“Dennis Watkins is Chicago’s premiere resident magician”
–Chicago Tribune
The Magic Parlour
Performances now available through December 2025
Around 90 minutes with no intermission. All paid tickets include a complimentary drink from the bar. Encore Room participants will have an additional 25-minute show, immediately following.
Click here for performances September through December 2025.
Experience Jaw-Dropping Magic.
Enter through the doors at 50 West Randolph to discover a hidden world where the impossible becomes reality. Join award-winning magician Dennis Watkins as your thoughts, your choices, and your imagination create the most amazing feats showcased in this tour-de-force of classic magic and mind reading.
Located adjacent to The Goodman, at The Magic Parlour every seat is the best seat in the house with only 64 guests per performance.
Grab a drink, settle in, and reconnect with your sense of childlike wonder for this one-of-a-kind theatrical journey.
Delighting audiences for 15 years, see for yourself why Dennis Watkins “is without an obvious peer” (Chicago Tribune).
Recommended for ages 12+.
The Encore Room
The Encore Room directly follows select performances of The Magic Parlour, allowing you to experience Watkins’ world-class sleight of hand in an even more exclusive setting. Immediately after the show, you are escorted to a smaller, private space, where you will sit at the card table with Chicago’s top magician to witness even more of the awe-inspiring magic Watkins has up his sleeve. To add The Encore Room experience, choose “VIP” when selecting your performance.
Limited to 24 guests, The Encore Room also provides guests the unique opportunity to participate in a Q&A with Watkins where you will learn more about his family legacy, his remarkable life in magic, and his work as one of this country’s premier magicians.
Get a backstage pass to The Magic Parlour hosted by the one and only, Dennis Watkins. Performances now available through August!
Audiences are astonished by Dennis Watkins’ The Magic Parlour.
Dennis Watkins’ The Magic Parlour. Photo by Kyle Flubacker Photography.
Dennis Watkins’ The Magic Parlour. Photo by Kyle Flubacker Photography.
Dennis Watkins’ The Magic Parlour. Photo by Kyle Flubacker Photography.
Dennis Watkins’ The Magic Parlour. Photo by Kyle Flubacker Photography.
Dennis Watkins’ The Magic Parlour. Photo by Kyle Flubacker Photography.
ABOUT DENNIS WATKINS
Dennis Watkins is an award-winning, third-generation magician, actor and entertainer. His critically-acclaimed show, The Magic Parlour, has been running since 2009 and is the longest running magic show in Chicago.
Dennis is a founding member of The House Theatre of Chicago, where he played the title role in all 9 of the company’s productions of Death and Harry Houdini. He received a Joseph Jefferson Award for his work on the show in 2012.
His work has been seen on CBS, WGN, ABC, FOX, the A&E Network and on the CW Network’s hugely popular Penn & Teller: Fool Us.
In his time away from work, Dennis enjoys being a dad more than anything else. He describes becoming a father as “the most magical part of life so far.”
Critics Reviews
“90 minutes of mind-boggling fun that would make Houdini proud.”
WGN’s Behind the Curtain
⭐⭐⭐⭐(out of 4)
Chicago Tribune
“Watkins combines his expertise, tremendous people skills, and dazzling wit, making his show a must-see event.”
Let’s Play
“If you like good old-fashioned magic, sleight of hand, and mind-reading tricks, Dennis Watkins’s THE MAGIC PARLOUR is the ticket.”
Broadway World
“If you don’t believe in magic, you will after you see Dennis Watkins at The Magic Parlour!”
WGN’s Behind the Curtain
“Dennis Watkins is Chicago’s premiere resident magician.”
Chicago Tribune
Commonly asked questions
The Magic Parlour is a 90-minute experience. There is no intermission. Guests adding The Encore Room will have an additional 25-minute show immediately following the performance.
Performances are held at the Magic Parlour home, right around the corner from Goodman Theatre located at 50 West Randolph Street.
Cocktail attire is recommended for everyone attending this magical night!
The Magic Parlour is a grown-up night out. There is nothing unsuitable for children in the show. However, it is designed for an adult audience. The show is open to guests ages 12 and up. Guests under 16 years old must be accompanied by an adult.
A complimentary drink (beer, wine, cocktail or soft drink) at the bar is included with your ticket purchase. We recommend you arrive at least 30 minutes prior to show to redeem your complimentary drink. A small bites menu is also available for purchase beginning one hour before show, although food is not permitted in the performance space. Guests can also dine before or after the show at Petterino’s. Book your reservation at Petterinos.com.
Due to the limited inventory available for this intimate experience, all ticket sales are final. There are no refunds or exchanges.
Absolutely! The Magic Parlour is fully accessible by elevator, located just within the main entrance on 50 West Randolph Street. If you or someone in your party uses a wheelchair or would like additional time to get to your seats, please let us know and we will make arrangements.
While assisted listening devices are not available, all seats are within 20 feet of the performance.
Looking for other accessible offerings or have questions? Email boxoffice@themagicparlourchicago.com.
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