In the late 19th and early 20th century singers, comedians, and orators would travel along with the regular big top performers and present Circus Songster shows with companies like the Great Inter-Ocean Circus, Barnum & Bailey, and Gollmar Brothers Great United Show Circus & Menagerie. Their songs and routines are preserved in the Songster books and pamphlets they sold at shows. 

Tom Kastle is a singer, actor and teller of tales who has traveled the world collecting songs and stories. Recently he released an album of original songs based on traditional melodies, played the title role in Henry IV (Part 1) and the role of Frosch in the Johann Strauss opera Die Fledermaus (The Bat). He will appear in Delight In the Mountain, a Francisco Torres film, this Fall.

Tom will perform songs of the Circus Songsters at Coffeyville Community College on Nov. 27 as part of the college's Humanities Project. The public is invited to the 10:30 a.m. Tuesday humanities performances at CCC.  The performances are free and held in the Spencer/Rounds Performing Arts Theatre.

For more information about the humanities project at CCC, please call 620-251-7700, ext. 2166.