Grand Masters of Illusion

GRAND MASTERS OF ILLUSION Written and Directed by Ted & Marion Outerbridge Choreography Pattie Obey, Don Jordan Lighting Design Brad Trenaman Sound Design Ethan Rising Costume Design Peter de Castell, Marion Outerbridge Illusion Design Illusions Unlimited Artistic Consultant Lorna Wayne Haze Effects MDG Poster Design Melinda Tymm Photography Dermot Cleary Publicist Stuart McAllister Management Cameron Smillie, Live at the Hippo Pool Events PRESS KIT 2012 - 2013 SHOW OVERVIEW CLOCKWORK MYSTERIES Written and Directed by Ted and Marion Outerbridge A professionally orchestrated theatrical production with over twenty custom-designed illusions and world-class lighting and set design, OUTERBRIDGE – Clockwork Mysteries is a high-energy magical adventure for both adult and family audiences. Recognized as one of the most creative and dynamic shows of its kind, critics have hailed Ted and Marion Outerbridge as “the most successful magicians in Canada” (Montreal Gazette) and “champions of magic” (Bergedorfer Zeitung, Hamburg, Germany). As the largest and most successful touring illusion show in the country, it has received both the 2011 Award of Excellence from Ontario Contact and the 2010 Touring Artist of the Year award from the B.C. Touring Council. OUTERBRIDGE – Clockwork Mysteries takes its audience on a bizarre and fascinating journey through time. Within seconds of taking the stage, the Outerbridges fuse their revolutionary illusions with split-second artistry to hold viewers spellbound. With the help of an elaborate Victorian time machine, the performers and spectators travel back in time together. The audience is invited into a mysterious clock tower equipped with a variety of timekeeping devices. They become part of a race against time, experience time accelerating and slowing down, and participate in predicting the contents of a time capsule. Keeping their audience enthralled from the first astonishing illusion to the spectacular finale, the Outerbridges create an experience that far exceeds the expectations of every spectator. The experience of wonder “should come from the heart, not a magic store catalogue Ted Outerbridge” Performing professionally since 1982, Ted TED OUTERBRIDGE Outerbridge has been featured in theatres has been hailed by critics from coast to coast and on both sides of the Atlantic. He has set box office as “the most successful records with his tours Illusions, Magician professional magician in Extraordinaire, Magical Moments in Time, Canada” and “a champion and The Time Capsule Tour. of magic.” Ted was born on Christmas Eve, 1963 in Montreal, Canada. His magical obsession began very early, and by age 12 he was performing at neighbourhood birthday married in Düsseldorf, Germany. The chemistry between parties for $5.00 a show. At 18 he made his international Ted and Marion onstage is phenomenal, and debut – and front-page headlines – with performances it’s clear that they are having the time of their in Bermuda. This early success, combined with single- lives in their performances of signature illusions minded focus and relentless determination, has made such as “Time Machine,” “Tango Flotanta,” “Alarm the art of illusion his lifelong career. Clock,” “The Sword Basket” and “A Lady Divided.” Ted has done everything from materializing Fortune Acclaimed for his innovative style, Ted Outerbridge 500 executives, to consulting for the Cirque du Soleil, has been recognized by his peers, being named Stage to creating the magic for the movie Switching Channels Magician of the Year and winning the Tom Auburn starring Kathleen Turner and Christopher Reeve. He Award for Magical Excellence. Most recently, he and has made over 100 television appearances, from Much Marion were awarded the B.C. Touring Council’s 2010 Music to The Discovery Channel’s Mystery Hunters, Touring Artist of the Year Award and the Ontario Contact and on his own TV special Magic with Ted Outerbridge 2011 Award of Excellence. Ted’s dry sense of humor has resulted in return bookings at the Just for Laughs Comedy Festival, his charisma has led to repeat appearances on Princess Cruises ships, and his mastery of the art of grand illusion has Ted has lectured on the art of magic, magic business and enabled him to perform at the SkyDome in Toronto illusion design to audiences as diverse as magicians, as well as televised pre-game shows for the National theatre professionals, and business executives. He is Hockey League. literally a textbook example of his craft, appearing in high school textbooks to illustrate how our sense of vision can be misleading. His innovative levitation techniques made the front page of MIT’s Technology Review, and In 1999 Ted hired Marion Hinz as a dancer and lead his businesslike approach to show business led to a assistant. Marion quickly became an integral part of front-page article in The Montreal Gazette’s Business the show, and eventually she became Ted’s partner, on section. When he