Jeff Civillico

When was it that you knew you wanted to be an entertainer?

My story starts way back in the day as I think a lot of entertainer’s stories do. I was actually picked to be a volunteer when I was seven years old by a street performer named Peter Panic. That was his stage name and he performed at Harvard Square. My oldest brother went to Harvard, and we were visiting him on a family trip and I got picked to be a volunteer.

I did a little routine with spinning plates, and it sounds cheesy, and it sounds cliché but looking back on it now, I know that moment was one of those pivotal moments that changed my life forever. I loved the feeling of being in front of an audience, the lights, the sound, the rush, that adrenaline rush of being in front of an audience even at seven years old.

How are you the only one in the world who does what you do?

As a kid I just wanted to learn as many tricks as I could. You know, I was into magic and ventriloquism and juggling, and all these different kind of variety arts. I settled on juggling as a kid and I think I know why now. I’ve always been a very physical athletic type, but I’m also a very artistic type. So I played all the instruments, and I was in the band, in the choir, and all the shows, the dramas. But I also played all the sports and juggling, I realize now, I was drawn to because people don’t realize its kind of a perfect combination of sport and art.