Summer 2015 Tour Schedule

We know our library partners are busy thinking about super heroes as they prepare for this summer's CSLP theme Every Hero Has a Story. Performer Paul Miller has also been thinking about how learning new skills like juggling and developing resiliency plays a critical role in the development of all kinds of heroes. With his improvisational antics, animated story telling, and impressive skills, Paul will entertain and inspire audiences this summer. Flow Circus is also available for tween/teen workshops and staff training at libraries and summer camps. We travel from Alabama to Massachusetts during the summer - see our tour schedule below to see when we are in your area.

Many of the following weeks still have a few openings. Contact us to  check availability.

May29 - June 2: Available for Camp Trainings in the Southeast

June 3-6: Alabama (Greater Birmingham area)

June 8-13: North and South Carolina

June 15-19: Charleston County, SC

June 20-29: North Carolina

June 30- July 3: Cumberland County, PA and Eastern PA

July 6- 9: - Bucks County, PA

July 13-18 - North Carolina & Virginia

July 20-24 - Horry County, SC

July 25-30: North Carolina

July 31 - August 15: Northeast Tour (PA, NJ, NY, CT)

 Visit FlowCircus.com to learn more about our staff training sessions, performances, and workshops for your library or camp. Or visit Flow Circus.com/videos to see video highlights of past Summer Reading shows.

Summer Reading Program 2014 - Wrap Up

    

Another amazing summer has ended. Paul really enjoyed creating a show for this summer's Fizz, Boom, Read! science theme. He performed his new Science of Awesome show at close to 100 libraries in 10 states from Connecticut to Louisiana. Using juggling and skill toys, he illustrated scientific principles such as gravity, center of gravity, potential energy, and kinetic energy as he learned to balance, spin, and master new tricks. The show of course had his signature style of improvisational comedy and audience interaction.

Don't just take our word for it, here's what the librarians we worked with are saying:

Summer 2014 Tours Scheduled

Paul can't wait to share the science of juggling and skill toys this summer. His Summer Reading Performance Fall, Balance, and Spin: A Juggler's Tale will connect to the CSLP theme Fizz, Boom, Read! Throughout the show, he will tell a story that encourages families to use the library to answer questions and discover new skills.

The summer calendar is filling up quickly, but we do still have openings left on the following regional tours:

Summer 2014
Week of May 26 - Louisiana
Week of June 2 - Gulf Shores area of Alabama
Week of June 9 - North and South Carolina
Week of June 16 - North Carolina
Week of June 23 & 30 - Northeast Tour (PA, NY, NJ, CT, MA)
Week of July 7 - N/A
Week of July 14 - Virginia
Week of July 21 & 28 - North and South Carolina
Week of August 4 & 11 - Northeast Tour (PA, NY, NJ, CT, MA)

Hands-on tween/teen workshops are also available which will allow participants to experience the science of juggling and skill toys first hand. Visit FlowCircus.com/library to learn more about our programs or check out our Video Gallery to see how Paul has connected to the CSLP theme in past summers.

Getting Ready for Summer 2013!

Performer Paul Miller has been busy creating his new Summer Reading Program library show for 2013. For many this summer's CSLP theme, Dig into Reading, will send people down into the dirt. Paul, on the other hand, will dig deeper at his library to uncover new adventures. Below is a brief description:

Can You Dig It?
Performer Paul Miller of Flow Circus takes us back to one memorable summer when his eccentric uncle comes to visit. Unlike any other adult Paul knows, his uncle opens up an exciting, new world of play through stories, books, juggling, magic, and more. More importantly, he encourages Paul not just to copy what others are doing, but to dig deeper and explore his own unique interests and talents.

Paul’s comedy juggling and magic show engages audiences of all ages. Credits include Disney Cruise Lines, Off-Broadway, and performances from coast to coast. He also loves to share his passion for play at schools, libraries, and camps throughout the year.

Our SRP 2013 tween/teen workshops will encourage participants to explore Beneath the Surface and discover skill-based talents such as juggling and skill toys at their library.

