Corporate Magicians And Mentalists: Eight For US Events
Eight corporate magicians and mentalists for US events, from New York close-up to Las Vegas headliners, with fees and formats. Get a shortlist today.
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Booking a corporate magician in New York gives you an act that works in a room where a comedian might struggle. Magic and mentalism play to a mixed international audience, they need no shared cultural reference, and they work as well during a drinks reception as they do on a stage.
The distinction that matters when shortlisting is close-up against stage. Close-up performers move between tables and small groups, which suits a reception or a dinner. Stage acts hold a seated room, which suits a conference session or an awards interval. Several of the eight below do both, and that is worth confirming before you book.
What should you look for in a corporate magician?
Corporate work asks for different things than a theatre run. The act needs to perform without a raked stage or controlled lighting, adapt to a room that is still eating, and work clean in front of clients. Track record with companies rather than ticket buyers is the single most useful signal.
Mentalism has a second use that straight magic does not. Several mentalists deliver keynote content on attention, influence and decision making alongside the performance, which lets you programme an entertainment slot that connects to the day's theme rather than sitting apart from it.
Corporate magicians and mentalists in New York
Four of the acts below are based in New York City, which removes travel and accommodation from the budget for an East Coast event.
Max Davidson
Book Max for
Interactive magic at a tech or client event where the audience expects to be involved.
Max Davidson performs more than 150 shows a year for companies including Google, Apple and Under Armour. That volume of corporate work is the credential: he has played the specific room you are booking, repeatedly.
He founded Stand-Up Magic and has been featured in the New York Times. He also works as a keynote speaker and memory coach, so an event that wants content as well as entertainment can use him twice in a day. New York based, in the $11,000 to $25,000 band.
Learn more and book Max Davidson →
Doug McKenzie
Book Doug for
Close-up magic at a drinks reception where guests are standing and moving.
Doug McKenzie combines close-up magic with mentalism, working inches from the audience so that guests become participants rather than spectators. That format suits a reception, where a stage act would lose the room.
He created magic for the BAFTA-nominated Dynamo series and has consulted and produced for David Blaine television specials, so the material is built to hold up under close inspection. New York based, in the $11,000 to $25,000 band.
Learn more and book Doug McKenzie →
Jon Stetson
Book Jon for
A leadership session on presence and attention, delivered as mentalism.
Jon Stetson has performed for three US Presidents and Fortune 500 companies across more than 30 countries, and was the inspiration behind the CBS series The Mentalist. He works as a keynote speaker as much as an entertainer.
His sessions cover presence, connection and clarity, using mentalism to demonstrate how attention works rather than only to entertain. For a leadership offsite that wants a change of pace without losing the thread, that dual role is the reason to book him. Boston based, in the $6,000 to $10,000 band.
Learn more and book Jon Stetson →
Five more magicians and variety acts
These five cover Las Vegas headliners, comedy magic and one act who is neither: a juggler with an Andy Kaufman Award.
Mac King
A Las Vegas headliner of more than 20 years, named the world's number one comedy magician by MAGIC Magazine, with over 10,000 shows performed. Guinness World Record holder and NBC special veteran. Las Vegas based, $11,000 to $25,000.
Learn more and book Mac King →
David Williamson
A Broadway headliner and multiple Academy of Magical Arts Magician of the Year, working across close-up and larger stage illusions. The storytelling and audience interaction make him a fit for a seated dinner. Columbus based, $11,000 to $25,000.
Learn more and book David Williamson →
Nick Diffatte
Deadpan comedy paired with magic, currently starring in Cirque du Soleil's Las Vegas residency Mad Apple. A Magic Castle regular and CBS performer with corporate, cruise and theatre credits worldwide. Las Vegas based, $11,000 to $25,000.
Learn more and book Nick Diffatte →
Michael Mills
Comedy magic built on charm and misdirection, from a performer with over 20 years across private events, theatres and resorts. He also founded a live touring production company, so he understands the logistics side. New York based, $6,000 to $10,000.
Learn more and book Michael Mills →
Marcus Monroe
An Andy Kaufman Award-winning comedian and juggler who performs for colleges, corporates and theatres, with a New York Times Critics' Pick show four times over. Variety rather than magic, for an audience that has seen a magician before. New York based, $11,000 to $25,000.
Learn more and book Marcus Monroe →How much does a corporate magician cost?
The acts above fall into two bands. Jon Stetson and Michael Mills sit at $6,000 to $10,000. Max Davidson, Doug McKenzie, Mac King, David Williamson, Nick Diffatte and Marcus Monroe sit at $11,000 to $25,000.
Format moves the fee as much as profile does. Close-up work across a three-hour reception is priced differently from a 45-minute stage set, and a mentalist delivering a keynote alongside the performance sits higher again. Travel is the other variable, which is why the four New York based acts often come in lower for an East Coast event.
Frequently asked questions
Does magic work for an international audience?
Better than most acts. Magic and mentalism rely on visual surprise rather than shared cultural references or language, so they play consistently across a mixed room. That is a common reason to choose a magician over a comedian for a global conference.
What is the difference between a magician and a mentalist?
A magician performs illusions with objects, cards and sleight of hand. A mentalist works with prediction, suggestion and reading behaviour. Several performers do both, and mentalists more often carry a keynote alongside the show.
Can a magician perform during a drinks reception?
Yes, and close-up performers are built for it. They move between groups doing short sets, which keeps a standing room engaged without needing a stage, sound or a fixed start time.
How much space and technical support is needed?
Close-up magic needs almost nothing. A stage act needs lighting, sound and a clear sightline for the whole room. Confirm which you are booking early, because the venue requirements are completely different.
If you are weighing entertainment options more broadly, our guide to top UK female comedians and the Katherine Ryan alternatives piece cover stand-up acts for the same slots.
Tell us the venue, the format and whether guests will be seated, and we will shortlist acts that fit. Tell us about your event.
How they compare
Every act below works without shared language or cultural reference, which is why magic travels across a mixed room. Where they differ is format, and that is what your venue decides.
| Speaker | Core topic | On stage | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Max Davidson | Magic, mentalism, memory | Interactive, corporate-fluent, quick | Tech and client events expecting audience involvement |
| Doug McKenzie | Close-up magic, body language | Conversational, precise, up close | Receptions where guests stand and move between groups |
| Jon Stetson | Presence, attention, influence | Keynote-led, measured, uncanny | Leadership teams wanting content inside the entertainment |
| Mac King | Comedy magic, sleight of hand | Funny, broad, family-safe | Large seated audiences of every age |
| David Williamson | Sleight of hand, stage illusion | Spontaneous, story-driven, warm | Seated dinners wanting close-up and stage in one act |
| Nick Diffatte | Comedy magic, deadpan performance | Dry, understated, theatrical | Audiences who have seen a standard magic set before |
| Michael Mills | Comedy magic, misdirection | Charming, funny, easy-going | Organisations booking entertainment to a tighter budget |
| Marcus Monroe | Juggling, variety, comedy | Physical, unpredictable, award-winning | Events wanting a variety act rather than magic |
Not sure which way to go? Tell us about your event and we'll match the voice to the room.
Lily Willen
Read more from Lily Willen
Lily Willen is a Senior Client Partner at PepTalk and the company’s first US hire, leading growth across the Americas. With 8+ years in client-facing and commercial operations roles across expert networks and consulting, she partners with senior leaders to scope complex needs and deliver high-impact solutions. Her experience spans account growth, strategic programme design, and building teams and playbooks in fast-growing global organisations. She holds a BSc in Management from Tulane University and is based in New York.
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