A mentalist and cognitive scientist face off in "Psychics Vs. Scientists"
Grand Junction CO - April 20, 2026 - Fact, fraud, or phenomenon? A psychic and a scientist share the same stage to put those questions to the test in Psychics vs. Science (www.psychicsvscience.com), a high-energy, interactive live event touring 15 U.S. cities in June. Stopping at Colorado Mesa University’s Asteria Theatre in Grand Junction on June 25, the production features "America's Greatest Mind Reader" and world record holder Joe Diamond (The Mind Reader) battling cognitive scientist and Carthage College professor Dr. Anthony Barnhart (The Professor) for an unpredictable night that challenges what audiences think they know about the human mind.
Tickets go on sale April 24 and are available at CMUstages.com/tickets.
Each performance unfolds as a live back-and-forth between intuition and analysis. Audiences witness demonstrations of mind reading, prediction, and perception followed by real-time scientific insight into attention, memory, bias, and belief. There is no barrier between performer and audience. Every moment happens live with audience members at the center of the experience since Psychics vs. Science is built around participation, spontaneity, and unscripted moments. No two performances are ever the same.
"This isn't church. You don't have to believe a single word I say. Personally, I do believe we’re all a little psychic, but that doesn’t matter. What matters is what you experience in the moment during this live show," says Diamond.
Dr. Barnhart brings a scientific lens to those moments, offering insight into how audiences perceive what they experience in real time.
"What makes this show so compelling is that it lives right at the intersection of perception and explanation," says Dr. Barnhart. "Joe's performances create moments that feel impossible, and my role is to explore how our minds interpret those moments and why the answers aren't always as straightforward as we'd like."
Blending elements of mind reading, psychology, skepticism, and storytelling, the production is designed to entertain a wide audience including fans of magic, science, those fascinated by the unexplained, and more.
For more information, visit www.psychicsvscience.com.
About Joe Diamond
Joe Diamond has been hailed as "America's Greatest Mind Reader." A world record holder for solving the largest corn maze blindfolded, Diamond blends interactive mind reading with humor, storytelling, and a deep fascination with how people think. His television appearances include The CW, ABC, The Today Show, Showtime, Netflix, and Penn & Teller: Fool Us, where the duo praised his work as "their favorite kind of mentalism."
About Anthony Barnhart, Ph.D.
Anthony Barnhart is an Associate Professor of Psychological Science at Carthage College and a cognitive scientist specializing in attention, perception, and the science of magic. With more than 30 years of experience as a professional magician, Barnhart studies how techniques from magic can reveal how the mind works. He is a founding member of the Science of Magic Association and has been featured in national and international media, including CBC's The Nature of Things. Dr. Barnhart is a member of the Society of American Magicians Paranormal Investigation Committee, a group founded by Harry Houdini to investigate and expose supernatural fraud.
About Right Angle Entertainment
Right Angle Entertainment (RAE) specializes in the production, marketing, management and distribution of live theatrical, digital, and concert events. RAE’s proud roster includes: “Wheel of Fortune Live!,” Hasbro’s “Clue: A Walking Mystery” immersive experience, “The Price is Right LIVE!,” “Jay Shetty Love Rules – World Tour,” “The Simon & Garfunkel Story,” “The Psychology of Serial Killers,” "The Psychology of Cults," “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical,” and London’s close-up magic show “The Magician’s Table” among many others. www.rightangleentertainment.com