We currently have over 100 shows and workshops booked in 8 states, but there are still a few openings. Visit FlowCircus.com/Library for more information about our programs.

Read Across America 2013 Tour

We love Dr. Seuss! One of Paul's favorite comments from a student came after a school show when the boy compared Paul to the Cat in the Hat (we can't imagine why!) Our favorite Dr. Seuss book is If I Ran the Circus and Paul has been known to incorporate the book into his storytelling.

We thought it fitting to plan a tour in honor of Dr. Seuss's birthday which has been designated by the National Education Association as Read Across America. We will be traveling throughout the Northeast (MA, CT, NY, &NJ) the week of February 25 and the DC area the week of March 4th. We have already booked several shows, but still have openings available to help your community celebrate Dr. Seuss!

If you are interested in booking Paul's Read Yourself Silly performance or any of our other programs for your school or library during this tour, visit FlowCircus.com for more information. For activity ideas and other resources from the NEA, visit their Read Across America page.

"Juggling Money" - New Financial Literacy Show a Success

Flow Circus was selected by Lackawanna and Luzerne County Library Systems in Northeastern Pennsylvania to develop a performance about financial literacy for preschoolers as part a grant they received from PNC Bank's Grow Up Great program. Performer Paul Miller kicked-off the program with fourteen shows during a week-long October tour and looks forward to returning in April to visit more libraries in the region.

In Juggling Money, Paul tells the story of how a trip to the library led him on an adventure filled with high-flying juggling, amazing magic, and the wonders of circus. In the end, he learns that hard work and smart choices lead to rewarding results. The show had a wonderful response as you can see in these photos in our Photo Gallery and this quote from the Nancy Kay Holmes Library in Scranton:

In and of itself, his act (the magic tricks/pantomime/juggling) is amazing, but more importantly, the flawless (and fun!) way he incorporates the themes of Spending, Sharing, and Saving into his act is beyond impressive! Our parents and kids LOVED this event, and this was a TERRIFIC way to kick-off the PNC Grow Up Great financial literacy campaign!

To learn about our other library programs, visit FlowCircus.com/library. Contact Flow Circus if you are interested in learning more about Juggling Money or if your organization would be interested in having Flow Circus customize a performance or workshop to fit specific grant objectives.

2012 Summer Reading Program - Highlights

The results for Summer 2012 are in - over 100 library performances and 20 tween/teen workshops in 9 different states. Our home state of North Carolina hosted us for the largest number of programs with Pennsylvania coming in a close second. We were excited to also add Massachusetts and Virginia to our summer tour schedule. Many thanks to all of these libraries for inviting us to their communities and helping to make this our most successful summer yet.

Keeping with the tradition we started many years ago, we created a video with highlights from Dream Big - READ! performances. Even if you didn't get to see Paul's show this summer, you'll be sure to get a laugh from the comical ways in which he tries to get the attention of his "mom."

[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/48325339#at=5[/vimeo]

We are currently booking for the 2013 Dig into Reading Summer Reading Program. Visit FlowCircus.com/library for more information on our programs.

Summer 2012 Tour Schedule

We have been busy fielding calls and emails about Summer 2012 and our tour schedule is taking shape. Paul is still working out the details for his Dream Big - READ! performance to fit this summer's theme, but you can be sure that it will inspire children of all ages to discover new skills and interests at their library. To see how Paul used storytelling, juggling, and magic to highlight past SRP themes, visit our video gallery. We also offer engaging hands-on tween/teen workshops that will help Own the Night. For more information about these workshops, visit flowcircus.com/library.

Summer 2012 Tour Schedule:

Week of 6/4: Alabama

Week of 6/11: Western NC & Upstate SC

Week of 6/18: Pennsylvania

Week of 6/25: New York & Northern New Jersey

Week of 7/2: North Carolina

Week of 7/9: New Jersey & Pennsylvania

Week of 7/16: North and South Carolina

Week of 7/23: TBD (Available for a library tour of 10+ shows)

Week of 7/30: New Jersey & Pennsylvania

Week of 8/6 & 8/13: Northeast (NJ, NY, & CT)

Contact Dawn@FlowCircus.com to check availability for specific dates/times. The schedule above may change as we move forward with planning so feel free to contact us with your requests.

