Storytelling
Glenn Harper
Storyteller, Teaching Artist with the Connecticut Storytelling Center’s School Program
Performances for all ages
Workshops, concerts, and residencies
All venues: schools, libraries, museums, public institutions, occasions, etc.
CONTACT: GlennHarperStoryteller@gmail.com
Repertoire:
Ghost stories
humorous tales
Jewish Tales
Myths/Legends
holidays
folk tales
Multicultural stories
traditional tales
fairy tales
Original stories
Descriptions for a select few of Glenn’s specific programs:
Folk Tales In a performance suited for ages 3 to 103, Glenn weaves together a set of age appropriate folktales from around the world that demonstrate universal ideas, discover commonalities, and explore wisdom, heart, humor and adventure. Programs can be customized and themed to particular events, holidays, messages, or to contain stories from specific cultures or traditions.
“Ada Days” This set of Glenn’s original humorous stories for teens and adults has a memorable cast of quirky characters. Engaging and captivating, these stories are set in rural America in a nostalgic era of days gone by, and are full of outrageous narrative and wit with a touch of warmth and spirit. Glenn weaves music through all the stories for an experience that delights, entertains and keeps his audience on their toes!"
Original ghost stories Geared toward teens and adults, many of these enthralling and chilling stories are set in rural Appalachia where Glenn was raised, and are full of imaginative language, ambiance, history and, of course, eerie encounters with things that go bump in the night! Glenn weaves music through some the stories as well for unique experience that captures imaginations and sends shivers down the spine!"
Samples
2016 Connecticut State Storytelling Festival
Tellabration! at Milford Public Library
Storytelling at St. Thomas Aquinas School, Fairfield, CT
Bio
Glenn Harper is an accomplished and captivating teller of folktales and stories from around the world, drawing in and engaging audiences of all ages, to find universality, meaning, humor and heart in his tales. For over 20 years Glenn has been performing workshops, concerts, and residencies in schools, libraries, museums, and other venues. For the past several years has been a Teaching Artist with the Connecticut Storytelling Center, offering residencies in storytelling and literacy skills at schools around the state.
Glenn is also well known for writing and telling original stories, be they modern fairly tales, new ghost stories or his particular specialty, hilarious tales of misadventure, often set in small rural communities. He blends humor, lively characters, and very often singing into his tales to the delight of audiences around the region.
Now offering Zoom and virtual performances in the same lively and engaging style! Glenn is available for performances for all ages, 3 to 103. Also available as a tandem teller with his wife Amy Lilien-Harper.
Glenn was born and raised in Charleston, West Virginia, and moved to Connecticut in 1996. He grew up listening to his mother reading stories, and enjoying Appalachian tales told during the yearly Vandalia Festival that took place in his home town. His first real turn as a storyteller came at that same festival when he was an eighth grader. On the spur of the moment, he decided to participate in the Liar’s Contest by telling a “shaggy dog” story he’d learned in camp.
It wasn’t until years later, however, that Glenn’s wife, Amy Lilien-Harper, suggested that he might enjoy listening to stories at the meetings of the local story sharing group. Glenn finally decided to try his hand at telling in front of the group, and hasn’t looked back. Glenn also enjoys art, photography, ballroom dancing, and especially his two daughters. (And by the way, that picture at the top is a picture he took of his older daughter back when she was two.)
PAST PERFORMANCES
TEACHING ARTIST WITH THE CONNECTICUT STORYTELLING CENTER’S SCHOOLS PROGRAM
FEATURED TELLER
CONNECTICUT STATE STORYTELLING FESTIVAL
FEATURED TELLER
SHARING THE FIRE: NORTHEAST STORYTELLING CONFERENCE (New England storytelling festival)
MANY TIME FEATURED TELLER
ROWAYTON TELLABRATION! (The Grandaddy of them all)
STORYTELLING RESIDENCIES IN SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT CONNECTICUT
STAMFORD ROTARY CLUB TELLABRATION
COS COB TELLABRATION!
DARIEN TELLABRATION!
SPEF READING IS FUNDAMENTAL STORYTELLING EVENTS
SOUNDWATERS STORYTELLING EVENTS
BARTLETT ARBORETUM CHRISTMAS STORYTELLING
NUMEROUS FAIRFIELD COUNTY SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES
AND MORE!
Press
“When a story really comes alive, it is such a special experience for everyone involved. As a teller I enjoy that moment as much as the audience does. Stories are such a strong connection to our past and our heritage, and a treasure that can be passed on from generation to generation.”
