Now You See Me Live will mark the opening of its Broadway box office with close-up magic, playing-card giveaways and a ticket promotion in which the card customers draw determines the price they pay.
The event begins at 10 a.m. on Thursday, October 29, at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre. Cast members James More, Darcy Oake and Matthew Pomeroy will attend, with visitors getting an opportunity to experience close-up card magic from one of the production’s Horsemen.
Timed to the Halloween season and the 100th anniversary of Harry Houdini’s death, the launch will give the first 52 people in line a chance to purchase discounted tickets. Each participant will select a card numbered from one to 52, and that number will become the dollar price per ticket for a pair of tickets to a select November performance.
The promotion is limited to two tickets per customer and is valid for performances from November 11 through November 30, with blackout dates applying. Customers must appear in person to participate. The first 100 people in line will also receive customized Now You See Me Live playing cards.
The Horsemen Head to Broadway
The Broadway engagement begins Wednesday, November 11, and runs for eight weeks only, through Sunday, January 3. The production arrives in New York following sold-out engagements internationally and is part of an ongoing global tour, with further destinations still to be announced.
The four performers appearing as the Horsemen bring different specialties and international backgrounds to the show. The lineup comprises South African escapologist Gabriella Lester, English illusionist James More, Canadian illusionist Darcy Oake and English mentalist Matthew Pomeroy.
Inspired by Lionsgate’s Now You See Me film franchise, the stage production builds on the films’ central concept: a group of elite illusionists carrying out seemingly impossible heists. The franchise is based on characters created by Boaz Yakin and Edward Ricourt, spans three hit films and has earned more than $933 million at the global box office.
The live version translates that world into an all-ages stage spectacle built around high-tech illusions, individual stunts and large-scale set pieces. Its four illusionists unite as the Horsemen for feats created specifically for the stage. Collectively, the performers have appeared in thousands of shows across hundreds of cities, including sell-out residencies on Broadway and across Australia and Asia.
A Global Production
Now You See Me Live opened at the MGM Grand Theater inside the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino on the Las Vegas Strip on October 15. Before that, a sold-out engagement at the London Coliseum concluded on Sunday, September 6.
The production is presented by Tim Lawson and Simon Painter, the creators of The Illusionists, in collaboration with Lionsgate. Lawson also serves as producer, while Painter is the show’s creator and creative producer.
The wider creative team includes co-creator Adam Trent; creative and staging director Ash Jacks McCready; creative director Kirsty White; illusion director Enzo Wenye; lighting designer Hugo Mercier-Bosseny; and composer Evan Duffy. Jenefer Brown, Lionsgate’s president of Global Products & Experiences, is the project’s creative consultant.
ShowBiz Take
This box-office opening does more than put discounted seats on sale: it turns the act of buying a ticket into an extension of the production itself. The 52-card mechanic gives the first customers a genuine element of chance, while the close-up performance and customized decks connect the promotion directly to the Horsemen’s onstage world.
The Broadway run also brings together two established elements of the project’s appeal: a film franchise with more than $933 million in worldwide box-office revenue and a live production that has already played sold-out engagements. The strictly limited eight-week schedule gives New York audiences a defined window to see how the franchise’s illusion-driven heists have been reworked for the stage.
What Happens Next?
After the October 29 box-office event, performances begin November 11 and continue through January 3. The card-draw ticket offer covers select dates through November 30, subject to blackout dates, while the production’s global tour is set to continue beyond Broadway with additional stops to be announced.