Ted Outerbridge

Illusionist

Ted Outerbridge has been hailed by critics as “the most successful professional magician in Canada” and “a champion of magic”. Performing professionally since 1982, Ted Outerbridge has been featured in theatres from coast to coast and on both sides of the Atlantic, where he set box office records with his tours Illusions, Magician Extraordinaire, Magical Moments in Time, and The Time Capsule Tour.

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 parties for $5.00 a show. At 18 he made his international debut – and front-page headlines – with performances in Bermuda. This early success, combined with single-minded focus and relentless determination, has made magic his lifelong career.

Ted has done everything from materializing Fortune 500 executives, to consulting for the Cirque du Soleil, to creating the magic for the movie Switching Channels starring Kathleen Turner and Christopher Reeve. He has made over 100 television appearances, from Much Music to The Discovery Channel’s Mystery Hunters, and on his own TV special, Magic with Ted Outerbridge. 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 enabled him to perform at the SkyDome in Toronto as well as televised pre-game shows for the National Hockey League. In 2002 Ted played for a month of sold-out houses and standing ovations at Germany’s Hansa Theater, home to Houdini’s wonders a hundred years ago.

In 1999 Ted hired Marion Hinz as a dancer and lead assistant. Marion quickly became an integral part of the show, and eventually she became Ted’s partner, on and off the stage. In 2006, Ted and Marion celebrated the ultimate magical moment in time when they were married in Düsseldorf, Germany. The chemistry between Ted and Marion 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”.

Acclaimed for his innovative style, Ted Outerbridge has been recognized by his peers, being named Stage Magician of the Year and winning the Tom Auburn Award for magical excellence. Most recently, he and Marion were awarded the B.C. Touring Council’s 2010 Touring Artist of the Year Award.

Ted has lectured on the art of magic, show business and illusion design to audiences as diverse as magicians, theatre professionals, and business executives. He is 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 his businesslike approach to show business led to a front-page article in The Montreal Gazette’s Business section.

“The experience of wonder should come from the heart, not a magic store catalogue”, Ted explains. When he is not performing, he devotes much of his time to designing and creating his own personal style of high-tech illusions.

Marion Outerbridge

Dancer / Illusionist

Marion Outerbridge was born in Düsseldorf, Germany, and at the age of 6 she began studying Ballet, Jazz, Character Dance and Tap under Gerda Elsner in one of the city’s most prestigious ballet schools. This led to performances at the Deutsche Oper am Rhein and the Düsseldorfer Schauspielhaus by the age of 8. At 16, Marion began her professional dance training at the State School of Theatre, Music and Dance (Hogeschool voor de Kunsten, where Audrey Hepburn studied) in Arnhem, the Netherlands. During this intensive four-year program, Marion studied Ballet, Jazz, Character Dance, Modern Dance, and Flamenco. 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), the oldest and largest theatre school in Russia, founded in 1878. She has danced with and demonstrated for many legends in the dance world including Gus Giordano, one of the fathers of American jazz dance; Matt Mattox, one of the world’s most influential teachers of jazz dance; Pattie Obey; Galina Basowa; and Rita Prins.

Marion has performed the world over and speaks five languages fluently … sometimes all the same time! Marion’s first experience working with an illusionist was in 1992 when she worked as a dancer with LeePeeVille (Leif Hansen) at Phantasialand in Brühl, Germany. In 1993 she came to Montreal to join the Ensemble National de Folklore les Sortilèges. In 1998, Marion worked as assistant choreographer under Peter Breuer for the Salzburg State Theater production of Tango de Amor in Salzburg, Austria.

Upon her return to Canada in 1999, she joined the Ted Outerbridge Magician Extraordinaire show as a dancer and lead assistant. 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”.

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 2001, A Space Travesty and Doctorology with such stars as Leslie Neilson and Catherine Zeta-Jones.

Greta

Psychic Goose

Greta's first performances with Ted and Marion Outerbridge were in 2011 at the prestigious Bermuda Festival of the Performing Arts. "Talk about pressure," Greta honked. "I thought my goose was cooked! I was the successor to Zelda the Psychic Chicken so I had some impressive feathers to fill." Greta has since adapted to the Outerbridges' grueling tour schedule and she is enjoying her role in the show, while Ted and Marion are adjusting to traveling in V-formation.

Greta is no spring chicken when it comes to show business. She has an impressive track record including network television and Vegas appearances. The press has hailed her performances as "cagey, soaring and flighty." When she is not migrating to the next theatre, Greta enjoys nesting by the fireplace with a glass of Gosling's Rum or a Grey Goose Martini and reading such classics as Birds of America, Goosebumps and Mother Goose, or taking a gander at the latest Ryan Gosling film. "He's one honker of a man!" Greta cackles.

