Johnny Thomas Fowler, Storyteller

We are social distancing, however not socially isolated. Stories keep us connected, helping to build community. This is the perfect time to share stories and music!

Here are a few of my favorite virtual shows:

Grades K-3: Tall Tales and Music Foolery
A fun-filled and engaging program of interactive stories, simple finger puppetry, and entertaining music. There's no place like the make-believe land of stories to challenge a young imagination. Designed especially for young audiences featuring Johnny’s very own interactive story, “How Johnny Appleseed got His Nickname”, with music on the native-American flute and a dance performed by limber-jack Johnny Appleseed.
Approximate length: 35 minutes.

Grades 1-3: 
The Great Train Race: The Day Trottin’ Sally Beat the Carolina Special
This is an outstanding program featuring South Carolina folk hero, George “Trotting Sally” Mullins. Johnny will share some historical information and publishing secrets and read his wonderful children’s book. The illustrations are amazing! Each school will receive two signed complimentary copies.
Perfect for 1st-3rd grade reading.
Approximately 30 minutes in length.

Grades 3-5: Don’t You Ever Laugh when the Hearse Goes By
This is an excellent virtual program combining music, poetry, and stories. What kind of stories do they want to hear? SCARY ones of course! This program features an array of time-tested Carolina favorites-- the spooky kind. It’s intriguing, suspenseful, and very engaging.
Approximate length: 35Minutes.

GRADES 4 & 5:  As Long as It is Wide
Nothing is more entertaining than outrageous tall tales. The kind that sounds almost believable. This program is nothing but hyperbole. The stories are, “The Walking Catfish”, “The Day the Snake Bit the Hoe Handle” and “A Fair Days Hunting”. Expect figurative language foolery and exaggerations. There’s music too. These stories are designed to Streeeeeeetch the imagination. Approximately 45 minutes

Grades 3-5: Going Across the Mountain
A wonderful collection of animated American folktales, Native American legends, and mountain music. Perfectly created for imaginative minds featuring North and South Carolina social studies and history, folklore, folk music and stories. It's a spinoff of his very popular live performance, "Where'd You Come From, Where'd You Go?"

Grades 6-12: The Monkey’s Paw
Johnny Thomas opens with an obscure nineteen-century banjo instrumental, “Shaving a Dead Man”, followed by a rendition of Bob Dylan’s, “Isis”; a mysterious story of treasuring hunting, all for love and the world's biggest necklace. Johnny finishes with a favorite, W.W. Jacob tale, “The Monkey’s Paw”. It’s the real deal and perfectly suited for your older students.
Approximate length: 40 minutes.