Other Performers

MAD SCIENCE OF IOWA
Contact:  Jim Birkel, President & Chief Scientist
300 SW 5th St.
Des Moines, IA  50309
Phone:  515.283.8343   
E.Mail:  madsciciowa@lisco.com
Web:  www.madscience.org/centraliowa
Description:  Mad Science of Iowa promotes reading, library use and education in general, while entertaining and educating children and their families with interactive science shows and hands-on science workshops.  Our summer programs are specifically designed towards the annual summer reading program theme.  We have many additional themes available as well.
Fee:  Market competitive and great value - Please contact us for the pricing for your specific needs and situation.
Travel Range:  All of Iowa.

The Spoon Man
Jim Cruise
P.O. Box 53
Jenison, MO 49429
Phone:1-800-968-7469
Web Page: www.getspooned.com
Description: An interactive family comedian. He gives the audience an original comedy performance that will be remembered. His totally clean act (never uses dirty silverware) with audience participation is ideal for libraries, schools, and festivals. His programs also include educational messages.
Fees: negotiable
Availability: Year Round

Mr. Nick #1 'n Fun
103 - 4th St NW
Oelwein, IA
Phone: 877-676-4257 or 319-283-2627
Description: The Playmeister - Using selected members of your group, Mr. Nick puts on an instant hilarious play; Wicky-Wacky Drawings and Balloon Antics - An educational magic show suitable for pre-school through lower grades; Mr. Nick's Children's Magic Show - Small humans though elementary level; Mr. Nick's Balloon Ministry - Sunday school, bible class, vacation bible school; The Far Out, WaOut, Wild and Cool Hats and Humor of Mr. Nick - For teen parties and anyone who wants to get down and crazy. Plus More.

Farm Safety 4 Just Kids
110 S Chestnut Ave
PO Box 458
Earlham, IA 50072
Phone: 800-423-5437
Fax: 515-758-2517
E-Mail: fs4jk@netins.net
Web Page: www.fs4jk.org
Description: Programs, demonstrations and activities that teach the concepts of Farm Safety and Health for children and adults.
Fee: Negotiable
Travel Range: Contact for more information
Also available for: Demonstrations

Jefferson National Expansion Memorial
National Park Service
11 N. 4^th Street
St. Louis, MO 63102
Phone: 314-655-1600
Fax: 314-655-1642
E-Mail: JEFF_Director_Education@nps.gov
Web Page: www.nps.gov/jeff
Description: With an emphasis on St. Louis history and westward expansion, the National Park Service can send two programs to your library. The traveling Trunk Program consists of trunks filled with hands-on museum objects and photographs. Nine topics are available. The Picasso Still Image Program brings images of the Museum of Westward Expansion and the opportunity to talk live with a National Park Ranger using your library’s phone line, VCR, and TV monitor.
Fee: $35 Trunk $45 Picasso
Travel Range: Throughout the USA
Also available for: Storytellers

Greg & Sallie Abba
Des Moines, IA
Phone: 515-224-1992 (w) OR 515-280-7942 (h)
E-Mail: abba@netins.net
Description: Greg & Sallie do a program titled: Cosmic Costumes. They create alien and space costume pieces. Available weeknights 6 – 9:30 p.m. and most Saturdays. Sunday 12- 5 p.m.Fee: Negotiable
Travel Range: Anywhere

Pioneer Living Experience
Tammy Hess
Journey Back in Time Productions
221 East Market Street PMB #221
Iowa City, IA 52245
Phone:1-800-322-8039
Fee: Negotiable
Description: Children experience pioneer living with period crafts, activities, and artifacts. This is a traveling hands-on experience.

Time Trackers
Debbie Dunn
4691 Fox Lane NE
Iowa City, Iowa 52240
Phone: 319-351-4851
Description: Travel to distant times and places when Debie sets up mini-museum displays with hands-on activities and storytelling. Topics include Native Americans, Pioneer Life, Young Heroes of the Heartland, and other specials.
Fee: Begin at $50 and up
Travel Range: 75 miles

Dean Franzen
5915 Symons Road
Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613
Phone: 319-266-6911
E-Mail: unidean@aol.com
Description: Juggling and unicycling. Lots of participation for children.
Fee: $200 + travel
Travel Range: State of Iowa
Also available for: Clowns and Magicians

The Quilt Lady
Elise Hoy
8211 NW 114^th Street
Grimes, Iowa 50111-1099
Phone: 515-986-3540
Description: Elsie tells many stories using her large collection of quilts. She is a most interesting women and can build a story for your age group and a selected topic.
Fee: negotiable
Travel Range: negotiable

