We've heard it all before... we rejoice in the retelling!
Find A Storyteller
Larry G. Brown
Contact Larry G. Brown at:
10 Hourigan Circle
Columbia, MO 65201
573-256-0091
Biography:
I tell folk tales, Ozark Jack Tales, personal memories, historical narratives, current issues, and have developed the specialties of chicken stories, tall tales, and spooky stories. I do Biblical Storytelling (Academy of Biblical Storytelling Certificate) as well.
I have performed all over the state of Missouri, in 10 other states, and in 5 countries.
I want people to know that I enjoy telling to all ages and stages, but my preference is adults; and that I thoroughly enjoy helping people experience humor, wonder, awe, inspiration, and motivation to be one with all people and the earth.
Raelene Crotser
Contact Raelene Crotser at:
935 Spring Park Blvd
Mount Vernon, MO 65712
417-205-6408
Biography:
With ten plus years of experience, I have told stories to a widely varied demographics. I’ve told in schools, libraries, RV parks, city parks and senior residential facilities. In addition to storytelling skills, I also have given interpretive programs at places like Gray-Campbell Farmstead, Hulston Mill Civil War Days, Prairie Days at George Washington Carver NM, and Wilson’s Creek NB.
My go to stories are usually Ozark Folktales, stories from Uncle Remus, Ananzi and other folklore genres. As the family historian, I’ve learned to share stories about my family and their adventures through life. However, if you have a request for stories oriented to your Park let me know early and I can try to tailor my stories to fit your needs (as I did for George Washington Carver NM).
Rosie Cutrer
Biography:
Rosie Cutrer is a Kansas Creative Arts Industry Touring Artist. She has been a featured teller at the Kearney Nebraska Storytelling Festival, The Choctaw Land Run Festival and Franklin County Children’s Literature Festival. The Children’s Music Web awarded her CDs best-spoken word for younger and older children.
Becky Everly
Biography:
Becky has shared stories with elementary-aged kids for over 30 years. In performance she often takes on the clothes, voice, and personality of a person such as Polly Pilgrim or Mrs. Claus, portraying life from that character’s perspective.
She has worked with students second through eighth grades to help them apply oral language skills in order to enrich historical and informational presentations. Supporting students in making the transition from oral language to personal narrative and persuasive writing has brought productive experiences. She has co-sponsored storytelling clubs and camps with kindergarten students through 5th graders. Exploring benefits and applications of storytelling with parents, families, and educators has been an on-going focus.
She was a nurse and childbirth educator before receiving her Bachelor's Degree in Elementary and Early Childhood Education, as well as a Master of Arts in Teaching. Her proudest moments and best stories have come through family, especially her two sons and six grandchildren.
Denise Grow
Contact Denise Grow at:
26803 South Blinker Light Rd
Harrisonville, Missouri 64701
816-380-6345
Biography:
I have been a writer for many years and began my journey as a storyteller and historical presenter/performer in 2004 when the Living History Guild of the Cass County Historical Society invited me to create a script for their Orphan Train drama. I have since adapted that first effort for use in a variety of settings. I learned much about one-room schools during my employment at the Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead in Overland Park, KS, where I was head School marm several seasons. Growing up in Belton, MO, where Carry Nation and her mother are both buried, led to my interest in developing a program about her.
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In addition to the specialized programs mentioned above, my story themes include small town memories, historic anecdotes, personal narratives, folktales, humorous situations, and more, performed in first or third person, as appropriate to subject and venue, and often employing costumes and props. Each original story and program includes an original song I create and sing accapella. I also love being Mrs. Claus, which I recently did for two seasons with a natural-beard Santa. I live in rural Cass County, MO, and will travel anywhere in the state.
Teller Specialties:
Historical, Humor, Folktales, Personal Narrative Stories
Heather Harlan
Contact Heather Harlan at:
Email: hcharlan@gmail.com
Phone: 573-673-3681
Website: www.Heatherharlan.com
Biography:
Heather Harlan is a professional storyteller, recording artist and songwriter. Heather delights audiences of all ages. From performing at libraries, festivals, spiritual retreats, classrooms, campfires—even the Missouri Governor’s Mansion—Heather weaves stories and music to entertain and often inspire. She spins traditional folk tales from around the world and blends them with her own whimsical style of original stories, songs, and guitar playing. Animation, warmth, and audience participation hallmark her performances. Heather has two recording projects.
