Members as of January 2010
additions/corrections made monthly as needed
In order to help combat email spam, we have replaced the @ symbol in email addresses with [at]. Please replace the @ symbol when sending an email.
Jean Bolley
12147 Chandler Rd.; Bath MI 48808
Phone: 517-485-5185
Evening: 517-281-8036
Email: bolleyj[at]hotmail.com
Jean Bolley loves stories and it shows in her presentations. Her warm, casual style draws listeners in, letting the stories work their magic. Jean has a master’s degree in storytelling and 15 years of experience with schools, libraries, and community groups.
Karen Czarnik
3129 Old Farm Ln.; Walled Lake MI 48390
Phone: 248-766-4323
Email: karen[at]storyrhythms.com
Website: www.storyrhythms.com
As a storyteller, singer, songwriter and musician, Karen Czarnik's unique performances combine music and tale to engage, encourage and tickle the funny bone. Linking her musical and theatrical work with the traditions of Storytelling, Karen's collaboration of character and story stirs the imagination. Accompanying herself on autoharp and mountain dulcimer, she creates an energetic experience of song & story. From stage to elementary classrooms, campfires to coffee houses, Karen's music, voice and stories inspire audiences of all ages.
Eileen Delorenzo
3815 W. Remus Rd; Mt. Pleasant MI 48858
Phone: 989-773-2429
Email: emdelorenzo[at]msn.com
Anita Fortney-Harms
2147 Blodgett Street; Muskegon MI 49441-1513
Phone: 231-755-0126
Evening: 231-670-2591
Email: veslealfh[at]alldial.net
Website: www.talesofperformingandpen.blogspot.com/
Anita has a background in literature, writing, and theater, has acted in several states and has taught theatre. Her storytelling performances offer opportunities for audience members to get involved in a fun-filled hour. Her presentations cover educational, inspirational, and entertaining topics. Her stories, folk and fairy tales are comical, spooky, cross-cultural, and include animals and magical creatures, which through the aid of puppetry, come alive for the audience.
Laura Lee Hayes
7 Lois Court; Ann Arbor MI 48103
Phone: 734-662-3770
Email: lauragami[at]digitalrealm.net
Yvonne Healy
5193 King Road; Howell MI 48843
Phone: 810-813-3000
Email: stories[at]yhealy.com
Website: www.yhealy.com
Weird Irish legends, rollicking kids’ tales, provocative adult fare, and inspiring yet practical workshops: all this and more are available from one of the Midwest’s favorite storytellers. See and hear stories at www.YHealy.com
Patricia Kjolhede
8376 Woodbury Rd.; Laingsburg MI 48848
Phone: 517-651-6301
Email: tunesntales[at]yahoo.com
Website: www.tunesntales.com
Tricia tells stories and sings songs to kids of all ages. She has presented workshops for teachers, librarians, and church groups. Her interactive presentations are entertaining and fun.
Kathy Montgomery
7826 Cloverhill Dr.; Lansing MI 48917
Phone: 517-627-3540
Email: storyk1[at]aol.com
Rob McCabe
640 S. Brady #408; Dearborn MI 48124-2355
Phone: 313-608-6158
Email: rob_mccabe[at]netzero.net
Website: www.robstories.com
Kathy Montgomery
7826 Cloverhill Dr.; Lansing MI 48917
Phone: 517-627-3540
Email: storyk1[at]aol.com
Robin Nott
16703 East CD Ave.; Augusta MI 49012
Phone: 269-488-5020 x1698
Evening: 269-731-2335
Email: rnott[at]gulllakecs.org
Robin Nott combines storytelling and folk singing to awaken audiences of all ages to their authentic personal imaginative worlds. Robin has been telling and singing since 1983 in libraries, festivals, conferences, schools, community events, state and national parks.
Tamiko Ogburn
20755 Greenfield, Suite 300; Southfield MI 48075
Phone: 313-363-6417
Email: strangetamiko[at]hotmail.com
Joe Remenar
4666 Keswick Court; Gladwin MI 48624
Phone: 989-426-4872
Email: jremenar66[at]yahoo.com
Barbara Schutzgruber
2855 Kimberly; Ann Arbor MI 48104
Phone: 734-761-5118
Email: barb[at]weavestory.com
Website: www.weavestory.com
Gutsy girls, wise women, tricksters and string come to life as Barbara weaves string stories and folktales, sings ballads and shares the history and legends of Michigan. Her comfortable, spontaneous style, rich voice and flawless pacing conjure images from the depth of your imagination. She performs for audiences of all ages across the United States. Her recordings have won 2 Parents’ Choice Gold Awards, an ALA Notable Award, and 2 Storytelling World Award Honors.
Judy Sima
7433 Parkdale; West Bloomfield MI 48322
Phone: 248-644-3951
Email: Judy[at]JudySima.com
Website: www.JudySima.com
Well-known throughout Michigan, Judy’s warm and inviting storytelling programs combine folk, traditional, and modern tales with humor, songs, and lots of audience participation. Her informative, interactive workshops are sought after at educational, library and storytelling conferences all over the country. Sharing her ideas in Storytelling Magazine, Book Links, Tales as Tools and an award winning book – Raising Voices: Creating Youth Storytelling Groups and Troupes, she helps others to become better tellers. Judy’s enthusiasm is contagious.
Lois Sprengnether Keel
5640 Farley Rd.; Clarkston MI 48346
Phone: 248-625-5848
Email: LoiS-sez[at]LoiS-sez.com
Website: www.LoiS-sez.com
For approximately 35 years, LoiS combined storytelling with librarianship. She now tells full-time, using her theatre training to enrich her programs that also may include puppetry, sign language, music, or dance. Her extensive repertoire of stories lets her design a program meeting a wide variety of topics for all ages. Those stories can reach around the world or back in time. Included among her historical programs is a reenactment of Liberetta Lerich Green, who grew up on a southeastern MI Underground Railroad Station, was active in the Civil War homefront efforts, later was a farmer's wife, and is brought forward 100 years to the present time to tell about her life and times.
Dick Strader
178 Feld Avenue; Battle Creek MI 49037
Phone: 269-963-6830
Email: dstrader40[at]yahoo.com
Weaving enthusiastic tellings of intriguing trickster characters and other folktales from many world cultures, Strader captivates audiences of all ages with his lively antics and words of humor and surprise.
Jenifer Strauss
1061 West Sager Rd; Hastings MI 49058
Phone: 269-945-4943
Email: jenifer[at]storybetold.com
Website: www.storybetold.com
“Let a Story be Told…Let a Story be Heard…Let a Story be told Again”
For more than a decade, Michigan Storyteller Jenifer Ivinskas Strauss has been sharing enthusiastic, participatory tales from around the world and within the shared human experience with audiences throughout the Midwest. A former environmental educator and elementary teacher, Jenifer combines her love for teaching and storytelling to offer dynamic Storytelling Performances, Workshops and Writing Residencies for all ages. Jenifer’s style is dynamic and thought provoking…Heartwarming and sometimes outrageous!
La'Ron Williams
5 Southwick Ct.; Ann Arbor MI 48105
Phone: 734-665-0857
Email: larontalk[at]aol.com