The international sensation, HOUDINI: A Magical Musical, will launch a U.S. tour on October 31, 2027, 101 years to-the-date after Houdini’s untimely death.
From the creative team behind the new production of Lloyd Webber’s Phantom, starring Ramin Karimloo, the Broadway bound musical, produced by LETSGO, will launch a national U.S. tour next October prior to a limited Broadway engagement in 2028. The producers are making the timely announcement to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Houdini’s death this month that will be marked with séances around the world that night.
Houdini promised his wife before his death on Halloween night in 1926, that he would return if he could. Now the greatest magician in the world will return from the afterlife in this new musical, written and directed by Federico Bellone, that combines his true story — driven by his lifelong need for recognition — with more than 20 spectacular illusions, including never-before-seen creations such as the appearance of an elephant and a new interpretation of the legendary Chinese Water Torture Cell.
Called “breathtaking from start to finish with spectacular illusions,” the new musical about the most famous illusionist and showman of all time follows the great magician’s last show in Detroit, with a thrilling story that bounces between the events on the stage, the backstage that night and specific flashbacks of his past. Casting and tour dates to be announced at a later date. Bond Theatrical is managing the U.S. national tour.
HOUDINI: A Magical Musical features original music by Giovanni Lori (Excalibur), influenced by the magician’s Hungarian origins, along with magic and illusions created by Paolo Carta (Mary Poppins, Ghost, Charlie and The Chocolate Factory in Europe) and choreography by Gillian Bruce (latest Phantom).
“We would be thrilled to have the tour begin in Detroit, where Houdini gave his final performance at the now demolished Garrick Theatre, before disappearing for the last time 100 years ago,” said Writer and Director Federico Bellone. “And it would be meaningful to perform at the Nederlander Theatre on Broadway (formerly the National), where the escapist made his final Broadway appearance in 1926. We plan for the U.S. tour to mirror the same journey Houdini himself followed during his lifetime.”
The acclaimed musical premiered in Italy in English with an American cast led by Broadway leading man Ryan Silverman. It then continued with an open-ended engagement in Madrid — a city now considered the third-largest musical theatre market in the world, after New York and London — featuring a Spanish cast, representing a new model for developing original theatrical productions.
“In a world where people struggle for recognition — especially on social media — without seeing the cost that pursuit can have on those they love most, this story feels more relevant than ever,” said the Producers of LetsGo, the team behind projects including Disney’s Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas Light Trail in New York.
Biographies
FEDERICO BELLONE (Writer/Director). International theater director, set designer, playwright, composer and executive producer, awarded with a special mention from the President of the Italian Republic. International productions and/or West End: Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera, Houdini, Dirty Dancing, The Addams Family, Ghost, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Bodyguard and Some Like It Hot. National productions: The Prince of Egypt, Cabaret, Anastasia, Bailo Bailo, Disney and Cameron Mackintosh’s Mary Poppins, Fame, West Side Story, An American in Paris, Disney’s Newsies, Sunset Boulevard, Titanic, Flashdance, 8 Times Academy Award Winner Alan Menken Piano Concert, High School Musical, Little Shop of Horrors, Grease, and Annie. Former Artistic Director at Stage Entertainment (Nazionale and Brancaccio Theaters).
GIOVANNI LORI (Composer) has worked as a conductor under some of Broadway’s leading music directors, including Ted Sperling, Patrick Vaccariello, Mark Hummel, and Peter Howard. He is the composer of new musicals such as Excalibur and Three Steps Over Heaven, as well as an arranger for songs by Måneskin and Robbie Williams. As a music director, his work spans from opera—including Madama Butterfly at the Puccini Festival—to musical theater, including the new international production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera and Nine at the renowned Folies Bergère in Paris. He is also a composer for Italy’s leading television network.
PAOLO CARTA (Magic/Illusions) is an internationally renowned illusionist who has created original illusions for major musical theater productions, including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Ghost, Disney and Cameron Mackintosh’s Mary Poppins, The Prince of Egypt, and many others. He is currently the Artistic Director of Italy’s first theme park and has collaborated with some of the world’s leading illusionists, including Arturo Brachetti.
GILLIAN BRUCE (Choreography). London-born Bruce is an internationally experienced choreographer. Her extensive musical theater credits include Dirty Dancing in London’s West End and internationally, as well as new productions of The Phantom of the Opera, Disney and Cameron Mackintosh’s Mary Poppins, Newsies, High School Musical, and Cabaret. Her work has been staged at prestigious theaters around the world, including Teatro alla Scala in Milan.
LETSGO (Producer) is a leading entertainment company specializing in the creation, production, promotion, and international development of live shows and immersive experiences. Founded in 2009, the company has grown from its roots in Bilbao and Madrid into an international entertainment group, with projects reaching audiences across Europe, Latin America, the United States, and beyond. With a creative approach that combines theater, musical theater, circus, music, nightlife, technology, and immersive experiences, LETSGO develops both original productions and licensed international properties. Its portfolio includes original productions such as The Hole, Jaleos Jondos, OCO The Show, and Naturaleza Encendida, alongside major licensed titles including The Phantom of the Opera, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, School of Rock, Dirty Dancing, Kinky Boots, and The Bodyguard. LETSGO has also established a strong reputation for creating large-scale immersive experiences in collaboration with major international brands and artists. Its projects include Tim Burton’s The Labyrinth, created in collaboration with Tim Burton, as well as immersive experiences connected to properties such as Jurassic World, The Squid Game, and The Nightmare Before Christmas. Today, LETSGO continues to expand internationally through strategic partnerships, original content, major intellectual properties, and innovative live experiences, with the ambition of redefining the way audiences around the world experience entertainment.
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