evenSteven is a Vancouver based writer and storyteller who reinvents himself on an irregular basis. A fugitive of the public education system, he retired from teaching high school English to exercise racehorses at Hastings Park. In the past couple of years evenSteven has performed at numerous venues, from elementary schools to the PNE and has been a featured performer at the Vancouver International Storytelling Festival and a finalist in the Vancouver Story Slam Championships. Ever aware that good writers borrow and great writers steal, evenSteven happily steals from folktales, literature, legend and myth, as well as mythologizing personal and family history in zealous pursuit of the spellbinding tale.

Far from her Nova Scotian roots, well known for her repertoire spanning the ordinary to the mythopoetic, Vancouver teller Abegael Fisher-Lang has told world tales at business conferences, Celtic myths to university classes, Hannukah legends in a wintry barn, Jack tales at Word-on-the-Street, and a midlife cycle – Crones are the Midwives of Time Passing -to women’s initiation circles. She has told her myth trilogy based on the Demeter and Persephone in New York and for the World Urban Festival in Vanouver. And tales about those tricksters …Raven, Loki, Monkey King, Anansi… when they’re looking the other way.

As artistic director for World Storytelling Day and Vancouver International Storytelling Festivals, Abegael is known for her gift of bringing people together to celebrate good storytelling. With skill and humour, she inspires others to tell their own stories, and coaches them in crafting memorable stories to celebrate life events. She is passionate about storytelling: It is an exalted place...there is no power greater than our collective imagination, and storytelling strengthens this, tale by tale. That is why I tell!

Abegael is committed to education through imagination, having taught Waldorf education for many years, developed storybased curricula with the national program Learning Through the Arts, and presented workshops at conferences of the Imaginative Education Research Group at Simon Fraser University, BC.
Recognized for her initiatives in community storytelling, such as North Shore Cric?-Crac!, she is profiled in Mentors in our Midst. Abegael directs a community play from the medieval Oberufer Mystery Drama Cycle each January, and presents storytelling workshops regularly.

Having long ago fessed up to her love for the Welsh (wishing she had been born under Cymru, the red Welsh dragon), Abegael focused the 2002 Welsh Mabinogion Epic Weekend, won first place for storytelling at the North American Welsh Eisteddfod Festival 2003. She has participated in all Epic Storytelling weekends in Vancouver, including the Finnish Kalevala, Celtic Wonder Tales, Tibetan and Tuvan Tales, and many more.

The mother of a creative Downs’ Syndrome teen, Abegael is inspired by his joy of language and adventure; both she and her son Aiden tell stories to special communities. While she listens for the healing myth of our time, her mentor and son Aiden, aka King Arthur, searches the nearby forest for swords under stones.

Abegael was recently certified through the Celebrant Foundation and Institute (2006) to create ceremonies for families and communities to celebrate life events. More details will soon be included on her website, as long as it is updated before the end of the decade.

Website www.mythopoetica.ca

Born and raised on the west coast of Ireland, Philomena personifies the Irish gift for telling stories, reciting poetry and spontaneous singing. She draws her listeners into stories about her own childhood and from the rich heritage of her native tradition. Philomena entertains audiences at house concerts, seniors homes, schools, and festivals including television appearances.

HELEN MAY
Dip.Tesol,MA,ECE

Storyteller, Instructor, Tutor
Mentor, Coach, Facilitator

WALKING TREE
Education Consultant

Stories for Adults and Children.

For as long as we have inhabited the world as humans we have sat together and shared our experiences-our stories. We have found consolation and continuity in sharing events and ideas with each other. We have never really wanted to be isolated or excluded from the fabric of humanity. Stories provide a sense of companionship, identity, purpose and meaning to our lives.

Helen May was born in South Africa, was educated there and then fled from the politics of apartheid to live in Brazil. Her degree in early childhood education in which she specialized in the arts for young children, provided
countless opportunities for communicating with people of all ages through the 'language 'of stories, dance and songs as well as drawing and painting. She came to Canada by road, with her husband. The journey from Rio de Janeiro to Vancouver took them 8 months--ample time to reflect on humanity and stories!

