Corporate, sports entertainer taps into the magic in all of us

“It’s important to remember that we all have magic inside of us.”  -author J.K. Rowling

My relationship with Tom Pesce is coming up on 20 years from our days at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield. We both had big aspirations, and we both knew we would go far. After all, Tom was the class president, and I was busy making a name for myself as a professional wrestler. Fast forward to today: Tom is one of the country’s most sought-after corporate, motivational entertainers. Organizations such as NASA, Amazon, Google, NBC, Deloitte, Nasdaq and Formula 1 all consistently call on Tom to do what he does best as an illusionist, host and keynote speaker extraordinaire. He has earned multiple graduate degrees in the fields of education, school district administration and advanced leadership studies. Tom lives in Ridgefield with his wife, Becky, and their three daughters. I recently sat down with Tom to discuss what makes him so “magical”

Why do people love magic so much? And why is magic so powerful in the corporate setting? 

“At its core, great magic should give us the feeling of wonder. This can be accomplished many ways, but the most disarming  and my favorite way to elicit it  is through the element of surprise. When I have gained the trust of a group and can then exceed their expectations beyond anything they expected to happen  that’s the inexplicable moment I think we’re all chasing as human beings. We have an explanation for almost anything, and yet we still want to believe in the impossible.

“It doesn’t matter how old you are, how much you know, how well read you may be. When the most discerning person in the room is utterly flabbergasted by what they just experienced, I know I’m doing something right. That word-of-mouth spreads quickly and companies recognize how powerful it is when their constituents are impacted on a level that goes beyond just entertainment.” So much of what most people do on a daily basis is predictable, scripted, measured and analytical. What I show them is an antidote to that. It’s an antidote to the ordinary.”

You are known for your infectious energy when performing onstage. Where does this come from and how important is it for you to connect with your audience? 

“I think more than anything, the ability to connect deeply with people is what separates a great performer from the rest. That first came from my parents, who always had such enthusiasm for life, and from the support and love of my wife, Becky. They always instilled in me a love of serving others and have encouraged me to chase my dreams.

“When you care about something deeply, you give it energy. Energy is love. And the love for what I do should be apparent before I even hit the stage. That’s even more important than the mind-reading, the magic and the speaking that’s about to ensue. Audiences know what’s genuine and what isn’t. My energy is real, because I believe in what I’m doing and I care about the people I’m speaking to or performing for. Once people like and trust you, they will be with you for the journey. That’s what makes the difference.”

During the pandemic, you were part of a select few magicians who went virtual. How did that affect your business? 

“In the early days of the pandemic, no one really knew what was going to happen. Live events were cancelled everywhere, and we really started to panic. Luckily, I work with some of the best magicians and mentalists in the business. My friend Bill Herz lives in Old Greenwich and owns a company called MagiCorp Productions. I work with Bill, along with several other top magicians and mentalists in the country, to bring magic exclusively to corporate events. Bill called me in mid-March right after we finished our last public show at the Delamar in Southport. He said, “Tom, we have a client asking if you can do a virtual show. Can you do it?” I said, “yes” and quickly developed a brand-new, completely interactive live show that involves and connects everyone on a Zoom call, wherever they are in the world.  

“It deploys brand-new state-of-the-art technology, multiple camera angles, music, video effects, audience participation and magic happening with objects that spectators have with them in their home or office, putting them right in the center of the show. This new medium transformed the way companies train and entertain their employees and clients and allowed us to reach hundreds of thousands of people in multiple countries, multiple times per day, reaching through a computer or television screen.”

It must make a difference, because you have some pretty big names who hire you all over the world.
“I’m very fortunate that magic has taken me to some incredible places, but Westchester and Fairfield counties will always be home to me. In fact, I met one of my good friends, NBC Olympic sports commentator Leigh Diffey, at (NBC Sports) in Stamford. Leigh was calling a (Formula 1) race and learned that I was a huge fan. Six weeks later, I received an invitation from Leigh to perform at Rockefeller Center for two-time Formula 1 world champion Fernando Alonso ahead of his Indy 500 race announcement, and it changed my life. I’ve known that Fernando was a long-time fan of magic, so to see his reaction when I fooled him was such a thrill for me. That moment led to a lot more work for me in the world of professional sports and it was thanks to Leigh.”

So you still perform in Westchester and Fairfield? 

“Yes. I have so many long-standing clients on the East Coast that much of my work is based in Westchester, Stamford, Fairfield, Greenwich, etc. When I am not performing or speaking at company events, I have a full after-dinner show that I perform exclusively for country clubs. Tamarack, Apawamis, Whippoorwill, Westchester and Bonnie Briar country clubs are just a few of our past and current clients.”

I know that you background is in education. How does that play a role in what you do onstage?
“I have been in education for over 20 years in Rye Brook and throughout Westchester County. For me magic and teaching always go hand in hand. As an elementary and middle-school teacher, my students have taught me so much about the construct of a lesson and how it relates to that of a great routine. Just like a plot map, we need exposition, conflict, rising action, climax, falling action and a resolution complete with a surprise ending.

“It is always how well we are able to communicate that determines if our audience receives our message. A magic trick is really just a problem we don’t know the solution for yet. That’s what boggles our minds when we’re fooled and the beauty is, it allows our minds to continue asking questions. Great learning is always a pathway of discovery that’s rooted in questioning.” 

For more, visit TomPesce.com. And for more on Giovanni Roselli, visit giovanniroselli.com.