Motivating accounts of the Civil War, the inspiring true story of our national anthem & the remarkable military history of the funeral precession TAPS are just a few of the Living History programs Chris has to offer! Each & every Living History presentation is done in period clothing as the events and characters are vividly brought to life! Chris tells stories of folk tales & life lessons to children of all ages & immerses the audience by delivering compelling, first-hand accounts of every experience. Chris is a keynote speaker & inspirational teller who has worked for the Saint Louis Zoo, Missouri state parks, and the National Association of Interpretation. He has created some of the most influential workshops for educators and his engaging delivery as a public speaker continue to delight and captivate audiences of all ages.
Depending on the venue and audience a wireless mic may be needed.
Ozarks Legend Marideth Sisco is a consummate storyteller, songwriter, singer of Oscar-nominated “Winter’s Bone” fame, Her smooth, down home delivery of tales and anecdotes will leave you laughing one minute and crying the next.
Marideth has performed for libraries, churches, associations, service organizations, music venues, festivals and national and state park events across the U.S. She is the 2018 recipient of the Quill Award from the Missouri Writers Hall of Fame.
A new program is her “Front Porch Stories & Songs. Joined by gospel singer Mary Alexander, Marideth tells the story of the American front porch and the songs, from the memorable to the obscure, that portray a fascinating and iconic slice of American life.
Microphone and stand, music stand or rostrum, chair, small table, bottled water (two of each for the Front Porch program).
Rhythms and Folklore of Africa: Storytelling and drums performance that celebrates the African culture. Ideal for schools, festivals, theaters, and community events. Adaptable to indoor and outdoor venues. Audience participation involves hand-picked audience members to dance and play African instruments. Immerse yourself in the rhythms of Africa. All ages.
PA system microphone with a boom mic stand
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.
Electrical outlet
Jeff Miller’s programs are “Laughter Guaranteed!” An award-winning poet, performance artist, and storyteller, he is featured nationally at poetry, storytelling, music, and folk-life festivals. His performances are highly-original, filled with unusual oral histories he has personally collected, jokes and stories embellished and turned into narrative poems, and outrageous and inspirational gems (sometimes within the same story!) birthed from his vivid imagination or adventurous experiences. Workshops include “Tapping Your Creativity”, “Writing and Performing Poems”, and “Creating Empathy through Storytelling”. His three books have been described as “much, much funnier than anything Stephen King has ever written.”
Dr. Gladys Coggswell brings to the stage African American experiences in Missouri, plus traditional folk tales, one woman dramas, vocal music history, interactive storytelling and workshops. She is the recipient of numerous awards. This author of “Stories from the Heart-Missouri’s African American Heritage,” published by the University of Missouri Press is also available for writing workshops. Gladys received an Honorary Doctorate’s Degree from the University of Missouri St. Louis. She also does motivational speaking for all ages.
PA system
Selected as a Regional Storyteller at the St. Louis Storytelling Festival for the last 5 years, Flavia has storytelling programs that will delight, tickle the imagination and send you on a journey around the world. As an added bonus, Flavia engages students in creative thinking and entices them to create stories of their own. Using puppets, she entertains the younger crowd, but also holds the interest of the middle and high schoolers and has even completed a few humanities projects where she has told her stories in nursing homes. Flavia also has longer historical and biblical programs available, along with stories of her travels to Rwanda working with the Ba’Twa people collecting original folklore.
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Dianne Moran an award-winning Storyteller, Living History Performer and Chautauqua Scholar. Heritage Festivals feature her poignant portrayals including: Zerelda James (Frank and Jesse’s Mama), Miep Gies (Anne Frank Family protector), and condemned conspirator in the Lincoln assassination, Mary Surratt. Other recognizable personages include, Calamity Jane, Mother Jones, Lizzie Borden, Anne Morrow Lindbergh, Titanic and 1904 World’s Fair characters. Schools augment their curriculums with her programs of Colonial America, Revolutionary War, Lewis & Clark, Civil War, Wagon Train, Ellis Island and The Holocaust. Programs feature a performance in historic dress, a Q and A with the audience and end with the viewing of a relic display.
Microphone and a 6 ft. table
Awarded the National Circle of Excellence award for his outstanding work as a storyteller, this St. Louis native is one of the most sought after performers in the country today! He has also worked in Canada, Hong Kong, Ireland, England, China, Taiwan, Wales, Singapore, Austria and Africa. Bobby has won three Emmy Awards for his local CBS-TV show Gator Tales, and is the author of several award-winning children’s books. Eight of his ten CD’s have won the Parents Choice Gold Award. His programs highlight themes of cultural diversity, character education, literacy, living history, poetry & prose, music and conflict resolution. He is well known for his engaging comedy, lively animation and special sound effects. In 2018, Bobby was awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters by The University of MO- St. Louis.
Microphone on a stand.