Helen May has told and listened to stories in southern Africa, Brazil and Western Canada; in various languages with children, adults,and elders of communities on these continents; in halls, under trees, in kitchens, in schools, community centres, libraries. Her stories for adult listeners illustrate human endeavour, the ability to overcome adversity and to share triumph.These spring from situations she has witnessed in Africa and other places. She draws from Zulu tales heard in childhood when sharing stories with children.

When you'd like a story for your group of children or a story for your festival, or a celebration , a commemoration, a fireside gathering, a meeting of CEO's .......

HELEN MAY can be reached by phone at 604-739.7392
e.mail-helenmay@telus.net

Melanie stumbled across theatre at 18, and jumped into storytelling at 37. She and Nan Gregory were a duo from 1984 to 1989. Since then, Melanie has continued telling for all ages in diverse venues across Canada and elsewhere. Folktales, literature and history fill her extensive repertoire. Two favourites - the long Medieval epic, "Tristan and Iseult," and an hour of Emily Carr's stories knit together as "A Song of Small." Melanie’s carefully crafted programmes are full of people you know, or wish you did, and she sets them down in vivid scenes. A long-time favourite of Vancouver audiences.

Naomi has told stories in places as varied as the 11th Annual International Storytelling Festival in Vancouver, Canada to the ‘Science Meets Dharma’ project in India. She is an Artist in Residence with the Vancouver School Board and has developed workshops for schools in Morocco, Switzerland and Vancouver as well as for the Cortona conference in Italy.

Max Tell is the persona of writer, storyteller and educator Robert Stelmach. Max has toured the Pacific Rim five times telling his own stories and singing his own songs.

Since 1986, Max has performed at many festivals including The Vancouver Children’s Festival (1992 & 2005), The Vancouver Storytelling Festival (1991-93, 2000, 2003-04, and 2008), Bumbershoot (the Seattle Arts Festival) (1992, 94), as well as storytelling festivals in Singapore, Australia, and Malaysia (1991-95).

He was Artistic Director for the children’s stage at the 13th Annual Vancouver International Storytelling Festival (2004). He also has five years of experience touring as an actor in children’s theatre throughout Northern Ontario.

Max has three audio CDs available. The most recent is "Little Johnny Small and Other Stories" available in English only or with Spanish translations and accompanied by an audio book. Other CDs include: "Dragon with a Flagon", "A Fist of Bees" and "The Land of Graws".

Four of Max’s plays have been produced and many of his poems, short stories, and articles have been published. In 1992 his play, "Wild Rose and Half Step" was nominated for a Jessie Richardson Theatre Award for best Children's Play of the Year. His story was runner-up for 2007 Writing for Children Competition sponsored by the Writers' Union of Canada.

He has edited three newsletters, including the Vancouver Storytelling Circle Newsletter.

Max has well over 650 hours of experience as a workshop leader in creative writing and performance, including special needs programs for the blind, the deaf, and the mentally challenged.

He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in theatre from Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia (1972). He carried on graduate studies in theatre arts at the University of Nebraska (1974).

Max studied creative writing at the Banff School of Fine Arts in Banff, Alberta, studying under W.O. Mitchell, "Who Has Seen the Wind", (1978). He also has a TESOL Diploma from Vancouver Community College licensing him to teach English as a Second Language (2002).

Robert (Max Tell) Stelmach lives in White Rock, British Columbia and has two adult children. .

www.maxtell.ca

Traveling in Siberia's forests, tundra, and steppe over 15 years, Kira connected with indigenous traditions, stories, and people — their lives, history, spirituality, and sense of humour. She delights listeners with adventures in worlds we do not see with the eye, accompanied by her evocative original cello and vocal music.
More recently she had the privilege of hearing Inuit elders recount ancient legends in Nunavut. With their permission she now shares those exciting stories. Programs for ages 6 to 106!

For more information please visit her website:
www.kiravan.com