Alan Katz is the author of more than 50 picture books, poetry collections, and middle grade novels for young readers (including Take Me Out of the Bathtub, Got Your Nose, OOPS!, The Funniest Joke Book Ever for Kids, and Misty the Cloud, a NYT bestseller written with Dylan Dreyer of the Today show). Alan's program is an inspiring look at his career as a reader and writer. In a virtual multimedia presentation that includes his work as an award-winning author, TV writer, animation creator, comic book/trading card writer, theater producer, kids' radio host and more, he laughingly fosters a “hey, I can read that/I can write that” attitude. Silly Dilly singing, ridiculous rhyming and a recap of his wildly creative career make for an insightful and enjoyable presentation. (Incidentally, he's also got three-person musicals based on my Silly Dilly songbooks and on my joke book, and can bring them to your school or library...starring my son, who's now playing Peter in the Pinkalicious musical Off-Broadway!)

Deon Butler is a former NFL player, Author and Literacy Advocate.

Get Patriotic with Democratic Values. Uncle Sam’s Comedy Jam is a crazy shindig celebrating American Freedom! The Bill of Rights and Constitution will be there, and so will many of our core democratic values. But be warned, this 40-minute show isn’t just a party. It’s a bash! Teachers and students won’t be able to stop laughing as Uncle Sam, with help from the Statue of Liberty and 16 volunteers, teaches the fundamental beliefs that unite all Americans. Kindergarteners through sixth graders learn how America became a free nation during the funniest history lesson ever. Democratic values have never been this funny! Topics in this patriotic elementary assembly include: Constitutional Government | The Importance of Rules | Separation of Powers | Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness | Symbols of Freedom | Checks and Balances | The Bill of Rights | Individual Freedoms | Shay’s Rebellion | The 13 Colonies | Common Good | Federalism | Patriotism | Equality | Justice | Declaration of Independence | Amendments and Rules | Democratic Values | The Framers | Articles of Confederation | Three Branches of Government.

I offer author visits, involving book readings, a description of how I got started writing children’s books, and workshops promoting inclusion, empathy, and kindness.

Unlike any of the other magic shows! The Laugh Factory is the best comical magic show for schools and camps that you’ll ever see! It’s hysterical for your students, and also funny, engaging, and entertaining for your teachers and school staff. Stinky Sneakers, a Giant Pair of Underpants, exploding pop cans, and a short round of basketball (with toilet paper!), are just a little bit of the crazy insanity that is to come during The Laugh Factory Comical Magic Show. Don’t worry, there are no gimmicky magic stunts or something too embarrassing in this school assembly magic show! It’s just 45 minutes of pure silliness, nonstop jokes, and wild funniness, where your students are the stars of the show!

Bardavon 1869 Opera House, Inc. (known familiarly as “the Bardavon'') is a New York State nonprofit corporation that owns and operates two historic theaters. The 928-seat Bardavon 1869 Opera House in Poughkeepsie is the oldest continuously operating theater in the state, among the oldest in the country, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The 1500-seat Ulster Performing Arts Center/Broadway Theater (UPAC) is a National Register property built in Kingston in 1927. UPAC was merged into Bardavon's corporate structure in 2007. The Bardavon consistently presents the highest quality music, dance, theater, and classic films in both its venues. The Bardavon has brought together artists, businesses, and government to produce outdoor events that draw thousands of residents and visitors to the region annually, providing free access to superb art as a source of community pride, urban revitalization, and cultural tourism. The Bardavon Education Program partners with regional schools in offering unique arts-based learning experiences for students and innovative tools for teachers. The continued restoration and preservation of the Bardavon 1869 Opera House and the Ulster Performing Arts Center/Broadway Theater is also a vital aspect of our mission.

