An international award winning performer, Sam Malcolm has combined natural talent and a desire to make people laugh with hard work and dedication to his craft. With his athleticism and affinity for anything ridiculous, it’s no wonder Sam has become one of the world’s top jugglers. His skeptical and curious nature combined with his sarcastic, witty sense of humor have made him an innovative and original stand-up comic. Pairing his contemporary comedy with jaw-dropping juggling skills, Sam performs with his whole body and soul and does whatever it takes to make each show into its own one-of-a-kind masterpiece.

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A man of many talents, Sam does more than impress or get a laugh. He uses his warmth and vivacity to connect others from all walks of life through a unique blend of honesty, humility, compassion, and of course, humor. This special blend of charisma enables him to speak out in his performances about issues he has experienced first hand or seen within his community and the world at large.  He compels you to think critically about challenging ideas, but also to see the humor in our shared experiences.
 

Sam’s warmhearted nature has been with him his whole life. Born May 10, 1990, Sam is originally from the Stillwater Paiute-Shoshone Reservation. Growing up on the reservation, he witnessed and experienced first-hand the effects of discrimination, racism, poverty, and substance abuse on his community. His passion for connecting communities through performance stems from his desire to alleviate the pain of these realities from those around him. Sam aims to use his success as an entertainer as a way to inspire and educate youth from his community as well as those from similar paths. His love for his community and pride in his culture have been a constant motivation for him to be a positive example for the next generations.

Since a young age, Sam has taken part or shown interest in all forms of sports and displays of human physical ability.  After learning how to juggle shortly before graduating High School in 2008, his natural propensity for the skill drove his interest forward. This eventually resulted in Sam moving to Denver, Colorado to explore more opportunities for training, and it was in Denver that his professional career began to take shape. With ambitions of pushing himself to new levels, Sam’s work ethic and focus allowed him to make a name for himself in a few short years as one of the world’s top jugglers. In 2013, Sam took home his first gold medal from the International Jugglers’ Association Numbers Championship. He has since won many awards related specifically to his juggling, including the Boulder Circus Arts Award, X Juggling Awards, and a finalist spot at the 2016 IJA Stage Championships.

With so many accomplishments as a juggler, it’s no surprise that Sam spent several years performing his  solo juggling act in circuses. But even with so much success, he felt he was missing something.  Seeking to connect more deeply with his audiences and speak his mind, Sam began working his way through local open-mic events, making a name for himself as a stand-up comedian. But somehow that wasn't right either - he soon became frustrated by the short set times and missed the element of wonder and amazement juggling used to hold for his circus crowds. This led Sam to shift his focus away from standard venues and explore more modest avenues of performance where he could directly engage with people. Sam began street performing, showcasing his juggling skills while perfecting the tricky and sometimes risky art of making strangers laugh when they're least expecting a show.  He quickly developed a circle show for the street, then spent years tweaking and perfecting it into the incredible performance he's internationally known for today.  Sam's hard-earned street show displays world-class juggling, stand-up comedy and physical comedy, and his passion for connecting with people from all walks of life is a central element that binds the experience together. He has adapted this performance into shows suitable in outdoor venues such as fairs and festivals, as well as making a now perfectly suited return to the traditional theatres, colleges, comedy clubs, and corporate events.

The exciting and raw nature of Sam’s show has made him a hit with audiences and won him countless performing awards, such as the San Diego Busker’s Festival People’s Choice Award and Best Outdoor Show at the Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival.  Sam was also recently asked to open for 30 Seconds to Mars and Walk The Moon by Denver radio station 93.3 KTCL at their largest annual event, Denver's Big Gig.

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Today, while focusing on performing the best show possible, Sam devotes time and energy into giving back to his community. He is vocal about educating youth and overcoming stereotypes and he aims to be a positive role model with strong cultural values and principles. Sam also works to bring awareness to issues within Native communities through performance and programs with various tribes.