Laurice

Founder, Chairman and President, star of television network broadcast media events and live theatricals including the musical, Adventures of a Wizard, is best known for his world record death defying escapes beyond Houdini, broadcast live by ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, CNN, BBC and others to over 100 countries world-wide and seen by over 500 Million viewers globally. More about Laurice's world-record mystifying feats is available at http://www.Laurice.net. As co-founder of Portals Of Wonder, Laurice and his team have brought magic, mime, music and myth to over 10,000 critically ill children, homeless youth, the disabled and frail elderly holocaust survivors. It is the philanthropic arm of the centuries old Laurice Mintz family legacy. To view video clips of our past programs, generously edited by Robert DeNiro’s company, or support our mission and programs, please visit http://www.PortalsOfWonder.org. As an international performing artist, Laurice earned seven world records for life-threatening escapes, while millions cheered the heroic efforts of the Master of Impossibilities. Laurice’s purpose in accepting escape challenges is to evoke hope and wonder that inspire young people to pursue their dreams. Laurice, is in the forefront of the arts education movement with over 25 years experience bringing programs to serve critically ill children afflicted with AIDS and cancer, homeless children and their families, youth at risk, mid-life professionals and frail elderly. Following in the footsteps of centuries old family tradition combining education and the arts, he shares his years of professional magic and experience in social group work, creativity and the visionary process through educational presentations of myth, magic, mime and music for all ages. In addition to consulting for the New York City Board of Education in arts education, youth at risk, and teacher training and development, he has held faculty positions at the New School for Social Research University and the College of Staten Island, City University of New York and lectured at New York University, Wurzweiler School of Social Work at Yeshiva University. Laurice holds a Masters in Social Work and Certificates in Jungian Psychology, Creativity and Social Group Work. Using his performing art skills of escape, illusion and levitation, music (voice, guitar, banjo, concertina, piano), story, myth and tale (uses and interpretations), mime, comedy, song and dance, Laurice and his staff have produced and directed numerous educational, entertainment and cultural arts programs. Recognition for his community service comes from distinguished civic elected leaders that include the Honorable Governors Mario M. Cuomo and Hugh H. Carey, of the State of New York, Dr. Patch Adams, Mrs. Jean Kennedy Smith and Pete Seeger.

An under five minute liberation from a 1½ ton maximum security safe, underwater in New York's Hudson River.
An extrication from a strait jacket while suspended over a spiked pit filled with vipers and scorpions hanging only by a burning rope.

The underlying purpose for accepting such daring escape challenges is to offer a different model - a metaphor to disadvantaged children that demonstrates that anything is possible, especially their fondest dreams.

Pioneering Arts Educators: A Centuries' Old Family Tradition Laurice has found inspiration in his father, Morty Mintz’s legacy. “I try to bring Dad’s gentle touch to every heart I meet. Dad was the most insightful and compassionate man I’ve ever known. Occasionally I speak with those whose lives were deeply touched by my father’s quiet, courageous social group work and therapeutic interventions that often turned tragedy into success - bringing new meaning and hope to individuals and families in crisis. I feel fortunate to have been under his wing and to now apply his pioneering influence to the foundation of Portals Of Wonder.” Over his 45-year career, Morton Mintz saved lives and profoundly strengthened thousands of individuals, families, and communities by connecting people to their gifts through his pioneering combination of Jung's psychology, creativity and the arts, in a non-competitive, social group work setting. He built places where people go for warm, kind and gentle community, where one's creativity is honored. Among the many who recognize Morty for this extraordinary work are the great psychologist Dr. Carl C. Jung, Mrs. Alice Tully (of Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts) and the Honorable Mario M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of New York, who said in candid astonishment of Morty: “That’s the smartest man I ever met..a beautiful human being.” A brilliant fine and performing artist, Morty’s artwork was critically praised by The New York Times and The Art Digest. His singing and musical talents were sought after for radio, television and Broadway. Yet he eschewed fame and fortune for a humbler life of helping people make deeper relationships. Grandfather, Irving Mintz

The family is steeped in Hollywood, Broadway, vaudeville and musical theater lore: Laurice’s father Morty and grandfather Irving were both extraordinary singers and humorous storytellers who come from a long line of artist-community builders; great-grandfather Lazarus Laurice, an artist, musician, master magician and confidant of Houdini's over 100 years ago, opened his humble home to those youth and elderly in need. Great-grandfather, Lazarus Mintz

Mentor to the Warner Brothers and many other luminaries in the arts, Great-grandfather Lazarus Laurice booked Broadway’ s premiere vaudeville theater, The Palace, and was looked upon as a kind and gentle man who rubbed elbows with and influenced many of the now legendary Broadway and Hollywood greats of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The use of magic, music and the arts to educate and build community is a 5,000 year family tradition. It is carried on through the founding of Portals Of Wonder, as Laurice walks in the footsteps of his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather who each contributed to the family tradition of helping disadvantaged children, families and elderly build deeper connections to their own gifts in their communities.

Janice E. Williams, L.M.S.W. Executive Director	Sandra Nordgren(Bio) Production Consultant
Stephanie Berghash Snow, M.S.Ed., N.Y.S. Cert.(Bio) Co-Founder and Director of Education and Design	Laurice(Bio) Co-Founder, Chairperson and President