As a youngster Diane was steeped in the oral tradition. Her early childhood years in Louisiana were spent on her grandparent's porch with the family and neighbors swapping stories, lies, and tales. After moving to California as an adolescent, Diane has fond memories of the annual trek back to Louisiana with her family, where she recalls fishing in the bayou, making hoecake bread, singing, and storytelling. Her raconteur father would invariably lead the way with family news and history. As she grew older, Diane played the piano and sang in church choirs, performed in various stage productions, and became proficient in American Sign Language, all of which contributed to a completely unforeseen career in storytelling.

The seed for this career was planted in 1980, after Diane and her husband Tom adopted their second child. Four-year-old Joey was a boy who had been raised in a series of foster homes in front of a TV set. Diane soon realized that the nightly reading of stories that was eagerly anticipated by her daughter Cicely was absolutely of no interest to Joey. Committed to breaking him from TV and increasing his readiness for school, Diane started to story read/tell in the style for which she is so well known today, i.e., dynamic characterization with animation, expression, and interaction. Some time later her church was giving a Christmas party for foster and homeless kids and Diane was program committee chair. She told some Christmas stories and lo and behold, a career was born. She started to receive requests to tell at parties, schools, and libraries. Eventually she had to choose between her office job of seventeen years and the ever-increasing requests to tell stories. She decided that the opportunity to make a living at something that one loves and finds so rewarding was definitely worth the risk. Happily she has never looked back.

Diane has wowed audiences across the globe from Graz, Austria, to Auckland, New Zealand. She has toured and performed internationally many times over, including Holland, France, Bermuda, Sweden, Canada, Australia, Singapore, and Malaysia. Diane has visited almost every state in the U.S., including Hawaii and Alaska, to perform at major festivals, theaters, conferences, universities, schools, libraries, senior centers, detention facilities, churches---you name it. Providing workshops for other tellers, ministers, and teachers, as well as serving as keynote speaker/storyteller at professional conferences and conventions has become a rewarding part of her work. Diane continues to focus on schools and libraries as much as possible however, because she believes this is where the tradition of storytelling is to be nurtured and the lessons of the stories most need to be heard. In fact, she was honored to be featured in Language of Literature, McDougal Littell's latest textbook series for middle school grades.

Diane continues to be very busy, but now that her children are grown, (at least they think so), she hopes to find some time to do more recording and perhaps publish a book or two.

Brigid Reedy is a singer, songwriter, fiddler, poet, and storyteller who has become a singular young voice representing her beloved home state of Montana. Now twenty-two, Brigid’s writing draws considerably from her experience as a young woman living and working in the contemporary rural West. A natural and charismatic performer since the age of two, she imbues every performance with boundless enthusiasm, grace, passion, and soul. This, combined with her timeless, eclectic taste in music and love of words, makes Brigid a force in Western Americana music and poetry.

Brigid has traveled far beyond the hills of Montana to perform and share the stage with many personal heroes of both music and poetry. She is a sought-after performer featured at festivals across the country, with highlights including eight years at the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko, Nevada, three years at the Lone Star Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Alpine, Texas, and recently an appearance at the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, Tennessee (where she is also honored to return as an Artist-In-Residence in May, 2023). Her exceptional musicianship, distinctive approach to repertoire, and strong sense of place have garnered recognition in books by Aaron Parrett and Charlie Seeman, who credit Brigid for carrying forward classic cowboy music and poetry and rich Montana fiddle traditions.

She has been profiled in publications including Western Horseman and as the cover story in Alta Magazine (Spring, 2020). She was recently interviewed on Andy Hedges’s acclaimed podcast, Cowboy Crossroads, and also appears on Hedges’s monumental 2023 CD project, Roll On Cowboys, alongside giants including Ramblin’ Jack Elliot and Tom Russell.

Brigid is joined by her “little” brother, Johnny “Guitar” Reedy, whose physical stature and musical skills belie his age. At only seventeen, Johnny is a multi-instrumentalist with the sensitivity, subtlety and soul of a mature artist. Transcending the role of sideman, he has become a full-fledged collaborator, arranging music with Brigid for their Cowboy, Western Swing, Gypsy Jazz, and Blues repertoire. Johnny’s passion for music from around the world combined with the Montana traditions he was steeped in make him an intriguing and inspiring musical partner. Together, Brigid and Johnny blend exceptional musicianship, sublime sibling harmonies, and a voracious appetite for “good” music, with their love of Montana, Western culture, and deep affection for each other to bring something unique and special to every performance.

Both Brigid and Johnny are currently full-time students at the University of Montana Western in Dillon, Montana, where Johnny is studying English and Music while Brigid is pursuing a double-major in English and Natural Horsemanship (known colloquially in the Reedy house as a Cowboy Poetry Degree). In Dillon, Brigid and Johnny also apprentice with local master saddle-maker, George Holt, where they spend time soaking up traditional leather-working skills and George’s experiences of a life in the saddle. An extensive exhibit of Brigid’s leatherwork was recently curated and on display at the University of Montana Western’s Fine Arts Gallery.

Brigid and Johnny have recorded two albums together, Handmade (2018) and most recently Next ‘Go Round (2020), and hope to record their next project in the year ahead. Their enthusiasm and passion for music propel their ever-evolving sound forward.

Randy Evensen is from Orem, Utah, and has been telling stories since he could speak. He is a former teacher of thirty-five years to children in first and second grade. Since retiring, Randy has enjoyed telling stories in schools throughout Utah County. He also loves sharing stories around the campfire to his favorite audience, his grandchildren.

Nestor “the Boss” Gomez
Nestor was born in Guatemala and came to Chicago Undocumented in the mid 80s. He told his first story at a Moth story slam to get over the stuttering that plagued his childhood, since then he has won more than 60 Moth Slams and several Grand slams. Nestor also created, host, produce and curates his own storytelling show 80 Minutes Around the World a show that features the stories of Immigrants and refugees from different parts of the world, their descendant and allies (80 Minutes Around the World is also available as a Podcas).

