EXETER — Best friends Stephanie Ulitchney, 10, and Marissa Miller, 11, have a fondness for bubbles.
Being inside of one was a whole different story.
The two fifth-graders, along with the entire Wyoming Area Catholic School student body, were treated to a “Bubble Trouble” program by traveling artist Jeff Boyer.
“There are no words to describe it,” Miller said of being inside a huge bubble. “It was just cool.”
The “Bubble Trouble” program featured various tricks by Boyer in which he blew small bubbles, big bubbles, bubbles inside bubbles, smoke bubbles, colored bubbles and put participants inside bubbles.
A native of Palenville, New York, Boyer said he’s been doing science shows for 19 years and bubble art shows for 16 years.
He got into bubble art after seeing another performer do similar tricks.
“I heard about a guy who did a bubble show and went to see him and I thought to myself ‘I could do that,’” Boyer said. “Six weeks later, I was doing my own bubble show. At first, it was just a business decision because everybody loves bubbles, and I knew it’d be popular.”
Boyer was recruited to perform at Wyoming Area Catholic School by kindergarten teacher Amy Rosencrance who said she heard of him through her son, Alex.
“My son was watching a YouTube video about him and he said ‘Mom, this is so cool,’” Rosencrance said. “I looked at it and it gave his name, Jeff Boyer Productions. So, I emailed him and saw if he had any available dates and then asked if he would come do the show.”
Boyer made sure the show was about the students and not just his skills as he called for several students to assist him in parts of his act.
He blew foam snakes on some of their heads, asked others to keep bubbles in the air with fans, and also helped students — such as Alivia Serkosky, 12 — hold fog bubbles.
“It was really cool,” the seventh-grade student said. “The bubble fell apart, and I didn’t like the smoke.”
Boyer said audience participation is key in keeping everyone entertained.
“It gets them that much more invested in the show,” he said. “Students love seeing their friends come up and be part of the show. It’s even more exciting when they see someone they know doing these tricks and getting involved. The more interactive I can make it, the better.”
Boyer said he’s performed in Wilkes-Barre, but never before inGreater Pittston.
The enthusiasm of the students at Wyoming Area Catholic Schools has him hoping he’ll be back someday.
“It always happens,” he said. “When people hire me, they hire me back because they just can’t help it — and I can’t help it. If they ask me, I make sure I come back.”
