Burnout Paradise, Broadway Magic Hour
Australian collective Pony Cam. (Photo: Austin Ruffer)
By Fern Siegel (Posted March 18, 2026)
A theatergoer who can recite Patti LuPone's “stop taking pictures!” rant from memory, or eagerly awaits each new revival of Richard III might dub the premise of Burnout Paradise as light, inconsequential fare. Fun for tourists and kids maybe, but not Real Theater.
They would be wrong.
Burnout Paradise, now off-Broadway at Astor Place Theater, is a fast-paced and comedic exploration of the causes of and, perhaps the remedies for, contemporary burnout. Four performers take on a significant challenge — to complete a dizzying array of tasks, all while running on treadmills marked “survival,” “admin,” “performance,” and “leisure.” A fifth performer acts as host and timekeeper.
They also aim to beat their total combined distance run. At the performance I saw, the number was 17.2 miles. The tasks include cooking a three-course dinner, preparing and submitting a grant application, performing Shakespeare, applying sunscreen, shaving and meditating. Completion depends on physical strength, but primarily due to audience help.
And if Pony Cam, the collective of five performers — Claire Bird, Ava Campbell, William Strom, Dominic Weintraub and Hugo Williams — don’t finish their to-do list in an hour’s time? You can get your money back.
Audience members are encouraged to run up on stage and help with completing nearly every assignment. This is not your typical audience participation. It is not that audience members are invited on stage, but rather that they are desperately needed. Dozens participate, many at the same time — passing sunscreen tubes, children's books and kitchen utensils. Even more complex tasks, such as bolstering a grant application, demand input.
Best of all, the physical performance is impressive, the laughs are plentiful and the frantic pace easily holds our attention. The creative team features scenic and video design by Jim Findlay and Pony Cam, lighting design by Dans Maree Sheehan and sound design by winner Cody Spencer — all are key to the show’s singular commentary on the insanity of modern life.
But hidden just beneath the humor and crazy energy is a deeper point. And it explains why Burnout has succeeded across multiple continents. It’s hard not to be moved by moments of genuine care offered from audience to performer. This is not lightweight fluff, despite the laughter. This is a inventive theatrical experience about how to manage when the tasks are endless and the tank is empty. And what it means to lean on someone else.
Burnout Paradise stuns by sheer endurance, Broadway Magic Hour specializes in the “wow” factor.
Carl Mercurio, Jim Vines
Who doesn’t love magic and illusion — especially when the magicians — Jim Vines and Carl Mercurio — specialize in sleight-of-hand. The talented duo sport a friendly demeanor, which makes an afternoon show perfect for families. However, anyone who is enamored of magic should visit the Broadway Comedy Club on W. 53 Street in midtown.
Audience participation is part of the Broadway Magic Hour experience. Kids eagerly volunteer and they are selected from the back of the room as easily as the front row. But what makes the experience special: The magic is clever and engaging. From an astounding public card trick that caused the adults to gasp — to mind-reading, illusion to levitation, the one-hour show delivers entertainment and amazement in equal measure.
Vines has appeared on “Penn & Teller: Fool Us,” performed at Mohegan Sun, City Winery in Manhattan, Smoke & Mirrors Magic Theater in Philadelphia and the Magic Castle in Hollywood. Mercurio is a regular at numerous clubs, including Comix at Mohegan Sun in Connecticut, Smoke & Mirrors, the Slipper Room in New York City, and the Chicago Magic Lounge.
Broadway Magic Hour is now on a 16-date sellout streak, so it pays to book in advance.