Skeptics Beware: Joe Diamond Will Make You Wonder!
Skeptics Beware: Joe Diamond Will Make You Wonder!
The Midwest Mystic brings mind-bending mentalism, clever tricks and plenty of surprises to the Grand Victorian.
Dan Zamp stood just around the corner from an elegant parlor on the third floor of Crystal Lake’s Grand Victorian, looking very much like a man who was not about to be easily impressed.
His wife, Peggy, appeared equally skeptical.
Neither had any idea quite what they were about to witness.
“I don’t have any clue what I’m in for,” Dan muttered before the show.
About 90 minutes later?
“That was ... interesting!”
Consider that a conversion.
With the help of his mistress of ceremonies, Angela “the Ghostess” Wilgenbusch, the inimitable Midwest Mystic Joe Diamond had managed to win over not only the Zamps, but an entire room of curious guests.
And that’s precisely the point of “MYSTIC,” Diamond’s latest production: Get close. Get involved. And prepare to question what you think you know.
A Secret Room. A Very Small Audience. A Lot of Mystery.
The intimate show takes place in a tucked-away “secret room” inside Crystal Lake’s historic Grand Victorian, where audiences of no more than 20 gather Friday and Saturday evenings, Oct. 9-24.
The setting feels almost purpose-built for Diamond’s particular brand of entertainment.
There’s no sprawling stage or cavernous theater separating performer from audience. Instead, guests are brought directly into the action. And, at times, right into the mystery itself.
“I don’t have any clue what I’m in for,” Dan said before taking his seat.
By the end of the evening, he had a much different reaction.
Meet the Mystics
An award-winning performer now in his early 40s, Diamond has been developing his craft since he was in the single digits.
The southern Wisconsin resident grew up in McHenry County and has spent decades entertaining audiences locally and nationwide with his distinctive blend of mentalism, mysticism, magic and storytelling.
His résumé includes a 2024 appearance on the televised “Penn & Teller: Fool Us,” filmed on a grand stage in Las Vegas.
But “MYSTIC” is a decidedly different experience.
The show takes guests on an interactive journey through the lives of six historically significant mystics and spiritualists – with a mysterious seventh figure waiting in the wings.
No spoilers.
Among the historical figures featured are Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the author behind Sherlock Holmes; controversial American clairvoyant Edgar Cayce; and artist Pamela Colman Smith, whose richly detailed artwork became synonymous with the globally celebrated Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot deck.
Smith also collaborated with literary figures including Bram Stoker, author of Dracula, and Irish poet W.B. Yeats.
Magic, Mentalism and a Few “How Did He Do That?” Moments
Diamond doesn’t simply tell their stories.
He brings them to life with a mischievous mix of humor, card tricks, mentalism and feats that leave the audience trying to reverse-engineer exactly what just happened.
There’s a crystal ball.
A rosary.
A Ouija board.
And plenty of moments when audience members become part of the experiment.
The evening builds steadily toward the reveal of the mysterious “Final Mystic” before culminating in a “Most Dangerous Game” finale that had this audience audibly gasping.
It’s part history lesson, part magic show and part theatrical mystery—with Diamond keeping the audience guessing throughout.
Twenty People Changes Everything
For a performer accustomed to much larger venues, Diamond said there’s something special about returning to a smaller room.
With only 20 people in the audience, there’s nowhere to hide—and that’s exactly what he likes about it.
“Twenty people is the perfect-sized group for a show like this,” Diamond said. “It’s a chance to deepen the experience.”
Guests aren't simply watching from a distance. They're participants.
And sometimes, their own choices become part of the mystery.
Janis Joplin Walks Into the Room
Take Peggy Zamp.
During the show, audience members were asked to silently select a celebrity – living or dead, from any period in history, famous for any reason – and write the name down.
Peggy deliberately chose Janis Joplin, a singer she said she had no particular personal affinity for.
The strategy was simple: Pick someone Diamond wouldn't expect.
It didn't work.
Diamond figured it out quickly, just as he did with several other audience members who participated.
For someone who arrived skeptical, Peggy had plenty to say afterward.
“GO: In All Caps.”
So, what would she tell other skeptics?
“Go,” she said.
Then she doubled down.
“You will be amazed and extremely surprised. It’s entertaining, it’s fun and well worth it. I say GO, in all caps.”
That may be the most fitting review for an evening built around the question of whether seeing is really believing.
Catch “MYSTIC” in Crystal Lake
Joe Diamond’s “MYSTIC” continues Friday and Saturday evenings, Oct. 9-24, in the Grand Victorian’s intimate “secret room” at 965 N. Brighton Circle, Crystal Lake.
Tickets range from $40 per seat to $100 for a VIP package, which includes access to a post-show séance.
Tickets and details are available at joediamondlive.com.
More Mystery This Halloween
Diamond also brings his Halloween-season show, “The Houdini Experiment,” to The Maxwell Mansion in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, Oct. 2-3 and Oct. 30-31.
Tickets range from $40 for a seat to $125 for a VIP experience for two.
For tickets and additional details, visit joediamondlive.com.