MINDPLAY

Magic Crew

Created and Performed by Vinny DePonto

Written by Vinny DePonto and Josh Koenigsberg

Directed by Andrew Neisler

Arena Stage, 2024

A love letter to the imperfect mind. Drama Desk Award–nominated theatermaker and mentalist Vinny DePonto guides us on an entirely new theatrical event in which your thoughts play a leading role. A “warmly inviting, nostalgia-ridden, gem of a performance” (Broadway World), Mindplay masterfully blurs the line between illusion and reality. Escape into the expansive beauty of imagination and bask in the ephemeral and surprising nature of memory.

Ryan served on this production as the special magic crew technician. Utilizing the methods and tools of the mentalist, Ryan worked backstage to ensure the one man performance ran smoothly every night. Honing his skills of improvisation, Ryan masterfully navigated the constantly changing challenges and demands of a highly interactive production spotlighting audience participation.

REVIEWS:

“Combining all of these elements into a cohesive, entertaining show is a challenge that DePonto (along with an adept technical crew) rises to with aplomb.”- Broadway World

“Mystifying, magical, and moving, “Mindplay” is a guided exploration of memory and the power it has to shape and reshape our perceptions—with an endless stash of astonishing surprises along the way.”- MD Theatre Guide

“DePonto repeatedly impresses by plucking people from the audience, examining their minds via a couple of innocuous questions and revealing their thoughts with uncanny accuracy. Taking inspiration from Solomon Shereshevsky, a vaudevillian artist renowned for his powers of recollection, he rattles off entertaining mnemonic devices and uses a “memory palace” technique to recite Shakespeare on demand.”- Washington Post