When Mat Franco: Magic Reinvented Nightly reopened on the Las Vegas Strip in the spring, things didn’t just go back to normal. The easy-going illusionist and his crew made some significant changes to the show, renovating the Mat Franco Theater, expanding the stage, and modernizing the space with new lights, projections on the walls, and other improvements. There’s plenty of fresh material on the show too, and all the extra effort is getting the visitors back to Las Vegas and creating a live entertainment experience that’s more vibrant and memorable than ever. We spoke to Franco about the creative approach to his meaningful comeback.
They returned to the stage at The Linq in late April. How was it?
The first night back was surreal. I know I had to hold back tears before I took the stage (area) and some of our crew members did too. I think the audience was very grateful to see a show again and for many of them it was the first time back. Surreal is probably the best word I can use to describe it after not doing what I probably have to do for 411 days.
They made several significant changes and upgrades to the show, some of which had nothing to do with the restrictions that were in place when it reopened. How did you make these changes and decisions?
It has been a moving post throughout the pandemic to see what we can do so I really tried to focus on the things that I could control. I had a lot of new material that I was working on and I was dying to put that on the show and I don’t know if it was an accident or if it was in the back of my mind and it happened on purpose, but I was in on material too work that was a little more practical and socially distant. Some of it has certainly found its way onto the show. But (the process) was really about using all the constraints as a creative challenge. We’ve enjoyed five great years at the Linq and after signing up for five more it seemed like the perfect time to brush things up.
Since Las Vegas is the destination of magic, it is important and important that your show and other magic-based shows be back on the Strip. Have you felt such feedback from the audience so far?
One of my goals in redesigning the show is to bring in more color and positivity than was already there. Everyone is talking about light at the end of the tunnel and I think we see that now and I want to be a part of it. I hope it’s not just because of the magic, but also because the overall energy, mood, and positivity go into the look and feel of the show.
Is there a certain new segment that you are particularly excited about right now?
Absolutely. There are a few new segments on the show, but the one I believed the least in is the one that the audience has reacted to the most. It required the least refinement and was the most fun so far. It’s about balloons and a really quirky, subtle idea where helium is in one balloon and another balloon is inflated manually. Since the summer I’ve been working on different methods to achieve this and it finally clicked right before it opened. It’s just really fun.
Your performance is really geared towards creating a strong connection with the audience, and that’s the only thing that has felt so impossible over the past year. Has all that time away from the stage changed the way you interact with the audience?
It did, and now I realized especially for me that I am serving the audience, providing something for them. I don’t want the show to be about me. I want the show to be about them. I want to give them a piece of myself, but I want the show to be really for them. When I sit in a theater, I enjoy performances that are not so much ego-driven as they are really focused on that connection, and I try to live up to that every night.
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