Magic on Broadway - Doomed?

[macbeth]

Posted: 11/12/25 at 8:25am

It seems like the last few attempts including the Illusionists have all been commercially disappointing... Has there been a successful magic act on Broadway in the last few decades? 

[darquegk]

Posted: 11/12/25 at 10:37am

If you're a big enough deal in BIG magic that you can book Broadway, you're gonna make more money and build more of a rep doing several shows a day in Vegas. If you're a big enough deal in SMALL magic that you can book Broadway, you're probably going to do better in an intimate setting where you won't need to rely on video monitors to show the trick. Broadway is the worst of both worlds for illusion and sleight of hand.

[quizking101]

Posted: 11/12/25 at 10:58am

Even if THE ILLUSIONISTS was disappointing at the box office, it at least had the benefit of multiple different acts of notoriety and was doing well enough to have return engagements.

Rob Lake’s show was just a poorly produced casino act that squandered its marquee draw in a bait and switch 

[Kad]

Posted: 11/12/25 at 11:06am

Has Broadway ever really been a comfortable home for full-length magic acts, aside from bonafide celebrity magicians like Penn & Teller? 

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 11/12/25 at 11:09am

Kad said: "Has Broadway ever really been a comfortable home for full-length magic acts, aside from bonafide celebrity magicians like Penn & Teller?"


This. What’s the point?

[JSquared2]

Posted: 11/12/25 at 11:18am

While not a "magician" per se (more of a mentalist), Derren Brown's SECRET did modest to good numbers through it's run in 2019 -- steadily increasing its box office as positive WOM spread.   It would be nice for him to bring his new show here eventually. 

https://playbill.com/production/derren-brown-secretcort-theatre-2019-2020

[raddersons]

Posted: 11/12/25 at 11:29am

The Magic Show did run for four years, but from what I understand that is more a musical with magic (and a Stephen Schwartz score to boot). Then again you look at Merlin one year prior and that flopped big time.

[chrishuyen]

Posted: 11/12/25 at 11:56am

I was also going to mention Secret because I thought that was really great (and I had a friend that went multiple times).  I think Derren Brown was really good at playing to a house of that size and threw frisbees out to the mezz so all the crowd work wasn't centered just on front orchestra

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

Posted: 11/12/25 at 12:04pm

raddersons said: "The Magic Show did run for four years, but from what I understand that is more a musical with magic (and a Stephen Schwartz score to boot). Then again you look at Merlin one year prior and that flopped big time."

Actually, Merlin came after The Magic Show, by about 7 years or so. Both starred Doug Henning, but the latter played to his strengths and let his magic accomplish what songs would typically do in a book musical, while the former tried to make him sing in addition to his illusions. Not the wisest choice in the world.

[Fordham2015]

Posted: 11/12/25 at 12:07pm

g.d.e.l.g.i. said: Actually,Merlincame afterThe Magic Show, by about 7 years or so. Both starred Doug Henning, but the latter played to his strengths and let his magic accomplish what songs would typically do in a book musical, while the former tried to make him sing in addition to his illusions. Not the wisest choice in the world."

To quote Nathan Lane, "Doug Henning was a triple threat. He couldn't sing, dance, or act."

The only Broadway magic show I've seen was Criss Angel. He was...fine?

[JayVenclaw]

Posted: 11/12/25 at 12:21pm

I'd go so far to say Harry Potter is the most successful "magical" show. There are literally dozens of illusions (at least in the original 2-part) but they help move the story forward versus being the focal point of the story. I'd like to think the Broadway is about story-telling (why Derren Brown's Secret went over well) and less a showroom for just big acts. 

[uncageg]

Posted: 11/12/25 at 12:22pm

I enjoyed Penn & Teller at the Marquis back in 2015. They did pretty well. I think it was a limited run. According to the grosses I looked at on Playbill, they did over a million a week.

[raddersons]

Posted: 11/12/25 at 2:38pm

g.d.e.l.g.i. said: " Actually, Merlin came after The Magic Show, by about 7 years or so.“

Thanks for the correction, I misread a digit.

[malcs98]

Posted: 11/12/25 at 3:26pm

JayVenclaw said: "I'd go so far to say Harry Potter is the most successful "magical" show. There are literally dozens of illusions (at least in the original 2-part) but they help move the story forward versus being the focal point of the story. I'd like to think the Broadway is about story-telling (why Derren Brown's Secret went over well) and less a showroom for just big acts."

I mean unless someone decides to turn Now You See Me into a full-on stage show, I absolutely agree with this statement. 

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 11/12/25 at 4:33pm

To quote Nathan Lane, "Doug Henning was a triple threat. He couldn't sing, dance, or act."