Designated an American Masterpiece Touring Artist by the NEA, Elizabeth Ellis grew up in the Appalachian Mountains hearing stories from her grandfather, a mountain minister. The “Divine Miss E” is a versatile and riveting teller of Appalachian and Texas tales and stories of heroic American women, though her personal stories are arguably her best. An award-winning author, she is a recipient of the John Henry Faulk award from the Tejas Storytelling Association, and the NSN ORACLE Circle of Excellence and Lifetime Achievement awards. It was a breathtaking performance to witness. Elizabeth was so layered and magical and real.  Her timing impeccable, her delivery effortless, her impact extraordinary. – Ann Arbor Observer

Designated an American Masterpiece Touring Artist by the NEA, Elizabeth Ellis grew up in the Appalachian Mountains hearing stories from her grandfather, a mountain minister. The “Divine Miss E” is a versatile and riveting teller of Appalachian and Texas tales and stories of heroic American women, though her personal stories are arguably her best. An award-winning author, she is a recipient of the John Henry Faulk award from the Tejas Storytelling Association, and the NSN ORACLE Circle of Excellence and Lifetime Achievement awards. It was a breathtaking performance to witness. Elizabeth was so layered and magical and real.  Her timing impeccable, her delivery effortless, her impact extraordinary. – Ann Arbor Observer

Designated an American Masterpiece Touring Artist by the NEA, Elizabeth Ellis grew up in the Appalachian Mountains hearing stories from her grandfather, a mountain minister. The “Divine Miss E” is a versatile and riveting teller of Appalachian and Texas tales and stories of heroic American women, though her personal stories are arguably her best. An award-winning author, she is a recipient of the John Henry Faulk award from the Tejas Storytelling Association, and the NSN ORACLE Circle of Excellence and Lifetime Achievement awards. It was a breathtaking performance to witness. Elizabeth was so layered and magical and real.  Her timing impeccable, her delivery effortless, her impact extraordinary. – Ann Arbor Observer

Designated an American Masterpiece Touring Artist by the NEA, Elizabeth Ellis grew up in the Appalachian Mountains hearing stories from her grandfather, a mountain minister. The “Divine Miss E” is a versatile and riveting teller of Appalachian and Texas tales and stories of heroic American women, though her personal stories are arguably her best. An award-winning author, she is a recipient of the John Henry Faulk award from the Tejas Storytelling Association, and the NSN ORACLE Circle of Excellence and Lifetime Achievement awards. It was a breathtaking performance to witness. Elizabeth was so layered and magical and real.  Her timing impeccable, her delivery effortless, her impact extraordinary. – Ann Arbor Observer

Designated an American Masterpiece Touring Artist by the NEA, Elizabeth Ellis grew up in the Appalachian Mountains hearing stories from her grandfather, a mountain minister. The “Divine Miss E” is a versatile and riveting teller of Appalachian and Texas tales and stories of heroic American women, though her personal stories are arguably her best. An award-winning author, she is a recipient of the John Henry Faulk award from the Tejas Storytelling Association, and the NSN ORACLE Circle of Excellence and Lifetime Achievement awards. It was a breathtaking performance to witness. Elizabeth was so layered and magical and real.  Her timing impeccable, her delivery effortless, her impact extraordinary. – Ann Arbor Observer

Designated an American Masterpiece Touring Artist by the NEA, Elizabeth Ellis grew up in the Appalachian Mountains hearing stories from her grandfather, a mountain minister. The “Divine Miss E” is a versatile and riveting teller of Appalachian and Texas tales and stories of heroic American women, though her personal stories are arguably her best. An award-winning author, she is a recipient of the John Henry Faulk award from the Tejas Storytelling Association, and the NSN ORACLE Circle of Excellence and Lifetime Achievement awards. It was a breathtaking performance to witness. Elizabeth was so layered and magical and real.  Her timing impeccable, her delivery effortless, her impact extraordinary. – Ann Arbor Observer