Animal Encounter, Inc.
Dr. Robert James
PO Box 245
Lombard, Illinois 60148-0245
Phone: 888-264-6280
Fax: 920-674-7735
E-Mail: robjames@ticon.net
Web Page: www.animalencounters.com
Description: Dr. James brings live zoo animals to your library. Everyone touches a porcup9ne, alligator, and several other animals; an ostrich walks through the rows of the audience. Dr. James visits about 400 schools and libraries throughout the country.
Fee: $425 / program
Also available for: Science / Animals

Sarah Macht
Des Moines, Iowa
Phone: 515-242-5293 (w) OR 515-279-1578 (h)
E-Mail: sarahmacht@hotmail.com
Description: Amazing Aliens. Sarah read descriptions of aliens form children’s books. Discuss what an alien is and how creatures adapt to their environment. Each participant draws an imaginary alien and discusses what kind of world these creatures would have to live in. Suitable for 5 – 10 years old.
Fee: negotiable
Travel Range: 60 mile radius of Des Moines

"The Zoo Man"
Brant Mielke
Prairie Winds Zoo
PO Box 458
Adrian, Minnesota 56110
Phone: 507-483-2665
E-Mail: mielke@ptw.com
Web Page: www.ptw.com/~mielke/pwzoo.html
Description: Animals of the Pioneer is a hands on animal exhibit featuring animals of Iowa, both domestic and indigenous. Other traveling show availabel (including monkeys, birds, reptiles, etc.) Prarie Winds Zoo does over 900 shows per year – call for references.
Fee: Negotiable ($300/show)
Travel Range: Throughout the United States

Betty Mowery
1530 7^th Street
Rock Island, IL 61201
Phone: 309-788-3980
Description: Writing Workshop
Fee: $50/hr + mileage
Travel Range: 100 miles
Also available for: Children’s Author Newsletters

Charles Reetz
3102 N 15^th Street, Lot#98
Fort Dodge, IA 50501
Phone: 515-995-6849
Description: Performs juggling and comedy routines with a lot of audience participation for children and adults. Can provide a 15 minute, 30 minute, or a 60 minute program.
Fee: Negotiable
Travel Range: 200 miles

Jeannette Roth
West Des Moines, IA
Phone: 515-224-1992 (w) OR 515-224-7654 (h)
E-Mail: jroth@theclc.com
Description: Galactic Story Hour. Jeanette will read from four illustrated stories about space and discuss the factual and fganciful concepts depicted. The stories included are: The Birth of the Moon, Martian Rock, Tomatoes from Mars, and Benjamin McFadden and the Robot Babysitter. Suitable for 4 - 10 year old
Fee: Negotiable
Travel Range: Prefer 60 mile radius of Des Moines

Melvin Shivvers
645 46^th Street
Des Moines, IA 50312
Phone: 515-277-5082
Description: Architecture for Children: Workshops in architecture and design. Shivvers, architect, offers creative problem-solving workshops in architecture and design with geometric shapes. The focus is on how circles, squares and triangles generate every other geometric shape. Part of the excitement of his classes is the building of a project by each child. He modifies there workshops into several different formats, which can run from one hour classes to full day sessions. Math classes also come alive with Mel’s workshop on the shapes of math. A list of related curricular topics are provided to teachers. Mel can modify course content to fit school curriculum. For example: Adventure in Creativity, Architecture, Design and the Shapes of Math.
Fee: Negotiable
Travel Range: State of Iowa

Patricia Stafford
514 Terrance Street
Storm Lake, IA 50588
Phone: 712-732-9272
E-Mail: stafford@bvu.edu
Description: Patricia is a certified fencing instructor. She will tailor her fencing demonstration to re-create the scenes of a story in a fashion that also teaches techniques and style.
Fee: Negotiable
Travel Range: Negotiable

Dick Stahl
4702 Sheridan Street
Davenport, IA 52806
Description: Poetry reader and workshop presenter.
Fee: Contact for more information
Travel Range: Local
Also available for: Poetry

Baby Vauudeville
Jami Simon
Like a Dream Productions
400 West 43rd Street, Suite #19-K
New York, NY 10036
Phone: 212-967-0709
Description: An interactive plan about the story of a child's life from pre-school through 5th grade, and the positive influences that creative education and the media have on reading, writing and thinking. The underlying motive is to encourage the children's joy of reading
Fee: Contact for more information

Professor P.J. Weber
1-800-968-7469
http://www.pjweber.com
Description:  For over 30 years, Professor P.J. Weber has been delivering a positive message to schools and libraries through a variety act of magic, comedy, juggling, and ventriloquism.