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The New England School Performing Artist Directory
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PERFORMING ARTIST INDEX
This is an alphabetical listing of all the performing artists in The New England School Performing Artist Directory.
You can browse by simply scrolling down the list, or, if you have a particular name in mind, select a letter to go directly to
that section of the list.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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A
Rick Adam
Encore Performing Arts, Inc
Roberta Wolinsky
PO Box 630
Melville, NY 11747
(800) 669-9850
Fax: (631) 423-1795
Email: rickadam@encoreperforming.com
Website: http://encoreperforming.com/ra.htm
Rick Adam presents entertaining and effective performances dealing with social issues for all ages.
"Sound Choices" (for grades K-6) uses a unique combination of original songs, hand shadows, circus arts,
and audience participation, to take a caring look at growing up and believing in one's self, focusing
on self-esteem, drinking, drug use, smoking, and resolving conflicts.
�Be Cool, Be Safe� (for grades K-6) creates a fun jam of original music, mime, circus stuff, and audience participation that will help empower
children to make positive choices regarding bullying, taming tempers, preventing abuse and violence, resisting peer pressure, and celebrating differences.
It is an educational, enchanting, and highly entertaining performance designed to leave the audience with plenty of creative tools to build and maintain
harmony in our world.
"A Journey Through Addiction" (for grades 5-12) is a compelling theatrical production, using original
music, drama, mime and vaudeville, to explore alcoholism, drug dependency, eating disorders,
teen suicide, and self-destructive attitudes, encouraging students to make healthy choices and
build self-esteem.
"Resolving Rage" (for grades 5-12): Rick's engaging personality and captivating style
will mesmerize his audience while providing them with tools to control tempers,
relieve frustration, resist peer pressure, and celebrate differences. He
effectively delivers his message by creating an emotional bond with his
audience, using original songs, contemporary music, personal experiences,
and theatrical techniques.
"Red's Recycle-O-Rama" (for grades K-6) uses audience participation, storytelling, magic, juggling, hand shadows, original songs, and Red's Original One-Man Junk Band to
offer fun-loving tips on how and why to recycle, reuse, and reduce.
Program Titles: Sound Choices; A Journey Through Addiction; Be Cool, Be Safe; Resolving Rage; Red's Recycle-O-Rama.
Audience Limits: none
Special Requirements: 90 minute set-up time; electricity; clear stage.
Fee: $650-750 for 1 show; $950-1050 for 2 back-to-back; public performances may be higher
Funding Sources: New England Touring Roster, New England Foundation for the Arts
Health: Self-esteem, Drug Prevention, Conflict Resolution
Science: Ecology, Environment
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Tara Ahmed
24 Notre Dame Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02140
(617) 216-7606
Email: info@taraahmed.com
Website: http://www.taraahmed.com
Tara gives dance lecture/demonstrations in the vibrant style of Kuchipudi. With elements of storytelling, rhythmic footwork and athletic
grace, Kuchipudi relays vivid stories from Hindu mythology. "Taal Tales" offers both a history of classical South Indian dance and
performances of lively dance pieces. In this highly interactive program, participants are engaged by watching and participating in dance sequences,
and asking and answering questions. Programs are modified according to age level.
"Ahmed was a captivating presence..." - Boston Globe
"Just rave reviews!" - Newton Creative Arts & Sciences Committee
"...Tara's performance is the MOST talked about!" - Wilmington Public Schools
Program Titles: Taal Tales: Classical Indian Dance
Special Requirements: Clean wood floor, 15' X 20'; sound sytem for CDs; easel for posterboards
Fee: $475; $750 for 2 programs same day/location
Social Studies: Countries (India)
Language Arts: Myth
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Art of Black Music & Dance, Inc.
De Ama Battle, Director
32 Cameron Avenue
Somerville, MA 02144
(617) 666-1859
E Mail: deamabattle@yahoo.com
Website: www.abdm.net
ABDM's 30 year history continues to support its mission to preserve African-rooted heritage through instruction and performance, and to
bring to the classroom the diverse cultures of the African Diaspora. The dynamic ensemble of professional educators and performing artists deliver
works from a rich repertoire to audiences of all ages. ABDM's success is its artistic and educational flexibility, its high powered performances and its
unique audience participation. ABDM's Founder/Director De Ama Battle has studied, taught and/or performed throughout West Africa,
New England, Jamaica, and Brazil.
Program Titles: Our African Heritage
Fee: $600 - $900
Special Requirements: 30 minute set-up required
Social Studies: Countries and Regions (Africa, Caribbean), Geography
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B
Mallory Bagwell, Ph.D.
The Movement Company, Inc.
P.O. Box 854
Storrs, CT 06268-0854
(860) 794-0554
E-mail: mallorybagwell@mac.com
Website: mallorybagwell.com
Dr. Mallory Bagwell presents workshops nationally in the areas of creative movement, play, creativity, arts education, and gifted education. His programs include performances, keynote presentations, and intensive hands-on workshops for K-8 students and education practitioners K-12. For the past 20 years he has presented regional workshops in New England and mid-Atlantic states that focus on mathematical problem-solving, critical thinking, geometry, the science of flight, and the history of games. The workshops are movement-oriented and full of practical hands on activities that have cross-curricular relevance to educators and students alike.
Current programs include:
It's All In How You Say It! (performance) has students ACTively exploring the roots of communication not only through words but gesture, intonation, facial expression and body language.
Workshop Series
Geodesic Dome Project
Math, science, architecture, and team work all converge as teams of students work together to study and build a variety of geometric structures. Students participate in the construction of a 2 story geo-structure that seats 30 people! By using lightweight pvc pipe to erect large scale geo-structures (from regular Platonic solids to irregular Archimedean solids) students can study the principles, relationships, terminology, classification, and real world relevance of their constructions. An immensely rich source of ideas for integrating across the curriculum and for staff development. (up to 75 students/workshop).
Math Through Movement
Explore problem solving through a series of original and progressively challenging movement tasks. Partners and groups discover the effects of perception, process and behavior (cooperative, competitive, independent) upon the outcomes of specific problems. Packed with activities that expand mathematical thinking, computation, and number learning. Develop rules of anthropomorphic measurement. Form group shapes and patterns to make larger than life tangrams. Graph tableaux shapes from a game of 3-dimensional Twister. Examine topology, critical thinking, problem solving, logic, and hypothesis formation.
Enter the Gamesman
Follow the rich history of games from five continents spanning 5000 years. Pick an era and conduct a comparative study across the continents or scrutinize a specific culture and follow the evolution of games over the centuries.
Hot Air Balloon Hype
Students construct and launch 4' tall scale hot air balloons from tissue paper within a two tome frame that includes discussion of principles and history of flight and the science of weather.
Program Titles: It's All In How You Say It!
Workshops: Math Through Movement; Enter the Gamesman; Geodesic Dome Project, Hot Air Balloon Hype.
Audience Limit: 325/performance; 30/workshops ; 65/Geo Dome and Hot Air Hype
Fee: $525/one performance; $775/two performances; $825/day workshops; $450/evening.
$425 libraries. Travel and materials inclusive.
Health: Communication
Language Arts: Creative Writing
Math
Rich Bala
PO Box 179
Billings, NY 12510
(914) 227-7293
E Mail: Baladeer@aol.com
Website: www.richbala.com
Like the troubadors of long ago, Rich presents authentic, traditional folksongs that bring history to life.
Accompanying himself on guitar, banjo, and mountain dulcimer, he sings the actual songs people
created about their, their work, and their experiences, which shaped the course of our nation's history
and heritage. Program topics include the Colonial Period and the Revolutionary War, life on the farm,
the era of sail and steam, and songs from the lumbercamps, canals, as well as other aspects of
our "folk legacy".
In addition to assembly concerts, Rich also offers extended "workshops", and longer
"multi-day" residencies where students actively participate in experiencing history through role-playing,
"creative visualization", and by composing their own songs, based on these activities. (Grades: 4 & up)
References, program descriptions, and 'demo' tape available on request.
Program Titles: Our Folk Heritage in Song; The Land Knows You're There; When I First Came To This
Land; Private Yankee Doodle
Audience Limit: 30/class; 250/assembly
Fee: Assembly - $350 (w/ 4 workshops - $600); Residency - $150/class (4/day max.)
Social Studies: American History, Geography, Occupations (farmers, lumbermen, sailors)
Language Arts: Creative Writing)
Science: Seasons
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Mark Binder, Author - Storyteller
Pembroke Villa
PO Box 2462
Providence, RI 02906
(401) 272-8707
Email: mark@markbinder.com
Website: www.markbinder.com
Mark Binder is the author of the Everything Bedtime Story Book, and has had hundreds of short stories published in newspapers and magazines like The Family, Hadassah, and Cricket. He is a professional storyteller and recording artist, with five storytelling CDs, including the award-winning Classic Stories for Boys and Girls.
Mark graduated from the Trinity Rep Theater Conservatory, earned a BA from Columbia University, an MA from Rhode Island College, and has taught as an adjunct professor at the Rhode Island School of Design. He is a Rhode Island Artist Educator, and on the New England Foundation for the Arts Touring Roster. He is a founder of the American Story Theater and has served on the board of the League for the Advancement of New England Storytelling.
His programs have received grant funding from the United States Department of Education, the Rhode Island Department of Education, the City of Providence, the Massachusetts Cultural Council, National Storytelling Network, and the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts.
Program Title: Tales for Peace, Eureka! Science and Math Stories; Tall Tales and Whoppers; The Instant Short Story; Silly Stories; Tales of Chelm; Holiday Stories and Songs; Spooky Stories; Tales from the Outdoors; Telling and Reading Stories with Children...
Audience Limit: 250/assembly
Fee: $750 half day, $1000 full day
Possible Funding Sources: RI State Council on the Arts, Massachusetts Cultural Council, New England Foundation for the Arts, B.O.C.E.S. (New York)
Language: Folk Tales, Creative Writing
Social Studies: American History, Countries and Regions of the World, Holidays)
Science: Ecology, Environment)
Math
Health: Conflict Resolution |
Birds in Their Habitat
Henry Lappen
120 Pulpit Hill Road, #31
Amherst, MA 01002
(413) 549-3722
E mail: Heron@HenryLappen.com
Website: www.henrylappen.com
Birds in Their Habitat is an educational science show using masks of birds to teach about bird biology and behavior. Artist Henry Lappen demonstrates how each species has evolved to fit its environment.
Participants don the masks and swim as Puffins, soar as Eagles, and stalk as Herons. Topics covered include nest building, hunting for food, hiding from danger, preening, and playing. This show fits the curriculum framework of the Department of Education for adaptation and nature units for elementary grades. A curriculum guide is available.
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Birds in their Habitat is also available as a residency where students make their own masks, research the animals and learn to physically portray them.
Program Title: Birds in their Habitat
Audience Limit: 250
Fee: $400 for 1 show, $600. for 2. Travel may be extra.
