Looking for a female magician in Chicago for a corporate event, private party, wedding, gala or cocktail reception?

Chicago has a strong professional magic scene, including women who work in close-up magic, strolling entertainment, stage magic, mentalism, emceeing and interactive event performance.

This is an independent editorial guide to help you understand who is working, what different performers actually do and how to choose the right format for your room. It is not a ranking, and Burlesque Chicago does not represent the artists listed below.

Need a Woman Magician for a Specific Event Date?

If you already have a date, venue and guest count and would rather have one producer source the right performer instead of contacting artists one by one, Vaudezilla can help cast and coordinate professional magician and specialty talent for Chicago events →

Send the date, location, audience, approximate guest count and whether you are imagining strolling magic, a featured show, an emcee or something less defined. You do not need to know the exact format yet.

Women Magicians Working in Chicago

Availability changes constantly, especially for corporate and private dates. These performers have current public professional footprints in or closely connected to Chicago’s magic scene.

Paige Thompson

Paige Thompson is a resident company member and house magician at the Chicago Magic Lounge with an international performance background spanning close-up magic, theatrical shows and television. Her credits include Penn & Teller: Fool Us, Masters of Illusion, the Magic Castle and other major magic venues.

Useful starting point for: sophisticated close-up magic, featured magic, private events and audiences looking for a polished contemporary magician with substantial stage experience.

Visit Paige Thompson’s official site →

Abby Segal

Abby Segal is a Chicago-based magician and resident performer at the Chicago Magic Lounge. Her event work includes three particularly useful formats: close-up magic, interactive stage shows and mingle magic that moves through cocktail parties, weddings, fundraisers and corporate events.

She has appeared on Penn & Teller: Fool Us and performed at the Magic Castle as well as international magic venues.

Useful starting point for: cocktail receptions, corporate events, private parties, close-up settings and events where you want magic distributed through the room rather than one formal stage interruption.

Visit Abby Segal’s official site →

Jan Rose

Jan Rose is a veteran Chicago magician, emcee and longtime Chicago Magic Lounge company member. Her work spans tableside magic, hosting, corporate meetings, awards programs, galas and fundraisers.

That combination is especially useful when the event needs more than a trick set. A magician who can also host, introduce speakers and manage audience attention can solve a different production problem than a stand-alone act.

Useful starting point for: corporate programs, awards events, emcee-plus-magic roles, tableside magic, galas and fundraisers.

Read Jan Rose’s Chicago Magic Lounge profile →

Rebecca Spectre

Rebecca Spectre is a Chicago magician whose private-event work includes strolling magic and short interactive magic shows. She also offers tarot reading, giving planners the option to build a broader mystical or Halloween-adjacent guest experience when that actually fits the event.

Her magic has appeared at the Chicago Magic Lounge and at private and corporate events, with formats designed for weddings, company gatherings, house parties and galas.

Useful starting point for: roaming magic, smaller interactive shows, weddings, private events, Halloween-leaning concepts and events where magic and tarot can coexist.

Visit Rebecca Spectre’s official site →

Kayla Drescher

Kayla Drescher is a Chicago-based magician and mind-reader with extensive corporate, theatrical and television experience. Her work combines sleight of hand, mind reading, comedy and audience participation, and her client history includes major corporate brands alongside theater and television appearances.

She is also a co-owner of Chicago’s Cosmic Underground Theater and has performed in Chicago at venues including the Chicago Magic Lounge and Rhapsody Theater.

Useful starting point for: corporate audiences, featured shows, cocktail hours, mind-reading and clean interactive magic.

Read more about Kayla Drescher →

What Kind of Magician Does Your Event Actually Need?

The phrase female magician Chicago tells you something important about the casting brief, but gender alone does not tell you what the performer needs to do.

Strolling or Close-Up Magic

The magician moves through cocktails, dinner tables or small guest groups. This is often a strong fit for receptions and networking events because there is no need to stop the entire room.

Featured Stage or Parlor Magic

Guests deliberately watch one shared performance. This works best when the schedule, sightlines and sound support a focused moment.

Mentalism or Mind Reading

Mind-reading and prediction-based performance can feel especially strong in corporate and adult social settings where a traditional visual magic show is not quite the tone you want.

Magician + Emcee

For awards programs, galas and structured dinners, the ability to host may be as valuable as the magic itself. One performer can sometimes connect program transitions while also delivering entertainment.

Female Magicians for Corporate Events in Chicago

For a company event, start with the function the entertainment needs to serve.

• Cocktail hour: strolling or close-up magic can create easy conversation points.
• Networking reception: roaming magic can energize the room without interrupting it.
• Awards dinner: a short featured performance or magician-emcee can create a reset between program blocks.
• Holiday party: close-up, mentalism and featured magic can all work depending on how structured the evening is.
• VIP or client event: quieter close-up performance may suit the room better than a large stage act.

For the bigger planning picture, see our guide to corporate event entertainment in Chicago.

Female Magicians for Private Parties, Weddings and Celebrations

Private events give you more freedom, but the same format question applies. A magician working a 40-person cocktail party needs a different approach from someone performing for 150 seated wedding guests.

If the event is highly social, roaming magic often fits naturally. If everyone will already be seated and facing the same direction, a short featured show may make more sense.

Explore our broader Chicago private event entertainment guide or our wedding entertainment guide.

A Note on Gender-Conscious Casting

People frequently search for a “female magician,” which is why this guide uses that language where it helps someone find the resource they are actually looking for.

If your casting brief specifically calls for a woman, nonbinary performer or another gender-diverse artist, say that clearly when you inquire. Do not infer someone’s identity from a photograph, costume or stage persona. Professional casting works better when the brief is explicit and performers are given room to describe themselves.

Want Someone to Handle the Casting?

If you are producing a corporate gala, luxury private event, hospitality program or celebration and the magician is one part of a larger entertainment plan, you may not want to manage individual artist outreach yourself.

Tell Vaudezilla about the event →

Share your date, venue or city, guest count, event type, approximate entertainment budget and what you want the room to feel like. The casting can start from the event rather than from a predetermined performer.

Are You a Chicago Woman or Gender-Diverse Magician?

This guide is intended to evolve as Chicago’s magic community evolves.

If you are a professional woman or gender-diverse magician working in Chicago or regularly serving Chicago events and believe you belong here, contact Burlesque Chicago with your professional website, current reel, home base, performance formats and the kinds of events you accept.

More Chicago Magic and Event Resources

• Chicago Spanish-Speaking Magicians
• Corporate Event Entertainment Chicago
• Private Event Entertainment Chicago
• Burlesque & Variety Arts Directory

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there female magicians in Chicago?

Yes. Chicago’s current professional magic scene includes women working in close-up magic, strolling entertainment, stage magic, mentalism and emceeing, including performers associated with the Chicago Magic Lounge and private-event work throughout the city.

Can I hire a woman magician for a corporate event?

Yes. Several Chicago women magicians explicitly work corporate events. The most useful first decision is whether you need strolling entertainment, a focused stage show, mentalism, an emcee or a combination.

What information should I send when requesting availability?

Send the event date, venue or city, guest count, event type, approximate performance window and whether guests will be mingling or seated. If gender is an intentional part of the casting brief, state that directly.

Can Vaudezilla find a magician if my first-choice performer is unavailable?

For qualified private and corporate events, Vaudezilla can source specialty talent around the actual date, room, audience and format rather than relying on one predetermined performer. Request an entertainment proposal →