Joe Curcillo has had a few good years of well-deserved recognition from his peers. In 2014, at the IBM/SAM Combined convention in St. Louis Joe was humbly surprised to learn he was the recipient for the Milborne Chrisotpher Award for Mentalism.

An interesting bit of trivia, that the Annemann Awards committee didn’t even realize until after the fact, both recipients of this year’s 2015 award are Italy Citizens. The other recipient is Luca Volpe, which was no surprise, but what we didn’t know is that Joe is a dual-national and therefore holds Italian citizenship as well as US. So, for 2015 Italy swept the Annemann’s.

Joe, like most of the previous recipients of the Annemann Awards wears many hats. He is a performer, who has years of experience, an author who wrote a top selling book for magic titled – Performance on Trial. Joe also has also made contributions to some of the most commercially successful mentalist in the field. These contributions are sometimes effects and routines that are featured in his peers products, or often times consulting advice regards to production or legal issues associated with the art. The list of luminaries he has worked with is extensive, just a few of which are: Richard Osterlind, Jim Sisti, Richard Webster, Neal Scryer and Jon Stetson.

Joe also has a successful career as an attorney and no doubt his years of trail experience serves him exceptionally well in reading people. I would love to have the opportunity to learn what he could teach me just about choosing spectators during performance and audience management. These talents which Joe has fine-tuned over the years have led to an incredible almost uncanny performer. We asked Joe to provide us with his mission or motivation when it comes to the art.

Joe Curcillo: There is a fine line between that which is real and that which only exists in the human mind. Throughout history, many people have brought their thoughts and ideas to fruition by challenging the bounds of reality. I encourage people to explore the wonders of the mind and thought. I am committed to the belief that when the human mind is open, the results are fun, exciting and limitless.

I entertain my audience with their own thoughts as we journey into the world of the thoughts. I want to encourage them to challenge their own definition of reality and open their mind to the possibilities this world has to offer.

Quick Bio: As an Entertainer, Joe Curcillo is the 2014 Milbourne Christopher Award winner for Mentalism. He has fascinated and endeared people since he was a child. Joe Curcillo took his love for mentalism and his background as a criminal defense lawyer and married the two into his stage presentations. He presents a blend of message spattered with comedy and psychic entertainment that can only be described empowering. He engages corporate audiences as an entertainer as well as a trainer. He teaches trial lawyers, salesmen and corporate executives to use the power of the mind, common sense and observation skills to excel in their daily endeavors. As an Attorney, Joe has more than 30 years of experience as a Criminal Trial Lawyer. He has spent his entire career learning the complex and intricate body of law that is criminal law and has taken it to a level where it can be explained to a jury. Prior to opening his firm, he was a prosecutor in three Pennsylvania counties and for the state attorney general’s office. He is past President of the Psychic Entertainers Association.

2014 Milbourne Christopher Foundation’s Mentalism Award Winner.

“Joseph Curcillo is an amazing mentalist, he combines his charm charisma and super personality to bring you astonishing acts of mind power! Beside all that stuff he is a great lawyer! I highly recommend him for any event”

–Uri Geller

In 2013, Stevens Magic Emporium finally implemented a program that had been discussed for several years. The catalyst originated by Joe Stevens, who has been gifted with a respectful career as a promoter for the arts of magic and mentalism. Though he performed for many years both as “Candide the Magician,” and “Dr. C,” the mentalist, Joe is probably best known for contributing to various projects directed not at the public, but the fraternity of magic. These awards are very dear to Joe’s heart and through consulting with several magic ambassadors including and others, Joe has created two awards – which are presented by Stevens Magic Emporium. The Annnemann Award for Mentalism and The Robert-Houdin Award for Magic. Stevens Magic Emporium looks forward to carrying out these awards, and we look to evolve this process in 2016 to allow for an additional award titled: “The People’s Choice,” whereby members of Joe’s Flash (i.e., our e-mail newsletter) will actively be involved in both the pre-selection of candidates and vote for the “People’s Choice” award. That for my father, would be the ultimate success allowing for the deserved recognition of the recipient of the People’s Choice award, while at the same time also involve you in this process. We have the technical ability to carry it out. What we are looking for is a volunteer(s), who would be willing to organize the People’s Choice Project. If this is something you might be interested please contact me at: mark@stevensmagic.com

The Annemann Award is a full optical crystal award measuring 10 inches tall. It is multi-dimensional in the shape of a pyramid, which makes it the perfect shape for distinguished recipients of mentalism. It weighs 7 lbs., and is exceptionally elegant.