Science: Animals (birds), Nature
Judith Black
Ellen Weiner
Professional Artists Management
2411 Bay Road
Sharon, MA 02067
(781) 784-6394
Fax: (781) 784-5393
E Mail: elweiner@att.net
Website: www.elweiner.com
With a degree in education and twenty years of experience, Judith uses storytelling in both
performance and workshop with all grade levels. Her original performance material has been featured
at festivals and conferences throughout the continent from the Montreal Comedy Festival to the National
Storytelling Festival in Jonesboro, Tennessee. She has keynoted conferences on the uses of
storytelling in education and received commissions to create original works for organizations as wide
ranging as the U.S. Department of the Interior and the Boston Museum of Fine Arts.
Program Titles: History Alive - America's Unsung Heroes and Heroines; The Long Journey - Stories of
Immigration; Pinching the Giants - Tricksters of the World; Glad to Be Who I Am - Tales To Bolster
Self-Image; Rainbow Race - World Folk Tales; many more.
Audience Limit: 25/class; 200/assembly
Fee: Begin at $400 for the first performance, $250 for each thereafter same day/same location.
Funding Sources: Massachusetts Cultural Council, New England Foundation for the Arts, B.O.C.E.S. (New York)
Language Arts: Folk Tales,Trickster Tales
Social Studies: Countries and Regions of the World, American History, Women's History, Immigration); Health (Self-Esteem
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Bob Bloom - Drumming About You
Bob Bloom
PO Box 436
Storrs, CT 06268
(860) 429-9280
E Mail: bb@drumming-about-you.com
Web Site: www.drumming-about-you.com
Recognized for the high level of interactivity and team building
characteristics of his hands-on presentations, BOB BLOOM was certified
as a Master Teaching Artist by The Connecticut
Commission on the Arts in 1997. He presents assemblies,
residency programs, and after-school sessions for all grade levels.
Entire audiences, inclusive of students with special needs, play a
beautiful array of hand drums and percussion instruments
to accompany Bob as he sings some of the most engaging songs
from North America, South America, Africa, and The Caribbean Region.
Bob facilitates inservice workshops for educators and social
workers who wish to incorporate group-drumming strategies to support curricula
and to enhance their students' personal growth programs.
Linda Goodwin, a teacher at Pomfret (Connecticut) Community School writes:
"We had Bob as a resident artist for eight sessions on drumming. His sense of
humor and energetic approach engaged the students in his wide range of
activities. They gained pride in each other and their ability to work together."
Program Titles: Drumming About You
Fee: Starts at $500.00. Please call for custom program quote
Funding Sources: Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism, New England Foundation for the Arts, Albany/Schenectady Alliance for Arts in Education (NY)
Health: Self-Esteem
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Rosa Bova
231 Massachusetts Ave, Apt. 208
Arlington, MA 02174
(781) 646-8876
"Rosa's vivid imagination, creative imagery and sense of humor capture the minds and hearts of children
and adults," says elementary school teacher, June Roche, Hardy School, Arlington.
"As inaugural children's performer at Huntington Theatre Open House Storyteller Rosa Bova captivated
ages 5 to 75. Thanks to the success of her performance we have established storytelling as an integral
part of Open House at the Theatre," says Deborah J. Gillis, Huntington Theatre.
Other Clients include: Lincoln Center NY Storytelling Festival, Cambridge Center for Adult Education,
Bookcellar Cafe, State of Maine Writers Conference, Schools, Libraries.
Program Titles: Amelia Earhart First Lady of the Air; Betsy Ross, Girl of Olde Philadelphia; Come and
Hear About Paul Revere; Glauscabi and The Wind Eagle (Native American); The Romance of Italy
(Folklore, Legends, Personal); Paul Bunyan and Other Tall Tales; A Whale of a Tale (Nature); Fluttery,
Buttery Butterflies (Nature); Turkeys, Indians and Popcorn (Fall/Thanksgiving); Childhood stories,
and more.
Fee: $300-$350
Special Requirements: Small table, chair; microphone/VCR as needed
Language Arts: Folk Tales, Tall Tales, Native American
Social Studies: American History- Colonial, Geography, Countries - Italy, Holidays, Famous People
Historical Characters
Science: Nature, Seasons
Bubble-Mania!
Casey Carle
K&C Enterprises
PO Box 176 East Haddam, CT 06423
860-873-9599
E Mail: Casey@bubblemania.com
Web site: www.bubblemania.com
How do you earn the position of bubble consultant to Cirque du Soleil? How do gain the title �Bubble Artist Champion� at an international contest on
Japanese TV? Full-time entertainer and comic bubble-ologist Casey Carle does it by being really, really good at...... well, bubbling.
Which explains why his stage show BubbleMania! has been in high demand throughout New England and beyond since 1989 - performing 300-400
shows a year. Other credits include The Ringling Bros Circus, The Smithsonian Institute, Lucille Ball Festival of Comedy, The CT Public TV Science
Expo (5 years), science museums and theaters coast to coast. Mr. Carle is also an award winning bubble video artist and is co-author of �BubbleOlogy� -
a 2004 Teachers� Choice Award winning book.
BubbleMania! is available in two formats:
- Comedy With A Drip! � A BubbleManiac since 1987, Casey Carle creates an event loaded with visual comedy, quick wit, big band swing music and amazing soap bubble manipulations - from intricate and inspiring bubble art forms to trapping people inside giant bubbles! Amazement and Amusement for ages 5 to 95!
- Science, Art & Comedy! � Since 1992 Mr. Carle has combined his bubbling skills with engaging, fun and age appropriate science for schools. From super solutions and surface tension to cube bubbles and human sized bubbles, this high energy show guarantees that jaws will drop, laughter will explode and brains will be whirling for grades K-6. A study guide co-authored by The Smithsonian Institute is available at www.bubblemania.com.
More thorough descriptions, news articles, recommendations, photos and booking guidelines are at www.bubblemania.com. [Also learn how to use Casey's popular book/kit as a fundraiser.]
Program Titles: Bubble-Mania: Comedy With A Drip! (Family shows); Bubble-Mania: Science, Art and Comedy (School assembly).
Audience Limit: Assembly: 250 with a stage, 200 without a stage. Family Show: 350-400. Theaters: 600+ (Shorter shows with only the BIG stuff)
Current Fees: Single show : $445-$595, Two back-to-back shows: $745-$945. (Fees are based on travel distance and include all expenses).
Funding Sources: BOCES (NY State), CT Commision on Culture and Tourism (cultureandtourism.org), New England Foundation for the Arts (nefa.org)
Special Requirements: Indoor only. Any mess is self-contained. No worries.
Science: Physics, Chemistry, Nature
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Burt the Raccoon - The World's Funniest Puppet Show!
John L. Tierney, Ed. D.
169 Browning Street
Wakefield, RI 02879
(401) 789-1749
E Mail: Burttheraccoon@aol.com
Website: www.Burttheraccoon.com
John Tierney is a teacher and a professional puppeteer with a background in early childhood education. He has performed
the Burt Show at schools, libraries and festivals since 1985.
Exciting, entertaining and educational, this program explains many facts about raccoons as well as "demonstrating" a
typical forest food chain. Ideal for children in preschool, kindergarten, first, second and third grade.
Program Titles: Burt the Raccoon - The World's Funniest Puppet Show
Audience Limit: 25 to 30
Fee: $165; $250 for 2 shows
Science: Environment, Nature, Forest/Trees, Animals (Raccoon)); American Sign Language
Health: Safety (Seat)
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C
Michael Caduto
PO Box 1052
Norwich, VT 05055
(802) 649-1815
Website: www.p-e-a-c-e.net
Email: michaelcaduto@p-e-a-c-e.net
Using traditional storytelling techniques, song, dance, guitar, Native instruments, discussion and
activities, Michael Caduto immerses his audiences in programs about World cultures and Earth
Stewardship. Performances are available based on Native cultures and the environment from
throughout North America and beyond.
Michael's natural history and environmental programs include slides, folklore, guitar and song,
field trips and, in some cases, live animals. These programs help children understand, appreciate and
care for Earth --- the plants, animals and cultures with whom we share this planet.
Michael is the author of the award-winning Earth Tales From Around the World and
In the Beginning: The Story of Genesis and Earth Activities for Children (A new color picture book for 2004), and co-author of the
best-seller, Keepers of the Earth: Native American Stories and Environmental Activities for Children.
Program Titles: Keepers of the Earth; Earth Tales from Around the World; The Rainbow Garden
(Celebrating Cultural Diversity); Native American Thanksgivings; Keepers of the Animals; Keepers of
the Night; Flying Turtles and Talking Bears; Nature in Native American Myths; Italian Tales of
Wisdom; Earth Gardens and the Seeds of Life; The Loon's Necklace; The Children Who Plant Trees; Tales from the Deep: Legends of the Living Waters; and Touching the Sky Dome:Tales of the Sun, Stars and Moon
Audience Limit: 50/class; 250+/assembly
Fee: $225-350 for each performance/workshop, plus .30/mile. Residencies are $600/day.
Funding Sources: New England Foundation for the Arts, Vermont Arts Council, New Hampshire Council on the Arts.
Special Requirements: Michael works in all kinds of environments, from classrooms and school libraries to assemblies and outdoor festivals. When indoors, a quiet space that can be darkened enhances the performance.
Language Arts: Folk Tales, Native American
Social Studies: Countries and Regions of the World (Italy), Holiday (Earth Day, Thanksgiving and the Giving Seasons, Martin Luther King Day, Arbor Day, Halloween)
Science: Environment, Ecology, Nature, Animals
Tom Callinan and Ann Shapiro
c/o Crackerbarrel Entertainments
168 Shore Road
Clinton, CT 06413-2340
(860) 669-6581; Toll-Free Outside Connecticut: (800) 565-3687
Fax: (860) 669-6648
E-Mail: tom.c@crackerbarrel-ents.com
Website: http://www.crackerbarrel-ents.com/tomann01.htm
For over 20 years, the husband and wife team of Tom Callinan and Ann Shapiro has toured an assortment of informative and entertaining participatory
programs throughout the Eastern Seaboard of the United States for audiences as diverse as nursery schools through nursing homes. Whether appearing as
solo artists or as their duo, they blend their extensive repertoire of songs, which span many centuries, with an impressive array of instruments from the
wind, string, and percussion families. As storytellers, they were among the Featured Tellers at the National Storytelling Festival (1999),
and "Tellers-In-Residence" at the International Storytelling Center (2003). Their stories are told in-tandem or individually, embellished with humor,
music, sound effects, and audience involvement. Each has been designated a Master Teaching Artist by the Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism.
Tom was designated as Connecticut's first "Official State Troubadour" in 1991. His credits include:
The Kennedy Center, "Good Morning America," "Shining Time Station," and many others.
Honors include: composing songs included in an Emmy Award-winning documentary and co-writing
songs on a Parents Choice Gold Award recording, among others.
In addition to her work as a creative and performing artist, Ann also serves as the Education Director
of the Connecticut Storytelling Center, in-residence at Connecticut College.
Her administrative skills include writing grants and arranging residencies at schools and other
cultural venues.