is not performing, he devotes much and off the stage. In 2006, Ted and Marion celebrated of his time to designing and creating his own personal the ultimate magical moment in time when they were style of high-tech illusions. Marion Outerbridge joined the Ted Outerbridge Magician Extraordinaire show as a dancer and lead assistant in 1999. Marion quickly became an integral part of the show, and eventually she became Ted’s partner, on and off the stage. In 2006, Marion and Ted celebrated the ultimate magical moment in time when they were married in Düsseldorf, Germany. The chemistry between Marion and Ted onstage is phenomenal, and it’s clear that they are having the time of their lives in their performances of signature illusions such as “Time Machine,” “Tango Flotanta,” “The Woman in the Television,” “The Sword Basket” and “A Lady Divided.” Marion was born in Düsseldorf, Germany, and studied Ballet, Jazz, Character Dance and Tap under Gerda Elsner, one of the city’s most prestigious ballet teachers. At 16, Marion began her professional dance training at the State School of Theatre, Music and Dance in Arnhem, the Netherlands. She graduated at the top of her class and as a result she received a scholarship to study with the Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago company. She also became the first student from West Germany to study in the Ballet Master program at the Russian Academy of Theatre Arts (GITIS). She has danced with and demonstrated for many legends in the dance world including Matt Mattox, one of the world’s most influential teachers of jazz dance. Marion has performed the world over and speaks five languages fluently… sometimes all the same time! A dancer in constant demand, she has performed in numerous North American productions from Nostalgie to We’ve Got Magic and Country 2000. In 1999 Marion made her film debut in The Whole Nine Yards with Bruce Willis and has since appeared in numerous films and television productions including Barney’s Version with Dustin Hoffman and White House Down with Maggie Gyllenhaal and Jamie Foxx. ILLUSION AND SET DESIGN Illusions Unlimited was founded in 1988 by Ted Outerbridge to design, engineer, and build magic illusions and special effects for his performances. Ted wanted go beyond the boundaries of conventional illusions that are commercially produced and achieve complete creative freedom over what he presented. Today, under the direction of Ted and Marion Outerbridge, a group of talented individuals including metalworkers, cabinet makers, and special effects experts create the illusions and sets for the Outerbridges’ performances as well for the movie industry, television, live stage productions, and trade show exhibits. OUTERBRIDGE – CLOCKWORK MYSTERIES TANGO FLOTANTA takes place in different time periods, and the illusion and set design reflect this. The main set piece is a 14-foot-diameter clock face based on a clock that is on display at the Orsay Museum in France. The idea is that the audience is transported into a clock tower, and the environment is both immersive and open, with plenty of space for dramatic illusions and celebrations. Lighting is used to make the clock face come alive, take the audience to other places, and evoke different emotional responses. During the intense drama of the Time Machine illusion, the lighting from the clock face creates the illusion of traveling back in time. Tango Flotanta is based on a passionate encounter For contemporary pieces such as the Magic Alley, a between a man and woman in a restaurant in Argentina. chain link fence is used as a backdrop to create a gritty The props were designed to have the appearance of a urban feeling for street magic. The chain link takes contemporary table for two in a restaurant, and nothing light beautifully and helps to create a mysterious, more, to avoid distracting from the illusion of Marion enchanted environment. levitating and vanishing. TIME MACHINE ALARM CLOCK One of the most talked-about pieces in the show is Our lives are ruled by time, and when we hear an alarm the Time Machine. It was given a Victorian design with clock ringing in the morning it can sound a lot bigger than steampunk influences. It is constructed almost entire- it really is. The majority of the props in OUTERBRIDGE - ly of aluminium, brass and mahogany with many fine Clockwork Mysteries are designed to look like real-life details including over 50 flashing LEDs and hundreds objects that we can easily relate to, but an exception was of carriage bolts which have been hand finished to give made for the Alarm Clock. This fantasy piece involves a them a distressed look. This signature illusion took two seven-foot-tall, early 20th century alarm clock. An every- years to complete, although the methodology behind day object that is drastically out of proportion helps to it has been refined by Ted and Marion for more than enhance the dream-like feeling.

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