB
The 2012 Magic Program is made possible by the generous support of The Slaight Family. The sixth edition of Luminato takes place from June 8–17, 2012.
Tickets for all Luminato 2012 programs will be available for sale on April 14. For details, please visit luminato.com.
ABOUT LUMINATO
Luminato is Toronto's fifth season when the festival stages the best of our city and invites the world to celebrate and transform it with us. Luminato is an annual multi-disciplinary celebration of theatre, dance, music, literature, food, visual arts, film, magic, and more. For more information, please visit luminato.com.
Luminato gratefully acknowledges the generous support and vision of its Founding Luminaries, SuperNova donors, and Patron Circle Members. The Festival would not be possible without the support of our Partner in Creativity, L’Oréal Canada. Luminato also acknowledges the support of its Founding Government Partner, the Province of Ontario, the Government of Canada, and the City of Toronto.
Luminato Partners: L’Oréal Canada, TELUS, Kia Canada, President’s Choice, National Bank, Manulife Financial, VISA Infinite.
Major Media Partners: Toronto Star, CBC, The Globe and Mail, Cineplex Media, St. Joseph Communications. List represents commitments as of March 14, 2012.
2012-03-14
Toronto: Luminato unveils its offerings in magic