Tom Verner and Janet Fredericks of Magicians Without Borders share the magic
The award-winning magic team of Tom Verner and Janet Fredericks have released a virtual online course entitled “Become a Magician” and are offering the self-guided course to libraries throughout New England.
“This course is an extension of our work with Magicians Without Borders,” said Verner, founder of the organization. “People have always asked us about teaching magic and when the Covid pandemic limited our ability to travel to do our shows, we decided to develop this online, fun and easy-to-master lessons in magic through your library.” Co-founder Fredericks added, “Learning, practicing and performing magic is a fun way to develop self-confidence, focus, discipline and self-esteem.”
The program teaches students ages 8-100 enough magic to do a 30-minute performance and includes how to do the magic tricks as well as acting and storytelling skills to make performances entertaining and fun. The props needed for the course are ones most people already have at home or they can be purchased for a few dollars at a local drug store.
The course was tested in 10 Vermont communities this summer and was well received by both libraries and students.
“The course is wonderfully designed and not only teaches the magic in a marvelous way, but the performance and story-telling skills make the tricks come alive,” said a Vermont librarian. “There are so many things a librarian can do with this course.”
A mother of two who accessed the course through their local library said, “My son and daughter performed a magic show for their grandfather whom they had not seen in person for months because of the pandemic. They have missed each other terribly. He kept shouting, ‘I can’t believe it, this is wonderful, how are you doing this?’ He was astonished. What you taught them has already brightened one person’s life.”
Verner and Fredericks are founders of Magicians Without Borders (magicianswithoutborders.com) and have traveled to over 45 countries bringing love, laughter, magic and hope to hundreds of thousands of refugee and orphan children in many of the most war-torn parts of the world. They have performed in Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia, Bosnia, Burma, Bangladesh and other countries where war or natural disaster have stranded people for decades in isolated, often desolate refugee camps or orphanages.
For more information visit themagiccirclecenter.com or call 802-453-5425.