Nestor also published a collection of stories detailing his experiences driving for ride sharing title “Your Driver Has Arrived.” To listen and subscribe to the podcast, to buy his book, or to learn more about Nestor, visit his website Nestorgomezstoryteller.com.

Nestor “the boss” Gomez
Nacio en Guatemala y viajo a Chicago sin documentos a mediados de los 80. Nestor conto su primer relato en un evento de la Moth para poder vencer la tartamudez que atormendo su niñez, desde entonces a ganado mas de 60 competencias de la Moth y varios Grand Slams. Sus relatos han sido transmitidos en programas de radio a nivel nacional. Nestor es el creador, director y anfitrion de su propio programa de relatos 80 minutos alrededor del mundo en que se relatan las historias de Immigrantes y refugiados de diferentes partes del mundo, ademas de los relatos de sus descendientes y aliados.
80 minutos alreadedor del mundo cuanta con presentaciones en Chicago, New York y Detroit y Tambien esta disponible como Podcast. Para escuchar y subscribirse al programa y para aprender aun mas sobre Nestor por favor de visitar la pagina de internet Nestorgomezstoryteller.com.

Megan Wells began her career as an actress and director in Chicago. She also worked as a communication consultant to Fortune 500 companies. A lover of words, Megan helped executives craft presentations with great care for the structure, rhetoric, and dynamic of words carried from mouth to ear.

After a workshop, an enthusiastic client said, "You should tell stories," and suggested a trip to the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, Tennessee. There, Megan discovered the art of storytelling. After sharing a personal story at the open mic, Megan was approached by the MC, Rafe Martin. A featured teller at the festival, Rafe asked, "Are you a storyteller?" Megan replied, "I don't even know what that is!" Rafe replied, "You are."

At the end of the weekend, Megan found Rafe and asked, "What do I do to become a storyteller?" Rafe advised, "Find stories you love and tell them."

Megan has been following his sage words ever since.

Megan is a respected and experienced story and theater artist. She is known for creating an intimate storytelling atmosphere, infusing her characters with living souls, and delivering the experience with delicious theatrical timing. Author and Professor Rives Collins says it best:

"Megan Wells is both intimate and epic in equal measure."

An award-winning storyteller, Megan performs in museums and symphonies, enhances education for thousands of children, entertains families in festivals and libraries, and helps executives, actors, and storytellers craft powerful stories to effect change.

With more than forty years of experience, Megan has developed an extensive story repertoire. Perhaps, her daughters describe her most accurately:

"Mom's a storytelling jukebox. Put a quarter 'n pick your favorite!"

Megan is also among the top literary storytellers in America. As the Artistic Director of the Ray Bradbury Storytelling Festival, Megan was granted permission by Ray himself to perform his works. Additionally, she is equally comfortable in the jazzier domains of Chicago's current spoken word explosion.

Doug Elliott is a naturalist, herbalist, storyteller, basket maker, back-country guide, philosopher, and harmonica wizard. For many years he made his living as a traveling herbalist, gathering and selling herbs, teas, and remedies. He has spent a great deal of time with traditional country folk and indigenous people, learning their stories, folklore, and traditional ways of relating to the natural world. In recent years he has performed and presented programs at festivals, museums, botanical gardens, nature centers, and schools from Canada to the Caribbean. He has been a featured storyteller at the National Storytelling Festival. He has lectured and conducted workshops at the American Museum of Natural History in New York, the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, and the Smithsonian Institution. He has led ranger training sessions for the National Park Service and guided people on wilderness experiences from down-east Maine to the Florida Everglades. He was named harmonica champion at Fiddler's Grove Festival in Union Grove, N.C.

In recent years he has received a variety of honors. The National Storytelling Network (the largest storytelling membership organization in the world) inducted him into their Circle of Excellence for “exceptional commitment and exemplary contribution to the art of storytelling.” The International Herb Association presented him with the Otto Richter Award honoring his work with herbs and useful wild plants. The National Association for Interpretation (the professional organization of park rangers, naturalists, museum curators, etc.) gave him the Master Front Line Interpreter Award for his “mastery of interpretive techniques, program development, and design of creative projects” celebrating the natural world and our human connection to nature.

He is the author of five books, many articles in regional and national magazines, has recorded a number of award-winning albums of stories and songs, and is occasionally seen on PBS-TV, and the History and National Geographic Channels.

Wesley was a youth teller twice before at the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival. He has appeared in numerous productions with Desert Star and University of Utah Youth Theater programs. He just completed Newsies at the Murray Amphitheater. One of his favorite roles was playing Jack in Into the Woods. He is also an accomplished aerialist, gymnast, ballroom dancer, and fedora wearer.

Sky Byrd is 12 and in the 5th grade at Owsley county elementary school. For 4 consecutive years. Sky has held the title of Ask Kentucky Youth Storytelling torchbearer awarded from the Kentucky storytelling association to exceptional youth storytellers ages 7-17. Sky tells traditional Appalachian stories she learned from Mrs. Octavia Sexton and is developing an interest in creating original stories. She has told stories and led workshops at festivals, libraries, and schools around Kentucky.

Nisi is 10 years old and starting 5th grade this fall. She is the 4th of 8 children. Her father is from Fiji and her mother from Utah. Being Polynesian, she loves her culture dancing Hawaiian, Tahitian, Fijian and Rotuman. She loves singing, acting, performing, along with playing soccer, basketball and tennis. She is always smiling, helping others, and serving on her school’s Hope Squad. She brings so much love and light to all those around her.

Mckenna is a 4th grader from Utah and the oldest of 4 children. She is creative and her many interests include soccer, legos, reading, writing stories, music, and art. Storytelling has been a great opportunity for her to use her creativity. Mckenna has been participating in storytelling since kindergarten, and is excited to tell her story in the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival this year!

