User:SCapades/S. Frank Stringham

S. Frank Stringham (born July 18, 1961 in Salt Lake City, Utah) is a Las Vegas Entertainer, Singer, Musician, and World Class Balloon Artist.

[edit] Biography Stringham graduated from Cottonwood High School in Salt Lake City. He started working professionally as a background pianist for weddings, Bar Mitzvah's, and other social events at the age of 17. After serving a mission for his church, he was introduced to the art of balloon twisting. He was mentored by the top-most authority on balloon twisting, Marvin Hardy. He excelled at the art, and soon, by mixing the the balloon artistry with his music background, he had a stage show that was entertaining for people of all ages. The children liked the balloons, and the adults/teens were amazed that Stringham could blow up a balloon, sing a song, dance, and make people laugh...all at the same time.

In the mean time, Stringham had become involved with the Utah Opera company, under the direction of opera great, Glade Peterson. Stringham sang for four years with the opera company in operas such as Aida, Turandot, Die Fleidermaus, Tosca, and Mozart's Don Giovanni. He also got involved with Salt Lake Community College's theater productions. He played the Pirate King in two different productions of The Pirates of Penzance. Plus he played the parts of Koko from the Mikado, Sir Joseph in H. M. S. Pinafore, and Richard Dauntless in Ruddigore.

At a young age, Stringham moved to Los Angeles where he dabbled in film work, making commercials, being featured in in television shows such as Married with Children, and playing the part of background artist in many movies and television shows. But it was here that he realized that the live stage was really the place for his talent and he found himself in Las Vegas in the early '90s. Within days, he was employed at the Riviera Hotel and Casino as an entertainer, M.C., and entertainment manager. From that time until now, Stringham has performed in nearly every casino on the Strip including, Harrah's, Caesar's Palace, the Flamingo, the Luxor, MGM Grand, and the Tropicana.

Stringham has been to many balloon artist conventions around the world...Balloon Camp, IBAC (Internation Balloon Arts Convention), Millenium Jam, and Diamond Jam. His expertise at balloon twisting has landed him many instructional opportunities within the industry. He is known for the invention of the balloon "eye-ball" and is revered, by artists in the industry, for his ability to combine balloons, music and comedy. In June of 2000 he participated, along with 42 other people, in creating the largest non-round balloon sculpture in the world.

More recently, Stringham performed on the premiere episode of "America's Got Talent." Though he was voted off, his following has grown. He has been approached by a number of producers to develop some balloon making DVDs. The result, so far, is the "Entertaining with Balloon Sculpting" series, produced by Will Roya, and Aero-Deco's DVD production of "You Can't Do The Alphabet Without 'S.'"

S. Frank Stringham is also a the Fine Arts teacher at American Heritage Academy in Las Vegas.