"Do it nervous." A story of courage, creativity, and moving forward even when you're scared, told through 25+ years of performing, leading teams, and learning (sometimes the hard way) that nerves aren't a problem to fix. They're a signal you're close to something that matters.
Most talks about fear treat it like a thing to conquer. This one doesn't. When the Curtain Rises makes a different argument: the nerves you feel right before the important moment aren't the enemy, they're the proof you're finally close to something that matters. Your job isn't to get rid of them. Your job is to walk in anyway.
Through storytelling, live performance, and a handful of memorable moments, I take audiences from my first magic show at nine years old (the one I almost didn't do) through three decades of performing on stages, leading software teams, and raising a family, and show them what every version of me has had to learn over and over again: you don't wait until the fear goes away. You do it nervous.
The full-length keynote, built for adults who have stopped waiting on permission and are ready to actually use what they already know. Storytelling, live performance, and a tactical framework your team can apply Monday morning. Funny, grounded, and genuinely useful.
Same message, recalibrated for students. Same magic, same story, age-appropriate language and interactive moments designed to land with 5th graders and seniors in the same room. Students leave understanding that fear doesn't disqualify them, it's part of being close to something that matters.
Preparation is the gift you give your future nervous self. But at some point, you have to let go of the script and trust the reps.
Confidence isn't a prerequisite, it's a by-product. You don't get it and then act. You act, and it shows up somewhere in the middle.
The knot in your stomach isn't a stop sign. It's a signpost. It's telling you the thing you're about to do actually matters to you.
The whole talk in four words. Walk in anyway. Start the meeting anyway. Ship the thing anyway. Every person you admire did it nervous the first few times too.
Most conferences book a keynote and a performer separately. I offer both: a daytime delivery of When the Curtain Rises as your morning or afternoon anchor, and the full-length comedy hypnosis show as your evening entertainment. Same performer. Same contract. Same COI. One invoice. A narrative arc across the day that almost nobody in this category can offer, because almost nobody else can do both.
A one-page PDF built for event committees weighing this keynote against a few others.
No. It's built around a specific, actionable idea: fear is a signal, not a stop sign. Audiences leave with four takeaways they can use on Monday, not a feel-good moment that fades by Thursday.
Yes. An advance call with your event lead handles the briefing, and I'll calibrate examples, references, and audience interactions to your company, industry, or school.
Forty-five to sixty minutes is standard. I also deliver a 20-minute TED-style version, a 30 to 45 minute school-assembly version, and a 90-minute interactive workshop format.
Same message, same magic moments, different calibration. The assembly uses age-appropriate examples, interactive moments designed for 5th through 12th grade audiences, and a tighter runtime.
The keynote starts at $2,500. The school-assembly edition starts at $900 for local Michigan schools. The keynote-plus-show combo carries a bundled rate that beats booking the two separately. Request a quote.
Tell me your date, your audience, and whether you want the evening show paired with it. 24-hour response.