Matthew lives in Utah and is in seventh grade. He enjoys telling stories that go with drawings he creates. This active imagination extends to his other areas of interest - Legos, trains, swimming, Nerf guns, and science.

Eve Simone Cowan is 8 years old from Highland, Utah. She told for her school's storytelling competition for three years. Eve and Molly Lou are one and the same: friendly, fearless and funny! They are proud of who they are, family is important and loved ones can help navigate the world they live in. Eve is the epitome of wise words from Molly Lou’s grandma, “Smile big and the world will smile right alongside you! SO SHE DID!”

Elizabeth and Genevieve have been avid readers and storytellers since early elementary school. This is their first time telling tandem, and they are having so much fun with it, they're wondering why they didn't try it sooner. However, they don't do everything together. Outside of storytelling, Elizabeth is usually involved with musical theater, and Genevieve is always playing her harp or flute.

Eli is a 5th grader in Utah. From an early age he has used his imagination in creating stories and games. He is an avid reader & loves science, especially chemistry and marine biology. He wants to be a scientist when he grows up. He enjoyed participating in his school’s storytelling competition and is excited to participate as a NYS teller where his two little sisters will be cheering him on.

Chloe is from Eagle Mountain, Utah, and will be starting 7th grade in Fall 2021. She enjoys spending time with friends and family, playing piano, practicing beauty and gore makeup looks, doing ALL the crafts, and telling stories. Chloe is honored to be a National Youth Storytelling storyteller and looks forward to performing her story and hearing all the other NYS tellers.

Caleb is an avid reader, and can often be found reading books to his three younger siblings. Some of his hobbies include playing the piano, baking desserts, and playing video games. He loves to tell stories and is very excited to be telling his original story.

Aaboli will be in 9th grade this September. She loves music and playing piano and violin. She enjoys math, reading, science, and art as well as playing chess.

Kenadee Carroll is 12 years old and lives in Highland, Utah. She has two sisters and two brothers. She loves outdoor adventures and exploring new places. Kenadee also loves soccer, basketball, softball, hiking, and wake surfing-almost as much as making new friends. And last but not least, she really enjoys being on the stage telling stories.

Susan is recognized as a top speaker on issues of diversity, equity and inclusion. She has given 100s of presentations to corporate audiences worldwide.

Sue’s passion for the American vision of “equal opportunity for all” started in high school when she became part of an interracial Civil Rights youth group. She was trained by adults who worked with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. when he lived in Chicago. With these adult mentors, Sue traveled to the Black side of Chicago’s color line and listened to radically different stories from those she had heard in her all-white, working-class neighborhood. Her quest for a way to bridge people’s different perspectives and experiences began.

Mara Menzies is an award winning performance storyteller whose dynamic, colourful style brings this ancient artform to life.

She has been invited to share stories in 27 countries with her latest production, ‘Blood and Gold’ exploring the legacy of colonialism and slavery through myth, legend, and fantasy. It premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2019 as part of the Made in Scotland showcase and was one of 5 shows nominated for the Filipa Braganca award for best emerging solo female performance, receiving rave reviews from top theatre critics.

Mara draws on her rich cultural heritage to create stories that explore our deepest fears, joys, loves, jealousies, passions, and mysteries. She finds the truths about humanity in stories. She creates bespoke stories informing, inspiring, and entertaining.

She is the founder of the Kwale Sculpture Park and Heritage Trail in Mbegani Village at the Kenyan coast, creating a heritage trail that demonstrates the beauty and richness of the local culture and stories alongside Mbegani Rising, a unique community development organization.

Carolina is a Colombian Bilingual Storyteller Performer, Podcaster and Author, who graduated in 2013 with a Masters in Storytelling from East Tennessee State University. Her vast repertoire of bilingual stories explores the Myths, Legends, Folktales, Historical and Literary Tales of Latin America. She has performed at several regional festivals and conferences in Texas, Louisiana, Tennessee, Colorado, and Kansas City. Also, she has told stories at numerous schools, libraries, universities, and colleges to culturally and socially diverse audiences.

Liz Weir is a storyteller and writer from Northern Ireland. She was the first winner of the International Story Bridge Award from the National Storytelling Network, USA, which cited her “exemplary work promoting the art of storytelling." The story of Liz’s journey begins back in the 1970s. As Children’s Librarian for the City of Belfast, she learned about the healing power of storytelling. Liz has told stories to people of all ages on five continents. She has performed in pubs, prisons, and hospital rooms. She's worked on stages in the mighty Vanderbilt Hall of New York’s Grand Central Station and in the Royal Albert Hall.

​Lynette (Lyn) Ford shares the gifts and heritage of the spoken word from her Affrilachian family. Lyn's national and international festival programs and workshops encourage folks to speak personal truths and hopeful possibilities through folktales and original stories. Lyn's work has taken her to Ireland, Australia, and around the Zoomiverse.

An award-winning writer and anthologist and a Thurber House mentor to young authors, Lyn's latest book (with friend and fellow teller Sherry Norfolk) is Supporting Diversity and Inclusion with Story. Lyn's poetry is included in the upcoming publications: I Thought I Heard a Cardinal Sing: Ohio's Appalachian Voices, published in March 2022, and the journal Tomorrow and Tomorrow, the spring 2022 "Birth" issue.

Lyn is a recipient of two National Storytelling Network’s Oracle Awards, and a member of the National Association of Black Storytellers Circle of Elders and the National Writing Project's Writers Council. She's a mama, grandma, great-grandma, and joyful partner-in-laughter with her husband, Bruce. Yes, Lyn is a certified laughter teacher, too.

Lyn believes in the power of storytelling to break down barriers, build bridges and inspire community.

With a theater and improv background, Katie Knutson is known for her dynamic characters and quick dialogue. This "articulate, fun, and inviting" workshop leader has delivered residencies, performances, and workshops to over 40,000 adults and children on four continents. www.ripplingstories.com.

