‘David Parr: Time Traveler’ Is A Magical Journey Through History

A magic show that reaches back through centuries of history, David Parr: Time Traveler combines the evolution of the art form with mind-bending tricks and lively audience participation, creating an evening that will leave you wondering how he did it long after the show ends.

People who only know Chicago from the news have no idea what an incredible city we live in. The sights, sounds, tastes, and entertainment are second to none, and there is always something new to explore. So, if your only experience with magic shows is at a kid’s birthday party, it’s time to discover what else magic can be.

David Parr: Time Traveler is a new weekly magic show at Chicago Magic Lounge that highlights the history of magic alongside a variety of magic tricks. David is an internationally acclaimed magician who has devoted his life to sharing the experience of mystery with audiences, and he continues to perform in various weekly magic shows. Magic fans may recognize David from his appearance on the hit TV show Penn & Teller: Fool Us, where he took home the coveted Fool Us trophy (because they couldn’t even begin to guess how he did his winning trick!), and also won a guest spot in the duo’s live show in Las Vegas.

Attending this show at the Chicago Magic Lounge is an exciting experience. You enter through an active laundry room that reveals itself to be a doorway into a separate room with historical magic memorabilia that you can look at and read a bit about. From there, you are escorted into a large room with a stage and seating in concentric half circles that rise into the balcony. There isn’t a bad seat in the house, but there are two rows closer to the stage from which most of the audience participants were chosen.

The experience begins with a preshow that lasts about an hour. You can first enter at 7 pm, where you’re shown to your assigned seats and can order food and beverages from a menu when your server comes around. Table magicians walk through the audience and perform tricks for your party throughout that hour, and it’s thrilling to see it up close. My friend and I were treated to separate card tricks by Justin and Paige that we tried to decipher after each walked away, but struggled. It’s a lot of fun.

Around 8 pm, David Parr takes the stage with a carefully constructed show that pairs the history of magic with tricks inspired by each era. From the earliest recorded magic, famously associated with the Egyptian Pharaoh Cheops, to Wild Bill Hickok’s “dead man’s hand” and mentalist Washington Irving Bishop, Parr takes the audience on a journey through magic’s past. You aren’t just marveling at the tricks, you’re learning the history behind them – and that combination makes for an engrossing evening.

I won’t give away any tricks or the details of Parr’s act, but I will say that this is an excellent night out, filled with history, magic, and mentalist tricks that will have you trying to figure them out all the way home. Audience participation is a big part of the experience, and as the evening goes on, the crowd grows louder and more involved in everything happening on stage. Parr clearly welcomes the enthusiasm, having fun with both the individual participants and the audience as a whole. And yes, he performs the trick that won him the Penn & Teller: Fool Us trophy.

David Parr: Time Traveler is a great night out on the town, whether you’ve attended a magic show recently or are discovering the art form for the first time. The mix of magic history, magic tricks, audience participation, and the energy in the room makes this a show worth checking out. And with a screen on stage that lets you see the action from any seat in the house, you won’t have to worry about missing a thing.

David Parr: Time Traveler runs for approximately 60 minutes with no intermission. There is also a 60 minute preshow. The Chicago Magic Lounge is a 21+ venue, but you can enter at 16+ if accompanied by a legal guardian.

David Parr: Time Traveler is playing at The Chicago Magic Lounge every Wednesday through 12/16/26. Tickets can be purchased on the Chicago Magic Lounge website. The Chicago Magic Lounge is located at 5050 North Clark Street in Chicago.