They have produced over a dozen recordings on CD and cassette. A catalog is available, along with
printed study-guides pertaining to their Arts-In-Education programs. Information about their
teacher-training and consulting services are available as well.
Program Titles: Come On & Sing; From Sea to Shining Sea; Holiday Hodge Podge; In the Good Old
Colony Days; I'm Gonna Write a Song; Home Fires; Imagine Menagerie; Thumbs Up for Connecticut;
Sea Songs, Chanteys, and Nautical Lore; Irish and Irish-American Songs and Stories; Let's Clean Up
Our Act; Conflict Resolution, and more.
Audience Limit: 30/class; 300/assembly
Fees: Assembly- $500/solo [1st show. 2nd show @ $300]; $750/duo [1st show. 2nd show @ $450];
Classroom- $500 per day/4 classes-solo. Travel is included within Connecticut. Out of state: 35� per mile, round-trip from Clinton, CT.
Funding Sources: Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism, New England Foundation for the Arts, BOCES (New York).
Special Requirements: Access to performance space 45 minutes before first show
Science: Environment, Ecology, Sea, Animals (Whales)
Language Arts: Creative Writing
Social Studies: American History (Colonial, Revolutionary War, Immigration, Westward Expansion, Civil War) , Country (Ireland), Holidays, Regions (New England), State (Connecticut), Occupation (Sailor, Whalemen, Railroad, Farmer, Mill Worker, Miner, Cowboy)
Health: Conflict Resolution
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Tom Callinan and Don Sineti
c/o Crackerbarrel Entertainments
168 Shore Road
Clinton, CT 06413-2340
860)669-6581; Toll-Free Outside Connecticut: (800) 565-3687
Fax:(860)669-6648
E-Mail: tom.c@crackerbarrel-ents.com
Website: http://www.crackerbarrel-ents.com/don_and_tom.htm
With banjo, concertina, guitar, spoons, bodhran, ocarina, penny whistles, bones, and limberjack,
Tom and Don are masters of generating audience participation. Their infectious performing style
blends sea songs and traditional folksongs with folk-revival and original compositions. Sea chanteys
(work songs), done in powerful harmony, recall the days of wooden ships and iron men. Ballads and
songs about the environment and the plight of the world's endangered whales bring out their more
sensitive side. Effortlessly, the duo shifts gears from ballads, to toe-tapping instrumentals, to silly ditties. They are ideal for inter-generational/family audiences and fund-raisers.
Their programs can be specific or eclectic in theme, depending on the needs of the sponsoring
organization (school, library, museum, etc.). Some feature the implementation of "home-made"
apparatus to simulate the experience of working on a ship for volunteers selected from the audience.
Rhythm instruments are often distributed to volunteers selected from the audience to form a "foo-foo"
band, reminiscent of those found in immigrant communities, or on ship-board in the 18th, 19th,
and early 20th Centuries. Music, songs, Don's award-winning illustrations, slides, and an assortment
of hands-on artifacts raise the lecture/demo format to a multi-media experience.
Program Titles: Songs & Tales of Ships & Whales; Folksongs - Old & New; Songs For the Earth; Instruments & Instrumentals; Drawn By the Song of the Sea (Illustrations/Slides & Music).
Audience Limit: 30/class; 300/assembly
Fees: Assembly- $500/solo [1st show. 2nd show @ $300]; $750/duo [1st show. 2nd show @ $450];
Classroom- $500 per day/4 classes-solo. Travel is included within Connecticut. Out of state: 35� per mile, round-trip from Clinton, CT.
Funding Sources: Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism, New England Foundation for the Arts, BOCES (in New York)
Special Requirements: Access to performance space 45 minites before first show
Science: Environment, Ecology, Sea, Animals (Whales)
Language Arts: Creative Writing
Social Studies :American History (Colonial, Revolutionary War, Immigration, Westward Expansion, Civil War) , Country (Ireland), Holidays, Regions (New England), State (Connecticut), Occupation (Sailor, Whalemen, Railroad, Farmer, Mill Worker, Miner, Cowboy)
Health: Conflict Resolution
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Kate Carney's "Heroic Women You Can Talk To"
Kate Carney
43 Commonwealth Road
Watertown, MA 02472
(617) 926-7272
Fax: (617) 926-7273
E Mail: carneyk@earthlink.net
Web site: www.katecarney.net
Travel back in time with Kate as she tells stories, in costume and character, from the lives of extraordinary American women. These interactive, thought-provoking and often funny encounters with the past give your group a chance to explore history as if they were there.
Mrs. Larcom, Lowell Mills Boardinghouse Keeper. The mills are getting dangerous; the mill girls are speaking up. Should Mrs. Larcom? (Grade 5-up)
Paul Revere's Mother-in-law, Mrs. Walker, a gossipy innkeeper, engages us in scuttlebutt about events leading to the Revolutionary War. (Grades 5 -12)
Annie Sullivan, Teacher, insists that she�s no "miracle worker" -- and shows how deaf-blind-mutes like Helen Keller can learn. (Grades 5-12)
First Woman Doctor in the West, Bethenia Owens-Adair, MD reveals a secret of survival on the Oregon Trail/Frontier: Don�t take no for an answer. (Grades 5-12)
Juliette (Daisy) Low, Founder of America's Girl Scouts, had fun living life to its fullest. Then she found Scouting and her life's real meaning! (Grades 4-up)
Mary Antin, Russian Immigrant, and author ('The Promised Land'), celebrates her "American Dream" success. Who knew it came at a price? (Grades 5-12)
Mary Lyon of Mount Holyoke, founder of the first female seminary, ponders America's fear of "female greatness" and student Emily Dickinson. (Grades 7-12)
for Younger Children
Living History Stories in costume and character, about the American Revolution, the Frontier, Immigration, the Girl Scouts and Helen Keller�s World. (Grades 2-4)
Greek Myths and Aesop�s Fables: Children take roles in Aesop�s talking animal fables, and interact with heroes, gods and goddesses in thrilling misadventures. (Grades 2-6)
Mother Nature's Myths: enchanting, engaging, participatory "why" and "how" stories about why odd things in nature came to be as they are. (Grades K-4)
Mother Earth Multicultural Tales: interactive folk stories, which build appreciation for other cultures from around the world. (Grades K-4)
STUDY GUIDES are available for all of Kate's 45-minute programs. She offers WORKSHOPS in Role-playing, Storytelling and Creative Drama.
Program Titles: For Grades 5-12: Paul Revere's Mother-in-law, Mr. Walker; Mrs. Larcom, Lowell Mills Boardinghouse Keeper; Annie Sullivan, Teacher; First Woman Doctor in the West: Bethenia Owens-Adair, MD; Juliette (Daisy) Low, founder of America's Girl Scouts; Mary Antin, Russian Immigrant; and Mary Lyon of Mount Holyoke.
For Grades 2-6: Living History Stories, Greek Myths and Aesop�s Fables. For K-4: Mother Nature's Myths and Mother Earth's Multicultural Tales.
Audience Limits: 200/assembly depending on show
Fees: For groups up to 60: $280 plus $.48/mile. Size of group determines fee. Discounts available for Performance/Workshop combos, co-sponsorship and block bookings.
Funding Sources: New England Foundation for the Arts (www.nefa.org)
Requirements: A music or speaker�s stand (for visual aids). Lowell Mills program requires 9 stands or 2 long tables for visuals.
Social Studies: American History (American Revolution, Lowell Mills/Industrial Revolution, Westward Movement, Immigration), Regions (New England, West), Famous People (Annie Sullivan, Mary Lyon, Mary Antin, Juliette Low), Women's History, Countries
Science: Environment, Ecology
Language Arts: Folk Tales
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Lon Cerel
18 Pinewood Avenue
Johnston, RI 02919
(401) 946-3183
E Mail: magicguy@cox.net
Website: loncerel.com/magicofreading.html
"The Magic of Reading" is a curriculum-based program incorporating popular children's books.
Lon Cerel has been entertaining children and their families for over 20 years and has twice been voted "RI's Best
Family Entertainment" by the RI Parents' Paper.
Lon's goal is to aid in your efforts to motivate your children, by promoting the Fun of recreational reading, and the use of the library. Instead of turning on the TV, children learn to turn on their minds and their imaginations. The program is a perfect companion to the Books & Beyond and Feinstein Good Deeds programs. In addition, by utilizing the techniques of stage magic, each illusion reinforces moral values such as sharing, cooperation, giving respect to get respect, "paying it forward", and consequences (cause and effect).
The program is specirfically geared to grades K-5.
Program Title: The Magic of Reading
Audience Limit: 250/assembly
Fee: $450-$550; second show, same day: $200 additional
Language Arts: Reading, Children's Literature, Folk Tales
Health: Self-Esteem
Social Studies: Famous People - Betsy Ross
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Karen Chace
97 Chipaway Road
East Freetown, MA 02717
(508) 763-8565
E Mail: storybug@aol.com
Website: www.storybug.net
Since 2000 Karen has presented her enthusiastic, interactive, and participatory programs at libraries, conferences and schools around the country. She is also the founder and director of a student storytelling program and since 2002 she has mentored over 85 student storytellers. She is a contributing author to the National Storytelling Network's recent publications, A Beginner�s Guide to Storytelling and Telling Stories to Children and writes a regular column for Storytelling Magazine. Her conference presentations include the National Storytelling Conference, Youth, Educators and Storytelling (YES), Sharing the Fire, and the Northland�s Storytelling Network.
With a Bachelor�s Degree in English Literature, she combines her passion for literacy and storytelling in delightful programs of stories from around the world. Karen believes that storytelling inspires students, offering them opportunities to succeed in ways they never imagined!
�Karen catches the children and never lets them go.� Karen Allen, New Bedford Whaling Museum, MA
Program Titles: Jaws, Claws and Paws: Animal Stories From Around the World; Tales With Scales: Fish Stories From Around the World; The Trickster Tour; The Treasure Chest;
Book A Trip Around the World; Winter Wonderland; Spooktacular Stories; The Spirit of the Season; Pathways to Peace
Workshop/Residencies: Storytelling With Ease; Story by Story � Building a School Storytelling Club; S.T.A.R. (Stories Teach and Reach); Researching Stories on the Internet
Audience Limit: 25/class; 200/assembly
Fee: $250 plus travel; Block Booking rates available. Residencies, Teacher's In-services and Conferences vary and are negotiable
Possible Funding Sources: Massachusetts Cultural Council
Language Arts: Folk Tales (General, Trickster Tales)
Health: Self-Esteem, Conflict Resolution
Social Studies: Countries and Regions of the World, Geography, Holidays
Science: Animals, Nature, Sea, Seasons
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Children�s Voices Theater
Ellen Weiner
Professional Artists Management
2411 Bay Road
Sharon, MA 02067
(781) 784-6394
Fax: (781) 784-5393
E Mail: elweiner@att.net
Website: www.elweiner.com
Promote Literacy and Celebrate the Imagination With �Children�s Voices Theater�
Children�s Voices transforms stories and poems written by students K-6, into a magical theatrical experience that combines
acting, mime, comedy,masks,puppetry,jugglling, and audience participation.