Sue Roseberry is recognized for her artistic ability to weave music into stories. Those fortunate enough to hear this multi-talented Texas teller will come away with a joyful heart feeling they’ve been present for something beyond entertainment–it’s an experience.

Toni Simmons is a nationally acclaimed storyteller and author. She has performed at the Exchange Place and in South Africa, in Germany, and in Mexico. Toni was designated as an American Masterpiece by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Elizabeth and Genevieve have been avid readers and storytellers since early elementary school. This is their first time telling tandem, and they are having so much fun with it, they're wondering why they didn't try it sooner. However, they don't do everything together. Outside of storytelling, Elizabeth is usually involved with musical theater, and Genevieve is always playing her harp or flute.

Audrey, 14, is from Florida. Her many interests include reading, horseback riding, playing piano, and storytelling! She has participated in several musicals and performed at county & state storytelling festivals in Florida. She is very excited to be participating. Her family, including 3 brothers and a sister, will be cheering her on.

David Brock has lived in Cedar Hill, TX all his life. He lives with his parents, a donkey, dog, cat, and two new goats. He has been homeschooled most of his life. Telling stories with the Zula B. Wylie Public Library began about age seven. He also enjoys going barefoot, climbing trees, and almost anything related to science and math. He currently takes classes at Dallas College, Mountain View Campus, and works there as a lab assistant.

Mattox is from Utah & is excited to be back at the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival for his third year as a youth teller. He can most often be found reading, loves a good story & always has a book (or two) with him wherever he goes. Mattox is also an accomplished pianist whose favorite thing is creating his own compositions. He loves to play baseball and ski with his friends and family.

Kamden is well-known for his silly sense of humor. If he isn't jumping out and scaring a sibling, he is probably practicing his violin to earn some screen time. Kamden lives in Utah and loves to be outdoors. He also enjoys being a catcher on his baseball team and fishing with his dad. He loves reading books about birds and birdwatching. He is excited to be performing for the second time as a National Youth Storytelling storyteller.

Cohen is from Utah and loves to hike, swim, run, and ski. After cello practice, he races outside to play, often found with a bag slung over one shoulder, magnifying glass in hand, observing and making discoveries about the world around him. He loves reading books on espionage or survival skills; always having a bag, packed with everything he might need from pocket knife to bandaid. This is Cohen’s second year performing as an NYS teller.

Arya is an 8th grader from Texas. She loves storytelling, public speaking, and debate; she has been participating in storytelling festivals in Texas for the past few years. Arya is passionate about public speaking and enjoys coaching young kids in the basics of the art.

Donna Washington is an award-winning internationally known master storyteller, artist-educator, and published author who has been performing for audiences of all ages for over thirty-four years. She is renowned for her storytelling for both children & adults from poignant & funny fables about the human condition to racy relationships stories to spine-tingling tales of terror. She has been featured at numerous festivals, schools & libraries theaters and other venues around the world including Canada, Peru, Argentina & Hong Kong. During the pandemic, she has presented over two hundred shows & workshops virtually online. In 2020, she co-founded the non-profit organization Artists Standing Strong Together with Master Storyteller Sheila Arnold.

Donna's eleven storytelling CDs have garnered thirty national awards. She has authored numerous articles about storytelling and education including her very popular blog Language, Literacy & Storytelling. She is also the author of four children’s books: Li’l Rabbit’s Kwanzaa, A Pride of African Tales, The Story of Kwanzaa, A Big Spooky House, and Boo Stew. Peachtree Press is scheduled to publish her next picture book, Prak Fills The House, in September 2023. She travels all over the world performing and giving workshops. She lives with her husband and two cats in Durham, NC.

Tim Tingle is an Oklahoma Choctaw and an award-winning author, speaker, and storyteller. His great-great grandfather, John Carnes, walked the Trail of Tears in 1835, and his paternal grandmother attended a series of rigorous Indian boarding schools in the early 1900s.

Paul’s heartfelt and hilarious tall-tales and songs have been performed in virtually every imaginable environment, from Off-Broadway to elementary and middle schools, corporate events, and even two prisons—where he was NOT an inmate at the time. Paul has won "Best of Fest" honors 13 times at Fringe Theatre Festivals across North America for his collections of stories. He was an Exchange Place Teller at the National Storytelling Festival in 2018, and selections from his comedic performances can be heard daily on SiriusXM Radio.

A recipient of the 2020 Circle of Excellence Award, Jennifer Munro grew up in the heart of the English Midlands. Here she learned the rules of engagement that have resulted in a collection of personal stories, generously laced with her signature wit, about ne’er-do-wells, rogues, and heroes that resonate with the frailty and courage of the human condition. Jennifer’s repertoire also includes original stories that artfully blend mythology, allegory, and reality. Her three CDs are Storytelling World award winners; her book Aunty Lily and other Delightfully Perverse Stories, was also a Storytelling World winner.

Rev. Robert Jones, Sr. is an inspirational storyteller and musician celebrating the history, humor, and power of American Roots music. His deep love for traditional African American and American traditional music is shared in live performances that interweave timeless stories with original and traditional songs.

For over twenty years Regi Carpenter has been utilizing the power of stories to motivate, inspire, energize and focus individuals in corporate, academic and non-profit settings. Her keynotes uplift people as they are reminded of the tremendous impact each individual has within an organization. Regi’s keynotes are noted for their insight, humor and effectiveness.

Regi is the recipient of many awards, including Storytelling World, Parent’s Choice, and Parents’ Guide to Children’s Media Award. Her stories have been featured on Sirius Radio, Apple Seed Radio, The Moth, and NPR. Her story Snap! is a winner of the Boston StorySlam. Snap! is the true tale of her severe mental illness as a teenager and her journey back to reality. Her memoir, “Where There’s Smoke, There’s Dinner: stories of a seared childhood” is “an unexpected gift that leaves us longing for more.” Booklist Review

Regi is also the founder of Stories with Spirit, a creative initiative dedicated to bringing songs of joy and stories of hope to grieving children and the people who love and care for them in homes, hospices, and hospitals.