I’ll start each workshop with a slide show of my personal journey into the arts. This will start from my entrance into the arts back in high school where I was guided away from the arts by guidance counselors and administration. I’ve found this to be helpful to mention as many students can relate to this. My entrance into the arts started in ceramics and has led me to Mould Making, Metal Casting, Fiber & Silversmithing. I’ll discuss how perseverance, determination, hard work, and elbow grease has awarded me with scholarships, grants, shows, and teaching opportunities that enable me to travel to craft schools and residencies to continue making work. I’ll show the evolution of my work and include photos of in-process works from different studios throughout the years. This introduction will last about 30 minutes concluding with 15 minutes of questions. I’ll continue with about 20 minutes of demonstrations and disperse materials for hands-on building. At this point, I’ll make my rounds to meet with each student and troubleshoot their project ideas and the best way to construct them. I’ll call the class over to discuss which method of building would be best depending on the desired outcome as there is no one way to make something. Program Descriptions Workshop 1: Personification of an Object First steps into the world of Abstract art by warping reality one object at a time. Students are prompted to give humanistic features/characteristics to inanimate objects to create something that’s never existed before. Workshop 2: Re-Create Everyday Objects Students will be asked to bring in 3-5 everyday objects. We’ll discuss different methods of construction, play with scale, and explore the surface through color and texture. Refrain from bringing in objects that are made out of ceramic materials. Workshop 3: Large Forms inspired by the Ancient World and Today This workshop focuses on giving students the necessary skills to create large vessels. Students will be asked to find references of Vessels from Ancient Egypt, China, Mesopotamia, or contemporary artists. -hand-building on a larger scale helps beginner students quickly adapt to the properties of clay and respond to the material quicker than something small. This method of construction [coil-building] is the oldest method of building with clay, allows for lots of adjustments to form and scale for a beginner student, causes you to be attentive to the material. -Discuss the benefits of hand-building and the freedom/ability to build in a gestural way, why this is helpful. -Ask students to choose or draw a silhouette to mimic for their vessel – A blueprint/reference photo is VITAL to making a successful shape, make this mandatory, this will help assist them in achieving the shape they want to. -brief demo on darting– show them how to edit a shape that’s not going in the direction (shape-wise) that they’re going for. Workshop 4: Advanced Techniques Ask students to make an object (sculptural or functional) using the extruder and slab roller. These can be very gestural, architectural, or realistic. -Demo how to construct a form using slabs slumping/wrapping/template techniques (cut-outs slipped and scored together) -Emphasize that the appearance of the object will be determined by what method of construction students wish to use (explain and show examples of architectural vs. gestural, organic vs geometric forms, etc.) -Demo how to use an extruder and how to attach extruded shapes securely together/to the form. Clay & tools can be provided for an additional fee.

Page Turner Adventures’ Story-Powered shows are a unique blend of Immersive Theater, Circus, and non-stop Audience Participation that take a book from the PAGE TO STAGE! Every child in the audience becomes the hero of the story, making choices, solving problems, and impacting the outcome. It’s a visceral experience that turbo charges a passion for reading and writing that kids will never forget. PLUS…. Every teacher at the show gets a LITERACY WONDER BUNDLE link which includes an Ebook, Animated Video, Audiobook, Craft, Writing Guide, Reader’s Theater Script or PDF Puppet Kit all BASED ON THE SHOW the kids just saw! So the laughter and learning continue long after the curtain closes.

The Shadow Box Theatre’s (SBT) mission is to touch the minds and hearts of children through shadow and three-dimensional puppet-based theatre arts. SBT's programs encourage creative exploration, celebrate diversity, and teach humanistic values such as how to deal with bullying and respecting individual differences, peaceful solutions, and appreciation of our earth. This is accomplished through an integrated program of performances given in our spaces and brought to your space, creative theatre arts workshops for children, teachers, and parents, and picture books with companion audio, as well as films and audio recordings based on our musical puppet productions.

The Junkman — the original, Grammy-nominated recycled materials percussionist — and his collection of skateboards, road signs, brake drums, and other unusual items will captivate young minds with a STEAM-driven interactive experience that will entertain while teaching about music, science, the environment, inclusiveness, and kindness. From an hour-long interactive eco-concert with a culminating JunkJam wherein kids play along with The Junkman, to a full day of instrument-making or music-making workshops, or a week to two-week long sound sculpture or music-making residency, he’ll work with you every step of the way to develop and craft a program that best suits your students AND your budget. All The Junkman's programs featured his Help Our Planet (HOP) education initiative, which has garnered awards of excellence from the United Nations, the Federation of Mexico, and the State of Vermont.

“Stand Up for Your Greatness!” In this inspirational program, Ed Gerety shares with his audience specific strategies, principles, and techniques to be resilient, embrace change, achieve goals, and step up as a leader. The social and emotional needs of students today are more important than ever. Ed delivers a powerful message that connects with the hearts and minds of his audience. He reminds students of the importance of taking care of themselves, taking care of one another, standing up for their greatness, and for the greatness of others. Areas of Focus in this assembly program include: • The power of respect and responsibility • The impact and consequences of our choices and decisions • The issues of bullying and peer pressure • Appreciation for our abilities and the people in our life • The courage to believe in oneself • The power we have to reach out and make a difference Ed speaks in the education industry specifically at middle schools, high schools, colleges, universities, and conferences. His primary audiences include students, teachers, administrators, coaches, parents, and student-athletes. For 30 years Ed has spoken on character education topics that build and support a positive and inclusive school climate. His expertise is in teaching the skills that teens and young adults need to develop to become leaders in school and in life. Ed’s longevity as a paid-professional speaker is rooted in the excellence he brings to the platform, the relationships he forms with his clients, and the results produced in positive outcomes measured by schools. Clients say that there is authenticity and vulnerability in his presentations that distinguishes him from other speakers.

The bGreat Show is presented by comic-magician Brian Richards, one of the most humorous assembly performers in the country. Using the perfect blend of entertainment and educational content, Brian’s assemblies are loved by students and staff alike. Though they will laugh and be fooled by his tricks, your school will also get excited about character! In this interactive, 45-minute elementary school assembly and camp show, Brian Richards will use magic, comedy, storytelling, audience participation, and more to help your students learn about Anti-Bullying, Trustworthiness, Fairness, Respect, Responsibility, Caring, and Citizenship. The message to students is: “Do you want to be great? It begins with you taking the first step!”