That Math Show

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Dr. Arthur Benjamin is a charming, genial “math-e-magician” and professor of mathematics. Presented by Science Theater Company in association with the National Museum of Mathematics (MoMath.org), the company that brought you That Physics Show and That Chemistry Show, Benjamin’s one-man show That Math Show is a delightful evening for people nine to 90. His fun with math is infectious with audience members vying to get chosen to come up on the stage and participate. As a human calculator, he is not to be believed.

He begins with square roots and invites members of the audience to come on stage and use their calculators. He is able to multiply and square numbers up to four digits in his head faster than they can do it on their devices. He then explains the shorthand for doing these sums. He introduces us to the magic square in which each row adds up to the same number. From there he proceeds to birthdays and works out the day of the week on  which audience members were born. He then explains how to do this using the Doomsday algorithm.

Next he brings up the Fibonacci sequence, figures where each number equals the sum of the preceding two. (This is actually the explanation behind the spiral in nature.) He moves on to Pi, the relationship between the diameter and the circumference of any circle, and how to memorize it. He introduces us to his turtle named Pi. Next he sings a comic song about Pi and demonstrates that he knows Pi to the 45^th digit. He then announces that he will try to square a five-digit number while thinking out loud so that the audience can follow what he is doing.

Along the way, he tells us about his interest in mathematics and quotes famous people on the subject. For Dr. Albert Einstein, “Mathematics is the poetry of logic and music of reason.” He quotes Dr. Lynn Arthur Steen who said that “Mathematics is the science of patterns.” All of which Dr. Benjamin proves along the way.

While Dr. Benjamin is too modest to be considered avuncular, he is like a next-door neighbor who is a whiz at what he does better than anyone else. Claiming he has never been an actor, he becomes more and more like a performer as the show goes on. Not only he is engaging company, he also teaches a great many useful things along the way. Directed by Eric Krebs, That Math Show is a unique, enlightening and entertaining evening which could even be longer!

That Math Show (through August 16, 2026)

Science Theater Company in association with National Museum of Mathematics (MoMath.org)

Theater 555, 555 W. 42^nd Street, in Manhattan

For tickets, visit http://www.theater555.venuetix.com

Running time: one hour and 35 minutes without an intermission