 

Summer Reading Program 2011 - Highlights Video

Flow Circus just finished its 2011 Summer Reading Program tour of One Toy, Many Stories performances and Skill Toys from Around the World workshops. We want to thank the over 70 libraries that hosted us this summer. For more information about Flow Circus library performances and workshops visit our FlowCircus.com/library.

Watch our highlights video below to get a glimpse of the fun we had and don't forget to Eat Your Tomatoes!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7l7Rv2PGpw&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]

 

Summer Reading Program Kicks-off!

Flow Circus kicked-off Summer Reading Programs in Alabama & North Carolina with a new performance One Toy, Many Stories and the hands-on tween/teen workshop Skill Toys from Around the World.

Paul's 2011 SRP performance includes some old favorites like his 5 ball juggling routine, but also incorporates fun new routines. As always, the audience helps to create a unique show every time!

To see more pictures from our tours, visit our Photo Gallery. We look forward to bringing Flow Circus performances and workshops to libraries in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, & Connecticut throughout the summer months. Keep up with our tour schedule by becoming a fan of on our Facebook Page.

 

Summer 2011 Tour Dates

Time to start thinking about summer. Whether you are booking performances for One World, Many Stories, workshops for You Are Here, or looking for engaging programs for your summer camp, Flow Circus would love to work with you. If you missed Paul's Make a Splash performance from last summer, click here to see video highlights.

Make A Splash - SRP 2010 Video

A very special thank you to the over 80 libraries that we visited this summer.

Paul had so much fun developing a performance around the Make A Splash theme that combined storytelling, juggling, magic, and of course comedy. We also helped teens Make Waves by teaching them new juggling, skill toy, and balloon twisting skills.

Sit back, relax, and enjoy the video capturing the fun we had!

Make a Splash......Without Making a Mess

Paul has been busy this summer entertaining families from Alabama to Connecticut with his antics. His 2010 Summer Reading Program performance encourages kids (and adults too!) to learn new skills so that they can Make a Splash and get recognized in a positive way. Paul starts the show with the story about how he jumped in a huge puddle one summer day because no one was paying attention to him. He gets his whole family wet and they are not very happy!

His grandmother is about to leave on a trip to Asia and makes a deal with him......learn to do something that will make people smile and she will bring him a gift from her travels. Paul spends the summer learning to juggle, perform magic, and discovers other toys that require practice. He and his friends put on circus shows in his front yard and he realizes that he likes the applause! When his grandmother finally comes home, she brings him a new skill toy for him to learn - the Japanese kendama. Paul can't wait to see what new tricks he can learn and perform for more applause!

If you have been at one of the 90+ Flow Circus library shows this summer, feel free to comment here. To see more photos visit our Photo Gallery.

Make a Splash/Make Waves with Fundama!

The Flow Circus 2010 Summer Reading Performance Make A Splash…Without Making a Mess focuses on how with a little skill, we can all make a positive impact in our world. Below is a brief description of the show:

As a kid, performer Paul Miller was always getting in trouble. Then one summer all that changed with the gift a Japanese kendama. That popular toy and a trip to the library led him to discover juggling and other skill toys from around the world. Instead of getting grounded, he started to get applause.

As the performance took shape, we realized that we wanted to provide librarians with the opportunity to provide the same discovery of  new toys and skills for their patrons. We know that budgets are limited, so we sat down with string, masking tape, sticks, paper cups & PlayFundama.com was born!

PlayFundama.com provides instructional videos on how to make and play with the different versions of fundama that we have created. You can also find photos of similar toys from around the world and suggested activity ideas for how fundama might be incorporated into your Summer Reading Program.

We hope to inspire kids to be creative and playful with whatever materials they might have laying around!

