That Math Show
If you number among the people who find that math can be challenging for anyone of any age or gender identity, the new production of That Math Show will make you see the subject in a whole new light.
Created and performed by “mathemagician” Dr. Arthur Benjamin and presented by The Science Theater Company in association with the National Museum of Mathematics, That Math Show is now playing a limited engagement at Off-Broadway’s Theater555. It offers a distinctive combination of science and wizardry, with enjoyable examples and fascinating explanations of both. Audience participation, from our seats and on the stage, fully immerses us in Benjamin’s two areas of expertise.
Directed by Eric Krebs, the all-ages show moves along at a rapid-fire pace. So do Benjamin’s mental calculations, done faster than those on a calculator, which the audience is encouraged to use throughout the segments. Directly addressing the house with infectious enthusiasm, he astonishes with his ability to multiply and to square up to five-digit numbers, never once failing to arrive at the correct answer and always beating the digital devices, to the thrill of the crowd. And he not only does it live on stage, but he also teaches the audience how he does it (among his tips is to work from left to right, not the usual right to left, as we’ve traditionally been taught), then invites us to join in on the calculations and to yell out our answers (invariably correct at the performance I attended).
Other segments include his creation and analysis of a Magic Square (a grid in which the numbers in each row and diagonal are equal), employing the birthdate of a volunteer; the Doomsday Algorithm (identifying on which day of the week random audience members were born); and performing an act of prestidigitation with an invisible deck of cards, in which the one card, mentally chosen by a participant from the audience, actually appears right-side-up in a real deck in Benjamin’s pocket.
There were also fascinating deep dives into pi, the non-terminating mathematical constant first identified in ancient Greece. Among the interesting facts he shared were that Albert Einstein was born on March 14 (3/14, or Pi Day); his own use of mnemonic devices to create words from the corresponding numbers of letters in the alphabet to help him remember at least 100 digits of the unending pi; his rationale for naming his animated turtle, whose shell bears the symbol π (pi); and his cheerful singing of rewritten lyrics to the tune of Don McLean’s “American Pie” (now “American Pi”).
Another of Benjamin’s main topics was the Fibonacci Sequence, named for the medieval Italian mathematician who recognized a series of numbers, beginning with 0 and 1, in which each is the sum of the two preceding ones. He noted its relationship to the Golden Ratio, the spiral, and the forms of nature, including flowers and fruit (which is why he chose the pineapple as the featured image on the show’s poster).
In addition to the math and magic, Benjamin entertained with his funny wordplay; anecdotes about his childhood and the impetus for his growing interest in numbers; a segment of juggling by his invaluable assistant Curtis Howard; and video projections on a large upstage screen (video creation by Zoe Messenger; video and sound design by Andy Evan Cohen). Projections included images of the equations and shapes he addresses in his performance, and real-time updates by Howard of the numbers and solutions of audience-participation challenges. Projections also introduced the show with an opening pre-recorded segment of individuals responding to the question he posed: “What is math?”
Not your usual Off-Broadway fare, That Math Show is a uniquely entertaining and educational experience for all ages and genders that will make you look at the science of numbers, and how they work, in a new and exciting way. Just think: in 1992, when Mattel released their Teen Talk Barbie, one of the phrases she spoke was “Math class is tough.” (The doll became known as “Math Anxiety Barbie” and ignited a feminist backlash against the gender stereotype that math is hard for girls; Mattel was compelled to pull it from the shelves.) That Math Show will keep you learning, laughing, and amazed by the logic, showmanship, and magic of the masterful Benjamin. It might even leave you feeling, as it did me (and unlike Barbie) that “math is fun!”
That Math Show
At Theater555
555 West 42nd St.
Running time: One hour and 20 minutes, no intermission
Through August 16, 2026
