On Mattie’s 31st birthday, July 17, 2021, at 5:00 p.m. EDT, Chris Dugdale celebrated his Heartsong gift of magic with an interactive show for our virtual audience. In addition to having folks participate from across the U.S., we had Global Teen Leaders sponsored by our #Partner4Peace, the We Are Family Foundation, on with us from India, Brazil, Nigeria, South Africa, the Philippines, Australia, Macedonia and Egypt! Laura Bauer, Executive Director of Mattie’s Foundation, said “This was such a highly engaging, fun, and mesmerizing show! Chris Dugdale is simply amazing and has mastered the art of magic via Zoom as no one else! Seeing the looks of astonishment on everyone’s faces throughout the show was a pure delight!”
Chris holds an unparalleled resumé in the field of magic, including 14 Royal Performances and a private show for Her Majesty The Queen. He has mystified everyone from Beyoncé to the staff of the Pentagon, where he became the only magician in history to receive a Medal of Excellence following his standing ovation performance. Chris is a 7-time award-winning Edinburgh festival performer and the only act ever to win the Edfest Bouquet 4 times. You may recognize him as one of the stars of Penn and Teller: FOOL US or from his appearances on NBC’s Dracula.
His magic has been seen by over 10 million people worldwide.
Nicknamed “The King of Standing Ovations” Dugdale is one of the World’s top live performers in his genre, and regularly headlines for Royal Caribbean out of NYC and the East Coast of America. His show is unlike anything you have ever seen before combining hard-hitting dynamic magic which quickly segues into incredible mind-control following the narrative of his life. He has headlined his full evening show in London’s West End and at high profile theatres and venues around the world.
Based predominantly in America, Chris spends time between his homes in the US and the UK and headlines corporate events worldwide. He is currently several months into pre-production of a major new TV series having completed filming in Rome, Madrid, Amsterdam, Washington DC, London and The Hague. Keep your eyes peeled…
Most importantly of all, he is married to his beautiful wife Alexis and is the father of Lara Lou and Natalie, mischievous and amazing girls who have stolen his heart completely!
Q&A with Chris Dugdale
Q. What is peace to you?
A. Peace to me is peace with your own mind and with other humans. In my humble opinion, it’s mainly about kindness.
Q. Why does pausing to attend with purpose to peace matter?
A. Because you are bringing it to the forefront. To the conscious present moment. The past is the past, the future we cannot control and that’s why they call it the present… it is our gift.
Q. What is the connection between magic (amazement) and playfulness and peace?
A. Magic is all about playfulness. My Dad always told me to never grow up. He meant that adults are in danger of losing that childhood sense of wonder and curiosity, which at its heart is the key to real magic. Magic brings me peace, it always has.
Q. Why does this event and Mattie’s Foundation matter?
A. This #Toast2Peace event matters greatly because I totally 100% support the cause. Mattie was an inspiration to all who met him, and I am so very sorry I didn’t get this privilege. So, it is my honor to respect and to help continue his train of thought in my own magical way.
Q. Why have you chosen to serve as our guest toastmaster?
A. I want to share my gift with the world, and I can think of no cause more fitting than Mattie’s Foundation.