Throughout the performance, Michael Zerphy and Marv Klassen-Landis, creators of Children�s Voices, weave themes of trusting one�s inner voice, overcoming fear, and getting started when �I don�t know what to write� . Students get so excited after seeing this performance that they can�t wait to write their own poems and stories. This production is a high energy high student motivator. Workshops and residencies are also available. A Teacher Guide is provided.
Audience Limit: 200/250
Fee: $800 for one, $1,300 for two -block booking rates available -public performances may be somewhat higher
Funding Sources: New England Foundation for the Arts, Vermont Arts Council, New Hampshire Council on the Arts
Special Requirements: None- a stage is not required �set up time approximately one hour
Language Arts: Reading, Writing
Health: Self-esteem
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David Coffin, M.Ed
38 Haskell
Gloucester, MA 01930
(978) 282-4680
Fax: same, call first
E Mail: david@davidcoffin.com
Web site: www.davidcoffin.com
Since 1980, David has performed every year with the Christmas Revels, and since 1991, as Master of Ceremonies, teaching and
leading Revels audiences in song. He has appeared at numerous festivals including the Newport Folk Festival, Mystic Sea Music
Festival, and the Lunenburg, Nova Scotia Folk Festival. He has several recordings of his own and has been featured on many more.
His music has also been featured on NBC.
Music for the King's Court: Exploring the Early Winds With characteristic panache, David Coffin has been delighting audiences both young and old
in demonstrating his collection of Early Wind Instruments. His engaging presentation covers the history of the
recorder from the primitive ocarina through the medieval gemshorns and the recorders of the Renaissance and Baroque
periods. With complete sets of beautifully crafted instruments, David demonstrates each one proficiently with
period examples of music written for that particular instrument. He illustrates with humor and vitality
the evolution of the Early Instruments and the reasons they either evolved or became extinct. (Grades K-12)
From Boston Harbor: Take a virtual tour around Boston Harbor and hear historical anecdotes and songs that
illustrate Boston's role in shaping a great nation. This is the 'land based' version of his popular summer boat
tour Boston By Sea. (Grades 4-and up)
Life At Sea: Get the whole group singing the sea shanties as we 'hoist the sails,' leave Nantucket to go a-whaling, across
the line and around the Horn. And just why did we do that anyway? (Grades K-12)
Brochures with full descriptions are available upon request. Video CD-ROM also available for the King's Court program.
Program Titles: Music for the King's Court; From Boston Harbor; Life At Sea
Audience Limits: Music for the King's Court: 150; Maritime Programs: 300
Fees (including travel): $700 and up; block booking discounts available and encouraged. Cultural Council, (www.massculturalcouncil.org)
and local cultural councils. Private subsidy is available.
Requirements: Music for the King's Court: power supply, access to space 45 minutes prior.
Science: sound, transportation
Social Studies: American history, Occupations (sailors/whalermen), Geography, Regions (New England)
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Deborah Costine, Puppeteer!
6 Wood Street
Southborough, MA 01772
508-481-6837
E Mail: deborahcostine@verizon.net
Longtime artist and professional puppeteer with the popular Gerwick Puppets, Deborah Costine presents her own unique �Small Shows for Small Groups of Small Children,� for children ages 3 and up. Audience size is limited!
The Twig Family in The Oak Tree
This happy gentle story is about a family of imaginary �twig� people who live in harmony with nature. There are Leaf and Fern and their daughter Mossy. Their Oak Tree home provides them with everything they need to be happy.
What a surprise when they receive a visit from �cousin Lawn� who tells them they should leave their home! Audience size limited to 35 people!
The Three Pigs and other Classics
Using mesmerizing and unique Shadow Puppetry, Deborah presents �The Three Billy Goats Gruff�, �The Three Pigs�, �Stone Soup� and �The Shoemaker and The Elves�.
Cinderella, a Woodland Fairy Princess
This new version of Cinderella takes place in the land of the Woodland Fairies. There are many kinds of fairies: moss, fern, and rock fairies to name a few. The King of all Woodland fairies wants his son to marry a fairy princess, but can�t find one. So he hosts a great ball and invites every fairy maiden in the land. He is hoping that a princess will come! And there is a secret to identifying a true fairy princess.
Special Requirements: Audience size is limited to 75 people, except �The Twig Family in the Oak Tree� must not exceed 35 people. The �Shadow Puppet� show needs a darkened room.
Fees: $225 plus a travel fee. Additional performances are $100.
Language Arts: Fairy Tales
Crabgrass Puppet Theatre
Encore Performing Arts, Inc
Roberta Wolinsky
PO Box 630
Melville, NY 11747
(800) 669-9850
Fax: (631) 423-1795
E Mail: puppets@encoreperforming.com
Website: crabgrasspuppet.com
Crabgrass Puppet Theatre presents quality puppet theatre featuring a variety of intricate and unusual
puppets, colorful scenery, music, and expert manipulation. Programs available include:
"Anansi, Spiderman of Africa" is a side-splitting selection of famous folktales from Africa starring Anansi
the spider, whose appetite always overrules his intellect. The show is a dynamic blend of traditional
African design, infectious music and fabulous puppetry.
"The Day It Snowed Tortillas" is a delightful Mexican folktale in which creative problem-solving is the key ingredient that helps a poor couple outwit a gang of bullies. A poor woodcutter and his wife have the chance of a lifetime � to become rich! All they have to do is keep a secret . . . something the woodcutter simply can't do. His clever wife cooks up an ingenious plan, and all she needs to do is make it snow � in July � in Mexico! The recipe for this hilarious folktale includes fantastic puppets, marvelous music, and one very funny chicken!
"Mr. Punch's Christmas Carol" is a lighthearted adaptation of Dickens' holiday classic, starring Mr. Punch as Scrooge.
"The Last Dragon on Earth" is a modern fairytale about learning to live together in peace. It tells the story of
a Princess that does not need to be rescued from a misunderstood dragon who happens to be the very last one on earth.
Program Titles: Anansi, Spiderman of Africa; The Day It Snowed Tortillas; Mr. Punch's Christmas Carol; The Last Dragon on Earth
Special Requirements: 9 ft. ceiling clearance
Fee: $915 � 1040 for 1 $1210-1335 for 2 back-to-back
Funding Sources: New England Foundation for the Arts, Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism, VT Council on the Arts
Language Arts: Reading, Children's Lit., Folk Tales, Poetry
Science: Animals
Social Studies: Countries and Regions of the World (Africa), Holidays (Christmas)
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D
Jeff Danger, Science Ranger
153 Hamilton Street
Cambridge, MA 02139
(617-899-4140) (Fax: 617-491-0763)
E-mail: jeffdanger55@yahoo.com
Website: http://www.sciencerangers.com
The Jeff Danger, Science Ranger Show is a variety show of phsyical science. This program entertains, educates, and
inspires a child to think about science by presenting the basics of many important scientific ideas with flabbergasting demonstrations of
natural forces that audiences talk about for months to come.
Teachers hire Jeff Danger, Science Ranger Show because his
presentation of physical science concepts supplements curriculum and provides an excellent review before standardized
testing.
Parents hire Jeff Danger, Science Ranger Show to captivate children with entertaining, educational presentations
that make a child's birthday party unforgettable. The most often heard feedback: "He kept the audience's attention the whole time."
Plenty of references are provided.
Program Titles: Jeff Danger, Science Ranger Show
Fee: Averages about $300 per program. See Website for details on pricing/travel expenses.
Science
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Jeff Davis
In Massachusetts:
Young Audiences of Massachusetts
255 Elm Street, Suite 302
Somerville, MA 02144
(617) 629-9269
E Mail: yamass@yamass.org
Website: www.yamass.org
Jeff Davis offers a musical journey into the history of rural America. With humor, warmth, and
scholarship he brings with him the songs and stories of working Americans, from the miner to the
mill girls. His programs make the listener feel a little closer to a counterpart of an earlier time. Jeff
plays a host of instruments including guitar, banjo, fiddle, dulcimer, spoons, bones, jaw's harps and
more.
Program Titles: American Sampler; New England Patchwork, Oregon Trail
Fee: negotiable
Funding Source: Massachusetts Cultural Council
Special Requirements: 1 table; 2 chairs
Social Studies: American History, Regions (New England, South, West), Occupations (Cowboy, Sailor)
Debbie O'Carroll Magical Theatre for Children
Debbie O'Carroll
51 Olive Street
Newburyport, MA 01950
(978) 462-9954
Fax: (978) 462-9954
Email: debbie@debbieocarroll.com
Website: www.debbieocarroll.com
Debbie O'Carroll is a 'one of a kind' performer. She combines stage magic, theatre, and dance with lots of audience participation.
Her appealing props, delightful costumes, enchanting magic and lively stage movement both educate and entertain.
Program Titles: The Magic Library (reading); Celebrate the December Holidays (diversity); Whoops the Wizard (science);
The Irish Magic Show (children's literature); The Yankee Doodle Magic Show (social studies); The Railroad Magic Show (geography);
The Magic of Exercise (physical fitness); Tall Tales from a Small World (geography); Magical Medley (performing arts); Shorten the Road, Tales of Ireland; Tom & Debbie O'Carroll, The Music & Magic of Ireland;
Addacadabra (Math)
Grade Level Suitability: Pre-K through 6
Audience Size Limit: None.
Fee: $300 - $400; Block Booking rates for two or more performances. Discounts for after school programs.
Language Arts: Reading, Children's Literature
Social Studies: American History, Holidays, Geography, Countries (Ireland),Transportation)
Health: Physical Fitness
Science
Math
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Sara deBeer
1378 Boulevard
West Hartford, CT 06119
(860) 561-5905
E Mail: sdebeer@comcast.net
Since 1978, Sara deBeer has delighted audiences of all ages with her repertoire of international folktales. An experienced classroom teacher with degrees from Yale and Bank Street, Sara frequently designs programs which tie in with on-going classroom studies of science and social studies. When working with individual classes, Sara often combines performing with writing or storytelling exercises which permit students to explore the events and characters of the stories they just heard. (Sara is a fellow of the 2005 Connecticut Writing Project, Storrs, CT.) Sara also offers workshops for teachers and assembly programs for elementary, middle, and high school students.
Program Titles: Tales of Deep-Rooted Magic; Folktales from the Many Cultures of Africa; Tales
of Women Wise and Wondrous; Jewish Tales for Young and Old; Legends of King Arthur; Hand-
Collected Irish Yarns
Fee: $250-$500
Language Arts: Writing, Folktales (Irish, African, Native American, Jewish, Asian), Classical Stories (King Arthur)
Health: Self-Esteem
Social Studies: Countries and Regions of the World, Women's History
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Leeny Del Seamonds
Master Story Performer
PO Box 1268
Westford, MA 01886
Phone/Fax: 978-692-3961
E-mail: leeny@LeenyDelSeamonds.com
Website: www.LeenyDelSeamonds.com
Leeny Del Seamonds is a vivacious Hispanic master performer of World and original stories, legends, family foibles,
ghost tales and storysongs. An accomplished actor, singer and mime, Leeny transports listeners to foreign places and
into multicultural situations, fostering understanding and appreciation of human and cultural diversity.
