Today we’d like to introduce you to Christopher Grace.
Christopher, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I grew up on the South Shore, where my family worked as vendors at the Marshfield Fair and other local festivals. It was during those summers that I became intrigued by the magicians and other stage acts. I was too young to actually help my family, so I would spend my time studying the performers and trying to copy what they were doing. I started practicing magic tricks on my family and friends around age five and performed my first professional show at 11 years old. As I continued to read magic books and learn new skills, my interests expanded to include mentalism and mind reading.
It’s been more than 20 years since my first professional show, and since then I have performed thousands of shows in eighteen different countries, for Fortune 500 companies and for renowned audiences. At this point in my career, I have hundreds of performances each year, with a schedule that includes public shows, corporate entertainment, private parties and college events.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
My family has always been very supportive and encouraged me to pursue my passion, but no one else in my family was an entertainer. I had to find my own way and started out doing everything on my own, from scouting venues and booking events to marketing my business. As the business has grown, my family has become my team. My wife helps with booking events, my brother-in-law runs the lighting and sound for my shows, and my sisters work the ticket desk and concession counter.
Christopher Grace – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I am a professional mentalist, which is like a magician of the mind. Through various techniques I have honed over the years, I can get inside people’s minds to influence thoughts and predict the seemingly impossible. I read body language and verbal cues and I use the power of suggestion to affect behavior and conversations. My signature performances combine mind reading, illusion and feats of memory with humor and lots of audience participation. My goal with every performance is to entertain and create a sense of wonder. The greatest compliment I can receive is when audience members tell me they were questioning how a feat is even possible for days following a show.
In addition to corporate events and private performances throughout the year, I also present The Salem Haunted Magic Show throughout the month of October in Salem, Mass. It’s important to me that audiences always experience something original and exciting, so I perform a new themed show each year. This year’s show focused on phobias and included several new feats that my audiences have never seen. The Salem Haunted Magic Show includes mind reading feats for which I am known, as well as some magic and sideshow stunts that reflect my early years studying performers at the local fairs. It’s exciting to see how this show has grown; I just returned to Salem for my sixth year running with even more performances than in years past due to popular demand.
Whether The Salem Haunted Magic Show or one of my other performances, it’s so rewarding to see audiences returning each year to witness the latest feats and eagerly volunteering to be part of the show.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
I consider myself very fortunate to have been introduced to magic and entertaining at such a young age, to have realized early on that was the passion I wanted to pursue, and to have actually been good at it. Luck played a role in how I discovered my passion. Combined with years of study, countless hours of practice and the unwavering support of family and friends, I have been able to turn that passion into a successful business.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.christophergracelive.com/
- Phone: 646-866-7086
- Email: bookings@christophergracelive.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christophergracementalist/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christophergracementalist/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/chrisgracelive
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfTV2L2oQfL8zncJhtf8ujQ
Image Credit:
Meri Bond Photography, Nile Scott
Getting in touch: BostonVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