Heather lives in Columbia, Missouri and is experienced in virtual and live performances. Heather can work with you to customize an affordable program. What can Heather do for your gathering?
Gary Kuntz
Biography:
Gary tells a mixture of stories: folk, classic, personal, humor, drama, and tall tales. He is the 2013 winner of the Kansas Storytelling Festival Tall Tales Contest and his name is inscribed on the handle of the Golden Shovel, along with the other winners of that contest. Gary took 2nd place in the 2019 Missouri Liar’s Contest. All of his stories are 100%, completely, absolutely, true – at least, while he tells them.
Contact Gary Kuntz at:
5704 N Euclid Ave
Gladstone, MO 64118
Email: galirahi@aol.com
Phone: 816-896-8611
Linda Kuntz
Biography:
Linda has been telling stories all her life but no longer gets into trouble for spinning a tall tale. Linda has competed in Tall Tale and Liar’s Contests but her favorite stories have a universal truth. She has found that naked truth is accepted when clothed in story. Linda enjoys telling tales from around the world to all audiences.
Linda tells fairy tales, folktales, personal experience and tall tales.
Linda lives in Gladstone, Missouri and is willing to travel to share her stories.
Teller Specialties:
Fairy tales, Folktales, Personal Narrative Stories, Tall tales
Mike and Nancee Micham
Contact Mike and Nancee Micham at:
565 Max Creek Rd
Taneyville, MO 65759
417-251-5928
https://www.facebook.com/EZNDIL/
Biography:
Mike and Nancee Micham are EznDil. EznDil is their band name when playing music at faires and festivals. Locally they are known as just Mike and Nancee. They have been entertaining thru song and stories, humor and education for over 25 years in the Ozarks region.
As Silver Dollar City performers for 13 years, where Mike was known as Ezra and Nancee portrayed as Dilly (hence the name EznDil) they honed their love of traditional artists.
They have been featured storytellers, hired for National and State Parks, libraries, schools, renaissance faires and roots music celebrations. Their love of folk songs and tales, Dad Jokes, Irish traditional music and legends continues to grow. The couple love to share their gift of laughter and song with kids and kids in adult clothing!
Teller Specialties:
Fairy tales, Historical, Scary/Ghost stories, Personal stories, Humorous stories, Campfire stories, Tall Tales, Special Needs audiences
Bobby Norfolk
Contact Bobby Norfolk at:
Address:
105 East Drake Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63119
Phone: 314-968-2606
Email: jdolan9928@aol.com
Website: www.bobbynorfolk.com
Biography:
Bobby Norfolk is an award-winning storyteller, teaching artist and author from St. Louis. He has been performing throughout the United States and world-wide for over 45 years. Bobby began his career as a National Park Ranger for 10 years at the Gateway Arch
creating and presenting living history programs.
Today, he is an actor, comedian, author and teaching artist, and is well known for his high energy performances with lively animation and sound effects. His prior CBS children’s TV show “Gator Tales” won 3 Emmy Awards! He also has 8 published storytelling CD’s, many having won the National Parent’s Choice Gold Award.
As an author, he has written several award winning books for children and adults. Bobby was also honored with the prestigious Circle of Excellence Award presented by The National Storytelling Network. Faculty at the University of Missouri-St. Louis voted to honor Bobby Norfolk the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters where he also gave the commencement speech at the May graduation ceremony. His stories promote cultural diversity, character education and literacy. Bobby is truly an adventure story come to life!
Teller Specialties:
Fairy tales, Folktales, Personal Narrative Stories, Tall tales, Scary Stories, Historical, Nature, Just So, Humorous, Campfire
Contact Sarah Poff at:
Address:
Traveling Life’s Trails, Sarah
Sarah Tucker Poff M. Ed.
Phone: 816-225-3824
Email: jdolan9928@aol.com
Website: Multimedia-Storyteller.com
Biography:
Sarah Poff will engage, entertain, and educate, all at the same time as she brings history to life with her storytelling. She is a 5th generation Missourian. Sarah lives in the Columbia area; however, she grew up in the bootheel, her grandparents lived in the Ozarks, in-laws lived in St. Joseph, and she lived in the Kansas City area for 37 years. She is an award-winning educator who, over the course of the past 40 plus years, has worked with 25 principals and taught over 10,000 students, ages two to 102, through her signature mixture of history, storytelling, art, culture, costumes, music, and dance.
