In my opinion, Las Vegas magic shows come in two categories: Lance Burton, and all the rest. You can look up and down the strip, but for pure amazing tricks of the eye and the stage great for the whole family, Burton is the best I've seen. That being said, plenty of entertaining magic shows abound in LV , and you don't have to pay the price tag of getting the top.
Check out the Lance Burton page elsewhere on this site, but in brief Burton has won tons of international awards, and slogs through two-shows-a-night at the Monte Carlo , but every time I see him, he always seems fresh. At $60 per ticket a show, it's not a bad value, compared to David Copperfield , who has a $100 a night show at the MGM Grand, and the cheese factor is a little lower. Check the calendar though, because Copperfield is in and out of Clark County often.
One of the best of the rest in Las Vegas is The Amazing Johnathan , who has his own show at the Sahara . It's kind of a shame such a talented and funny magician is stuck at a hotel at the north end of the strip, but folks who appreciate magic shows will love him. He's unpredictable, acerbic, and excellent at what he does, and has loads of audience involvement. Compared to the other big two, tickets are cheap ($45-$54). Make reservations early, since the magic happens for just one show a night, at 10 pm . For tickets call (702) 737-2515, or log on to www.saharacasino.com .
Penn and Teller are also very popular, in the $80 price range. They have an entertaining show that is half gross-out and half magic, but part of the fun of their magic show is seeing the behind the scenes of magic that the duo show. They also have permanent, but limited, engagement schedule, so check the calendar.
As for family magic, Rick Thomas performs afternoons for just $25 a ticket, and loves to use the kids. He is at the Stardust, at 1-866-80-SHOWS.
For a look at all the LV Magic Shows, you can get more information by clicking on www.lasvegas.com or www.vegas.com .