From stages and screens to private rooms full of A-list skeptics. A creative mind who turns everything into magic.
Seen by millions
Featured in The New York Times, Newsweek, People, HuffPost, and on Good Morning America · over a billion combined video views · trusted by A-list audiences.
Live shows
Every weekend, one room, no big boxes and no doves. Just me, an audience close enough to check my sleeves, and an hour that gets increasingly hard to explain.
My one-man show. Sixty minutes, one room, and a handful of moments you'll argue about in the cab home. Close-up magic at arm's length, mentalism that gets uncomfortably specific, and no stooges. I promise.
Selected work
Performances, design credits, and the occasional thing I signed an NDA about. Tap any card for the story.
About
I'm a magician, mentalist, and illusion designer based in New York. I've designed illusions for Netflix, performed on Good Morning America, and fooled rooms that included Jon Bon Jovi, 50 Cent, and John Travolta. It's the kind of work you get called for when ‘good’ isn't interesting enough.
None of it was arena spectacle with camera cuts and a soundtrack. It's close-up and personal, performed in rooms where expectations are high, skepticism is higher, and the reactions can't be faked. That moment when someone stops looking for the trick and just reacts? That's the whole job.
From national TV to short-form videos with over a billion views, I pair genuine technical craft with a read on the room and a sense of humor. Precision and presence, with the occasional secret I'm contractually obligated to keep.
Book & buy
Straightforward starting points. Every project gets a real quote once I know the scope. No packages pretending to be one-size-fits-all.
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Final quote depends on scope, travel, and run time.
Tickets at johnstessellive.com
Moxy Chelsea one-man show.
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Day rates and project rates available.
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Per campaign; scales with deliverable count.
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Retainer; scope set after a discovery call.
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Your brand's on-site talent for launches, trade shows, and experiential moments.
Press & praise
“John Stessel's show is so amazing… if he is ever performing near you, go see him.”
“His whole set was beyond entertaining and completely left every last one of us in awe. We had a blast and made some core memories because of it.”
“Our team loved the event and John: professional, engaging, perfectly timed, and a super fun act.”
