Sand Springs - First Summer Shows!

I did my first two summer shows in Sand Springs today, debuting FIVE new songs from the "Let's Get Creative" CD, and it went very well. I had two fantastic groups of kids, and I learned a lot about how to present the new songs.

Here are some photos from the day. Evalyn sang the chorus on "Don't Look, I'm Making a Book," just like on the CD. 

"Silly Song" continues to amaze us in terms of just how well it works to get the kids loosened up and participating. A simple song, but not simplistic. Here I am grinning like a shark.

Here is a shot from the second show of me and Evalyn together on stage.

"Pop Up Sit Down" always makes for fun photos:

Lisa made me pose for this one, so I might as well share it!

After we got home and had some dinner, Evalyn was off to her first swimming lesson of the summer. Here she is in the pool:

And afterwards, here she is feeding a cracker to a water-monster pipe.

Charles Page Library in Sand Springs

I had a fun visit to the Charles Page library in Sand Springs today. It was a small group in a small room, with a few kids that were really active and/or vocal, so we had a lot of interaction, and it got a bit squirrely at times, but in a good way! The teen volunteers were having about as much fun as anyone, and the librarian had them come up to help me out "on stage" during "Silly Song." Unfortunately we didn't get a photo of that, but here's one Lisa took during the show:

And another with some audience members after the show:

This afternoon we got a phone call from the Arts Council of Oklahoma City. Apparently storyteller Al Bostick, who was touring the Metropolitan Library this week is ill and in the hospital! So I will be substituting for Al for the seven shows left in the tour, tomorrow and Friday. 

Al is a great performer. Evalyn got to see him at the Yukon Children's Festival in May, and has been re-telling one of his stories ever since! Those will be some tough shoes to fill, but I'm glad I'm available to help out. Our thoughts are with Al and we wish him a very speedy recovery!

First Summer Show in Sand Springs

My first two summer shows went well today in Sand Springs. I debuted three brand new songs, "Catch the Reading Bug," "Super Flea," and "Insect Zoo," plus a buggy new version of "Silly Song." Lisa likes to photograph me during "Silly Song" for some reason...

Here I'm posing with the children's librarian. Check out that hat! There's a bug on it! That's the reading bug!
Evalyn grabbed a bite to eat while I loaded the car after the show. She was not on stage with me today. We've worked on a couple of songs together this year but are not yet ready to perform them. Maybe later in the summer.
Tomorrow I'll do a show at Zarrow. (I just can't help rhyming!) That's one of the Tulsa branch libraries, at 2:00. Then on Friday at 7:00 I'm on stage for the concert in the park series in Moore. Next week: four days in a row! 

I'll be posting often during the summer. Thanks for reading! See you soon!