With a twinkle in her eye and fire in her heart, Leeny breathes life into stories, as she masterfully and
effortlessly springs from one story character to another, inviting audiences to share in her Latin/Cuban-American
sense of humor and love of people. The 2002 National Storyteller of the Year�, Leeny is on the Massachusetts Cultural
Council's Creative Schools Program roster, the Massachusetts Touring Program, the New England Foundation for the
Arts roster, is a member of the National Storytelling Network, is a past Board Member of the League for the Advancement
of New England Storytelling and a frequent contributor to their Museletter. Leeny has also been published in
Storytelling Magazine, Tale Trader, and Ahhhh! A Tribute to Brother Blue. Her recording,
��Ay Caramba! �Ay Ay Ay! Cuentos y Canci�nes (Latino Stories & Songs),� won a 2003 Parents� Choice Silver Honor; and her
acclaimed recording, CelloTales: The Melding of Music, Myth & Memories, (with cellist Gideon Freudmann) won a 2004 Parents' Choice
Gold Award and a 2005 Storytelling World Winner Award.
Leeny Del Seamonds has been featured at the National Storytelling Festival and Teller-in Residence at the International
Storytelling Center, both in Jonesborough, TN. Leeny was a headliner at �Gimistory," The Cayman Islands International
Storytelling Festival, BWI; The Women's Center of Jacksonville Annual Celebration of Women; the Virginia Storytelling Alliance Gathering in Richmond, VA;
Tcha Tee Man Wi Storytelling Festival in Corvallis, OR; Three Apples Storytelling Festival in Harvard, MA; Prarie Center for the Arts
Stoytelling Festival, Schaumberg, IL; Smoky Hill River Festival, Salina, KS; Nebraska Stoytelling Festival; Mariposa Storytelling Festival in CA;
Multi-Cultural Stroytelling Festival in Eguene, OR; and Baltimore Book Festival, sponsored by Parents' Choice Foundation.
She has been featured at dozens of national festivals and special events, including Clearwater Great Hudson River Revival in New York;
Corn Island Storytelling Festival in Louisville, KY; John F. Kennedy Library & Museum; WaterFire Park in Providence, R.I. (four times); Hudson Valley Storytelling Festival;
Connecticut Storytelling Festival (twice); First Night Boston (seven times); Hynes Convention Center (five times); Club Passim in Cambridge, MA;
The Hatch Shell in Boston (twice); Connecticut Storytelling Institute (three times) and the Nu Wa Stoytelling Cultural Exchange Tour in China.
Leeny is a regular presenter at the Sharing the Fire Storytelling Conference, Cambridge, MA, and in
March 1996 was the featured Opening Keynote performer. She was Keynote for The Conference on Storytelling for Children at Keene State College, NH, and
has performed and presented at the National Storytelling Conferences in Philadelphia, Kansas City, Rhode Island, Denver and Bellingham, WA. Leeny is a regular cast member on Ribert & Robert's WonderWorld,
an award-winning national PBS Television and DVD series airing in the
United states and Singapore and distributed worldwide.
An multi award-winning international artist, Leeny is available for performances, workshops, teacher in-service, commissioned pieces,
coaching, Keynote addresses, television and touring.
Program Titles: Foibles, Folklore & Fun!; Tales, Trials & Tribulations; The Star Inside; �Ay Caramba!; The Nature of Things; For the Birds!; The Home of the Brave; Hooray for Heroes!; Which Way to the Witch?; Winter Magic Tales; Far Out! A Spacial Odyssey; I'magic'nation;
Millennium Myths & Madness!; Kudos for Courage & Kindness!* and CelloTales* with cellist Gideon Freudmann. (*Bookings for these programs available through
Young Audiences of Massachusetts
Workshops: Creative Dramatics; Mime, Movement & Improvisation; A Time for Mime;
Making the Most of Your Voice; Telling a Tale; �Ay Caramba�Dos!; and From Storybook to Storyteller: Making the Story Your Own!; Spoken Word Alive!
Audience Limit: 200/performance; 28/workshop
Fee: $500/one school daytime performance; $700/two; $900/three. $150/school workshop; $550+-evening/special; $2000+ for festivals/touring
(*plus travel)
Language Arts: Folktales, Bilingual
Social Studies: Countries and Regions of the World, Holidays
Science: Seasons, Nature
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Kevin Devine
32111 Westlady Drive
Beverly Hills, MI 48025
(877) ALL-SONG
E-Mail: KevinDevine@SongSource.com
Website:http://www.songsource.com/
Award-winning children's entertainer Kevin Devine specializes in rollicking participatory concerts for children and families. Over the past 15 years,
he has performed over 2,000 concerts and school programs from Maine to Texas, delighting audiences with his musical shenanigans and mad-cap antics.
With his Trunk of Many Hats and an array of instruments (guitars, accordion, dulcimer, percussion, piano, and more!) Kevin instigates lively sing-alongs,
impromptu choral works, call and response songs and continuous audience participation. With a seemingly endless repertoire of original songs,
children's classics, old folk songs, Broadway and movie hits, and songs from many cultures and in many languages,
Kevin crafts school programs for K-3 to fit a wide range of themes, particularly friendship, community, self-esteem, animals and transportation.
Kevin has also released five children's albums and has written dozens of songs for TV shows, including the PBS hit "Barney and Friends" as well as "General Hospital," "Judging Amy," "JAG" and more. He recently appeared as The Narrator in the US debut of the stage version of the new PBS import from Canada, "The Toy Castle."
Kevin also performs special family concerts with a traditional Celtic music band and with a jazz/blues ensemble. Whether solo or with an ensemble, all of Kevin's programs are tailored to meet the needs of his audience --
whether it is an informative "Short History of American Music" show or a pull-out-the-stops silly sing-along.
Program Title: Kevin Devine's Rollicking Participatory Concerts
Audience Limit: 50/class; 1,000+/assembly
Fee: class-$175/; full school assembly- $500 (plus travel) -- block bookings/multiple shows discounted; public concerts - $600-$750.
Special Requirements: 3 prong electrical outlet or house system (assembly)
Social Studies: Countries and Regions of the World, Community, Transportation, Americana
Science: Animals
Health: Self-Esteem
Elena Dodd - Meet Eleanor Roosevelt
Ellen Weiner, Professional Artists Management
2411 Bay Road
Sharon, MA 02067
(781) 784-6394
Fax: (781) 784-5393
E Mail: elweiner@att.net
Website: www.elweiner.com
"Meet Eleanor Roosevelt," performed by the actress Elena Dodd, is a
four-part personal visit from Mrs. Roosevelt. Part I covers Childhood
and Adolescence (and carries a strong self-esteem message), Part II,
Mother and First Lady, and Part III, Private Citizen and First Lady of
the World, and Part IV, Eleanor Roosevelt and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. These segments may be presented individually, in sequence or
in any combination. A dialogue with the audience follows each performance.
[Grades 4 and up]
Program Title: Meet Eleanor Roosevelt
Audience Limit: 200 for Grades K - 6, otherwise no limit
Fee: $400 for first show, $250 for each thereafter same day/same location.
Funding Sources: Vermont Arts Council, New Hampshire Council on Humanities,
New England Foundation for the Arts, B.O.C.E.S. (New York)
Social Studies: American History - Great Depression, Women's History
Health: Self-Esteem
Bill Dougal
243 Tobacco Street
Lebanon, CT 06249
(860) 456-9041
E Mail: bill@dougalart.com
Website: www.dougalart.com
COWBOY BILLY - A colorful cowboy character educating and entertaining through original songs and comedy. The Wild & Witty West Show provides a humorous look into the lifestyle of the cowboy. The OK Corral Show emphasizes character values. Songs teach moral lessons like being nice to your neighbor, and peaceful conflict resolution.
FUN SONGS FROM BILL'S HAT - Bill Dougal's original songs educate young people, and incorporate humor. Songs include; "Fact collection", "Mr.
Gravity", "It's My Brain" and "Ooey Gooey". A large cartoon visual accompanies each tune.
CARICATURES - Cartoon-style portraits. Visual interpretation of various head shapes and facial features with exaggeration & humor. Cartooning presentation also. Lecture/demo, workshop or drawing by the hour.
Program Titles: Cowboy Billy, Caricatures, Fun Songs From Bill's Hat
Fee: Start at $275
Social Studies: Geography, Regions (West), Occupations (Cowboys)
Health Conflict Resolution, Safety
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Jim Douglas
53 Whittemore Road
Sturbridge, MA 01566
(508) 347-2065
E-Mail: jim.douglas@nichols.edu
Jim Douglas sings history alive! Students love his "In Tune With the Times" programs because they
are lively and entertaining. They enjoy hearing and singing great songs, seeing new and interesting folk
instruments, and learning about other people and times. Teachers love the programs because they
reinforce many classroom lessons. Enrichment providers love the programs because they bring to life
a special part of our musical and cultural heritage in a way that is authentic, meaningful, and memorable.
During two decades as a full-time school performer, Jim has shared his love and extensive research of the past
and its music with audiences of all ages in well over a thousand schools. Mr. Douglas has a Master's
Degree in History (University of Connecticut), has published four books, and released seven recordings
of New England songs and stories. His book, Songs of New England: A Sourcebook for
Teachers, is being used extensively throughout the region, and his most recent book,
Music in Every Classroom : A Resource Guide for Integrating Music Across the Curriculum, Grades K-8 (Libraries Unlimited),
is helping teachers across the country enrich their classes. Jim's latest recording, Under A Spell,
earned the prestigious American Library Association Notable Award.
Jim's work has been supported by such organizations as the National Foundation for the Arts,
the Massachusetts Cultural Commission, Young Audiences of Maryland and Connecticut,
Connecticut Humanities Council, Old Sturbridge Village, Mystic Seaport, and Plimoth Plantation.
Program Titles: Yankee Doodle and His Cousin (colonial songs); A Peddler's Pack (songs of old New
England); (Your State) Songster; Thar She Blows! (songs the whalemen sang); A House Divided
(songs of the Civil War); The American Saga (American folk songs); From Farm to Factory; Across the
Western Ocean (Irish immigration); Freedom Is A Constant Struggle (the Constitution); Thereby
Hangs A Tale (tall tales from New England)
Audience Limit: 40/class; 200/assembly
Fee: $350 - 1 assembly; $250 for each assembly after; $400/day of classes (up to 4/day)
Funding Sources: Massachusetts Cultural Council
Social Studies: American History- Colonial, the Constitution, Westward Expansion, Irish Immigration,
Industrial Revolution, Civil War, Regions (New England), States, Occupations
(farmers, sailors peddlers), Holidays (Thanksgiving, Halloween)
Science: Sea
Language Arts: Folk Tales (Tall Tale)
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E
Ed the Wizard
Ed Cope
192 West Main Street
Orange, MA 01364
(978) 544-8092
E Mail: edthewizard@crocker.com
Web Site: www.edthewizard.com
With reading as the emphasis behind each perfomance or workshop, Ed the Wizard delights and entertains his audiences with
mystical and comedic routines suitable for all ages. Dressed in flowing robes, curled shoes, and conical hat, Ed the Wizard
uses many volunteers in his "hands on" performances. Inspired by J. K. Rowling and many others, Ed combined his life long interest
in magic with his passion for reading, and became the Wizard he is today. At the end of each performance, a book on learning
magic is donated to the school's library. And for the students that really pay attention, some of the routines he uses can be
found in the book!
