2023 - Festival Schedule
- 9 - 11: Master Class at Spring Grove Elementary School (8105 Blivin St.)
- 12 - 7: Featured Storytellers
- 7 - 8: Dinner Break
- 8:00 : Ghost Stories Under A late September Moon
master class -megan wells 9-11 am
Unforgettable Stories that Stick: Learn 3 repeatable secrets that shape your stories for longevity in the hearts and memories of your listeners. This engaging playful workshop will be led by Megan Wells, a national award-winning Storyteller and a sought after Story Coach (Chicago Theater Jefferson Award—Director). Try out your story later in the day at a reserved space in Open Mic tent. (For adults and young adults).
jasmin cardenas
Cuentos From The Americas is a 45-60min Bilingual (Spanish/English) journey of stories
from North, Central, South America and the Caribbean Islands. As well as personal stories from Jasmin’s experience of being stuck in between her identities as un Colombiana and an American. The stories are a mix of ancient legends, myths, folktales and a personal story of being bicultural. Using participatory elements of song, music and dance listeners will be on their feet by the end learning how to Latin dance!!! Invited by Author Pat Mora Jasmin is an official Día de los Niños Ambassador. Programs available based on ages (younger vs older audiences or All Ages audiences. www.JasminCardenas.com
Jasmin Cardenas is a bridge builder and believes in the power of stories to unite us. She has told stories to thousands of children, families and adult audiences all over the Chicagoland area in early childhood centers, schools, libraries, universities, street festivals, bars, cafes and storytelling festivals. Summer of 2022 she toured 20 Branches across the Chicago Public Libraries as a featured City of Stories workshop presenter encouraging Chicagoans of all ages to tell their stories through theater techniques. Check out her latest project, a children’s book adaptation in collaboration with The Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Chicago Children’s Theater. Jasmin is the Adaptor and Bilingual Narrator of Maybe Something Beautiful, a new puppet film for children. A story of how art transforms a neighborhood. In Sept 2022 Jasmin performed at the Mitambo Theater Festival in Harare, Zimbabwe and in Johannesburg, South Africa with her newest solo show DISPOSABLE. Jasmin was selected by UNESCO as the U.S. representative on 2022 World Theater Day, she gave the U.S Emergent Artist Message.
An international 2020-2022 LAB Fellow of Georgetown University’s Laboratory for Global Performance and Politics, Jasmin recognizes the social impact of this work. Making her joyful national debut at the 2016 National Storytelling Festival’s Exchange Place stage. One of the first Latina’s to receive The Race Bridges Storytelling Fellowship Jasmin uses storytelling and theater to pursue justice and humanity. She launched the bilingual Cuentos Aqui Storytelling literacy program for the Chicago Public Libraries and was the original KOHL/McCormick StoryBUS Teller. A professional actress, director, writer and Chicago native, Jasmin has performed at Steppenwolf, Goodman Theater and Adventure Stage Chicago, among others. Her one-woman show ¿ Niña Buena? toured throughout Chicago and to an international festival in Mexico. Currently Jasmin is focused on working class stories with her collective The Workers’ Theater, made up of low wage workers here in America. A proud SAG-AFTRA member who’s TV credits include NBC Chicago Fire, Showtime’s The CHI & ABC’s Betrayal.
from North, Central, South America and the Caribbean Islands. As well as personal stories from Jasmin’s experience of being stuck in between her identities as un Colombiana and an American. The stories are a mix of ancient legends, myths, folktales and a personal story of being bicultural. Using participatory elements of song, music and dance listeners will be on their feet by the end learning how to Latin dance!!! Invited by Author Pat Mora Jasmin is an official Día de los Niños Ambassador. Programs available based on ages (younger vs older audiences or All Ages audiences. www.JasminCardenas.com
Jasmin Cardenas is a bridge builder and believes in the power of stories to unite us. She has told stories to thousands of children, families and adult audiences all over the Chicagoland area in early childhood centers, schools, libraries, universities, street festivals, bars, cafes and storytelling festivals. Summer of 2022 she toured 20 Branches across the Chicago Public Libraries as a featured City of Stories workshop presenter encouraging Chicagoans of all ages to tell their stories through theater techniques. Check out her latest project, a children’s book adaptation in collaboration with The Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Chicago Children’s Theater. Jasmin is the Adaptor and Bilingual Narrator of Maybe Something Beautiful, a new puppet film for children. A story of how art transforms a neighborhood. In Sept 2022 Jasmin performed at the Mitambo Theater Festival in Harare, Zimbabwe and in Johannesburg, South Africa with her newest solo show DISPOSABLE. Jasmin was selected by UNESCO as the U.S. representative on 2022 World Theater Day, she gave the U.S Emergent Artist Message.
