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Mary's Bio Mary's early adventures in the storytelling spotlight led to a note on her report card, trips to the confessional, and smiles of delight on the faces of her 3rd grade classmates. When it was Mary's turn to stand in front of her class and tell what she had done over the weekend, she did not hesitate to describe how she rode her horse bareback. Carefully, she used her hands to demonstrate how she slid off the rump of her galloping horse, barely grabbing the tail. She showed them how she struggled to climb the tail, then held tight to the mane to finish her ride. The story was most convincing, especially from a girl who owned no horse. While her classmates were thrilled, her teacher recognized a disturbing lack of truth in need of correction instead of talent in need of encouragement and direction. A note to Mary's parents resulted in reminders that telling stories was sinful. For years Mary confessed her sins and struggled to overcome her talent. Thank goodness, she failed. In 1983, after brief careers as a high school English teacher and a public library children's librarian, Mary embraced professional storytelling. With her ever-expanding repertoire, Mary delights audiences throughout the USA. She tells tales in a straightforward "just talking" style. Yes, she still uses her hands to help tell the tale. Today, when Mary takes the stage, the show unfolds in the hearts and minds of her audiences - just as it did for her 3rd grade classmates so many years ago. Mary entertains audiences of adults, families, or children with Kentucky tales, world folk & fairy tales, plus a few myths, legends, true stories, and original fiction. Her work has been featured at storytelling festivals including the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, Tennessee; the Hoosier Storytelling Festival, Indianapolis, IN; the Storytelling Festival of Nebraska, and many more. She has performed for university students, entertained families and children in libraries, told tales to accompany museum exhibits, and presented hundreds of school assembly programs. Mary's storytelling is also listed in the Kentucky Performing Arts Directory, a juried directory of Kentucky's finest performers. For more details on specific past performances, see Mary's Resume. For information on her stories for specific audiences, see Performances. For brief video and audio samples of Mary's storytelling, click here to visit her page on Southern Artistry, an online artist registry designed to showcase the South's artistic diversity and excellence by spotlighting outstanding artists of all disciplines, each recommended for inclusion by their state arts agency. You can also listen to audio excerpts from Mary’s CDs by selecting a title – Some Dog and Other Kentucky Wonders, Haunting Tales, or, Sisters All…and One Troll. Yes, you can buy her CDs on CD Baby or in her Story Store. Mary also teaches the art of storytelling to others. She has trained teachers, librarians, speakers, and her fellow storytellers. Her workshop venues include the International Storytelling Institute at East Tennessee State University, the Florida Storytelling Camp, Arts Unlimited at Bowling Green State University, and many more. To learn more about Mary's workshop venues, see her Resume. To read workshop descriptions, see Workshops. In addition to teaching teachers through workshops, Mary also encourages teachers to use storytelling techniques in their classrooms through her work as an artist in residence. Since 1989 Mary has promoted storytelling in Kentucky classrooms through her service as a Kentucky Arts Council Residency Artist. Whether she is exploring stories with primary students, helping 4th graders write personal narratives, or teaching middle school students how to use the Artistic Response Process, Mary enjoys working with students and their teachers. To learn more about her favorite residency projects, see Residencies. The Kentucky School Media Association presented Mary with the 1999-2000 Jesse Stuart Media Award. This award recognizes creative development in any medium of service to Kentucky schools. Mary received the award, not for a specific story or story recording, but for her body of work in the medium of storytelling. Past Jesse Stuart Media Award recipients include children's author and poet George Ella Lyons, the Kentucky Educational Television Network, and Kentucky's largest newspaper, The Louisville Courier-Journal. Mary is the first storyteller to receive this award. You can also enjoy hearing Mary tell stories on audiocassette and on CD. Mary’s newest CD, Sisters All…and One Troll won both an iParenting Media Award and a Parents’ Choice Gold Award and a Storytelling World Winner Award for storytelling recordings. Two of Mary's recordings, Some Dog and Other Kentucky Wonders and Haunting Tales: Live from Culbertson Mansion, were selected by The Elementary School Library Collection as recommended spoken word recordings for schools throughout the USA and Canada. Mary’s adaptation and retelling of “Stormwalker” has been designated a 2003 Honor Title in the category Stories for Pre-Adolescent Listeners of the Storytelling World Honor Awards. The awards, given in recognition of highest quality storytelling resources, are presented by Storytelling World, a fully-refereed international publication. You’ll find “Stormwalker” on both the CD and audiocassette recordings, Some Dog and Other Kentucky Wonders. Three of Mary's stories can be read in the anthologies, The Scenic Route: Stories from the Heartland, Best-Loved Stories Told at the National Storytelling Festival and Telling Stories: Fiction by Kentucky Feminists. To learn more about Mary's work in print and on audio, go to the Story Store.Mary also encourages the growth of her storytelling colleagues by co-facilitating WOW (Working on Our Work) Storytelling Weekends with Cynthia Changaris. In a small group retreat setting Mary and Cynthia host gatherings of tellers, using an Artistic Response Process to help tellers work on their work together. To learn more, see WOW Weekends. Mary also counts herself among the many dedicated members of the National Storytelling Network - http://www.storynet.org. Closer to home, Mary helped found two storytelling swap groups - Tale Talk, when she lived in Louisville, and Frankfort Area Storytellers Gatherings since her 1994 move to Frankfort, Kentucky. Beginning in April 2004, Mary has served as one of the founding board members of the Kentucky Storytelling Association. http://www.kystory.org Mary and her husband Charles Wright live on a Frankfort, Kentucky hillside. With a wooded view from the windows and frequent deer, groundhogs, squirrels, birds and other wildlife in the yard, Mary and Charles enjoy a peace-filled life. When asked, "Who is your favorite audience?" Mary's response hasn't changed since 3rd grade. "Whether I'm telling stories, teaching storytelling, or using storytelling in a classroom, my favorite audience is always the group in front of me." One thing has changed since 3rd grade. Instead of viewing herself as a sinner girl, Mary now proudly claims the title professional storyteller. HOME/PROGRAMS/ABOUT MARY/STORY STORE/ARTICLES/WHAT'S NEW? Mary
Hamilton, Professional Storyteller |
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