A five-time champion of the Northwest Folklife Liar’s contest, Anne Rutherford’s tales ring true even when they’re completely false. From personal stories to prize-winning lies, she’s developed a wide-ranging repertoire over her 25 years of performing, including first-person accounts from her Wild West alter ego Clementine Ryder, who usually steals the show. Often accompanied by her mandolin playing, Rutherford’s telling bubbles with humor, heart, and a desire to connect and share meaning with her audience. “Without you,” Anne says, “I’m talking to myself!” One of the finest professional liars in the world. – Portland Tribune

A five-time champion of the Northwest Folklife Liar’s contest, Anne Rutherford’s tales ring true even when they’re completely false. From personal stories to prize-winning lies, she’s developed a wide-ranging repertoire over her 25 years of performing, including first-person accounts from her Wild West alter ego Clementine Ryder, who usually steals the show. Often accompanied by her mandolin playing, Rutherford’s telling bubbles with humor, heart, and a desire to connect and share meaning with her audience. “Without you,” Anne says, “I’m talking to myself!” One of the finest professional liars in the world. – Portland Tribune

A five-time champion of the Northwest Folklife Liar’s contest, Anne Rutherford’s tales ring true even when they’re completely false. From personal stories to prize-winning lies, she’s developed a wide-ranging repertoire over her 25 years of performing, including first-person accounts from her Wild West alter ego Clementine Ryder, who usually steals the show. Often accompanied by her mandolin playing, Rutherford’s telling bubbles with humor, heart, and a desire to connect and share meaning with her audience. “Without you,” Anne says, “I’m talking to myself!” One of the finest professional liars in the world. – Portland Tribune

A five-time champion of the Northwest Folklife Liar’s contest, Anne Rutherford’s tales ring true even when they’re completely false. From personal stories to prize-winning lies, she’s developed a wide-ranging repertoire over her 25 years of performing, including first-person accounts from her Wild West alter ego Clementine Ryder, who usually steals the show. Often accompanied by her mandolin playing, Rutherford’s telling bubbles with humor, heart, and a desire to connect and share meaning with her audience. “Without you,” Anne says, “I’m talking to myself!” One of the finest professional liars in the world. – Portland Tribune

A five-time champion of the Northwest Folklife Liar’s contest, Anne Rutherford’s tales ring true even when they’re completely false. From personal stories to prize-winning lies, she’s developed a wide-ranging repertoire over her 25 years of performing, including first-person accounts from her Wild West alter ego Clementine Ryder, who usually steals the show. Often accompanied by her mandolin playing, Rutherford’s telling bubbles with humor, heart, and a desire to connect and share meaning with her audience. “Without you,” Anne says, “I’m talking to myself!” One of the finest professional liars in the world. – Portland Tribune

Hannah Harvey is a contemporary Appalachian storyteller whose boundless energy is undeniably contagious. With equal parts humor and gravity, she draws on her Ph.D. in Performance Ethnography to develop her knowledge of Appalachian folklore into theatrical works that highlight the lived stories of the region’s people and places. The strong folk heroines who emerge from the traditions of her native Northeast Tennessee and beyond show audiences how the past continues to live in the present—connecting memory, geography, and enduring identity. Harvey has performed widely, from national workshops for physicians and keynotes for multinational tech leaders, to festivals in the U.K. and intercultural workshops in Morocco, and in three storytelling courses with The Great Courses. Critics have called her work “very funny” (Theatre Guide London) and...

Hannah Harvey is a contemporary Appalachian storyteller whose boundless energy is undeniably contagious. With equal parts humor and gravity, she draws on her Ph.D. in Performance Ethnography to develop her knowledge of Appalachian folklore into theatrical works that highlight the lived stories of the region’s people and places. The strong folk heroines who emerge from the traditions of her native Northeast Tennessee and beyond show audiences how the past continues to live in the present—connecting memory, geography, and enduring identity. Harvey has performed widely, from national workshops for physicians and keynotes for multinational tech leaders, to festivals in the U.K. and intercultural workshops in Morocco, and in three storytelling courses with The Great Courses. Critics have called her work “very funny” (Theatre Guide London) and...

