An oft-repeated admonition to developing mystery entertainers is one to "learn about theatre": acting, directing, stagecraft, etc. But it's rare to see any specific recommendations by anyone who actually knows what s/he's talking about. There isn't even a Magic Café area devoted to this extremely important element of our art form!

Well, thanks to the generosity of theatre professional (and mystery entertainer) Bill VanGorder, I've now assembled a list of recommended books on the topic. It's freely available online at The Deceptionary. I hope you find it of value.

Is it only books in print? If not, I would advocate for Max Howard's Creating Theatrical Magic, which is another great resource from someone who knows what they're doing. Thanks for compiling this in one place, Doug - great list!

Why on earth would it matter if the book is "in print"?