About
Magician
Richard Vegas
Professional magician Richard Vegas is the quintessential stage and close-up magician, illusionist and mentalist. Residing in Melbourne, he performs around Australia and
internationally.
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With over 20 years experience including a decade entertaining at The Star Casino in Sydney, Richard Vegas has headlined festivals, toured internationally and performed throughout Australia at major venues such as The Sydney Opera House, The Forum Theatre Melbourne, The Tivoli Brisbane, The State Theatre Sydney, The Victorian Arts Centre and many more for everything from private, commercial and corporate events to work in theatre film and television.
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Richard Vegas is the only professional magician in Australia who is a graduate of NIDA and a Green Room Award nominee. Originally training as an actor, director, producer and theatre practitioner, running his own theatre company in Melbourne, Richard furthered his study at the National Institute of Dramatic Art with a degree in dramatic art and furthered his career and experience with professional work in productions as well as directorial and performance work in film, theatre and television as an actor, magician, MC and variety performer.
Richard Vegas is the author, director, co-producer and headline performer as MC and Magician of "The Paris Underground Cabaret". The Paris Underground Cabaret is the most successful touring Cabaret show in Australia, now into it's 10th year of touring to critical and box office success, the production has toured to every state in Australia with well over 70 individual engagements and continues to tour with return "ENCORE" seasons. More recently, Richard Vegas has launched a new touring cabaret production, the innovative and refreshing CLUB SODA . This project along with many others comes under the umbrella of Raconteur Productions; Richard Vegas and Julia Madotti's creative production company.
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As a graduate of the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) Richard Vegas is an accomplished and experienced actor, director, teacher, magician, illusionist, performer and MC as well as a theatrical producer who has over two decades of experience in the entertainment industry.
After three years of study at Melbourne’s Acting Studio up to 1995, Richard formed Icon Theatre Group. Over the next four years, he produced, directed and acted in over six independent productions for Icon Theatre Group, focussing on the rarely produced works of writers like Chekhov, Pirandello and John Patrick Shanley. In 2000, Richard auditioned and was accepted into the acting course at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) in Sydney. During this time at NIDA Richard worked closely with head of directing, Helmut Bakaitis and playwright Nick Enright, collaborating dramaturgically with Nick Enright on “Country Music”; the inaugural production for the new NIDA Parade Theatre. Throughout this time at NIDA, Richard formed Magic Extraordinaire with his partner Julia Madotti, a business focussed on providing magic and character entertainment for corporate, private and public functions. Magic Extraordinaire, provided concepts of promotion and entertainment for The Star Casino, including the major promotions throughout the casino precinct for the big budget musicals housed in the Lyric Theatre. Richard was also personally engaged as the Star Casino’s head MC for promotions, cash and prize draws for over 5 years from 2007 - 2012. After graduating from NIDA in 2002, Richard furthered his career as an actor, director, producer and teacher. Initially producing, directing and performing in “The Pitchfork Disney” (2003), the first independently produced play to be staged in the new NIDA Parade Studio Theatre. This was followed by work in film, theatre and television, including the award winning short film “The Brother” (AFTRS), “Night Letters” for the Adelaide Festival (STCSA/Malthouse) for which he was nominated for a Green Room award; “A Midsummer Nights Dream” ( Bell Shakespeare - for which he also worked as a magic consultant ), the independently produced feature film “Beautiful”, which was nominated for best Film at the Asian Festival of First Films (AFFF), and various roles for television including; “White Collar Blue”, “The Cooks”, “Comedy Inc.”, “All Saints” and “Home and Away”. Over this time he taught acting extensively as a private tutor and taught workshops and classes at Scots College, Sydney.
As a director, Richard co-directed Icon Theatre Groups’ first production “The Deserter”, with Peter Sardi, and subsequent productions of “The Other Son” and “Welcome to the Moon & other Plays” with Aris Gounaris. He directed “The Pitchfork Disney” 2003, and “Rest In Peace” for the Short and Sweet Festival 2006. Further acting and performance credits include Ride On’s production of the box office breaking, reworking of Shakespeare’s “The Merchant Of Venice” at Downstairs Belvoir in 2007 and “Family Stories : Belgrade” at The Stables, Sydney ( Ride On - 2008 ). In 2010 Richard Vegas wrote, directed and performed in “MADA vs VEGAS - The Dueling Magicians”, a full length magic show, which debuted at the 2010 Adelaide Fringe Festival, garnering excellent reviews and a subsequent season at the 2010 Melbourne Magic Festival. In 2013, Richard created, wrote, co-produced and directed “The Paris Underground Cabaret” throughout September and October 2013 at Melbourne theatre and cabaret club, Red Bennies. “The Paris Underground Cabaret” has had numerous subsequent seasons including a national Australian tour throughout 2015 in over 25 venues. “The Paris Underground Cabaret” has had further extensive touring throughout Australia as well as headlining festival performances in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2022 to every state in Australia and return seasons with “The Paris Underground - ENCORE” which has returned to venues with sold out performances and extensive Australian tours throughout 2018, 2019 and into 2020. “The Paris Underground Cabaret” is arguably the most successful touring cabaret show in Australia, with engagements continuing through 2022 and into 2023, the tenth continuous year of the production!
Further career credits include ; a national Australian tour of “The Carnival of Lost Souls” as a magician/ actor ( 2017 ), Director, producer & performer in "Lost In Venice” ( 2018 & 2022 - Raconteur Productions ). More recently, Richard Vegas has launched a new touring cabaret production, the innovative and refreshing “CLUB SODA “ 2019 - 2023.
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As a magic and illusion consultant, Richard Vegas has been engaged for concept creation and design and delivery for Barking Gecko Theatre for the show “My Robot”, consultant and director for “Schroedingers Wizard” ( Melbourne Magic Festival - [ MMF ] 2018 , 2021 ), “The Tower’s Edge” ( MMF 2021 ), & Bell Shakespeare's production of “A Midsummers Night Dream” ( Australian Tour ) in 2004. Most recently Richard Vegas was engaged to create magic and illusion for the Australian indie pop, electronic dance duo ‘Client Liaison’ for the launch of their 'Divine Intervention' tour 2021/22, which launched at The Forum in Melbourne in December of 2021 and in 2022 Richard was the Magic Consultant, creator and tutor on the Australian feature film "Late Night With The Devil".
Over the last 20 years, Richard has continued performing as an actor and a magician appearing in various cabaret, theatre, film and television productions.