Greta has a gaggle of Facebook fans from as far away as Goose Lake, Oregon and Gander, Newfoundland. She enjoys staying in touch with them all on her Facebook page Greta the Psychic Goose.

Illusions Unlimited

Illusion and Special Effect Design

Illusions Unlimited was founded in 1988 by Ted Outerbridge to design, engineer, and build magic illusions and special effects for his performances. Today under the direction of Ted and Marion Outerbridge a group of talented individuals ranging from experienced costume designers and seamstresses to metalworkers, cabinet makers, and special effects experts create the illusions for Outerbridge – Magical Moments in Time as well for the movie industry, television, live stage productions, and trade show exhibits.

Over the years Illusions Unlimited has created most of the very unique and spectacular illusions seen in the Outerbridge - Magical Moments in Time show such as a seven-foot tall alarm clock illusion and the Straitjacket Escape. Corporate creations include a customized motorcycle appearance for a Yamaha product reveal at a trade show, the production of a Gillette razor display rack for a sales promotion, and countless methods of producing CEOs have been realized. Illusions Unlimited has provided illusion development and support for a Cirque du Soleil Television special as well as for the Tri-Star Pictures motion picture, Switching Channels.

Brad A. Trenaman

Lighting Designer

Brad has designed lighting for many of Canada’s leading dance companies and choreographers including The OMO Dance Company, Ballet Creole, Janak Khendry, Menaka Thakkar, Shawn Byfield, The Stepcrew and The National Ballet School. The New York Times hailed his design for the North American tour of the Virsky Ukrainian Dance Company as “polished and dramatic”.  Besides dance, Brad has also designed lighting for theatre companies such as Carousel Players and Rasik Arts and musical acts including Matt Dusk and Nelly Furtado. He is currently consulting on a new space for internationally renowned blacklight puppet troupe The Famous PEOPLE Players.  The Las Vegas production of Menopause The Musical, which recently reopened for an indefinite run at the Luxor Hotel, features a completely new lighting design by Mr. Trenaman. A regular contributor to Professional Lighting and Production Magazine, Brad is a member (and past Board Member) of Associated Designers of Canada.

Pattie Obey

Choreographer

Pattie Obey is a committed professional bringing her experience, creativity, passion, and humor to the teaching profession. A Chicago native and the daughter of a dancer, Pattie began her professional career touring internationally with Gus Giordano’s Jazz Dance Chicago. Her performance credits both in the USA and abroad includes Broadway musicals, films and television. Her personal style is greatly influenced by her mentor Gus Giordano, former Hubbard Street artistic director Lou Conte, jazz master Matt Mattox and her own elegant and powerful femininity. Pattie credits her extensive classical background to her training with ex-Royal ballet soloists Richard Ellis and Christine DuBoulay.

Currently, Obey makes her home in Delray Beach, Florida after living in Europe for the past 28 years. She is presently a guest teacher at Harid Conservatory and Boca Ballet Theatre in Boca Raton, Florida. Pattie has been on the faculty of numerous dance festivals in Germany, Austria, Finland and Mexico. She is a master teacher for both Dance Educators of America and Dance Masters of America. For the past 8 years she has been a guest artist at the University of Performing Arts in Tilburg, The Netherlands.Pattie has taught for colleges, universities, dance companies and eminent dance studios in 36 states and 15 countries. She has choreographed works for LaJazDanz, Ormao Dance Company, Spectrum Dance Theatre, Houston Metropolitan Dance Company, Jazz Dance Theatre, Boca Ballet Theatre, Illusionists Ted and Marion Outerbridge, The Playhouse Dance Company at Point Park College and Pori Dance Company in Pori, Finland to name a few. Dance Magazine proclaims Obey as being “Dance Teacher Extraordinaire” and most recently Goldrush Magazine as “The Leading Lady in Jazz.” In 1992, she was the first woman to teach at the Jazz Dance World Congress and has been on the roster of master teachers ever since. She is also the recipient of the 2000 Jazz Dance World Congress Award in recognition of her considerable contribution to the world of jazz dance.

Don Jordan

Choreographer

Don is a native Montrealer and a dual Canadian-U.S. citizen. Born to a performing family, Don first studied Tap Dance at the tender age of 6, and then began his career dancing with his father at various venues in Montreal. Completely caught by the performing bug, Don pursued his dance training by studying African Dance, Jazz, Classical Ballet, and Modern with numerous teachers such as Rod Scott, Phil Black, Arleigh Peterson, Frank Hatchett, Jo Jo Smith, and many others in the U.S., and in Canada with Eva Von Gensey, Suzanne Toumine, Elsie Solomon, Hugo Romero, and countless others. Don has studied various styles and techniques which have enabled him to perform in vehicles from Television, Film, Night Club and Cabaret, to the Concert Stage. Along with his dance studies, Don studied acting and voice which made him known as a triple threat in the performing world.