An international 2020-2022 LAB Fellow of Georgetown University’s Laboratory for Global Performance and Politics, Jasmin recognizes the social impact of this work. Making her joyful national debut at the 2016 National Storytelling Festival’s Exchange Place stage. One of the first Latina’s to receive The Race Bridges Storytelling Fellowship Jasmin uses storytelling and theater to pursue justice and humanity. She launched the bilingual Cuentos Aqui Storytelling literacy program for the Chicago Public Libraries and was the original KOHL/McCormick StoryBUS Teller. A professional actress, director, writer and Chicago native, Jasmin has performed at Steppenwolf, Goodman Theater and Adventure Stage Chicago, among others. Her one-woman show ¿ Niña Buena? toured throughout Chicago and to an international festival in Mexico. Currently Jasmin is focused on working class stories with her collective The Workers’ Theater, made up of low wage workers here in America. A proud SAG-AFTRA member who’s TV credits include NBC Chicago Fire, Showtime’s The CHI & ABC’s Betrayal.
janice del negro
Janice M. Del Negro, PhD, is a storyteller who excavates and decorates the bones of
traditional folk and fairy tales as an invitation to others to do the same; her focus is
reimagining traditional folktales to make them emotionally resonant for
contemporary listeners. Del Negro has been a featured storyteller and presenter at
the National Storytelling Conference, the Society for Children’s Book Writers and
Illustrators, the Northlands Storytelling Conference, the Mariposa Storytelling
Festival, the National Storytelling Festival, the Moonshell Storytelling Festival, the
Rocky Mountain Storytelling Conference, the Tejas Storytelling Festival, and many
other celebratory events. Her book, Folktales Aloud: Practical Tips for Playful
Storytelling was awarded a Storytelling World Resource Award in 2015. Her most
recent title, Engaging Teens with Story: How to Inspire and Educate Youth with
Storytelling (2017) received a Storytelling World Resource Award and was
named SLC/ARBA’s “Best Professional Resource for School or Youth Librarians”. Her
latest recording is Fortune’s Daughters: Ghost Tales and Folktales. In 2016, Del Negro received the National Storytelling Network’s Circle of Excellence Award, “presented to artists who are recognized by their peers to be master storytellers who set the standards for excellence and have demonstrated, over a significant period of time, a commitment and dedication to the art of storytelling.” Del Negro is a professor at the School of Information Studies at Dominican University in River Forest, Illinois.
traditional folk and fairy tales as an invitation to others to do the same; her focus is
reimagining traditional folktales to make them emotionally resonant for
contemporary listeners. Del Negro has been a featured storyteller and presenter at
the National Storytelling Conference, the Society for Children’s Book Writers and
Illustrators, the Northlands Storytelling Conference, the Mariposa Storytelling
Festival, the National Storytelling Festival, the Moonshell Storytelling Festival, the
Rocky Mountain Storytelling Conference, the Tejas Storytelling Festival, and many
other celebratory events. Her book, Folktales Aloud: Practical Tips for Playful
Storytelling was awarded a Storytelling World Resource Award in 2015. Her most
recent title, Engaging Teens with Story: How to Inspire and Educate Youth with
Storytelling (2017) received a Storytelling World Resource Award and was
named SLC/ARBA’s “Best Professional Resource for School or Youth Librarians”. Her
latest recording is Fortune’s Daughters: Ghost Tales and Folktales. In 2016, Del Negro received the National Storytelling Network’s Circle of Excellence Award, “presented to artists who are recognized by their peers to be master storytellers who set the standards for excellence and have demonstrated, over a significant period of time, a commitment and dedication to the art of storytelling.” Del Negro is a professor at the School of Information Studies at Dominican University in River Forest, Illinois.
anne shimojima
Anne Shimojima, a retired school library media specialist, has been telling stories from her Asian heritage and around the world for forty years at festivals, schools, libraries, senior communities, museums, and lately, on Zoom. She was a featured teller at the National Storytelling Festival in 2017 and has twice been a Teller-in-Residence at the International Storytelling Center in Jonesborough, TN. Other past venues include the Illinois Storytelling Festival, Timpanogos Storytelling Conference, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Chicago History Museum, and Illinois Holocaust Museum.
In 2019 Anne’s CD Sakura Tales: Stories from Japan won a Storytelling World Resource Honor Award.
In 2006 Anne created her story Hidden Memory: An American World War II Story, about her Japanese American family’s immigration to the United States and through the incarceration camps of World War II. In 2019 she was invited by the government of Japan to tell her story to three Tokyo high schools and in 2022 Anne was decorated with the Order of the Rising Sun, Silver Rays, conferred by His Majesty the Emperor of Japan, for her work in promoting Japanese culture in the United States. www.anneshimojima.com
In 2019 Anne’s CD Sakura Tales: Stories from Japan won a Storytelling World Resource Honor Award.