She has presented programs in public and private schools, in museums, in historical houses, in preschools, in public libraries, in basements, in dance studios, in parks, in churches, in hospitals, on kitchen tables, and even during a funeral!
Sarah is one of those rare individuals who lives and breathes history .
but who also has a burning desire to share her stories with others, through historical storytelling. In her Historical Storytelling, the primary focus is on entertainment as Sarah grabs her audiences by the heart and takes them on a journey of discovery.
Roger Rose
Biography:
Roger Rose, the Walking-Stick Man, has been telling stories in the St. Louis area for many years. He tells from a broad repertoire, from literary stories to folklore and legends, to his own original stories. Roger mines the treasure trove of literature and folklore for nuggets of story which he refines and polishes for telling. Roger was a regional teller for the St. Louis Storytelling Festival for many years and was a featured teller in 1994.
Many of the stories Roger tells are literary stories -- authored to be printed and read. But listening is different from reading, so literary stories need to be adapted for telling, just as they are adapted for stage or screen. Roger offers a workshop on telling literary stories and offers advice on copyright issues and getting permission to tell copyrighted works.
Roger is a member of the National Storytelling Network, of St. Louis Gateway Storytellers, of Missouri Storytelling, of Riverwind Storytelling Company and of River and Prairie Storyweavers. The ever-present walking stick, his personal trademark and talisman, was hand-crafted by Roger's father from the woody stem of a saguaro cactus.
Teller Specialties:
Stories for Kids: Mother Bruce, The Giant's Toe, Mouse on the Moon
Stories for Grown-ups: The Seal Maiden, Just Good Friends, Middle Woman
Scary Stories: Headless Horseman, Monkey's Paw, Sleepwalker
Bible Stories: David and Goliath, Elijah and the Widow, Prodigal Brother
True Stories: Nothing to be Afraid of, Earthquake!, Lost Locomotive
Mark Twain Stories: Tom Sawyer, Celebrated Jumping Frog
Epic Stories: Sir Gawain and the Loathly Damsel
Liar's Contest Winners: Jack and the Magic Beans, High in the Ozarks
And many more!
Joyce Slater
Contact Joyce Slater:
Address:
7338 Belleview Avenue
Kansas City, MO 64114-1220
Phone: 816-523-5038 Home
Phone 2: 816-804-2442 Cell
Email: joyceslater20@gmail.com
Website: http://www.slatertales.com
Performance Fee Range: $175-$2500
Technical Requirements: Electrical outlet
Availability: Year-round
Biography:
Joyce is a storyteller for everyone from pre-school through adult. Her stories range from participatory for the little ones to personal experiences for adults. She tells stories about Missouri history, Holiday tales, Ozark adventures, Ghost stories and more. Stories from folktales, fairytales, fables, myths and legends come to life with puppets and songs. Her stories bring people of many cultures together through her own work in schools, libraries, retirement centers and festivals and the storytelling festival she serves.
Joyce teaches workshops for adults and children. Beginning Storytelling, Telling your Personal Story, Storigami and more.
She is a storytelling coach for other storytellers and public speakers from all walks of life.
She is the Artistic Director for the KC Storytelling Celebration and the President of Missouri Storytelling Inc.
Joyce Slater is available for Virtual programs on Zoom, YouTube and Facebook and will adapt to other platforms. She will also travel.
Professional Memberships: Missouri Storytelling Inc, River and Prairie Storytelling, National Storytelling Network, North East Storytelling, Gateway Storytellers
Awards: The National Storytelling Network Oracle Regional Award for Service and Leadership: Distinguished National Service Award
Teller Specialties:
Personal Narrative stories, Missouri history, Holiday tales, Ozark stories, Ghost stories, Folk tales, Fairytales, Fables, Myths, Puppets, Songs, Workshops, Storytelling coach, Public speaking coach
Fran Stallings
Contact Fran Stallings at:
1406 Macklyn Lane
Bartlesville OK 74006-5419
http://www.franstallings.com
Biography:
Storyteller, Songwriter, Biologist, Author. Fran Stallings paints stories with voice, gesture and song. Her degrees in biology were not a detour: her folktales and "fact-tales" of our fellow creatures and the environment have earned her the title Earthteller, helping zoo docents and park rangers become story-teachers. She has collected over 400 traditional tales plus original stories and songs. Her articles and stories are widely reprinted. She has produced 5 CDs and 4 books of stories. For fifteen years she worked with thousands of K-12 students as an Artist in Education. She is now in demand nationwide and overseas. She lives in Bartlesville, OK.