Pippa White tells true stories, most of them from history. She has stories about Orphan Train Riders, Ellis Island Immigrants, World War II Resistance Fighters, pioneers, reformers, nurses, journalists, and new this year, a program called "72 Years to Women's Suffrage", to honor the 100th Anniversary of the 19th Amendment giving women the right to vote.

“If we are talking Rock ‘n Roll, Tina Turner was a national treasure; country has Dolly Parton, and in the world of storytelling we have Kim Weitkamp.” - Steve Perry from Highway 89 SiriusXM

Kim grew up as the red headed middle child of exhausted parents. Her childhood adventures were shaped by TV’s Sanford & Son, All in the Family, and M.A.S.H. . . . plus the old worn out fairy tale collection she read over and over. Add to that her father’s love of Johnny Cash and old time radio shows being played throughout the house and the dye was cast. One review stated, “Kim is a master at seamlessly building bridges from story, to song, to story. Like all good storytellers, she evokes both laughter and tears, but her impeccable timing and dead-on anticipation of her listeners’ needs place her at the pinnacle of her craft. Then, she pulls her guitar out and you think, where did that come from, that milk and honey voice?” Kim travels the continent full time performing at theaters and at festivals. She is the recipient of the Blue Ridge Excellence in the Arts Award, the Toastmasters International Leadership in Communication Award, and 7 Storytelling World Awards.

Dovie is an award-winning storyteller, recording artist, and author, recognized internationally for her ability to take her listeners back to the timeless place that she first visited as a child—hearing old Indian stories from her Kiowa Apache and Lakota relatives. Dovie establishes a rapport and bond with audiences of all ages, creating a climate where laughter, learning, and respect come together. She gently dispels false images of the First Nations People of North America, replacing them with traditional stories.

Ed Stivender has been touring his one-man-show since 1980. In reviews of his work, Ed has been called “the Robin Williams of storytelling” by the Miami Herald and “a Catholic Garrison Keillor” by Kirkus Review. Since 1977, when he left his day job as a high school teacher in Connecticut and turned to storytelling full-time, Ed has fabulated his way around the globe–appearing in schools, churches, coffeehouses and theaters, as well as at major storytelling festivals. He has been a featured performer at the National Storytelling Festival, the Cape Clear Island International Storytelling Festival in Ireland, Graz Festival, Austria and the Philadelphia Folk Festival. The National Storytelling Association inducted Ed into its Circle of Excellence in 1996. Ed is the author or two books of tales: Raised Catholic, Can You Tell? and Still Catholic After All These Fears. He has also released several recordings of his performances.

From the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina comes one of storytelling's finest: Connie Regan-Blake. Her stories include Appalachian Mountain tales—handed down by folks who brought stories from Europe and then adapted them to include the American experience. Teaching and telling stories has taken her around the world. Time spent listening to Connie is "porch-sittin'" at its finest.

John found his voice with a cheap mail-order guitar and a used book of chords. Now that same voice has emerged as one of our most respected and loved folksingers. As an instrumentalist, John is a master of a dozen different traditional instruments, including the rare hammer dulcimer. His songwriting has been hailed by critics and singers around the globe. His thirty recordings have garnered every imaginable honor, including seven Grammy nominations. It’s no wonder that people of every generation and background feel at home when John takes the stage.

Genuine, irreverent, universal, ridiculous, and original, Bill Harley is a two-time Grammy award-winning artist who uses song and story to paint a vibrant and hilarious picture of growing up, schooling, and family life. Bill tours nationwide as an author, performing artist, and keynote speaker. He’s a longtime commentator for National Public Radio and recipient of the lifetime achievement award from RI Council for the Humanities “for his use of music, song, and story in building community; promoting our common humanity; and encouraging lifelong learning, exploring, and growing.”

Willy Claflin is a one-man festival. Spanning historical sagas, intergalactic yarns, Mother Moose Tales, and counter culture misadventures, he covers the full spectrum of spoken word entertainment.

A headliner and master of ceremonies at the National Storytelling Festival, Willy is a favorite at festivals throughout the U.S. He offers stories for families as well as adults, often weaving music into his performances. An accomplished guitar player and narrative ballad specialist, Willy is sometimes joined by his son Brian for performances of In Yonder’s Wood—a celebration of traditional music from the British Isles and Appalachia.

His tributes to departed tellers, especially Gamble Rogers, revive wonderful talent that might otherwise be forgotten. Festivals love sidekick Maynard Moose. Original, traditional, historical, personal, comic—regardless of genre, Willy fits any playbill.

Maynard Moose, Willy’s famous comic sidekick, is the author of three award-winning children’s books: “The Bully Goat Grim”, “Rapunzel and the Seven Dwarfs”, and “The Uglified Ducky”. He can also be heard on a variety of audio CD’s, most notably “Maynard Moose Live From the National Storytelling Festival”.

The only authentic Native American Moose currently on the festival circuit, Maynard is the last known teller of ancient Mother Moose Tales. Preserving this oral tradition has been his life’s work. Maynard and Willy have been traveling and working together since 1977.

As a community historian, storyteller, and musician, Charlie Chin has been at the forefront of Asian American artistic expression since 1970. He was the Community Education Director at the Museum of Chinese in America in New York City and has continued his research and performances as the Artist-in-Residence at the Chinese Historical Society of America in San Francisco. Charlie’s interest in Chinese American history led him to collect oral history and family stories from the old timers of Chinatown. He studied with the late storytelling master, Leong Chi Ming of Toishan, China, and specializes in the “Teahouse Style” of classical Chinese storytelling. He has presented at organizations such as Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, American Museum of Natural History, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, and the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC.

