Vinny DePonto always knew he wanted to be a performer. It all started when he was very young. He became interested in acting, scripting, music, theatre, and puppets, and he realized magic could be the best container for all these things.
His show, Mindplay, has been running in New York since December 2024 and will close on May 11th. DePonto previously performed the same show in several other cities, including Las Vegas, Washington, D.C., and Boston.
The show has changed over time, adding new layers and elements to resonate with different venues, cultures, and types of audiences.
Mindplay is a mind-reading show. But don't get dragged into the old cliché of the mentalist controlling the audience's thoughts—DePonto created the show as a conversation with the audience, where his thoughts and vulnerabilities are also at stake. Speaking with us, he shared:
"The show is about our thoughts and the way they shape us. The way we use them to build bridges and, in a big way, how we distort our memory. [...] My hope is to say to people, 'Look—I realize coming to a show where your thoughts will be on stage is unsettling, but don’t worry, I won’t embarrass you.' It’s a big conversation between me and the audience."
During our conversation with DePonto, we found at least two big takeaways that we believe can really improve the way we think about our magic—and (if it's your cup of tea) mentalism, too.