In 2006 Anne created her story Hidden Memory: An American World War II Story, about her Japanese American family’s immigration to the United States and through the incarceration camps of World War II. In 2019 she was invited by the government of Japan to tell her story to three Tokyo high schools and in 2022 Anne was decorated with the Order of the Rising Sun, Silver Rays, conferred by His Majesty the Emperor of Japan, for her work in promoting Japanese culture in the United States. www.anneshimojima.com
DAN KEDING
Dan Keding, storyteller of international acclaim, is well known for his telling of traditional world folktales, personal narratives of his boyhood in Chicago, ghost stories and dark tales, and superbly crafted original pieces. As a child he learned the traditional stories that his grandmother brought to this country from Croatia. A well-respected ballad singer, he accompanies himself on guitar, banjo and spoons. This combination of dynamic storytelling and powerful ballad singing has made him a festival and concert favorite throughout the US, Great Britain and Ireland, endearing him to audiences of all ages. https://www.dankeding.com/
carol Kerman
Carol Kaufman-Kerman works outdoors in a Jewish nature preschool called Ta'am Teva. She gets to tell stories about evergreens with spruce and pine trees towering over her and the kids. Her stories spark the imagination for little listeners and adults too. She's told stories at preschools, storytelling festivals and corporate events. Her personal stories remind us of our own life and family and the anecdotes that have shaped us. She believes that we keep our loved ones alive through story.
Kucha Brownlee and BabA Tony brown
This dynamic storytelling duo combines their talents and experience to bring magical moments
to their performances. Their compelling storytelling is enhanced by audience participation
accompanied by singing, African drumming, learning and lots of fun. And, the audience’s
enthusiastic responses are always welcome. Their programs are highly entertaining, culturally
enriching, and engaging.
Kucha came to storytelling by way of theatre. She toured the Midwest and Canada with several
children’s theatre companies. Storytelling is a marriage of her experience and training, earning
a BA in English and a Master in Business. Baba Tony was a public speaker and trainer prior to
storytelling. He is also a certified coach facilitator. He plays an array of instruments. Baba Tony
also teaches the primary foundation skills of drumming (Djembe). They have been performing
together for over 20 years. Kucha and Baba Tony are traveling artists that have performed
throughout the United States, performing for children, adults and elders.
In addition to telling, Kucha and Baba Tony have facilitated storytelling and drumming
workshops for the Department of Children and Family Services, Umoja, Inc., Alliance Library
System, the Spirit Lights Foundation, Inc., and Public Allies to name a few. They believe stories
are sacred and love sharing their talents that have made them sought after to enhance
programs across the country. They were recently featured Storytellers at the 42 nd Fox Valley
Folk Music & Storytelling Festival and at the Evanston Public Library’s 4 th Annual
Storytelling Festival. Kucha’s newly released CD entitled, “Planted Bulbs” is now available.
to their performances. Their compelling storytelling is enhanced by audience participation
accompanied by singing, African drumming, learning and lots of fun. And, the audience’s
enthusiastic responses are always welcome. Their programs are highly entertaining, culturally
enriching, and engaging.
Kucha came to storytelling by way of theatre. She toured the Midwest and Canada with several
children’s theatre companies. Storytelling is a marriage of her experience and training, earning
a BA in English and a Master in Business. Baba Tony was a public speaker and trainer prior to
storytelling. He is also a certified coach facilitator. He plays an array of instruments. Baba Tony
also teaches the primary foundation skills of drumming (Djembe). They have been performing
together for over 20 years. Kucha and Baba Tony are traveling artists that have performed
throughout the United States, performing for children, adults and elders.
In addition to telling, Kucha and Baba Tony have facilitated storytelling and drumming
workshops for the Department of Children and Family Services, Umoja, Inc., Alliance Library
System, the Spirit Lights Foundation, Inc., and Public Allies to name a few. They believe stories
are sacred and love sharing their talents that have made them sought after to enhance
programs across the country. They were recently featured Storytellers at the 42 nd Fox Valley
Folk Music & Storytelling Festival and at the Evanston Public Library’s 4 th Annual
Storytelling Festival. Kucha’s newly released CD entitled, “Planted Bulbs” is now available.
margaret burk
Margaret has told numerous places around the Chicago area, including The Moth, This Much Is True, Homewood Stories, Story Sessions, Story Club, The People Tree, Stories of Impact, Chicago Celtic Festival, Fox Valley Folk Festival and Illinois Storytelling Festival. She was featured at Bady House Concerts in Brooklyn, NY. Her one woman show ‘Bring It On! has been featured at the Celtic Knot in Evanston and at Northlands Storytelling Conference. Margaret co-produces and co-hosts three monthly storytelling events in Oak Park/River Forest: BACK ROOM STORIES at Hamburger Mary’s, Illinois Storytelling’s series at Dominican University, and Do Not Submit Oak Park at the Eastgate Cafe. She is President of Illinois Storytelling Inc, a state-wide association of storytellers, and believes in the power of story not just to entertain but to touch the heart, spark the imagination, and embolden the spirit. www.margaretburk.com