Scott Pepper stumbled into creating a magic venue in San Antonio. He used to work regularly on cruise ships. But when he moved away from performing on the seas in 2015, he sought a space in San Antonio where he could perform his illusion act called The Magicians Agency. The show’s premise was that a top-secret spy agency hired magicians to take on dangerous missions. That first year, he performed for three weeks. In 2016, he expanded to nine weeks, and in 2017, he worked 17 weeks. It was at that point Pepper realized his concept had some legs, and so in June 2018 he opened The Magicians Agency Theatre, a 100-seat venue on the top floor of San Antonio Plaza’s Reuter building, a four-story establishment built in 1891. Pepper performed his show there every weekend until 2020, when the pandemic shut him down.
“I rethought everything,” said Pepper about this time. “I lost my actors, I lost my assistants, because they all had to go and do other things. And that’s when we shifted into bringing more acts in, because it was hard for me to be the act and run the venue.”
The Theatre followed this model from early 2021 to August 2024. This past summer, however, he and other local small businesses were hurting because a 10-year construction project around the Alamo was keeping tourists away. Pepper considered closing down for good until an unexpected partner reached out to him.
A New Partnership
Historic Tours of America had set its sights on San Antonio. The company has operations in at least eight U.S. cities, including Key West, Boston, and Nashville, where it runs historical bus tours. They also own other tourist attractions, such as museums, aquariums, and distilleries, and as part of their expansion into San Antonio, they bought the Reuter building. The company reached out to Pepper—their CEO was reportedly a magic fan—and proposed they work together to reimagine the venue.
Pepper had always admired Walt Disney’s legendary creativity, which was supported by his brother Roy, who concentrated on the business. “The last six years of doing this, I’ve always been looking for my Roy,” Pepper said. “[With Historic Tours], I think I found my Roy.”
The New Experience
All of Historic Tours of America’s properties are open seven days a week, and the company wanted The Magicians Agency Theatre to offer two shows every day except Monday. That increase inspired certain changes, including a more intimate audience space with 70 seats. “If there are 15 people in it, it will feel busy. If there are 70 people in it, it will also feel right,” explained Pepper.
The layout will have a thrust stage, providing more stage space and allowing performers to get close to the audience. The large backstage area that had housed Pepper’s props will be turned into an exhibit on the history of the area, which will also give guests the chance to view the Alamo through the large windows already in place.
In terms of ambiance, the reconstructed space will emphasize the building’s history, especially the man who built it, Billy Reuter. “We’re going to give him a [fictional] backstory that he was an amateur magician, and that he used to bring magicians there in the 1800s and 1900s. Each magician left something in the building,” explained Pepper. The guests can search for those items in the venue.
Although the theater has magical elements throughout, the emphasis will be on creating a whimsical, “Meow Wolf-style” family-friendly atmosphere, as 20% to 25% of guests are children. In that vein, they won’t just serve beer and wine, but also fun mocktails for kids and grown-ups alike.
After guests arrive at the theater, a host performs a 15-minute magic set to warm up the crowd. Pepper hopes to sign someone for that position for up to six months and sees it as an opportunity for an up-and-coming performer looking to hone their act. The host is followed by a headliner with a 45- to 55-minute performance. It’s important, explained Pepper, for that performer to have an engaging family show—an act that entertains both children and adults. Pepper added that magicians should be able to adjust their act for different-sized crowds.
LEFT: During his appearance, Nathan Coe Marsh presents a card catching effect RIGHT: Scott Pepper’s dramatic and visual Snowstorm in China on the San Antonio stage.
After the show, guests will be able to tour the building and check out the gift shop. Those interested can sign up for an add-on workshop where they’ll learn a magic trick or two of their own.
While the reopening of the San Antonio location is still in its early days, Pepper plans to work with Historic Tours of America to bring similar venues to other cities, with each theater having a separate theme.
The first step, however, is launching the San Antonio location, which is scheduled to reopen in March 2025.
Photo by John David Scarcliff (Scarcliff Photography)
The Magician's Agency Theatre
217 Alamo Plaza, San Antonio, TX