SPEECHLESS STORYTELLING

By Sue Loughlin | Tribune-Star   Friday, 9 January 2026
Toma the Mime caught students at Ben Franklin Elementary off guard Thursday morning during an all-school assembly for Young Authors Day.
He spoke. “I’m going to introduce all of you to the wonderful world of mime,” he told students. “Mime is the art of silence — it’s a way of telling a story without using any words.” His visit was aimed at inspiring the children to use their imagination to write their own short stories, some of which he and another mime would act out later in the day.

Toma the mime, a.k.a. Tom Johnson, performs “The Wall” for students at Franklin Elementary School on Thursday. Johnson’s performance was part of the school’s Young Authors Day.Tribune-Star/Joseph C. Garza

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Mimes, Tomas and Finn, perform “The Wizards’ Dual” at Franklin Elementary School on Thursday for Young Authors Day.                                 
​Tribune-Star/Joseph C. Garza

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Franklin Elementary School first-grader Aviana Harris pulls mime, Finn, across the stage as they pretend to be glued together by bubble gum during Finn’s performance on Thursday at the school.
Tribune-Star/Joseph C. Garza

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Toma (real name Thomas Johnson) entertained the children by using mime to tell stories, one involving an invisible wall. Later, he invited fourth-grader Ayden Steele to join him in a story about driving a new car.
First, Toma took the wheel, then he let Steele drive the imaginary, invisible car; the fourth-grader got a little crazy as he was driving — and you can guess the rest. Fortunately, no one was injured in the imaginary crash.
Toma was also joined by another mime, Finn (real name, Brent Wick); the two used to perform together.
Children laughed and clapped their approval at the comical, animated, speechless storytelling.
The Young Authors Day assembly was through Mobile Ed Productions, which produces educational assembly programs. It was funded through a Vigo County Education Foundation school-wide grant.
The program is designed to support and enhance the creative writing curriculum. The day begins with an all-school assembly. Freshly inspired, students return to their classrooms to write their stories for the performers.
Toma and Finn stopped in classrooms to answer questions and help with the writing.
At Franklin, in grades K-2, the entire class worked together, with the teacher serving as scribe. In grades 3-5, small groups of students worked together.
Toma had told students four important story components: a person, a place, a problem and a solution. “The best ideas come from real life,” he said.
The day culminated with a second, afternoon assembly in which the students were recognized for their work. A number of their stories were selected and performed.
“Writing can be one of the toughest things to teach,” said Justin Allen, Franklin third-grade teacher. In bringing the program to the school, the goal was “just getting that creativity and showing students that writing can be enjoyable.”
And to be able to see writing come to life through performance “is a big deal. Not very many people get to see that,” Allen said. “It will be fun for the groups that get picked.”
Steele said of the assembly, “It’s cool.” He likes to write and looked forward to working on a short story; he already had an idea in mind.
Steele liked being able to put his creativity to work and hoped his group’s short story would later be performed by Toma and Finn.
Also during the morning assembly, first-grade student Aviana Harris got to go on stage and perform with Finn in a story that involved a “sticky situation.”
Finn pretended to chew gum and blow a huge, imaginary bubble, and when it popped, got it all over himself. When he went into the audience for assistance, Harris helped in the imaginary effort of removing the gum from his hair — and then the two become “glued” together; she joined him on stage.
After the early assembly, Toma and Finn gave an interview, although Toma deadpanned that as mimes, “We don’t talk.”
Toma said he’s been taking programs to classrooms for about 40 years. “It’s really fun,” he said.
The goal is to get kids excited about writing, Toma said. “They can imagine a story, and then imagine us doing their story.” Students are eager to see their stories performed.
Finn said the program “shows kids the entire creative process. They get to see it from an idea in their head, through on the paper, to being performed on stage all in one day.”
Asked their favorite part of the process, Toma answered, “I love the laughter … you’re bringing joy to their lives.”
Finn said he loves walking into schools “and seeing how excited the kids are and how excited the teachers are a lot of times.”
​Sue Loughlin can be reached at 812-231-4235 or at [email protected]. Follow Sue on X at @ TribStarSue.

Franklin Elementary School kindergartener Zaniah Holland applauds the performance of Toma the mime Thursday at the school. Toma’s performance was part of the school’s Young Authors Day.
Tribune-Star/Joseph C. Garza

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