Priscilla Howe

“Tell it again!” listeners call out after hearing Priscilla Howe’s stories. Her storytelling performances are a perfect mix of entertainment, education, reflection and of course laughter, as she connects listeners to stories and to each other. Young children meet Priscilla’s ridiculous puppets, while older kids and adults get more sophisticated fare, all served with a generous dollop of good humor.

Priscilla travels the world (fourteen countries on four continents, and counting) with a bagful of puppets and a headful of stories. Since 1993, her full-time job has been telling folktales, personal stories—some are even true—and literary tales to listeners of all ages, even grownups. Her favorite audience is the one in front of her at the moment. In 2015, Priscilla spent five months as a Fulbright Scholar in Bulgaria, collecting folktales and performing. She is a native New Englander who lives in Lawrence, Kansas with her cat, Francis Bacon (Sir).

Priscilla is also searching for the best restaurant pie on earth.

• Kindness, Compassion and Courage: Stories for Character Education (k—gr. 6)
• These stories highlight character traits such as kindness, courage, respect and more. After each story, Priscilla invites the listeners to reflect on how those traits might manifest in their own lives.
• Laughter Makes the World Go ‘Round (pre-k—gr. 6)
• Join Priscilla for a rollicking show of some of her favorite silly world folktales, stories from books and songs. Of course, a few of her ridiculous puppets come along for the ride.
• Shakespeare’s Inspiration (gr. 6—adult)
• Where did William Shakespeare get his ideas? Priscilla tells the old tales that inspired some of the Bard of Avon’s best known plays, King Lear, Hamlet and Taming of the Shrew.
• Tell Your Own Story Workshop (adults)
• In telling our own stories, we discover our uniqueness, as well as our common ground. This workshop is especially fun for amateur genealogists filling in the foliage of the family tree.
• Hands On, Hands In: Using Puppets with Young Children (adults)
• You don’t have to be a ventriloquist to use puppets with children! This “hands in” workshop focuses on simple hand puppet technique and style.

More performances and workshops are available on Priscilla’s website.

• $300 for each 45-60 minute segment, plus mileage and lodging if necessary. Multiple shows/workshops and multi-day residencies eligible for block-booking discounts.
• Community/Educational Activity: $250 per 45-60 minute segment for additional activity.

Performances at libraries, coffeehouses, senior living residences, juvenile detention centers, alternative schools, special populations groups, preschools and Head Start facilities are also available.

School assemblies, family reading nights, special events, teacher in-services.

Extensive study guide with pre- and post-visit activities and discussion questions available on request.

Workshops on storytelling, writing, story games, using puppets with young children, story stretches and songs, and cultural awareness in storytelling also available.