Program Titles: Ed the Wizard
Grade Level Suitabiilty: Performances - Pre K - 6, Workshops - 3-6
Audience Size Limits: Performances - none, Workshops - 15 - 20
Fee: Starts at $325.00 base fee. Discounts available for multiple, same day performances/workshops.
Funding Sources: You Local Cultural Councils.
Language Arts: Reading, Literary programs
Enchanted Circle Theater
Ellen Weiner
Professional Artists Management
2411 Bay Road
Sharon, MA 02067
(781) 784-6394
Fax: (781) 784-5393
E Mail: elweiner@att.net
Website: www.elweiner.com
Enchanted Circle Theater is one of New England's premier children's theater companies, integrating
music, dance, theater, visual arts and literature. The current repertoire includes:
Folktales From Japan (K - 6), Roots, Rhythm and Rapture - Caribbean music and dance (all ages), A Bullet Can't Kill A Dream - a multi-media
performance about three courageous young people who each, in their own way stand up and speak out against injustice (5-8),
Tales From Mother Russia (K - 6), Dance of the Earth (4-8) about the life of our planet Earth, and
From Page to Stage (5-12), a dramatic rendering of prose, poetry, and drama aimed at encouraging
young people to read.
Program Titles: Folktales from Japan; Tales From Mother Russia; Dance
of the Earth; From Page to Stage; Roots, Rhythm and Rapture; A Bullet Can't Kill A Dream.
Audience Limit: approx. 25/class/workshop; 300/assembly
Fee: For Tales From Mother Russia, Folktales From Japan, Latino Voices, Dance of the Earth: $800 for one; reductions for multiples and block booking; workshop fees lower
Funding Sources: Massachusetts Cultural Council, New England Foundation for the Arts, B.O.C.E.S.
Special Requirements: space approx. 20' X 20'; electricity; (do not require stage)
Language Arts: Folktales, Reading)
Social Studies: Countries and Regions of the World (Japan, Russia, Latin America), Geography
Science: Environment, Ecology
Health: Conflict Resolution
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F
FOODPLAY PRODUCTIONS
Barbara Storper, M.S., R.D.
1 Sunset Avenue
Hatfield, MA 01038
(800) 366-3752
Fax: (800) 366-3752 (please call first)
E-Mail: info@foodplay.com
Web Site: www.foodplay.com and www.foodplaykids.com
"FOODPLAY" -- Captivating theater with essential health messages, this national award-winning nutrition show helps turn today's children
on to healthy eating and exercise habits. Featuring fantastic feats of juggling, a cast of colorful characters, motivating messages, audience
participation, music, magic and more...FOODPLAY addresses the major health concerns affecting today's schoolchildren. This educational and entertaining program includes a school-wide assembly performance (45 minutes), a comprehensive school resource kit with materials for everyone involved including, a Teacher's Follow-Up Activity Guidebook, a snack guide for parents, handouts for children, packet for school food service, evaluation materials, and press packet. FOODPLAY has been presented to over one million schoolchildren coast to coast and
received a host of awards including an Emmy Award for "Best Children and Youth TV Special". (Grades K-5)
"THIS IS YOUR LIFE" -- Help adolescents make their choices healthy ones with this upbeat, thought-provoking, health theatre
show that has received the highest ratings from schools throughout the country. Addressing nutrition, fitness, and body image,
"THIS IS YOUR LIFE" helps young people see through the messages they receive from the media, family, and peers in order to make healthy choices. Originally sponsored by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, and Centers for Disease Control, this program features a school-wide assembly performance, Follow-Up Teacher's Activity Guidebook, School Resource Kit, and press packet. (Grade 6 and up)
Program Titles: FOODPLAY; This Is Your Life!
Audience Limit: 400/assembly
Fee: Foodplay - $1095 - $1495; This Is Your Life - Call for prices
Funding Sources: Safe and Drug-Free Schools, TEAM Nutrition, BOCES, and more
Health: Nutrition, Physical Fitness, Self-Esteem, Drug Awareness, Eating Disorder Prevention
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Gideon Freudmann
CelloBop Productions
Box 297
Hadley, MA 01035
(413) 218-7743
E-mail: gideon@cellobop.com.com
Website: www.cellobop.com
In the program CelloBop, students meet the music, musician and maker of the music; both
the traditional cello and the modern-day electric cello. Gideon Freudmann combines classical charm
with powerful contemporary technology, crossing stylistic boundaries and joining musical paths.
Listeners experience the joy of classical, blues, folk, Cajun, jazz, improvisational and original pieces.
Participants learn about the history and construction of the cello and are exposed to the joy of
songwriting and musicmaking, the thrill of new technologies, and the importance of mastery,
perseverance and creative self-expression.
In the Sound Science program, both the artistic and scientific aspects of music are explored through an examination of acoustics, sound waves, intervals, rhythms and chord progressions - exploring the acoustic properties of the cello and the endless applications of digital technology.
In the String Improvisation Workshop music students are introduced to the core of Gideon's
artistry by examining the power of improvisation with emphasis on tone production, melody,
harmony building, chord progressions, bass lines, bowing variations, and technology and the future.
A composer and recording artist (five CDs of original compositions), Gideon has served on the
music faculty of three music schools and continues his private teaching.
Program Titles: CelloBop; Sound Science; Workshop: String Improvisation
Audience Limit: 250/perfomance
Fee: $425/one performance; $600/two performances; $250/workshops; $450 evenings; $400 libraries.
Travel - $50.
Science: Sound, Technology
G
Galapagos Puppet Theater
Margaret Moody
78 Varnum Street
Arlington, MA 02174
(781) 643-1228
Email: Galapagospuppets.com/index.htm
Galapagos performs folk and history tales of Chinese, Jewish and Scandinavian cultures with
expressive hand puppets. Using traditional Chinese puppets and choreography we present three
episodes of the Chinese epic Journey to the West. "The Golem" and "Trolls in the Kitchen" offer entertaining
introductions to Jewish and Scandinavian folktales. In "Esther's Story," a life-sized puppet shares the
Holocaust diaries of the teenaged Esther Cohn. Galapagos has toured the East Coast since 1987,
and has extensive experience in schools, libraries and museums.
Program Titles: Fire Cloud Cave; The Banana Princess; Monkey Wreaks Havoc; Esther's Story; Trolls in the
Kitchen; The Golem
Audience Limit: 275/assembly; 125 small group
Fee: Most shows: $500 single performance; $800 two performances on same day
Shows by solo puppeteer for audiences of no more than 125; $200
Special Requirements: "Esther's Story" needs a room that can be darkened
Social Studies: Countries and Regions of the World, Geography, Holiday (Halloween, Christmas, Purim), Holocaust
Language Arts: Folk Tales (Chinese, Jewish, Swedish)
Science: Seasons (Winter), Environment
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The Gerwick Puppets
Lenny Gerwick and Deborah Costine
6 Wood Street
Southborough, MA 01772
(508) 481-6260
E Mail: info@gerwickpuppets.com
Website: gerwickpuppets.com
"Classic Quality Puppetry at its Best," The Gerwick Puppets are one of New England's longest running puppet troupes. Founded in 1974 by artist/educators Deborah Costine and Len Gerwick, this company performs in elementary schools around New England and regularly at such venues as Boston's First Night, the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, The Mark Twain Museum in Hartford CT and The Puppet Showplace Theater in Brookline MA. Eight Productions are available and performed "live" with elaborate theater lighting and artist-painted scenery and high quality sound. Most include some interaction with the audience.
Their DVD "The World of The Gerwick Puppets" documents much of what this company does as well as showing puppet making methods and how children can create their own puppet shows!
Curriculum materials are available for each production.
Productions:
Adventures From Thornton W. Burgess:
This much-loved production is adapted from stories by Massachusetts author Thornton Burgess. Children learn about New England animals including skunks, opossums, and woodchucks and their habits and habitats.
Inside the Haunted House:
In this original story written by the puppeteers, a boy and girl decide to explore an old mansion that is said to be haunted! Many funny and slightly scary surprises await them in this very exciting production.
Pilgrim Adventure to America:
This is an elaborate telling of the Pilgrim story through the eyes of the Brewster family. For maximum dramatic effect, this productions uses masks as well as hand puppets, a miniature Mayflower, a map of Cape Cod, and many interesting visual and audio effects.
Midwinter Magic:
This elaborate, winter fantasy takes place as puppet children "Mary Lou" and "Bruce" fall asleep on the longest night of the year. They are guided through a dream of enchanting music and puppets by "Katrinka" the midwinter sprite! Classical music enhances the experience!
Aladdin and the Magic Lamp:
This ancient story from "The Arabian Nights" shows the struggle between good and evil. The evil magician, the ominous secret cave, the magic flying carpet and the all-powerful genie of the magic lamp are part of this enchanting classic story!
Rip Van Winkle:
This early work of American literature by Washington Irving tells the story of the happy-go-lucky man who slept through the Revolutionary War. The show closely follows the original story and includes historical concepts and ideas from the late 1700's. (appropriate for grades 3 and up)
Aesop�s Fables:
In this solo production, puppeteer, Len Gerwick, uses a different performing style, he is visible to the audience. The show's focus is on the morals of the fables: appreciating what you have, learning from the mistakes of others, and falling victim to one's own weaknesses.
The Case of the Missing Woodpile:
In this musical mystery performed solo by Len Gerwick, Mary Lou and Bruce are on summer vacation, planting a garden and building a tree house. Suddenly the wood for the tree house disappears and the audience gets to help solve the mystery! Original jazz score written by musician Jonathan Klein.
Other Activities:
Puppets in the Language Arts Curriculum:
Students can each make a puppet for use in a puppet show that they write and produce themselves. Instruction is available for how to create a script based on a story they have read, how to practice effective puppet movement and dialogue. This is a very valuable educational project! Creating a script through the Gerwick Puppets� unique process helps children understand the structure of stories. Custom designed programs are available.
The Gerwick Puppets are available as Artists-in-Residence and are approved by the Massachusetts Cultural Council and are on the New England States Touring roster.
Their DVD "The World of The Gerwick Puppets" by Two Bob's Productions, documents much of what this company does as well as showing puppet making methods and how children can create their own puppet shows!
Program Titles: Adventures from Thornton W. Burgess; Inside the Haunted House; Midwinter Magic; Aladdin and the
Magic Lamp; Aesop's Fables; Rip Van Winkle; Pilgrim Adventure to America; The Case of the Missing Woodpile
Tales; Mid Winter Magic; The Puppets Teach Fire Safety
Audience Limit: 250
Fee: 1 performance $700.00, 2 performances $1,000 plus travel fee; Residency days are $300/day/artist
Special Requirements: The puppet theater requires a space of 15 ft. width, 10 ft. depth and 8 ft. height.