Teller Specialties:
Prairie Tales– folktales, songs, and history of early days on the plains.
Stories & Songs for a Green Earth– folktales and science “fact-tales” about the animals and plants in the park, with songs and participation.
Shine On! – our Sun, Moon, and Starsin myths, legends, and astronomical facts, with songs and audience participation.
Deb Swanegan
Biography:
Deb explains, "I was born to be a story teller. My great-grandfather determined I should be the guardian of our family stories the day I was born; I was his seventy second birthday present, and the eldest of his great-grandchildren. He passed on the stories he had been taught by word of mouth from his family; stories from the troubled days of slavery”, tribal ancestors, their family members and from all the ancestors had learned and observed. Deb also learned stories from other family members, “old fashioned church”, teachers and parents, and a myriad of multicultural friends.
Deb is also a retired Art educator, lecturer, national workshop facilitator, master teacher, seminar leader and curriculum writer. She has been a performing actress in the Missouri Repertory Theater, and The Columbia Entertainment Company Chalkboard Theatre, one of Missouri’s premier children’s theater companies. She is currently writing a book called Recollections, a collection of stories told to her by elders about their ancestors and families, and one of these days she’ll finish it….family elders keep “re-collectin’" stories she needs!
Ric Vice
Contact Ric Vice at:
809 Avon Court
Olivette, Missouri 63132
314-602-8170
Biography:
Ric told stories to children for nineteen years as a school librarian. He loves telling stories that use laughter, sound effects, and characters with a message that students can take home. His tales engage his listeners, drawing on his background as a professional jazz musician, to enliven the stories with sound and movement.
Ric has performed as a regional storyteller at the St. Louis Storytelling Festival for the past seven years and will appear again this year. He received his training in the art of storytelling from Lynn Rubright , Bobby Norfolk, Annette Harrison, Sue Hinkle, and Ken Wolfe.
Teller Specialties:
Curriculum Based, Ghost Stories, Historical Stories, Humor Stories
Jim Two Crows Wallen
Biography:
National award-winning oral Historian, Jim Two Crows Wallen, combines his love of history with a good story keeping his audiences spellbound. The Missouri Native has captivated audiences for more than four decades spanning four continents and 46 of the 50 States. Program attendees have often described him as a living museum, and are quoted as saying, “he made me feel like I was actually there.”
Two Crows presentations are interactive and age appropriate. His stories are carefully researched and his clothing historically accurate. Many of his artifacts and authentic clothing he makes himself. Two Crows invites you to be submerged in history through his exceptional presentations.
Contact Jim Two Crows Wallen at:
Email: jimtwocrows@att.net
Website Address: Jimtwocrows.com
Phone number: 816-795-7119
Jackie and Papa Wright
Contact Jackie and "Papa" Wright at:
Email: jpapawright@sbcglobal.net
Website Address: www.jackieandpapawright.com Phone number: 314-997-2376
Biography:
Jackie and “Papa” Wright combine their storytelling and musical talents to form “Tales Told the ‘Wright’ Way.” Jackie loves to tell folktales and fables with her smooth silky voice as “Papa” adds color and texture with percussion instruments. Before each story, “Papa” demonstrates the instruments he will use in the story and then gives children an opportunity to play those instruments. Jackie engages her audience with her glowing eyes as they travel from child to child. “Papa” ‘glides’ from one instrument to the other, bringing out the emotion of the story. Jackie’s audience hangs on every word as she interacts with them.
Jackie and “Papa” also offer storytelling with puppets for their preschool audiences. “Papa” tells the story using puppets and Jackie becomes the musician.
They have been featured tellers at the St. Louis Storytelling Festival, the Kansas City Storytelling Celebration, the Mid-Missouri Storytelling Festival, and the By Word-of-Mouth Storytelling Festival. Jackie and “Papa” are recipients of St. Louis Magazine’s 2007 A-List Awards for Best Story Time. Jackie is the Missouri State Liaison for the National Storytelling Network and both are board members of Missouri Storytelling, Inc.
Will you travel for storytelling? No
What age groups fit your repertoire? Preschool and K-2
What genres of stories do you tell? Folk Tales?