Read Yourself Silly

Flow Circus helped the Wake Forest Branch Library celebrate its 13th Birthday this weekend with a performance of Read Yourself Silly. It was a beautiful November day in North Carolina ....nice enough to perform outside. The article below from the December 2009 Rolesville Buzz describes the event. For more pictures from the Wake Forest Library show, visit the Flow Circus Photo Gallery.

During the 2009-10 school year, Flow Circus will be performing Read Yourself Silly at schools and libraries throughout the East Coast. Juggling, magic, and balloons captivate audiences and help deliver a memorable message.......visit the library to learn new skills!

Playful Staff Development

Flow Circus finds that working with adults can be just as much fun as working with kids because adults need to laugh & play too! This month we conducted two different staff development sessions. The first was held at Camp Silver Beach for the Peninsula Metropolitan YMCA. Our half-day workshop was part of a two day retreat focusing on the book Juggling Elephants by Jones Loflin and Todd Musig. As the authors point out in the book: People sometimes need to laugh, relax, and not take themselves too seriously. Our session taught participants how to juggle and use a variety of skill toys. Learning these new skills gave the group an opportunity to reflect on the learning process and how to overcome a fear of failure in order to improve their very own own 3 ring circus!

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

This past week we conducted a workshop for the staff of Mauney Memorial Library and Cleveland County Library System (pictured above). For this workshop, we used balloons to set up different team challenges that emphasize the importance of good communication, clear objectives, and understanding strengths/weaknesses when working together in teams. Creative thinking and team brainstorming resulted in the commercials below which promote the wide variety of services that libraries provide in the 21st Century. Watch and enjoy their results.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hp0eIEK7Nhc[/youtube]

 Visit our website to learn more information about Flow Circus Staff Development Workshops.

Fall Tour - Showcase, School, & Libraries!

 

Flow Circus traveled to the North East last week to share a little playfulness with librarians, students, and families. We started out the week at the Nassau Library System Performer Showcase where we met creative librarians looking for exciting new programs for their communities. We look forward to returning to NY this spring/summer.

Next, we visited the Manchester Branch and Berkeley Branch Libraries in Ocean County, New Jersey to entertain families and to encourage them to Read Yourself Silly! To see more pictures from these shows, visit our photo gallery.

We wrapped up the tour with a visit to Mother of Divine Providence School in King of Prussia, PA. For school shows, Paul uses juggling and magic to captivate audiences while leaving them with important lessons. For the younger grades, the theme of the show is read - find things that you want to learn how to do and then use the library to find books about that activity/topic. For the upper grades, Paul challenges the students to Find Your Passion - Research Your Career Options - Excel in Your Efforts! These steps can help students to think more creatively about careers related to their interests.

 We enjoyed all of our visits and look forward to visiting these communities again in the future. If you saw Paul perform on this tour, please feel free to share your comments here.

Highlights - 2009 Summer Reading Program Tour

We wanted to say thank you to the over 70 libraries that we visited this summer & we thought the best way would be to provide you with a few more laughs! This 6 minute video includes clips and images from the entire summer. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the memories!

Flow Circus Visits Fairfax County

 

Another busy week. Paul is in the middle of performing at 11 libraries in Fairfax County, Virginia ..... in 4 days! He has adapted his Read Yourself Silly show to fit with the Fairfax County theme: Read Around the World. If you have seen one of the shows, please feel free to share your impressions.

To see images from the tour visit the Flow Circus photo gallery.

Flow Circus Visits North Carolina Libraries

Flow Circus spent this past week visiting several libraries in North Carolina. This photo was taken in the Biscoe Community Center just a few miles from the geographic center of the state. The library and this theater are located in a building that is one of the oldest public school buildings in NC. A beautiful space & a fun audience - a wonderful combination!!

In addition to Biscoe, Paul enjoyed performing at libraries in High Point, Oxford, Creedmoor, and Greensboro. If you saw one of these shows, please share your comments about the show. To see photos from the shows visit our photo gallery.