In addition, Charlie has been a frequently featured teller at the Sierra Storytelling Festival in California, the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival in Utah, and the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, Tennessee. Continuing his role as an active storyteller, Charlie leads regular walking tours and docent training workshops in San Francisco’s Chinatown. On top of performing live, Charlie has published several children’s books, including China’s Bravest Girl (1992) and Clever Bird (1996); and several of his plays, A.B.C., American Born Chinese (1983), The Last Spirit Boxer (1992) and Hawaiian Sweethearts (2001), have been produced in Boston, New York City, and San Francisco.

Mitch Capel / “Gran’daddy Junebug”, who calls his style of storytelling “sto’etry” (stories recited poetically), has been described as a “word magician”, a “national treasure”, “unexpectedly powerful” and a “transformer of lives”. He has been featured at numerous festivals including twice at The National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, TN & The Timpanogas Storytelling Festival in Orem, Utah; The Spoleto Festival in Charleston, SC; The 2009 Smithsonian’s Folklife Festival on the National Mall in Washington, DC and annually at both The National Black Storytelling Festival (since 1988) and The Signifyin’ & Testifyin’ Storytelling Festival in Minnesota (since 1994)…where he is the official emcee of both “Liar’s Contests”. He has performed at hundreds of venues including The Kennedy Center in Washington, DC; The United Nations & Aaron Davis Hall in New York; The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati, OH; The DuSable Museum in Chicago; Newark Symphony Hall and at AAPAC in Albuquerque, NM. He was Artist-In-Residence at The International Storytelling Center in Jonesborough, TN and invited by the Smithsonian to perform in Washington, DC for the Presidential Inauguration of Barack Obama. He has been featured on National & International Public Radio, has performed his character education programs in over 2,000 schools and has received numerous awards from local, state and national organizations for his work as a storyteller, including “The Zora Neal Hurston Award”, the highest honor given by the National Association of Black Storytellers. Mitch also co-founded the African American Storytellers’ Retreat held annually in North Carolina in 1990.

As the daughter of a Baptist preacher from Sledge, Mississippi, Kate’s formative years were spent in the very core of the civil rights movement of the 1960′s, and the indelible experiences of those years have shaped her heart, character and convictions ever since. As a child of the South, her musical tastes were forged in the dampered, smoky fires of soul, R&B, Southern rock, country, and folk music. Kate Campbell’s music continues to inspire and enthuse a growing audience. Ballet Memphis featured songs from each of Campbell’s six CDs as well as a live performance by Kate and band at a ballet entitled South Of Everywhere. Campbell continues to impress audiences across the US and overseas and tours extensively in support of her CDs including tours to the United Kingdom and Ireland.

She first discovered the power of storytelling thirty years ago, as a new mother, when her 12th grade English students begged for stories about her son as a way to get her off the topic of British literature. She continued to tell stories in her classroom until her retirement last summer, after thirty years of teaching language arts and theatre arts with the Troup County School System in LaGrange, Georgia. In addition to being her school system’s Teacher of the Year for 2000, Carol was named a top five finalist for Georgia’s 2001 Teacher of the Year. Carol has been a member of the Azalea Storytelling Festival planning committee since the festival’s inception in 1997. She has been the emcee of the Azalea Festival for the past eleven years and was a featured teller in 2015. In addition to her work at museums, schools, churches, senior centers, and libraries throughout the Southeast, Carol performed at the 2011 Timpanogos Storytelling Festival in Orem, Utah. She is featured on the Donald Davis workshop video entitled “What's Your Story?” which has been broadcast on both BYU-TV and North Carolina Public Broadcasting. More recently, Carol portrayed Captain Nancy Hill Morgan, organizer of a female Civil War militia, in a documentary called “The Nancy Hart Militia: Women of Uncommon Courage” which debuted on Georgia Public Broadcasting. For the past twenty-four years, Carol has performed as Rosie the Riveter at the Little White House in Warm Springs, Georgia and other locations throughout the U.S.

A Grammy-nominated recording artist; an internationally known, Oracle-award-winning storyteller; a published poet and writer, and a sought-after storytelling coach and teaching artist, Milbre Burch is a storyteller in every sense of the word!

Known primarily for personal stories that make people laugh and think, award winning, internationally-known, Geraldine Buckley teaches and performs in conferences, colleges, schools, corporations, and house-concerts. She has appeared as a featured teller in festivals throughout the US, including twice at the Timpanogos Stortelling Festival, and three times at the National Storytelling Festival, in Jonesborough, TN. An ordained minister, Geraldine was the Protestant Chaplain at the largest men’s prison in Maryland, until January 2010. Since then she has conducted storytelling workshops in US prisons, and also in Rimutaka, New Zealand’s largest men’s prison, as well as in many less restrictive settings! Currently she is Hospice Chaplain at Bridging Life Hospice in Westminster, Maryland. During the Pandemic Geraldine was a Resident Chaplain at her local hospital in Frederick, Maryland. She wrote a very well received Facebook blog called “Pandemic Parables” that documented the heroism, fear and bravery that flooded the corridors of a hospital where, with few exceptions, visitors were not allowed to enter. This has been successfully performed several times as a virtual storytelling show, including at the National Storytelling Virtual Festival of 2020. It will shortly be available in book form. Geraldine is frequently heard on NPR, and Sirius radio, and is the recipient of three gold
awards from Storytelling World. Find out more on her website.

