Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephen Gervais.
Hi Stephen, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
A long time ago, in a galaxy far away…….oh, wait! Wrong story.
I don’t have the traditional Magician’s origin story. I wasn’t five years old and got a magic kit for my birthday and wanted to be a Magician ever since. Nope! I made the decision to never get lai…. wait, are kids going to read this? I decided to go full force into magic when I was twenty-one.
It’s actually an old friend’s fault I got hooked. His name is Brent Young and he’s still one of my closest and longtime friends to this day. What could he have possibly done to cause me to want to become a Magician? Well, we were about to get an apartment back in 1997, I think, and we were at my mom’s house and out of nowhere, he made a red silk handkerchief disappear and reappear. With no sleeves! At this point my mind was blown. The next day we were at his mom’s house, and he whipped out a deck of cards and completely destroyed me with one trick. I don’t know if I had an epiphany or maybe a mini stroke, but it was at that point I decided to try and master card magic. Funny enough, the deck he used was a special trick deck and I still have it after all these years. It was these two tricks that started it all.
Luckily, a month later a magic shop opened in Rivergate Mall. I was there every day I was off from work or when I got off from work. Needless to say, I was there a lot! I became very good friends with the owner, Rick Moore and after a few months went by, I quit my job at the window factory and worked at the magic shop fulltime. This was just the beginning!
Fast forward in time. I never went full -time professional until the last five years. In the back then days I got a wife, had son while living in New Orleans and needed the stability of a full-time job. You know, bills and stuff, but I never stopped doing magic. I would work gigs here and there making some extra cash, and I went through a very creative phase creating and publishing a number of my original tricks in different magic magazines and periodicals. I even won an award from the International Brotherhood of Magicians for two tricks I published. Hey, I thought it was pretty cool.
Fast forward again to the future, or is it the past? Not sure. Anyway, no more wife, but still friends and living in Florida, the hottest place next to Hell, I decided to move back to Tennessee and pursue my career as a full-time Magician. Stupid move at forty-five years old, I know but If I didn’t do it then it was probably never going to happen. Oh, a small inheritance did help make that happen, but I’d rather have my dad still here. Such is life, I guess.
Ive now spent the last five years building my business and brand in Nashville, TN. I have to say it’s going well, but it’s definitely not an easy road to travel. Ive had to learn everything I needed to know and do to try and run a magic business. Crazy, right?
Being back in Nashville, Ive consistently been building my clientele, booking more gigs each year over the last and I still haven’t had to get a job to help cover expenses. The Inheritance, you ask? Hahaha…….. I wish i was good with money.
I perform many types of magic, but my specialty has always been close-up and card magic. Specifically, what’s called strolling magic. This lets me perform for almost any kind of party or event. Corporate events, weddings, restaurants, conventions, festivals, celebrity parties and so much more, I also perform a more intimate show for smaller groups which I really enjoy. I do a lot of bachelorette parties, adult birthdays and assisted living communities. The only thing I don’t do is kid shows. Yuck! Oops, did I say the quit part out loud? Hey, it’s not my thing. I’ll do some strolling magic for kid’s events but that’s about as far as that goes. I also enjoy teaching magic. Ages ten and up, please. Ive given countless private lessons, taught at magic camps and even had my own magic school.
So, there you have it. My origin story in a nutshell. If you ever want to know more or need a Magician, just Google me. Stephen D. Gervais, The Infamous Magic Steve.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I would say the biggest struggle has been having to learn what to do and what it takes to go full time pro.
There is so much work that goes into this kind of business. It’s a full-time job just trying to get the work. Thank God for the internet, social media, and even AI. These tools are golden! I didn’t have a plan other than wanting it more than anything and being very good at what I do.
So far so good, I guess.
Some months are amazing and super profitable, and others are what I call Ramen Noodle months.
You never know what going to happen in this business. I think that part of the fun!
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
My specialty is close-up magic. I love to perform highly visual sleight-of-hand magic with cards, rope, coins and other ordinary items. These “tricks” literally happen inches away from you and right before your eyes. Ive never really cared for the big stage illusions. Too much hassle and dancing around on stage for me.
I keep it simple, amazing and above all, memorable!
As Ive said earlier, my specialty is strolling close-up magic. This format fits in to almost any type of party or event. No set-up, or stage. I go wherever the people are and blow their minds.
How do you think about luck?
I think Ive always been lucky in life, but it seems like that luck happens only when It’s really needed.
It’s a catch 22 I guess. Maybe I make my own luck or maybe there’s some super cosmic force bestowing it upon me. Who knows? I’ll take more of it if you’re offering.
Don’t rely on luck in this business. It takes hard work and skill to get anywhere. Maybe a little bit of magic too.
Pricing:
- Please contact me for a quote
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Theinfamousmagicsteve.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theinfamousmagicsteve?igsh=MTA4NjN0M2hsZ3p2NQ==
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stephen.gervais.790/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-gervais-7b29a8288?utm_source=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=member_android
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@theinfamousmagicsteve1417
