"Some demented magician would take over a movie theater at midnight on Saturday. He'd choose creepy tricks and return-of-the-dead patter and the show would climax with him producing a monster, like a mummy, who would stagger into the audience as the lights went out. All the teenagers would clutch their dates and scream and giggle," he adds, "and take advantage of the darkness to have a great time."

This is the Teller's description of the Midnight Spook Shows that served to inspire he, Todd Robbins and Johnny Thompson as they collaborated to deliver the off-Broadway production, "Play Dead."

Somehow, magic and mystery are combined to bring joy to the audience by scaring them to death and we talk about how that's possible!