Known for a compelling blend of energy, warmth, vulnerability, and directness, Carol restores orality and spontaneity to the fixed silence of stories found in print, but as a third-grader in North Carolina pointed out: "She knows that story 'cause she was there!" In 1998 Carol Birch received the National Storytelling Network's Circle of Excellence Award given to storytellers recognized as master tellers by their peers, setting standards for excellence, and demonstrating a commitment and dedication to the art over a significant period of time. Thirty years of experience have earned her a respected place in the forefront of the revival of platform storytelling: teaching at Southern Connecticut State University; lecturing at forty-one universities across the nation, as well as professional and corporate organizations; producing nine audio-anthologies for the National Storytelling Association; directing seventeen audio-cassettes for independent storytellers as well as August House, Lightyear Entertainment, and Weston Woods Studios; writing THE WHOLE STORY HANDBOOK: USING IMAGERY TO COMPLETE THE STORY EXPERIENCE; co-editing WHO SAYS? ESSAYS ON PIVOTAL ISSUES IN CONTEMPORARY STORYTELLING, the first book on the aesthetics of storytelling; serving as a chairperson of the Anne Izard Storyteller's Choice Award; and producing three award-winning audio-cassettes of her own stories. Media appearances include ABC's NIGHTLINE and CBS, THIS MORNING, Channel 5 in Boston, National Public Radio, Glamour Magazine and the New York Times. She's been a featured storyteller six times at the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, Tennessee, and in videos of America's foremost storytellers produced by the Cotsen Storytelling Project; McFeely-Rogers Foundation, The Storytelling Channel for Cable Vision's Rainbow Programming, Hometown Entertainment, and the H. W. Wilson Company. Her storytelling includes invitational events in Australia, Canada, Germany, Norway, and Singapore, as well as theater concerts for adults, festivals for families, and school residencies throughout the United States.

Cassie Howard Ashton is a mother of 5, and step mother of 5. She wears many hats, among them is storyteller and certified life & relationship coach. She loves telling stories and teaching others the value and power of their own story. Cassie enjoys helping others find and uncover the stories that help express who they are and how they feel. She believes one of the most important stories you will ever tell is the story you tell to yourself about yourself. Sometimes you may need a little help learning how to craft the story you tell to yourself and she helps people do that. How do you describe a storyteller? By the tales she tells. Cassie is a damsel, teacher, wild woman, wise woman, guide, heroine and oh so much more. She has been sharing her gifts professionally of telling and teaching since 1992. She loves teaching as much as telling maybe more. When she is not at home working with clients you may find her in a school teaching a residency or a library leading story camps. Storytelling is truly a labor of love for her.

“You hear people talking about the storytelling revival, but in Jewish culture it never died. I lived and breathed the tales during my childhood, unaware that this was anything unusual.” A dedicated and committed storyteller who has actively worked to expand and share her tradition, Shonaleigh is one of Europe’s leading storytellers. Having learned the Drut’syla tradition from the age of four from her Bubbe (grandmother), Sonaleigh shares the magic, mystery, and wisdom of her repertoire of over three thousand stories with audiences around the world.

With mesmerizing melodies to envelop his touching tales, Sam Payne tells stories with songs and sings songs with stories...

Drawing on a lifetime of varied and colorful experiences and peopled with genuine characters from all walks of life, Michael carries...

Josh Goforth must have been born musical—he was already playing piano in church at the age of four—but it was an experience he had in the sixth grade that really lit the fuse of his precocious musical career. A performance at Goforth's middle school by Sheila Kay Adams caused him to start thinking about the musical heritage and stories of his native Madison County, NC. Josh was able to listen and learn from local masters like Gordon and Arvil Freeman and Jerry Adams. Goforth is a highly accomplished storyteller and acoustic musician playing close to 20 different instruments.

After high school he went to East Tennessee State University to study music education with a Euphonium concentration, and to be a part of ETSU's famous Bluegrass and Country Music Program. In 2000, he played fiddle for the movie Songcatcher, both onscreen and on the soundtrack. He has toured extensively with a variety of ensembles, including the ETSU Bluegrass band, David Holt, Laura Boosinger, and with several bluegrass bands like Appalachian Trail, the Josh Goforth Trio, the Steep Canyon Rangers and Open Road. Josh has performed in all 50 US states, and all over Europe, Asia, and Australia. In 2000, 2003, and 2005, he was named Fiddler of the Festival at Fiddler's Grove and, after winning the third title, was designated "Master Fiddler"; and retired from that competition. He has performed at the Grand Ole Opry, the Lincoln Center, as well as Carnegie Hall. In 2009, he was nominated for a Grammy for his album with David Holt entitled "Cutting Loose." He currently is on faculty at the Academy for the Arts in Asheville and performs all over the world.

Catherine Conant grew up in a large Italian family living in industrial New Jersey where stories were the currency of everyday life...

“Storytelling is the coming together of everybody, the first art,” Aoki says. “It’s what shamans did, connecting heaven and Earth...

There is no one-word description for award-winning singer, songwriter, comedian, author, and storyteller Don White...

Anne grew up in a little Pennsylvania town along the Susquehanna River, in a house with a graveyard on one side and a cow pasture...

Sheila Starks Phillips now resides in Sugar Land, Texas. Her career has ranged from first grade teacher to zookeeper...

The recipient of the National Storytelling Network’s 2017 Circle of Excellence Award, Motoko has enchanted audiences of every age since 1993...

Barbara McBride Smith’s life tapestry sparkles with more variety than Grandma’s button box...

Tim’s love for show business began when he was six years old, watching a thrilling performance of the Ringling Brothers, Barnum & Bailey Circus. Waiting for his big break Tim filled his childhood with performance opportunities. He was cast as Ebenezer Scrooge in a second-grade production of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” and a few years later played Jed Clampett in “A Beverly Hillbillies Christmas.” Demonstrating to his Sunday school teacher that he could raise one eyebrow and thereby look “wicked” Tim landed the role of King Herod in the annual church Christmas pageant.

As a young teenager Tim formed a puppet company providing entertainment for children’s birthday parties. His fee was $20 per show, but he offered a $5 discount if you could give him a ride as he was not old enough to drive. As an award-winning high school drama student he toured the United States in 1987 with a Broadway-style musical, performing in more than a dozen states. As a theater major in college, Tim studied Shakespeare and romantic opera, but when he took an elective class in storytelling he found himself.

After college, Tim taught English language arts for five years. Drawing on his love of show business his teaching methods were often considered “unorthodox and disruptive.” In 2000, Tim left the classroom to pursue a career as a professional storyteller. (Ironically, he is now hired as an educational consultant to bring creative and innovative programs to schools across the country and is approaching his 10,000th performance!)

