The Magic Patio is a 55-seat magic theater in San Francisco that companies and private hosts can take over for a team outing, a holiday party, a client evening or a celebration. Groups of 40 to 55 guests fit best. The venue is at 3264 Mission Street, in the Mission district, behind a plain doorway that gives no hint of the theater inside.
Seminars and company events
The private events page lists four formats for companies. A team building offsite is built around a 75-minute performance of magic and mentalism, which the venue describes as social and surprising, with no trust falls and no icebreakers. A talk-plus-performance session is aimed at leadership offsites and creative teams: the founder, Andrew Evans, combines short talks rooted in design thinking with live magic. Company holiday parties and client entertainment evenings use the same room and the same performance.
The team says organisers do not need to source entertainment, catering, lighting, decor or rental furniture, since all of it is already on site. A company that needs a larger or different setting can also invite Andrew Evans to perform at its own venue. The venue recommends this option for events of 60 guests or more, and says it already performs in conference rooms, ballrooms and private residences.
The home page also mentions virtual shows for corporate teams. The dedicated virtual events page could not be opened when this page was prepared, so ask the team whether the offer is still running.
Rooms and capacities
The venue has a single room, a contemporary speakeasy theater. It seats 55 guests, with only very limited standing room. For a private event the team recommends between 40 and 55 guests. A full buyout suits groups of 30 to 50. Groups of fewer than 30 can buy a block of seats instead of the whole room, which keeps the evening private for the group within a ticketed show.
A buyout gives exclusive use of the theater for the event and guarantees a staged magic performance. The room is not designed for a seated dinner, a plenary session or a dance floor, so the format is an evening show rather than a conference day.
Catering
Food and drink service can be arranged with the venue's trusted catering and bar partners, and the team prefers to work with them. Some food delivery, such as pizza or burritos, is accepted with a staff service charge that covers plates, napkins and cleanup. Guests may bring their own wine and beer, but liquor and mixed drinks are not allowed. A staff service charge also covers glassware, buckets of ice and cleanup.
History and setting
The Magic Patio began as a backyard pop-up and grew into a permanent theater on Mission Street. Its founder, Andrew Evans, has a background in engineering and design. He also works as Magic and Illusions lead on the San Francisco production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. The venue has been covered by the San Francisco Chronicle, Stanford Magazine, KQED and The Wall Street Journal.
Getting there
The address is 3264 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94110. The team advises starting the conversation at least one month before the event date.
