The musical Houdini tells the story of a séance held in a demolished theater in Detroit, where the legendary magician performed shortly before his death. It is Halloween night in the present day — the very day Houdini died in 1926 — but the story soon takes the audience back in time to his final performance.

Through scenes both onstage and backstage, the conflicts between Houdini, his wife Bess, and his brother Theo are revealed, along with their origins. Despite suffering from acute appendicitis, the illusionist continues to push his own limits, performing increasingly complex feats in his quest to establish himself as one of the greatest American heroes of all time.