Matthew Teague has performed his signature brand of magic for audiences large and small across the world, but next month he’ll bring the act much closer to home.
Teague will debut his new show, “What If,” on Saturday, April 5, at The Links at Pioneer Pointe, 3730 Manistee Way in Verona. Tickets are $35.
The show will feature both the stage magic Teague performs at large corporate events and on tour with the Broadway show “Abracadabra,” and the close-up magic he performs several times a month at Ho-Chunk Gaming in Black River Falls and smaller events around the country.
“The show is meant to be the best of both worlds,” Teague told Madison365. “To me, the experience is really about the connection with the audience. That connection is truly a moment. It triggers a feeling in your body, and it’s hard to do that from a distance with somebody you’ve never met before.”
That’s why Teague, who’s producing and promoting this show himself, is keeping the capacity at 50.
“I want to keep it small,” he said. “It’s not always the best financial decision, but I just want it to really be good.”
It’s also more “convincing” when the magic is up close, he said. He added that he doesn’t use “magic” or “rigged” items … everything he uses in his tricks he can get at Walmart or Target.
“I think I love close-up magic because it’s so intimate and immersive. The audience isn’t just watching the magic, they are part of it,” he said. “When you’re in such close proximity, it feels undeniable. Which makes it really believable. That’s the feeling I am going for. That mixed with laughter and fun! There are some tricks from my big stage show, but because are so close to it I think it makes it even more convincing… I also like the challenge of having nowhere to hide.”
Teague grew up in New Mexico surrounded by gangs, drugs and violence. He’s publicly said he learned to read solely to read about magic, and that he used magic as a means to escape his day-to-day reality.
Over the years, he’s become known for his sleight of hand, especially in close-up settings. He made his national TV debut in 2021 on the CBS show Penn and Teller: Fool Us, where he performed his version of the classic “chink-a-chink” trick to effusive praise from the hosts. Since then, he’s been on the roster at Magic Corp, which books some of the biggest magicians for large corporate gigs.
Self-producing this new show gives Teague a little more artistic license, he said.
“There are a few stories about my life in the show,” he said. “I am doing a little spoken word. There are some pieces and stories that I have always wanted to share with my audience but felt like it would be more appropriate in a theatrical setting. Lots of new surprises… This show gives me a space to be more of an artist, and push things a little further.”
Teague said about half of the 50 tickets sold out the first day they went on sale, but some are still available for $35 at this link. He said he hopes to perform the show again in the future, and might take it on the road.
