The Heart of Storytelling

Shilpa Mehta is an educator, author and a storyteller based in India. She has a professional journey spanning over two decades in the education space teaching MBA and BBA before transitioning to her inherent love for storytelling. She turned into a storyteller because of her passion and inherent love for stories as she deeply believes in the magic of storytelling as an excellent medium to quickly...

Angharad is an advocate for humanity’s generative connection with the more than human world. She carries the indigenous wisdom tradition of the British Isles and weaves it with ecology, philosophy, creativity and contemporary animism practice. As a ceremonialist, teacher, author, speaker and Cyfarwydd (storyteller), she explores the territory of reclaiming our deep humanity and re-membering a reci...

Elisa Pearmain has been telling stories professionally for over 37 years. Her performances have been called, “Dance Poetry.” She is the award-winning author of two collections of world wisdom tales including, Doorways to the Soul: 52 Wisdom Tales from around the World (1998), and Once Upon a Time: Storytelling to Teach Character and Prevent Bullying (2006). Her double CD, Forgiveness: Telling Our...

Jay Leeming is a performance storyteller adept at bringing ancient myths and stories alive through the power of the spoken word. A regular performer in theaters, schools, libraries and National Parks, he is the creator of the Crane Bag podcast, the author of three books of poetry and the recipient of a fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts. More information about his work as well as...

Wangari the Storyteller is a Kenyan Performance Storyteller and Writer based in Nairobi, Kenya. She believes in the power of stories to make us reflect on life past, present and future. Wangari’s performances are highly participatory with the stories woven with dance, chant, song and other performance delicacies. Website:  https://wangarithestoryteller.co.ke/ Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/Wa...

Ashley Ramsden started telling stories in Australia, where he trained as an actor in the Harkness Studio and soon founded MYTHOS, a company dedicated to the revival of the Art of Storytelling. In 1986 he then moved to the United States where he developed a range of remarkable storytelling performances and one-man-shows. His  repertoire  continues to include: The Titanic; The Man Who Planted Hope;...

Dan Broadbent is an archaeologist and storyteller, based in South West England. His work explores the borderlands of landscape, folklore and mythology, with a particular emphasis on the folklore of Somerset, his home for the last 25 years. He has previously worked as manager of the County Museum of Somerset and more recently as Historic Heritage Officer for the Quantock Hills National Landscape, w...

John Row, storyteller and poet has been performing for over half a century across four continents at schools, festivals, museums, libraries, community groups and prisons. He is curator of worldstorytellingcafe.com and artistic director of the Marrakech International Storytelling Festival. His publications include ‘Pootling Through, a life of diversions, Out Of the Hat, stories from around the worl...

Cooper Braun was raised by granola eating coyotes in Boulder Colorado. He was awarded the 2018 JJ Reneaux Emerging Artist Award and the 2022 Regional Excellence Award by the National Storytelling Network. Since the beginning of the pandemic Cooper has become one of the leading producers of virtual storytelling shows. Cooper’s stories remind us that fairy tales were never just for children. That tr...

David Thompson has been a teller for over 50 years. Focusing on the “forgotten” middle school through university students, his appearances in secondary/higher education have been applauded many times. Telling stories ranging from the truly ancient epics (which are his passion), adapted myths from other cultures setting them in West Texas, and obscure/forgotten history, David has told locally, stat...

Dr Joanna Gilar is a writer and storyteller with a PhD in fairy tales and ecological storytelling from the University of Chichester. She is founder and director of StoryCommons CIC, a fairy tale collective dedicated to building resilience via story. Their projects include Rewilding Cinderella, a collaboration of 14 artists, poets and storytellers from minoritized communities across the UK to celeb...

Our guest today is Clinton Atwater, founder of Storytelling Connections and a storyteller who truly embodies the belief that stories are bridges between hearts and minds. Clinton's journey began around a Michigan campfire, where family stories sparked a lifelong passion for the oral tradition. But his path wasn't direct—he spent years as a Pharmacy Operations Manager before discovering his authent...