Don became the first black performer in Quebec to be a regular on a weekly television show. At the age of fifteen he was the lead dancer for CFCF-TV’s “Like Young Show” for seven years, and Radio Canada’s “Fleur D’amour, Fleur D’Amitiés”, followed by countless television specials and galas. He was lead vocalist and dancer at the Caf’ Conc in the Chateau Champlain Hotel for two years. Don has performed with and choreographed for the Beaumont Ballet Theater in Texas and the Cole Harrison Dance Company in Washington D.C., and has been Guest Artist for numerous companies and productions. He has run the full gamut of the dance world, which is reflected in his unique choreographic style. Don was the Co-Founder and Co-Artistic Director of the Dance Factory Inc. in Montreal for sixteen years. Don has choreographed for television commercials and video clips as well as productions such as “Les Prix Gemeaux”, “Diva”, “Student Bodies”, and CBS’s “Starting From Scratch”. Some of his choreographic film credits include “2001, A Space Travesty” with Leslie Neilson, and MTV’s “Love Song” starring Monica. Don has also choreographed many theatrical productions throughout Canada and the U.S., as well as for industrial and production shows in Europe for the Canadian, Italian and German governments. Don’s latest accomplishment was to direct, choreograph, and stage last summer's hit musical revue in Montreal, “Esquire Show Bar, la Revue” nominated for a SOBA award, which ran again by special request for the Corona Theatre’s 2009 summer season.

As an accomplished actor, Don has been seen in over 75 films and television series, and is a familiar voice in radio and television commercials, and video games. He has performed in numerous straight theatre and musical theatre productions in both English and French. Don was the artistic director of the Black Theater Workshop for two years and was a lead vocalist in the People’s Gospel Choir of Montreal, and has performed on three separate occasions at the Festival International de Jazz de Montreal.

Don is now called a quadruple threat, and is also about to embark upon his second two-year term as president of ACTRA Montreal (Association of Canadian Cinema Television and Radio Artists).

Cameron Smillie

Business Agent

Cameron wears many hats with over 20 years experience in both the corporate world and in the performing arts world. In 1993 he co-founded the company – Live at the Hippo Pool Events Inc. with his partner Carolynn for the purpose of providing marketing services to a range of clients including Ballet Jorgen Canada, the Brampton Arts Council and Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet. In addition, Hippo Pool Events presents performing arts across southwestern Ontario. Cameron has also held corporate marketing positions with companies as varied as the Eastern Ontario Travel Association, Cadillac Fairview and Ascolectric Limited.

Cameron holds a B.A.Sc. in Consumer Studies from the University of Guelph. Presently he is the Projects Facilitator and Community Development Officer with the Brampton Arts Council and the Director of Touring for Ballet Jorgen Canada. His volunteer work includes sitting on the Board of the Sanderson Centre for the Performing Arts in Brantford, Ontario (since 1989). In addition to consulting projects he has participated as a speaker at a variety of workshops including three times at Ontario Contact. In Spring 2009 he co-produced a speaking tour, The Hart of Art, featuring Canada’s Evelyn Hart in a multimedia presentation to four cities in British Columbia. Earlier in 2009 he joined the Board of Directors of CCI – Ontario’s Presenting Network.

Ethan Rising

Stage Manager/Illusion Technician

Ethan was born in Kingston, Ontario and now makes his home in Niagara Falls. He is a co-owner of Winding Path Media, a recording studio located minutes from the falls. Ethan is a graduate of the Music Industry Arts program at Fanshaw College in London, Ontario. Since his graduation he has worked on numerous theatre productions including jobs as Stage Hand for Disney's Aladdin Jr; Lead Audio for Disney's Seussical and High School Musical 2 produced by Silvermist Productions; Lead Audio for the Rocky Horror Picture Show at the Port Mansion in Port Dalhousie, Ontario; and Lead Audio for Menopause Out Loud! This is Ethan's first tour with the Outerbridges and he is very excited to be a part of the magic.

Stuart McAllister

Publicist

With 28 years of communications experience in the Canadian entertainment industry, Stuart McAllister has an extensive network of media contacts across the country. His hands-on experience in many facets of production includes analysis of marketing needs, development of media kits, and coordination of the graphic design of publicity and promotional materials, resulting in a high-quality, recognizable and consistent brand image for his clients. This insight and these relationships, coupled with powerful writing skills and a background in journalism, ensure that his clients’ messages are delivered effectively to the media.

McAllister has studied marketing, advertising copywriting, magazine journalism, and poster design. He has set box office records by the skilful use of print and broadcast media. His clients regularly make front-page headlines from the National Post, Toronto Sun, and Montreal Gazette’s business section to the North Bay Nugget, Pique Newsmagazine, and the Meridian Booster. He is a published journalist and is conversant in French and English.