BILL HARLEY

Recognized as one of America’s finest performers for families, Bill Harley is a singer, songwriter, storyteller, author and playwright. With over twenty recordings of songs and stories and four children’s books to his credit, Bill’s humorous, yet meaningful work chronicles the lives of children at school and at home. The recipient of many national awards, including two Grammy nominations, Bill was also received into the Circle of Excellence by the National Storytelling Network in 2001. Bill tours nationally as a solo artist as well as with his band, the Troublemakers, and he has been a regular commentator on NPR’s All Things Considered since 1991.

CONSUELO SAMARRIPA

As a second generation Texas native, born in the barrios of San Antonio, Consuelo Samarripa shares her stories of culture, history and ghosts. Her performances highlight her unique bilingual blend of storytelling in English and Spanish, “Consuelo Style.” Consuelo believes that stories are a gift, un regalo, to be shared and cultivated with a passion. “One must have a feeling for it in the hands, in the heart,” and she brings a zarape de cuentos for the many colors of our world cultures.

DONALD DAVIS

Listening to Donald Davis allows you to “experience the warmth of a homespun story, and know the goodness of a true tale.” Donald Davis grew up in the mountains of North Carolina in the small town of Sulphur Springs. He absorbed the storytelling traditions of his family, where there wasn’t a special time set aside for storytelling – it was a natural part of life. For Donald Davis storytelling “…is not what I do for a living… it is how I do all that I do while I am living.” You won’t want to miss hearing Donald Davis, a master storyteller, and one of the most popular tellers on the national circuit today.

SUNNY DOOLEY

Sunny Dooley is a Native Dine’ (Navajo) Storyteller from a community called Chi Chil’ Tah (Where the Oaks Grow). The stories she tells are those that have been told for generations from her matrilineal clan of the Saltwater People. Having Dine’ as her first language, Miss Dooley interprets her People’s stories in English with the blessing of her family, clans, and elders.

KEVIN CORDI

Kevin Cordi is a nationally known professional storyteller and teacher who has been collecting and telling the tales of America for over fifteen years. Using his Master’s in Storytelling, along with his professional expertise and training, Kevin continues to travel and to coach all ages in the various stages of storytelling. Kevin also has hosted and will continue to be involved with the ever-successful National Youth Storytelling Hall of Fame, formerly known as the National Youth Storytelling Olympics.

WILLIE CLAFLIN

Famous for his expertise at fracturing a fairy tale, funny-man and puppeteer Willie Claflin will have you laughing out loud at the surprising twists he takes on traditional stories. With help from his best buddy, Maynard Moose, Claflin uses innocently demoralizing character descriptions and a vocabulary peppered with non-words to reel listeners into a plot gone completely astray. While the word “puppet” often brings to mind an audience of kindergarten children, adults are soon drawn in to share a chance at hearing some of the most entertaining tales of their lives!