 Louise Gwenneth Phillips is a professional storyteller, coach, consultant, teacher, researcher, author and honorary Associate Professor in the School of Education, The University of Queensland. Her research and publications focus on story(tell)ing, children’s rights and citizenship, arts and rights-based pedagogies and methodologies (see  https://louptales.education/publications/ ).She is particu...

Having told stories since 1973, storytelling has played a major part in her life and has taken Liz to five continents. Recently she attended the Marrakech International Storytelling Festival  with 100 tellers from 33 countries where she took part in the successful attempt to break the World Record for the longest continuous oral  storytelling session - 80 hours and 35 minutes. https://www.moroccow...

Christina Cairns is a visual artist/writer/performer/song-writer/storyteller.  She is a member of the Great Southern Storytellers and a frequent storyteller at their monthly story gatherings. She has told many stories to appreciative audiences in Denmark over the years. She is fascinated most of all by the power of story, the tales we tell ourselves, tales handed down generation to generation, and...

Silvia Lehmann – Storyteller, Theatre Director, Community Facilitator Silvia holds a BA (Hons) and Graduate Diploma in Theatre Directing, Victorian College of the Arts, Melbourne Australia (1995). She has lived in the small coastal town of Denmark in Western Australia for 17 years and regularly runs creative writing, acting, somatic movement and storytelling workshops. Silvia has facilitated many...

British-born Claire Hennessy is co-founder/producer of Six Feet Apart Productions, producing online and in-person storytelling shows and festivals. She was a recipient of a 2024 NSN Oracle Award. She’s a GrandSlam finalist at The Moth, the National Storytelling Festival, and West Side Stories. She was a featured teller at the 2024 St Louis Storytelling Festival, the 2021 and 2024 Women’s Storytell...

Jeff is a storyteller from the edge of the known world or, if you prefer, a small town on the South Coast of Western Australia called Denmark.  He  runs a monthly community storytelling circle and is involved in running rights of passage ceremonies, in men's work and gatherings at which he has been known to tell a story or two.  Jeff has a keen interest in the intersection of story, myth and ritua...

Vanessa is “London’s resident storyteller” her trailblazing story events for adults have led to a partnership with TimeOut Magazine, a TEDx talk in Stormont NI and many TV /radio performances. She’s founder and lead storyteller of Connection With Wonder (previously London Dreamtime) programming training and projects as well as very popular live events. She’s founder of Space for Storytelling a fre...

Uncle Ken Jones, NAIDOC Male Elder & Proud Boandik ElderUncle Ken is founder of Bush Adventures, a family company that takes guests on personalised tours of the Limestone Coast, telling the stories of Boandik Country. He has He has dedicated over 50 years of his life to conservation efforts , including on the state Aboriginal Heritage Committee, which oversees and advises on the preservation a...

Karmit’s work history spans diverse experiences, interests and competences from the healing arts, and the arts & crafts world. Her unique skill-set provides a deep perspective for transformational work, and in working with soul searching questions. Her studies encompass human ecology and earth healing modalities as well as energy healing systems and shamanic practices. Karmit is the founder of...

Jennifer Ramsay is a professional storyteller. She has told stories in more than 2,000 events including several international festivals. She also trains people in the art of storytelling. Jennifer is trained in Gestalt therapy, expressive arts therapies, Psychodrama and ecotherapy. She works with story medicine in private practice and as a group facilitator working creatively with stories in uniqu...

Fran Stallings is a lifelong storyteller who enchants audiences with her distinctive voice and music. A recovering biology professor, as “Earthteller” she specializes in stories of plants and animals, our ecosystems and the solar system. She performs nationwide and overseas at storytelling festivals, in schools and libraries, and on Zoom. Her website is franstallings.com

In this episode, I speak with U.S. storyteller Marilyn McPhie who has travelled internationally to tell stories. We share a love of ancestry and sharing family stories and dive into a rich conversation about this. We discuss working with people with dementia, running a storytelling organisation and being online and so much more.

Rachael Harrington is a storyteller whose work has taken her around the globe, presenting imagination infused performances and workshops in arts venues, schools, community settings, and as a guest lecturer at Rutgers University. She presents workshops, stories, and talks at conferences including The National Storytelling Summit, The American Association of School Libraries Conference, New Jersey E...