A darkened room is best.
Language Arts: Children's Literature, Folk Tales, Trickster Tales, Fairy Tales, Aesop's Fables, Animal Stories, Creative Writing
Science: Seasons (Winter, Summer), Animals, Nature
Social Studies: American History (Colonial), Countries and Regions of the World
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Brian Gillie
In Massachusetts:
Gail LaRocca, The LaRocca Agency
7 Mt. Pleasant Street,Winchester, MA 01890
(781)729-1537
E-mail: GailLaRocca@compuserve.com
In Connecticut:
Young Audiences of Connecticut
3074 Whitney Avenue, Bldg 2, 2nd floor
Hamden, CT 06518
(203) 230-8101
Email: info@yaconn.org
Brian Gillie's Website: www.BrianGillie.com
Brian Gillie, 1999 YAC Artist of the Year and CCT Master Teaching Artist, is a rare artist who does it all: singer, dancer, pianist, historian and educator. His interactive performances and workshops showcase the histories, stylings and novelty of America�s social dances and popular songs from 1776 to today, and they empower students with critical thinking skills, encouraging them to believe in their creative genius and improvisational possibilities.
Brian is a Master Teaching Artist with the Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism and travels New England with the Commission�s Touring Artists program. He has toured the northeast states with the Reel Nutmeg Colonial Dance Company, The Elm City Vintage Dancers and the Mountain Laurel Cloggers. Brian was principal choreographer with the Connecticut Swing Dancers for five years and currently has two nationally available swing dance instructional videos. Brian has been an annual lecturer/performer at Yale and Wesleyan Universities and was recently an adjunct professor of dance at Naugatuck Valley Community College. He has been a teacher-training leader at the National Dance Association�s annual conference in Boston, and is a dance and music historian and consultant to song and dance educators. Brian believes that early movement and dance experiences improve overall academic success and well-being.
Brian currently offers five all-school assembly programs and five residency/workshop choices for both student and teacher in-service training.
Assembly Programs:
Salute to Song in America: An amazing multi-media mix of live and pre-recorded music, biographies and history capture the essence of songs, singers and composers from patriots, Civil War, ragtime, Broadway, swing, rock and everything in-between.
History of Social Dance in America: Seen your students dance lately? History, humor and period music accompany dances from Charleston to Cha Cha, Ragtime to Rumba, and Lindy Hop to Hip Hop. Students participate throughout the presentation of over 35 dances.
Song, Dance and the Possibilities: Try Brian�s �anyone can write a song and anyone can invent a dance� experience. Learn the predictable ingredients of song and dance, then dare to break the rules to create the extraordinary. Sing a ragtime classic in doo-wop style; add rap rhythms to a rap tune; create a hip-hop version of the Charleston. Students learn to trust their own imaginations.
Song Dance and the Possibilities � the Holiday Version: Based on Song, Dance and the Possibilities, Brian and audience explore elements of song and dance, then invent a hip holiday dance to a funky seasonal tune, and all in the house mastermind an original holiday song full of local color and personalities and perhaps some flying reindeer and dancing snowmen. Ho Ho Ho!
The History of Early Rock & Roll: History, humor, costumes, props, original sound bites, stand-up piano playing, radio commercials and impersonations serve to reveal rock�s evolution from blues to doo-wop, Motown to Beatles and more. Sh-BOOM!
It�s a Grand Night for Singing: (for family night, festivals, celebrations) Brian�s original songs and dances require audience participation to help complete cool lyrics and funky moves. Creative, up-lifting fun!
Workshops, Residencies and Teacher Training
Songwriting Workshop: Students are introduced to the elements of song: rhythm, lyrics, melody, theme, harmony and style. Using these elements students build a song from scratch. Students also learn how technology, business and �pop�culture, and the rules of grammar, poetry and music determine a song�s effectiveness, clout and popularity.
Never Too Small to Dance and Boogie (grades K � 2): Research shows that movement exploration and simple dance choreography work to open up the cognitive pathways of our youngest students. These benefits last a lifetime and cross over in to all areas of physical and mental behavior. Brian and students explore the basics and do �em large, loose, low, in reverse, in slow motion and �your way.�
Folk Dances: 1700 � 1900 (grades 3 and up): a regular addition for those students studying America�s 18th and 19th centuries. Selections include square, line and circle dances as well as marches, waltzes, polkas and early couple dances, particularly of the Revolutionary and Civil War eras.
Ballroom Dances of the Twentieth Century (grades 3 and up): Starting with ragtime and animal dances at the turn of the century, students participate in the progression of dance from blues to roaring twenties, Latin, swing, country, novelty, rock and additional possibilities for the next generation.
Swing Dance Intensive (grades 4 and up): Swing dance is �in,� so invite Brian for a workshop or residency to learn the hops, spins, jumps, kicks, spins and twirls that made swing dancing famous. Learn some hip combinations or a full swing routine.
Fee: $400/one performance; $700.00/two performances; $450.00/evening and special events; Workshops: $600.00/day. Libraries and camps; $250/one performance
Social Studies: American History, Holidays
Language Arts: Creative Writing
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Jackson Gillman - "Stand-Up Chameleon"
PO Box 41
Onset, MA 02558
(508) 295-0886
E-Mail: jacksong@jacksongillman.com
Web site: www.jacksongillman.com
Sparkling with energy, wit and whimsy, the "Stand-Up Chameleon" magically
transforms into a wide array of colorful characters. Through his many
talents as songsmith, comic, mime and storyteller, Jackson engages and
delights audiences of all ages with his highly visual and interactive
performances. Many different shows to choose from including several
educational nature programs. Has been a featured performer at festivals
across the country. For 6-12 grades, his two substance abuse awareness
presentations have been used annually by schools for their prevention
programming. 28 years experience, easy-going and flexible, references
galore.
Program Titles: Nature in Action, Story & Song; Riot in the Garden; BUGS!;
Applemania; Autumn Wonders; Halloween Silly Willies; Winter Revels; Spring
into Action; On a Wing and a Song; The Man Who Planted Hope; Kipling: "Just
So"; Levity in Motion; Harlequin and the Gift of Many Colors (with ASL); The
Dancing Man (with ASL); Holiday Revels (with ASL); Hard Knocks - substance
abuse program (grade 6 and up)
Fee: starts at $375 + travel
Funding Sources: New England Foundation for the Arts
Social Studies: Regions (New England, Maine), Occupations (Farmer, Sailor, Fisherman), Holidays (Chanukah, Christmas, Halloween, Earth Day)
Language Arts: Creative Writing, Folk Tales, "Why" Stories, Children's Lit (Rudyard Kipling), American Sign Language (ASL)
Science: Insects, Environment /Ecology, Seasons, Nature, Sea, Water Cycle, Animals (Birds, Dinosaurs)
Health: Nutrition, Drug Prevention, Self-Esteem, Special Needs
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Gould & Stearns
Bonnie Stearns, Managing Director
44 Hillcrest Terrace
Brattleboro, VT 05301
(802) 254-8355
Fax: same
email: stearns@sover.net
Web: www.sover.net/~stearns
OR
Ellen Weiner
Professional Artists Management
2411 Bay Road
Sharon, MA 02067
(781) 784-6394
Fax: (781) 784-5393
E Mail: elweiner@att.net
Website: www.elweiner.com
Peter Gould and Stephen Stearns are madcap performers and master teachers who have been
offering school programs and residencies for over 20 years. Their performances are clever, often
zany, and always heart-warming. In their work as workshop and discussion leaders, often in
conjunction with a performance, they give students a can-do message about managing problems
and opportunities with the help of humor.
Programs include:
Secrets: Peter and Stephen use stories of their own growing up to look, with humor, at
real kid issues - peer pressure, self esteem, and choice-making. (grades 4-6, 7-8)
Fee Fie Fo Fun! involves the audience in re-creating the familiar story of Jack and the Beanstalk
with Peter and Stephen - and gives insight into the art forms of mime, theatre and comedy.
This new look at an old favorite is a perfect way to introduce young students to storytelling as
a living art form. (grades preK-5)
A Peasant of El Salvador - about which teachers have said - "The best social studies
lesson my students will have all year... The most moving, meaningful play I have ever seen...
Taught more about Latin American culture in one hour than I do in three years teaching."
(grades 9-12)
Simple Gifts - a special holiday program for December - highlights stories from a variety of
cultures and traditions, and reminds us that the simple gifts of ourselves are the best sources of
warmth and comfort we can offer one another.
Laughing Matters teaches students basic illusions and mime techniques and creative
use of language while it takes them on a journey of the imagination - from a whaling ship of the
1800s to the vaudeville stage, and into the future! (grades K-5, 6-8, 9-12).
Program Titles: Secrets, Fee Fie Fo Fun!, A Peasant of El Salvador, Simple Gifts, Laughing Matters
Audience limit: 24/class, usually 300-350 /assembly, up to 650 or more in suitable auditorium.
Fee: $500-$800/performance
Funding Source: New England Foundation for the Arts
Language Arts: Folk Tales, Bilingual (Spanish)
Social Studies: Countries and Regions of the World - Latin America, Holidays
Health: Self-Esteem, Drug Prevention
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Bonnie Greenberg
63 Gould Road
Newton, MA 02468
(617) 244-2884
Fax: (617) 455-6597
E-Mail: BBonnieG@aol.com
Website: www.bonniegreenberg.net
Bonnie's vibrant, engaging stories are rooted in her love of people, her Appalachian childhood,
and her experiences in Israel. Designed for all ages, her broad repertoire opens the hearts of listeners
and connects them with tradition, memories, and images of life's possibilities. Multicultural themes are
often accompanied by guitar and audience participation. Her stories are about ordinary people whose
extraordinary lives will inspire you to find the special meaning in your life. Jewish folklore a specialty.
Program Titles: Many Faces, One Spirit (multicultural tales from around the world with music);
Celebrate! Tellabrate! (holiday stories); From the Hearts of the People (Holocaust resistance and
righteous gentiles); Survival Tales of the African-American and Jewish People, with Sandi Hannibal
Audience Limit: 60/class; 200/assembly
Fee: $400 plus travel. Block booking discounts.
Funding Source: Massachusetts Cultural Council
Special Requirements: lapel microphone if possible, otherwise regular mike
Social Studies: Countries and Regions of the World, Geography, Holidays, American History - Immigration), Holocaust
Language Arts: Folktales, Creative Writing
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H
Tom Hanford
P.O. Box 90
Goshen, CT 06756
(860) 491-9223
E-Mail: tomhookerhanfordG@hotmail.com
Website: www.tomhanford.com
Tom's 'Musical Menagerie' is a collection of animal songs and stories from many traditions. Old time country music, cowboy songs, blues, rock and roll and original songs are part of the mix.
Folklore and ecological concerns are explored.