Hannah Harvey is a contemporary Appalachian storyteller whose boundless energy is undeniably contagious. With equal parts humor and gravity, she draws on her Ph.D. in Performance Ethnography to develop her knowledge of Appalachian folklore into theatrical works that highlight the lived stories of the region’s people and places. The strong folk heroines who emerge from the traditions of her native Northeast Tennessee and beyond show audiences how the past continues to live in the present—connecting memory, geography, and enduring identity. Harvey has performed widely, from national workshops for physicians and keynotes for multinational tech leaders, to festivals in the U.K. and intercultural workshops in Morocco, and in three storytelling courses with The Great Courses. Critics have called her work “very funny” (Theatre Guide London) and...

Hannah Harvey is a contemporary Appalachian storyteller whose boundless energy is undeniably contagious. With equal parts humor and gravity, she draws on her Ph.D. in Performance Ethnography to develop her knowledge of Appalachian folklore into theatrical works that highlight the lived stories of the region’s people and places. The strong folk heroines who emerge from the traditions of her native Northeast Tennessee and beyond show audiences how the past continues to live in the present—connecting memory, geography, and enduring identity. Harvey has performed widely, from national workshops for physicians and keynotes for multinational tech leaders, to festivals in the U.K. and intercultural workshops in Morocco, and in three storytelling courses with The Great Courses. Critics have called her work “very funny” (Theatre Guide London) and...

Hannah Harvey is a contemporary Appalachian storyteller whose boundless energy is undeniably contagious. With equal parts humor and gravity, she draws on her Ph.D. in Performance Ethnography to develop her knowledge of Appalachian folklore into theatrical works that highlight the lived stories of the region’s people and places. The strong folk heroines who emerge from the traditions of her native Northeast Tennessee and beyond show audiences how the past continues to live in the present—connecting memory, geography, and enduring identity. Harvey has performed widely, from national workshops for physicians and keynotes for multinational tech leaders, to festivals in the U.K. and intercultural workshops in Morocco, and in three storytelling courses with The Great Courses. Critics have called her work “very funny” (Theatre Guide London) and...

Storyteller Tim Ereneta connects ancient stories to modern-day life, as he shares classic and forgotten fairy tales with audiences of all ages—but especially adults. Trained as a playwright and actor, Ereneta is an award-winning storyteller based in Berkeley, California, who has performed on stages in schools, theaters, and festivals across the country.  Originally interested in sketch comedy, Tim found he could get as big a reaction from audiences from telling a Grimm’s fairy tale as he could from performing original comedy. “Ereneta’s methodical manner and quiet wit are a refreshing change of pace.” –The Washington Post Website: https://www.timereneta.info/

Storyteller Tim Ereneta connects ancient stories to modern-day life, as he shares classic and forgotten fairy tales with audiences of all ages—but especially adults. Trained as a playwright and actor, Ereneta is an award-winning storyteller based in Berkeley, California, who has performed on stages in schools, theaters, and festivals across the country.  Originally interested in sketch comedy, Tim found he could get as big a reaction from audiences from telling a Grimm’s fairy tale as he could from performing original comedy. “Ereneta’s methodical manner and quiet wit are a refreshing change of pace.” –The Washington Post Website: https://www.timereneta.info/

Storyteller Tim Ereneta connects ancient stories to modern-day life, as he shares classic and forgotten fairy tales with audiences of all ages—but especially adults. Trained as a playwright and actor, Ereneta is an award-winning storyteller based in Berkeley, California, who has performed on stages in schools, theaters, and festivals across the country.  Originally interested in sketch comedy, Tim found he could get as big a reaction from audiences from telling a Grimm’s fairy tale as he could from performing original comedy. “Ereneta’s methodical manner and quiet wit are a refreshing change of pace.” –The Washington Post Website: https://www.timereneta.info/