In 2012 Tim began touring nationally on the storytelling festival circuit performing on stages from Connecticut to California. Occasionally, Tim provides applied storytelling workshops for corporate and non-profit groups. His client list includes the County Commissioners Associations of Georgia and North Carolina, Dollywood DreamMore Resort, and Ballad Health.

In 2020 Tim received the Oracle Award from the National Storytelling Network for exceptional commitment and exemplary contributions to the art of storytelling in the Southeastern Region of the United States.

Tim’s wife Bonnie is a professional music educator and currently maintains a small violin studio. She also homeschools the Lowrys’ two daughters - Libby, who plays the ukulele and loves everything Harry Potter; and Bethany, who plays the piano and loves fishing for large mouth bass. The Lowrys make their home in Summerville, SC which is known as “The Birthplace of Sweet Tea.”

Bil Lepp is a study in contrasts. A thoroughly honest man, he is a five-time champion liar. Behind that “yup, yup, yup” persona is an absolutely brilliant mind—so smart he’s scary, but really funny too—kind of like a cross between Neil deGrasse Tyson and Robin Williams. An accomplished author, Bil Lepp’s books cover topics from parenting to very little things. As carefully architected as The Eiffel Tower, Bil’s stories often start out plausible, then quickly morph into the outrageous and fantastic. On occasion, he is completely serious and you can follow him into stories of the courage and honor of ordinary folks. But beware—Bil’s wit will hit and you will never see it coming!

No one plays with an audience like Carmen Deedy. Regardless of the number of people in the venue, Carmen shares every story from her heart to your heart, individually and personally. She possesses the unique gift of not only speaking to all people, but to each person, simultaneously. She once said, “Great story is the art of letting go.” But even as she ‘lets go,’ Carmen will hold your heart in the palm of her hand. She has been an invited speaker at venues as varied as The American Library Association, Refugees International, The International Reading Association, Columbia University, the Smithsonian Institute, TED, the National Book Festival, and the Kennedy Center, but her favorite audience is her grandchildren, for whom she also loves to cook—a true abuela cubana.

Donald Davis was born in a Southern Appalachian mountain world rich in stories. While he heard many traditional stories about Jack and other heroic characters, he was most attracted to the stories of his own family and places of origin. Davis began retelling the stories he heard and added his own new stories until he was repeatedly asked to "tell it again, on purpose."

During his twenty-five year career as a United Methodist Minister, Davis began to use stories more and more. He was also asked to perform at festivals and in other settings until he retired from the church to tell stories full time.

The author of eighteen books and more than forty original recordings, Davis is the recipient of both the Circle of Excellence and the Lifetime Achievement Awards from the National Storytelling Network.

Since 1991, British storyteller, humorist and raconteur Simon Brooks has been telling to audiences from all over the world. Simon became a full-time, professional storyteller in 2003, released his first CD in 2006, and his first collection of folk and fairy tales in 2018. Simon has won awards and honors for his storytelling albums from Storytelling World and Parent's Choice. Simon travels all over New England and to other parts of the USA, and has told his tales in Europe. He presents anywhere you want him, be it a school, college, library, festival, camp, hospital, business, restaurant, coffee house or home.

Simon has completely reinvented himself to accommodate on-line presentations and workshops. These are high-quality events with much in the way of new material and presentation styles.

At the onset of the COVID-19 ‘lock-down’ Simon immediately recorded a podcast for kids - his audio rendering of Lindyline, an adventure story for young people. He also began a weekly kid’s show - Wednesday Stories - which ended mid-summer 2020. Another weekly on-line show Simon produces is Friday with Friends, geared for parents and other grown-ups, where he virtually chats with storytelling and musician friends. This lighthearted on-line event has become a staple for some viewers because of its humor and light atmosphere.

Simon lives in New London, New Hampshire, New England, New World with his wife, two children, a cat, and a dog called Moe. He is a Children’s Literacy Foundation presenter, a member of the National Storytelling Network, North East Story Telling, and the New Hampshire Storytelling Alliance.

Andy Hedges is a songster, reciter and storyteller. His varied repertoire includes classic cowboy poetry recitations, obscure cowboy songs, dust bowl ballads, and blues...

Adam Booth's original stories blend traditional mountain folklore, music, and an awareness of contemporary Appalachia. He has been featured...

Antonio Rocha, a native of Brazil, began his career in the performing arts in 1985. In 1988 he received a Partners of the Americas grant to come to the USA to perform and deepen his mime skills with Master Tony Montanaro. Since then he has earned a Summa Cum Laude Theater BA from USM (University of Southern Maine) and studied with Master Marcel Marceau. Mr. Rocha’s unique solo shows of stories and mime have been performed from Singapore to Hawaii and many places in between including 14 countries on 6 continents. Some of the venues include The Singapore Festival of the Arts, Wolf Trap, The National Storytelling Festival, The Kennedy Center, The Smithsonian Institution, The National Geographic, The Tales of Graz in Austria, Dunya Festival in Holland as well as many other Storytelling Festivals and educational institutions around The USA. Antonio has some fun and award winning DVDs and a brand new picture book too!

From East to West, Anne Shimojima has scattered storytelling sunshine in every corner of our country. Shining her light on difficult subjects, “Hidden Memory: An American Story,” Anne illustrates the history...

Some people have inner-kids. Andy Offutt Irwin has an outer-kid. With a manic Silly Putty voice, astonishing mouth noises, and hilarious stories, he is equal parts mischievous schoolboy and the Marx Brothers...

Amber is a relatively new teller, but the way she tells feels quite old. Her favorite sorts of stories to share reside at the intersection of real life and fairy tale, because she believes that real life can be both.

Alton performs at storytelling festivals internationally, sharing stories and legends from Hawaii and spreading aloha. He also tells stories from the Hawaiian Monarchy and the Plantation Days as well as...

With talents as varied as the symphony orchestras with which she often performs, Charlotte Blake Alston is unique in the cultural abundance with which she augments her tales...