Invited Storytellers

Bob Barton

Bob Barton was born in Hamilton, Ontario and studied at McMaster University. After a career in teaching and with the Ontario Ministry of Education, he became a professional storyteller. He has been a feature storyteller at festivals across North America, England and Australia.

Since 1969 he has published nineteen books for both children and teachers.

Bob works as an artist in schools with Prologue to the Performing Arts, and the Writer's Union of Canada "Writers-in-the-schools" program. He is also a course instructor with the Additional Qualifications course Dramatic Arts Intermediate Basic at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education sat the University of Toronto.

Bob will be giving a workshop on Saturday, June 6th, called "How Do I Tell This Story?". For more information, click here

June Brown    

June enjoys working with listeners of all ages. Many of her stories for younger children are interactive to help them develop their literacy skills. She often incorporates puppets, music and a felt board. Whether the listeners are young or old, her stories allow them to stretch their imaginations and experience fun, laughter, suspense and amazement. “Tell it again,” is a common response.
June has told stories in schools, libraries, churches, daycare centres, therapeutic settings, summer camps and festivals.

Sandra Carpenter Davis (Toronto)

Sandra has been a professional storyteller for over 25 years; telling epics, myths, folktales and family stories to all ages. A teacher/trainer with the Parent-Child Mother Goose program since 1989, Sandra is the collector/editor of Bounce Me, Tickle Me, Hug Me, a multicultural rhyme collection. She is a member of Four in Hand Storytellers, The Storytellers School of Toronto, and a founding member of the Canadian Association of Storytellers for Children.

Aubrey Davis

Aubrey loves telling and writing tales that provoke thought and delight in people of all ages. These are the priceless tales that have endured, crossing cultures and generations. Bottomless, often hilarious, their meanings can deepen with familiarity and experience. His award-winning Bagels from Benny has enthralled countless young readers. 

Gail Fricker (Stratford)

Gail has told stories around the world: Kenya, Japan, Denmark, UK, and across North America. She has a Masters Degree in Story Arts and now teaches storytelling and drama at Emmanuel Bible College and North Western Secondary School. She regularly gives workshops through the Ontario Arts Council, performs storytelling thoughout Avon Maitland, and is a popular speaker at many arts education conferences.  Her lively and interactive style engages audiences of all ages, especially her 7 year old son Gavin.

Diane Halpin

Diane Halpin's storytelling performances and workshops are dynamic and interactive. She specializes in multi-cultural folktales and life-stories, and interweaves her storytelling with Celtic drumming. Diane's guest and keynote presentations are described as "inspiring" and "creative". She performs for audience of all ages in schools and universities, as well as at libraries, festivals, conferences and nursing homes. Diane Halpin's passion is to encourage literacy and joie de vivre through storytelling.

Sally Jaeger

 Storytelling professionally since 1981, Sally specializes in Mother Goose rhymes, fingerplays, stories and songs for very young children and their families. She created innovative and long-running parent-infant and parent-toddler programs, including "Lullabies and Lap Rhymes", "Mr. Bear Says Hello" and "Jack in the Box Tales for Twos". These programs aim to introduce parents to the world of Mother Goose, building their skills and confidence when playing and saying this repertoire with their children.

Sally also gives lively concerts and workshops for school age children and energetic and engaging workshops for teachers, librarians, parents and caregivers. Participation is spontaneous!

Kim Kilpatrick

A professional storyteller since 2001, Kim comes from a family of storytellers.  She loves to tell folk and other tales to people of all ages.
Kim has told at the NAC Fourth Stage, Ottawa Storytelling Festival, several other local venues in Ottawa, and at the Toronto Storytelling Festival. She tells many personal stories about her life. Kim is totally blind which makes for some fascinating, humourous, and enlightening stories.

Mary-Eileen McClear (Baden)

25 years as a storyteller, she has performed on CBC radio, at the Toronto Storytelling Festival, the Stratford Festival, and numerous other festivals across Canada and the U.S. Mary-Eileen founded the Second Story Workshop (aka The Story Barn) in Baden, where monthly storytelling gatherings are entering their 21st year. She has won several awards for her work and her writing and has a recording of Strange But True Stories of Early Canada. www.thestorybarn.ca

Alan Shain

Shain uses humour to attack the idea that disabled people are passive and helpless, which is reflected in the name of his company, Smashing Stereotypes Productions.
He performs across Canada, the United States, and holds the honour of being the only Canadian artist invited to perform at the 2000
Paralympics Arts Festival in Australia. Shain is a favorite at conferences, schools and universities. His act broaches such questions as 'Do people in wheelchairs ever go to the bathroom? Are they all related to each other? Do they ever think about sex?' You may learn just a little more from Alan Shain than you really wanted to know.

Phyllis Walker

Storyteller, artist, and retired teacher, Phyllis tells stories of the contribution of the African Diaspora that is usually lost, stolen, or deliberately hidden.  The multicultural tales from around the world remind us that we are more alike than different and that stories have the power to change us. Phyllis delighted her students with a story to start the day in the classroom. Now that joy is shared with many different audiences. Stories are magical.

Harriet Xanthakos (Toronto)

Harriet believes we are all storytellers. She presents workshops and shares folktales, family stories and Greek myths with listeners and tellers of all ages. In 2007 she toured Quebec for Canadian Children's Book Week. The more stories she tells - stories that warm the heart, stir the soul, and cross all barriers - the more she realizes that she will live happily ever after.