ACT STORYTELLERS GUILD

THE WORLD IS FULL OF STORIES

We are an incorporated non-profit group that have been part of the Canberra community since the 1980s. We encourage and promote the oral tradition of storytelling as an integral part of community life.

To achieve this we

meet to exchange, refine and rehearse stories
encourage new members to tell and develop their skill as storytellers
perform storytelling sessions in the community
hold storytelling concerts.

Our tellers are independent contractors available for single performances or regular sessions.

Our tellers work through an accreditation process and all accredited tellers have current WWVP cards.

FIND A STORYTELLER

Roslyn Hull VICE PRESIDENT

Ros writes almost all her own stories and will perform for all ages and interests. A museum educator by day, she designs storytelling programs and other activities for children, school and special interest groups visiting the national area of Canberra. Among her friends she counts bunyips, fairies and spies and has been known to talk under wet cement.

Holly Bidwell PRESIDENT

Holly uses costumes, puppets, felt boards and other props to tell her stories and challenges herself to find or create a draw and tell stories for each of her themes. She has over 35 themes to choose from – everything from fairies and dragons to superheroes, animals and nature. She is available for schools, childcare centres, parties and community events. She particularly loves telling to the under 8s but is available for all ages.

Vonny Kemister SECRETARY

Mollie Bialkowski

Mollie, also known as Mollie Bee is versatile and active storyteller. She owns over 50 puppets and masks which she combines in her unique storytelling style. She can create a theme for a child’s party or holiday programme and execute games, stories and costumed acts around that theme. Children are enthralled at dressing up and becoming the characters in her stories. Her stories include fairytales, fantasy, legends and her own original stories.

Cherie Burns

Cherie Burns enjoys telling stories to people of all ages. Her stories come from many sources and include folktales, fairy tales, animal stories, personal stories and her own written stories. She is happy to learn a favourite story for you and to put together a themed session.

Trish Barron

Trish Barron has been entertaining preschoolers and primary school children for years with her huge range of puppets and felt board stories. She takes her stories from many sources and in the last few years has been telling to adults in concert settings and in senior citizens homes. Her wonderful memory for stories in verse astounds all. Trish is passionate about sharing her skills as a storyteller with anyone who wants to learn.

Elizabeth Burness

Elizabeth tells true stories. She is fascinated with unusual aspects of history. Much of her inspiration is drawn from the local region and she supports her tales by dressing in costume or producing historical objects from her remarkable collection. With one popular story she appears as ‘Judy the Great’ (Mrs Julia Webb), a colourful and practical nineteenth-century Canberran. Elizabeth has many stories to tell, ranging from the study of an early assigned convict in West Belconnen, to the local ‘Washpen murder’ of 1876, or the infamous ‘Shark arm murder’ case of 1935. She calls her presentations ‘History with a difference’.

Mary French

Mary is a retired teacher-librarian who has told stories to children and adults for many years. The multi-layered content of many stories fascinates her and she knows that a story well told can appeal to an audience of any age. Mary tells many genres of story, often illustrated with simple props, and holds adult audiences spellbound by her modern stories with a twist. She is available to give workshops on various aspects of storytelling.

Patsy Allan

Storyteller and Rock Rhythm and Roll facilitator and author, she brings a lively touch to her storytelling that is guaranteed to put a smile on the face of every listener of any age. Her stories are a delightful blend of interactive folktales, stories from her past and audience participation. She enthusiastically uses props, puppets and participation to engage her audiences. Her workshops for all ages are interactive, lively, fun-filled using props, puppets and participation to make storytelling come alive. Patsy has been a workshop leader for over twenty-five years and her experience and ongoing work with children from 0-7 make her workshops accessible and practical as well as entertaining, fun and educational.