Stars of Magic: Online gala show, hosted by the College of Magic, Cape Town, June 2020
✅ Date: Saturday June 27, 2020 at 8pm
✅ Duration: One hour
✅ Programme: Stuart Taylor, Riaad Moosa and Conrad Koch (hosts); David Ben (Canada), Chris Capehart (USA), Olwethu Dyantyi (SA’s Got Talent- finalist), Julie Eng (Canada), Guy Hollingworth (UK), Mac King (USA- big Vegas headliner), George Parker (Netherlands), Ran’D Shine (USA), Paul Wilson (UK- star of the BBC TV series Real Hustle) and Larry Soffer (SA).
✅ Age advisory: Family viewing
✅ Tickets: R150
✅ Direct booking link: https://www.quicket.co.za/events/106377-stars-of-magic/
✅ Customer service. WhatsApp 027 76 497 5139
*Streaming and other need-to-know details follow
Magic gala show during Covid-19
The College of Magic in Cape Town is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year [2020]. No matter that we find ourselves in strange times with Covid-19, magic keeps pushing through and that will manifest in Stars of Magic. The show is streaming live on Saturday June 27, 2020 at 8pm. Every year, the college hosts a gala show at Artscape. The gala is its flagship fundraiser. A children’s magic festival is also hosted during the June/July holidays. With lockdown strictures, it was decided to put everything into staging an online razzmatazz gala. As always the gala features college alumni such as Stuart Taylor, Conrad Koch, Riaad Moosa and illusion/comedy magic artists from the industry in South Africa and abroad. Taylor and Koch’s company, Web Shows Pty Ltd, has been instrumental in conceptualising and providing the technology to make the digital production a reality.
Format for the Stars of Magic show 2020
The show will be broadcast live from the College of Magic in Cape Town, South Africa. The three hosts will provide links to each set. They’ll be joined at the college, by a few performers (observing social distancing and hygiene protocols). They will then connect with magicians who are broadcasting from their homes or studios, around the globe. Most of the feed will be live but will be supplemented by some pre-recorded sets.
In many respects, online is a great medium for magic – particular for close-up illusions – for instance with the reveal of cards. David Gore, CEO of The College of Magic, enthuses: “As magicians, we thrive on making the impossible possible. The current health crisis presented us with the unique opportunity to reinvent our 40th anniversary fundraising show and the art of sharing magic with audiences around the world virtually. We’ve been delighted with the response of world class performers and our own successful graduates who have come to our aid and who are generously donating their time to our show. Stars of Magic is going to be a fantastic event and we cannot wait to share the wonder online with you.”
Comments bar
A comments bar will be visible on the screen. The hosts and some of the performers may make use of that bar. Stuart Taylor says: “You may even be part of the show if you volunteer and experience some magical digital dexterity in your own home.” This is not Zoom so not sure how this will operate but it is a magic show, so tune in and let the magic play out. Taylor adds: “These are unprecedented times. What we can do is jump right in and embrace the unknown. It’s exciting if you can push past the fear. By joining us online for the Stars of Magic show, it will be many of our audience’s first experience ‘inside’ of the magical Victorian mansion that houses the College of Magic- known as SA’s Hogwarts – a character in and of itself. Our hosts also have a long history with the organisation having started with the college as youngsters and now they are successful professional entertainers.”
About The College of Magic in Cape Town
The College of Magic is a non-profit organisation, teaching magic to school learners who attend classes on the weekends. The college was set up in 1980 by David Gore with 10 youngsters. Forty years later and the college has 160 students who attend weekend classes over a six year period, as they make their way through a magic curriculum which covers close up magic (cards, coins behind ears), David Blaine style of street magic, Grand Illusion and comedy magic. In addition to the learners who attend classes at the college, six week courses are currently being run in Franschhoek, Wellington and Atlantis. The courses are being funded by the National Lotteries. There are about 40 students per workshop. All up the college is currently reaching about 200 students in the Cape.
Magic classes during Covid-19
Obviously the physical classes could not continue at the college and its outreach programmes in the lockdown and tuition migrated online. David Gore explains: “As with many organisations and individuals, the Covid crisis has shut down our usual operations. The training and education of our 160 students has moved, through the wonders of technology, to online platforms with our voluntary teaching staff operating remotely from their homes. Our biggest challenge has been connecting with our students, more than half of whom live in disadvantaged areas. While training is more difficult online, parents have reported how much these lessons mean to these young people in lockdown – providing inspiration as well as emotional support. Our staff living and working in these marginalised areas are doing their best to ensure the well-being of all our students, especially as the economic impact of the crisis hits home and we approach ‘The peak’ in our city, which is the epi-centre of the pandemic in South Africa.”
Stars of Magic – streaming advisory
✔ Stars of Magic: Online gala show, hosted by the College of Magic, Cape Town, June 2020
✔ Date: Saturday June 27, 2020 at 8pm
✔ Duration: One hour
✔ Age advisory: Family viewing
✔ Tickets: R150. A household can watch on one ticket but it would be appreciated if the buyer considers purchasing a ticket per viewer
✔ Direct booking link: https://www.quicket.co.za/events/106377-stars-of-magic/
✔ Customer service. WhatsApp 027 76 497 5139
✔ How it works: After purchasing your ticket, you will receive an e-mail with a URL link, which grants access to the show. Fifteen minutes before you can click through to the web show platform. This page asks you to register with a name and e-mail -for security. You are then taken to the waiting room. Show starts at 8pm. Any issues? Contact the organisers via the WhatsApp line: 027 76 497 5139
✔ Link available after live stream: Yes, it will be available for 48 hours. Stuart Taylor says: “We encourage everyone to gather their family and view the show live at 8pm on June 27. The show will be recorded and the link can be requested by ticket holders for up to 48 hours post-show.”
✔ Devices: Link will work on Windows/Apple/Android and other devices
✔ Internet speed advisory: If you have high speed internet, you should be fine. If necessary, use your smart phone as a hot spot and connect from there. It is the viewer’s responsibility to check on internet. Check your bandwidth. Please note that this stream goes out on June 27. Even if you have uncapped internet, you may find that your internet gets “throttled” in last few days of a month. If that is the situation, link up through data onto your TV, watch on phone or device with mobile data
✔ Number of tickets on offer: 5 000 [five thousand]