Storyteller Tim Ereneta connects ancient stories to modern-day life, as he shares classic and forgotten fairy tales with audiences of all ages—but especially adults. Trained as a playwright and actor, Ereneta is an award-winning storyteller based in Berkeley, California, who has performed on stages in schools, theaters, and festivals across the country.  Originally interested in sketch comedy, Tim found he could get as big a reaction from audiences from telling a Grimm’s fairy tale as he could from performing original comedy. “Ereneta’s methodical manner and quiet wit are a refreshing change of pace.” –The Washington Post Website: https://www.timereneta.info/

Storyteller Tim Ereneta connects ancient stories to modern-day life, as he shares classic and forgotten fairy tales with audiences of all ages—but especially adults. Trained as a playwright and actor, Ereneta is an award-winning storyteller based in Berkeley, California, who has performed on stages in schools, theaters, and festivals across the country.  Originally interested in sketch comedy, Tim found he could get as big a reaction from audiences from telling a Grimm’s fairy tale as he could from performing original comedy. “Ereneta’s methodical manner and quiet wit are a refreshing change of pace.” –The Washington Post Website: https://www.timereneta.info/

April Armstrong is an award-winning actress, singer, and storyteller who weaves melodies and words into her multi-cultural folktales and historic accounts. April’s journey into storytelling began in the third grade, when she was invited back by the fifth grade to reprise her solo from the school play. Her reward? Cake, ice cream — and a calling she’s followed ever since. She has performed at numerous festivals, theaters, and schools nationwide, including the famed Apollo Theater in Harlem.  Armstrong is the recipient of the National Storytellers Network’s 2020 J.J. Reneaux Emerging Artist and the 2015 Bronx BRIO awards for Storytelling, and her debut CD, The Cat Came Back: Stories and Songs with a Jazzy Twist, won a Parents Choice Silver Award. Website: www.aprilarmstrong.com

April Armstrong is an award-winning actress, singer, and storyteller who weaves melodies and words into her multi-cultural folktales and historic accounts. April’s journey into storytelling began in the third grade, when she was invited back by the fifth grade to reprise her solo from the school play. Her reward? Cake, ice cream — and a calling she’s followed ever since. She has performed at numerous festivals, theaters, and schools nationwide, including the famed Apollo Theater in Harlem.  Armstrong is the recipient of the National Storytellers Network’s 2020 J.J. Reneaux Emerging Artist and the 2015 Bronx BRIO awards for Storytelling, and her debut CD, The Cat Came Back: Stories and Songs with a Jazzy Twist, won a Parents Choice Silver Award. Website: www.aprilarmstrong.com

April Armstrong is an award-winning actress, singer, and storyteller who weaves melodies and words into her multi-cultural folktales and historic accounts. April’s journey into storytelling began in the third grade, when she was invited back by the fifth grade to reprise her solo from the school play. Her reward? Cake, ice cream — and a calling she’s followed ever since. She has performed at numerous festivals, theaters, and schools nationwide, including the famed Apollo Theater in Harlem.  Armstrong is the recipient of the National Storytellers Network’s 2020 J.J. Reneaux Emerging Artist and the 2015 Bronx BRIO awards for Storytelling, and her debut CD, The Cat Came Back: Stories and Songs with a Jazzy Twist, won a Parents Choice Silver Award. Website: www.aprilarmstrong.com

April Armstrong is an award-winning actress, singer, and storyteller who weaves melodies and words into her multi-cultural folktales and historic accounts. April’s journey into storytelling began in the third grade, when she was invited back by the fifth grade to reprise her solo from the school play. Her reward? Cake, ice cream — and a calling she’s followed ever since. She has performed at numerous festivals, theaters, and schools nationwide, including the famed Apollo Theater in Harlem.  Armstrong is the recipient of the National Storytellers Network’s 2020 J.J. Reneaux Emerging Artist and the 2015 Bronx BRIO awards for Storytelling, and her debut CD, The Cat Came Back: Stories and Songs with a Jazzy Twist, won a Parents Choice Silver Award. Website: www.aprilarmstrong.com