'Chimneyside Tales' reveals the lives of Americans of the 17th - 19th century with traditional songs and stories. There are five programs to choose from. Authentic period costumes and musical instruments enhance the
performances.
Tom sings and plays guitars, violin, and harmonica. Audience singing and role playing with colorful masks and props is encouraged.
Program Titles: Musical Menagerie, Chimneyside Tales: A Lyrical Life, Songs of the Sea, Waterbound, Christmas in America.
Audience Limit: 30 per class, 300 per assembly
Special Requirements: One or two folding tables, about 30" X 60"
Fee: $350 for one assembly; $250 for additional shows
Funding Source: Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism
Social Studies: Holidays (Christmas), American History (General); States (New York); Occupations (Sailors/Whalemen/Canallers)
Language Arts: Creative Writing; Folk Tales - Tall Tales
Science: Animals, Ecology
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Somaly Hay
6 East Bishop Street
Waterford, CT 06385
(860) 444-6390
Fax: (860) 441-3811
Somaly Hay is a Cambodian dancer. Certified as a Master Teaching Artist
by the Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism, Somaly also presents her own
story in her workshops. She encourages young children to open their eyes
a little wider and look a little deeper, beyond their first impressions,
to understand the many levels involved in cultural differences. For older
audiences, she offers an unforgettable history lesson of a woman surviving
four Cambodian regimes. Her strength of character and creative spirit are
demonstrated, both in her dancing and her life.
The principal dancers in the Somaly Hay & Company's ensemble are trained
by Somaly Hay.
Dance videotape and audio tapes are available.
Audience Limits: 20-25/class; Assembly
Fee: Assemblies start at $300; Classes - $200
Funding Source: Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism
Social Studies: Countries and Regions of the World - Cambodia
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Historical Perspectives for Children, Inc.
Joan Schaeffer
1344 East Bailey Road
Naperville, IL 60565
(800) 305-0472
Fax: (630) 305-6042
E Mail: hpc_inc@yahoo.com
Website: www.historicalperspectives.net
Historical Perspectives for Children's full theatrical productions dramatize each character's life from their childhood through their
adulthood, enabling children to see and understand the process each went through to achieve what they did. These dynamic, interactive and very entertaining programs are accented with slides, sound effects and voiceover to
very visually bring each character to life.
Program Titles: Ben Franklin: Statesman and Inventor; Abraham Lincoln: American Pesident; Helen Keller: Champion of the Disabled; Clara Barton: A Great Humanitarian; Amelia Earhart: Pioneer in Aviation
Audience Limits: Assembly - 300
Fee: Ranges from $475 - $775, depending on location. Block-booking discounts available.
Funding Source: BOCES (New York)
Historical Characters: Ben Franklin, Clara Barton, Abraham Lincoln, Amelia Earhart, Helen Keller
Social Studies: American History (Colonial, Revolution, Civil War), Women's History (Helen Keller, Amelia Earhart), Famous People, Holidays (Presidents Day)
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I
The Improbable Players
Lynn Bratley
PO Box 746
Watertown, MA 02471-0746
(617) 926-8124 or (800) 437-4303
Fax: (617) 926-8315
E Mail: players@improbableplayers.org
Website: http://www.improbableplayers.org
The Improbable Players is a professional theater company founded in 1984 to spotlight tough social problems
as they relate to substance abuse. Each year over 60,000 people experience six different powerful performances
for schools, community groups and conferences. Three of the plays are I'll Never Do That!, about
alcoholism as a family disease; Passing It On, about HIV/AIDS and substance abuse; and Running on E,
about four young friends dealing with the issue of drug abuse among peers. The Players themselves are all in recovery
from alcohol and other drug abuse, and at the end of each program, they step out of their roles to tell their own
riveting stories and interact with the audience.
Program Titles: I'll Never Do That!; Passing It On; Running on E; Hitting Rock Bottom; Stages; Stand Up Straight
Audience Limits: none
Fee: Ranges from $550 to $1,600 (+travel expenses)
Funding Sources: Call us to find out about the many options available for funding
Health: Drug Prevention, Self-esteem, Conflict Resolution
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Inca Son
Cesar Villalobos
PO Box 881899
Cambridge, MA 02299-1899
(617) 864-7041
Fax: (617) 491-7088
E-Mail: CIncasonV@aol.com
Web Site: www.incason.com
Electronic Press Kit: http://www.sonicbids.com/IncaSon3 (includes photos, biography, press reviews, video, audio files!)
The world-acclaimed Peruvian band Inca Son will transport you to the Andes of South America with its ancient melodies, vibrant dances,
and colorful native attire. Inca Son (meaning "Sound of the Inca") has been described by Boston Pops Conductor
Keith Lockhart as "cultural ambassadors of a nearly lost South American folk tradition."
The group includes both musicians and a company of dancers who placed first in their country's annual
Folkdance Competition.
Inca Son offers schools a variety of dynamic and enriching activities, which complement arts, history, and modern language education. Workshops in Andean Music, where students learn to play their very own panpipes; Andean Dance, where students learn the basics of different folkdances; and an Inca Workshop, in which students learn about the beliefs, medicine, and way of life of this ancient people. This workshop is taught by the Head of Inca Son,Cesar Villalobos, whose own father, a Shaman, bequeathed to him the lore and knowledge of the Inca.
Schools may combine a classroom workshop, or workshops, with a performance by the band, with or without dancers. The band explains the meaning of each song and dance, and its place in Andean folklore; and describes their instruments, from reed panpipes to the stringed "charango," made from the body of an armadillo!
Program Title: Music and Dance of the Andes of South America
Fee: Workshop on Music, Dance, or Inca Beliefs: $500 ($150 for each additional workshop) -Full Band Performance: $1000, 1 show; $1500, 2 shows; $2000, 3 shows; $3000, 1 show with band and dancers.
(NOTE: If a school wishes a combination of workshops and performances, a special price can be provided by Inca Son)
Funding Sources: New England Foundation for the Arts, the Massachusetts Cultural Council, the
New Hampshire State Council for the Arts, and the Maine Arts Sponsors Association.
Social Studies: Countries and Regions of the World - Latin America, Geography
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J
Abigail 'Ifatola' Jefferson
P.O. Box 176
Peacedale, RI 02883
(401) 932-6565 or (401) 783-4982
EMail: abijef@cox.net
Website: www.abigailjefferson.com
Abigail "Ifatola" Jefferson, storyteller, dancer and arts educator, performs and conducts workshops nationally. Through a unique blend of story, dance, song, and rhythm, Abigail brings to life traditional stories from around the globe. Her performance presentations are highly interactive, educational and fun-filled. Audiences of all ages have described her performances and workshops as inspiring, informative, and energizing.
Abigail has conducted workshops and performed in schools, churches, prisons, shelters, theatres, festivals and libraries. She is a graduate of Howard University with a B.F.A. in theatre, and holds a M.Ed. from Lesley University. Currently, Abigail is an adjunct professor for Lesley University's Creative Arts and Learning Program, and the co-director of Celebration of Culture, a program designed to increase students' and educators' appreciation of diversity. She has traveled to Ghana, Nigeria, Niger, and Cuba to study cultural traditions.
Program Title: Dance, Drum, Story or Celebration of Culture
Audience Limit: 200
Fee: $500 plus travel
Funding Source: New England Foundation for the Arts, Rhode Island State Council for the Arts, Massachusetts Cultural Council, local councils.
Language Arts: Folk Tales (General, African)
Social Studies: Holidays (Kwanzaa), Countries and Regions of the World (General, Africa), Black History
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Jennings and Ponder - World Tales and Celtic Music
Ellen Weiner
Professional Artists Management
2411 Bay Road
Sharon, MA 02067
(781) 784-6394
Fax: (781) 784-5393
E Mail: elweiner@att.net
Website: www.elweiner.com
Tim Jennings and Leanne Ponder present their stories in two intertwining and overlapping voices,
and, between tales, play music on harp and concertina. Their live-performance storytelling CD,
"World Tales," won a 1999 American Library Association Notable Children's Recording award.
Their two music recordings have been acquired by the Irish traditional Music Archive in Dublin.
Recent performances have included Vermont Public Television, Club Passim, and the Saturday
night event of the UK Society for Storytelling Annual Gathering, at the National Folk Life Museum in
Wales. "This is the best tandem storytelling I have ever heard"-- 2nd Story Review, Ontario.
"If you don't believe storytelling can be absolutely fascinating, try this duo; they are brilliant!" --
FolkWorld Magazine, Germany.
Audience Limits: up tp 300
Fee: $650 for one performance; reductions for multiples and block bookings.
Funding Sources: New England Foundation for the Arts, Vermont Arts Council, B.O.C.E.S. (New York)
Language Arts: Literature, Folk Tales
Social Studies: Countries and Regions of the World
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Keith Michael Johnson
Educational Programs for K-6
45 Ann Mary Brown Drive
Warwick, RI 028888
(800) 730-6676
Fax:(866) 247-7073
Web site: http://keithmichaeljohnson.com
E-Mail: kmjshows@yahoo.com
Keith Michael Johnson uses humor to motivate, educate
and entertain students in grades K-5. Thousands of
students throughout Southern New England have enjoyed
his time-tested and popular assembly programs:
Science Isn't Always Pretty challenges students with outrageous questions and demonstrations that brings the K-5 science curriculum alive! (k-5)
Mad About Math is full of things to see, ideas to
ponder, and advice to make learning math easier. It's
not another ho-to-math lesson, it's a "here's why mathapulluza!" (k-5)
Hats off to Reading is a high energy pep rally for
books which introduces kids to people they can meet
and places they can explore without ever leaving home.
A colorful and funny program that celebrates books,
reading and the POWER of literacy. (K-2)
Amazing Americans is chock full of insightful
immigrant stories, antique artifacts from everyday
American life and a look at history through the lens
of hobbies. A program which touches on culture,
science, art, fashion and our diverse culture as ways
of exploring our history, Amazing Americans also
encourages responsible citizenship. (History and
Reading for K-5)
Wild About Weather (k-5) takes a creative and quirky look at clouds, air pressure, forecasts and storms.
Kids discover why our weather happens and how it works while experiencing a tornado machine, a hot air balloon and an air
cannon.
Fees: $550/1 show; $875/ 2 shows, back to back, $925, AM/PM; $1,200/3 shows; $1,450/4 shows; $1,700/5 shows.
Program Titles: Science Isn't Always Pretty; Hats Off To Reading; Amazing Americans; Mad About Math; Wild About Weather
Audience Limit: 200/assembly
Fee: $550/1 show; $875/ 2 shows, back to back, $925, AM/PM; $1,200/3 shows; $1,450/4 shows; $1,700/5 shows.
Science: Weather
Math
Social Studies: American History, Citizenship
Language Arts: Reading
Jolly Rogues
James Murray
314 Main Street, Unit 205
Wilmington, MA 01887
(508) 574-3104
Fax: (978) 657-5551
E Mail: jollyrogues@verizon.net
Website: www.jollyrogues.com
Hailing from Massachusetts the Jolly Rogues are themselves an "auditory flashback" to the music of the 17th, 18th, | | | | | | | |