“ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS … CREATED A SENSATION”
Shannon Taylor, Brooklyn Daily Eagle
“FILLED WITH OPTIMISM AND JOY! … Celebrates hope and embraces dreams…that made America great! A living connection to the follies, vaudeville and the Broadway romantic musical comedy tradition…”
Nils Hanson, Board of Directors, The National Ziegfeld Club
“THE BEST (program) they had ever been to…rarely seen the amount of enthusiasm and excitement from the children…what the children and mothers really took away on those many occasions was the true meaning of charity, of caring, and of community…to feel that there are those who care…who work hard and long and open their arms and their hearts to those who have less.”
Antonio Rodriguez, Director Special Events, NYC Dept of Homeless Services
“EXCITING…a rare combination of the practical married to an almost reverent sense of wonder for life’s journey, engaging each person’s imagination and hopes … Precious few facilitators offer what Portals Of Wonder supplies: a road map to finding “that home within” which empowers youth (in foster care) to embrace their dreams and visions for the future… the staff of Portals Of Wonder are truly wondrous … a poignant and magical experience.”
Michael Texeira, Training Manager, Independent Living Resource Center, Hunter College School of Social Work
“POWERFUL presentations in a new order of education and performance art that…evoke in the audience a new sense of possibility for their lives and community. It is art married to social and human transformation…”
Dr. Jean Houston, Ph.D., Consultant to President & Mrs. Carter; advisor to UNICEF; author, colleague of Margaret Mead and Joseph Campbell; Director, the Foundation for Mind Research
“WONDER AND CURIOSITY REVITALIZED…I am so glad to be connected to your important work…ancient and sorely needed approaches to rebuild community…”
Dr. Patch Adams, M.D., The Hollywood film “Patch Adams” starring Robin Williams, is based on the life of this pioneering medical activist
“OUTSTANDING…a one-of-a-kind program that awakens and uplifts the heart”
Dr. Stanley Krippner, Ph.D., professor of psychology, Saybrook Graduate School (San Francisco), pioneer researcher in consciousness studies and author
“WARMTH and enthusiasm “lit” up our room. (The children) were highly motivated…an asset to our program.”
Aime Zingalli, Teacher, PS 138, Bronx, New York City Board of Education
“INSPIRING in participants critical thinking and creative visionary skill sets essential for personal and professional development…fresh ideas to improve education and the quality of life with a sense of joy, wonder and the positive influence of the arts…substantive talents…results that exceed the state and national Arts Education Learning/Core Curriculum Content Standards…”
Elizabeth Halverstam, Associate Director, Arts Horizons
“OUR AUDIENCES LOVE (Adventures of a Wizard)! A necessary part of our cultural arts series…(for) those suffering from Alzheimer’s, dementia, strokes and other physio-cognitive impairments …there is a sense of empowerment given to the residents … sparked to remember and sing upbeat, happy songs from long ago …to realize that there is something remembered that most residents share is a gift for these elders.”
Paul Rosen, Director of Programs, 80th Street Residence (affiliated with Mt. Sinai Hospital and New York Presbyterian Hospital)
“AWAKENS THE IMAGINATION with wonder, curiosity, and inspiration… brings pride and healing to the American spirit after 9/11…[Teamed with Supreme Court Justices at the Supreme Court, NY County] to promote understanding and acceptance between cultures to NYC public schools students… [and] to simultaneously increase individuals’ self-esteem and improve communication and community-building skills…enhance their social, academic, and career development.”
Nancy Konipol, Founding Editor, NY Nonprofit.com [9/29/03; Issue 8]
“A GIFT not otherwise possible…Makes a huge difference to our clients who have so little (and) so few opportunities to attend cultural events.”
Rymer Shaw, C.S.W., Program Director, Olivieri Center for Homeless Women
“THIS IS WONDERFUL! I’m proud to support it!”
Tony Roberts, Broadway, Television and Hollywood Film Star
“WHAT I SAW makes me feel that was FUN!…The magic you have seen is real magic for the children and audiences that experience it…I hope you will be with me in supporting this effort…Your support would be greatly appreciated”
Professor Irwin Corey, Star of Broadway, Television and Hollywood Films such as Sly Fox [Broadway], I’m Not Rappaport with Walter Mathau, Curse of the Jade Scorpion with Woody Allen, Jack with Robin Williams & Bill Cosby, How to Commit Marriage with Bob Hope & Jackie Gleason, Car Wash with Richard Pryor, George Carlin & The Pointer Sisters, and appearances with Ray Charles, Miles Davis, Count Basie, Louie Armstrong, Jerry Lewis, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Edward G. Robinson, Mickey Rooney, Johnny Carson’s The Tonight Show [20+ times], Steve Allen, Clint Eastwood, Jackie Gleason, Eddie Cantor, Judy Garland…and many more legendary artists
“When children have suffered so much, they need role models who show them the courage to enjoy life. Laurice and his Portals Of Wonder Ragtime-Dixieland Vaudeville Show-Band gave the gift of his courage to 350 critically ill children at Beth Israel Medical Center last Sunday. When Laurice transforms at once into the magician/wizard ala young Merlin, the escape artist ala Houdini, the song & dance man ala Al Jolson & Fred Astaire, and the slapstick clown & mime ‘Little Irving’ ala Charlie Chaplin, it’s a powerful message for children who are suffering – that one person can be many things.”
Janice Williams, Social Worker
REVIEWS & ENDORSEMENTS
Laurice, co-Founder of Portals Of Wonder
“Uncanny ability”
ABC TV News
“Mind boggling escapes”
CBS News
“The master”
NBC News
“Sheer genius”
Joey Adams, Nationally Syndicated Radio
“Death-defying”
CNN News
“Excellent! Great voice, really great.”
Stephen Schwartz, Broadway & film composer, (Godspell, Pocahontas, The Prince of Egypt and the Broadway hits Wicked and Pippin)
“Laurice is a beautiful dancer, a beautiful dancer!”
Sandra Cameron, 3 time world champion ballroom dancer & Fred Astaire historian/researcher
“Extraordinary talents”
Gannet News
“Wonder and expectation are great motivators.
Wonder creates hope. The work of this great magician,
Laurice, is to create wonder and hope.”
Dr. Gabriel G. Nahas, MD, PhD, DSc, is Metal of Freedom recipient, awarded
by President Harry S. Truman for his heroic work against Hitler’s Nazi
Army during WWII. Dr. Nahas is brain researcher, physician, scientist and
professor at the New York University School of Medicine, and author,
Network to Freedom
“Your Dad was a beautiful human being and
you have fallen not far from the tree.”
Hon. Mario M. Cuomo, Governor, State of New York