April Armstrong is an award-winning actress, singer, and storyteller who weaves melodies and words into her multi-cultural folktales and historic accounts. April’s journey into storytelling began in the third grade, when she was invited back by the fifth grade to reprise her solo from the school play. Her reward? Cake, ice cream — and a calling she’s followed ever since. She has performed at numerous festivals, theaters, and schools nationwide, including the famed Apollo Theater in Harlem.  Armstrong is the recipient of the National Storytellers Network’s 2020 J.J. Reneaux Emerging Artist and the 2015 Bronx BRIO awards for Storytelling, and her debut CD, The Cat Came Back: Stories and Songs with a Jazzy Twist, won a Parents Choice Silver Award. Website: www.aprilarmstrong.com

Mitch Capel, who often performs as “Gran’daddy Junebug,” is a seasoned storyteller, recording artist, published author, and poet. Mitch first began writing and performing skits at the age of 12, and has delighted audiences throughout the U.S. with his warmth, wit, and compelling storytelling style since 1985. Considered the “national interpreter” of the poet laureate Paul Laurence Dunbar’s work, Capel has been featured at venues across the country, including the DuSable Black History Museum, The Kennedy Center, the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, and the Presidential Inauguration of Barack Obama. Mitch Capel is a consummate teller of tales. A master of voices that squeak and growl. – The Fayetteville Observer Visit Mitch’s website.

Mitch Capel, who often performs as “Gran’daddy Junebug,” is a seasoned storyteller, recording artist, published author, and poet. Mitch first began writing and performing skits at the age of 12, and has delighted audiences throughout the U.S. with his warmth, wit, and compelling storytelling style since 1985. Considered the “national interpreter” of the poet laureate Paul Laurence Dunbar’s work, Capel has been featured at venues across the country, including the DuSable Black History Museum, The Kennedy Center, the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, and the Presidential Inauguration of Barack Obama. Mitch Capel is a consummate teller of tales. A master of voices that squeak and growl. – The Fayetteville Observer Visit Mitch’s website.

Mitch Capel, who often performs as “Gran’daddy Junebug,” is a seasoned storyteller, recording artist, published author, and poet. Mitch first began writing and performing skits at the age of 12, and has delighted audiences throughout the U.S. with his warmth, wit, and compelling storytelling style since 1985. Considered the “national interpreter” of the poet laureate Paul Laurence Dunbar’s work, Capel has been featured at venues across the country, including the DuSable Black History Museum, The Kennedy Center, the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, and the Presidential Inauguration of Barack Obama. Mitch Capel is a consummate teller of tales. A master of voices that squeak and growl. – The Fayetteville Observer Visit Mitch’s website.

Mitch Capel, who often performs as “Gran’daddy Junebug,” is a seasoned storyteller, recording artist, published author, and poet. Mitch first began writing and performing skits at the age of 12, and has delighted audiences throughout the U.S. with his warmth, wit, and compelling storytelling style since 1985. Considered the “national interpreter” of the poet laureate Paul Laurence Dunbar’s work, Capel has been featured at venues across the country, including the DuSable Black History Museum, The Kennedy Center, the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, and the Presidential Inauguration of Barack Obama. Mitch Capel is a consummate teller of tales. A master of voices that squeak and growl. – The Fayetteville Observer Visit Mitch’s website.

Mitch Capel, who often performs as “Gran’daddy Junebug,” is a seasoned storyteller, recording artist, published author, and poet. Mitch first began writing and performing skits at the age of 12, and has delighted audiences throughout the U.S. with his warmth, wit, and compelling storytelling style since 1985. Considered the “national interpreter” of the poet laureate Paul Laurence Dunbar’s work, Capel has been featured at venues across the country, including the DuSable Black History Museum, The Kennedy Center, the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, and the Presidential Inauguration of Barack Obama. Mitch Capel is a consummate teller of tales. A master of voices that squeak and growl. – The Fayetteville Observer Visit Mitch’s website.