WILLIAMSBURG-Brandon and Hannah Wagster, who share a love for magic and each other, are bringing their act to Williamsburg this summer. The husband-and-wife team, who have been entertaining audiences since 2010, are planning to open a new magic theatre on Olde Towne Road. If all goes as scheduled, they will open the doors to their first local show on Thursday, June 2.
The Wagsters decided to bring their award-winning show to Williamsburg after holding tens of thousands of performances in Myrtle Beach, SC. Brandon, 30, and Hannah, 27, met when they were teenagers.
“We’re both originally from Columbia, South Carolina, but we moved to Myrtle Beach in 2012 for our first theatre show,” said Hannah Wagster. “I literally graduated, and the next weekend we moved.”
The Wagsters deliver memorable performances chock full of illusions, sleight of hand tricks, mindreading escapades, courageous escapes, and heartfelt stories.
“This has been a dream of mine since I was six years old,” said Brandon Wagster. “I’ve wanted my own theatre since I was a little kid.” Like many children, he used his imagination before acquiring an actual theatre space.
“I would hang bedsheets and my dad’s work lights in the garage with friends, and we’d put on shows, circuses, plays, all sorts of different things,” said Brandon Wagster.
The duo performed at a theatre in Myrtle Beach for about six years until the pandemic hit. The couple used the time off from work to reflect and decide what their next career move would be.
“We had spent the last few years planning and waiting out a noncompete from the previous theatre we were working with,” said Brandon Wagster.
When the noncompete agreement expired, the Wagsters were weeks away from signing a lease with a theatre in Myrtle Beach when they had a change of heart.
“Something just did not feel right in my gut, and I pulled the plug on it,” said Brandon Wagster. A few days later, a family friend suggested they check out Williamsburg for a theatre prospect.
“We had never heard of Williamsburg at the time, but after research and about an hour of Googling, Hannah and I both fell head over heels in love with the town, and it met our criteria,” said Brandon Wagster.
They visited Williamsburg over Valentine’s Day of this year, and, like magic, found a suitable venue.
“We literally found the space on our way out of town while we were heading home,” said Brandon Wagster. “Calvary Chapel Williamsburg used to meet there. The day we booked our Airbnb to come up here was the same day that the church handed in their keys.”
A month later, the Wagsters are now living in the Historic Triangle and painting their new workspace.
Their family-friendly show lasts 75 minutes, and there’s no intermission. With approximately 80 seats in the theatre, guests will be situated close to the action.
“The furthest seat away from the stage is 25 feet,” said Brandon Wagster.
Showtimes are slated to be held at 7pm every day of the week from June 2 through September 3, though the theatre will be closed on Wednesdays. After the summer months, the magic show will be offered on weekends at either 2pm or 7pm, depending on the day. Christmas shows will be held during the holiday season.
All seating will be general admission and offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Children under the age of three will be free of charge if they are seated on an adult’s lap. Ticket prices, in addition to taxes and fees, will cost $14.95 for ages 3 to 12; $29.95 for ages 13 to adult; and active military, in addition to senior citizens who are 65 years of age, will be charged $27.95 per ticket. Guests are asked to call the box office at 1-877-WAGSTER for wheelchair and handicap accessible seating, and groups of 15 or more adults are asked to do the same, as discounts are available.
A VIP ticket package is available for $159.95 and valid for four guests. It includes front-row seating, a preshow private meet and greet session with the Wagsters, one free drink for each member in the party, a commemorative VIP lanyard, and one autographed show poster to keep as a souvenir.
The Wagsters have opted for a completely digital check-in process. Tickets will be emailed to guests after they’ve been purchased online. Customers can bring printed email receipts or present receipts via mobile device. If guests don’t have access to a printer or a mobile device, they’re welcome to check in upon arrival. Tickets are non-refundable. The theatre is located at 5535 Olde Towne Rd., Williamsburg.
For more information about The Wagsters Magic Theatre, click here to visit their website.