Programs
I am always willing to explore new theme ideas. I believe what my mother used to say, “You should learn something new every day!”
PROGRAM THEMES FOR ALL AGES
Please note the themes listed are to give general overviews of the types of stories available. Many stories are available within each category; some overlap themes.
- Multicultural Folktales - Updated with "attitude" and packed with participation
- Respect & Other Character Stories - No preaching, just teaching
- Anansi the Spider & Other Trickster Stories - You can’t get something for nothing and laziness will get you nowhere – tales of tricksters from many cultures
- I Shape Freedom - See descriptions below
- Hair Raisers - Ghostly stories for all ages – tales that will make you cringe and tales to tickle your funny bone
- Holiday Stories - Christmas, Kwanzaa & Hanukah stories
"I really admire how you make everyone feel like they are in the story. You are actually giving us full entertainment. I really hope you will be coming again next year; not just for the seventh graders, but the eighth grade too." - Annette Grotzl, Middle School teacher
PROGRAM THEMES FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL AND ADULT AUDIENCES
In addition to many of the above themes:
- The Little Rock Nine – School segregation
- The Civil War Experience – Battlefields, prisons & unlikely friendships
- Mythological Love Stories – Cupid & Psyche, Pygmalion and more
- Funky Fairy Tales – twisted, tweaked and all grown up!
- I Shape Freedom – See descriptions below
"Middle school aged kids can be very difficult to reach at times, but it's obvious from their responses that you managed to do just that. The story of the mustard seed seemed to be a very popular one, and I was pleased to see that a number of boys had such a positive and insightful reaction to it." - Barb Malina, 7th grade teacher, Illinois
“I can’t believe how someone can keep the interest going and makes you want to do things with her," said Marjorie Newton, 83, of Springfield, adding, “I’m glad my friends invited me to come to your show.”
I SHAPE FREEDOM PROGRAMS
I combine historical background and personal testimony to tell the stories of many remarkable African Americans who shaped freedom by helping to change attitudes about race in the United States. My I Shape Freedom programs are underwritten by the McCormick Tribune Freedom Museum.
I have worked with numerous fine performers and interpreters. Linda Gorham is by far one of the most creative, energetic, and enthusiastic that I have had the pleasure to know. Both as a performer and a businesswoman, she is reliable, professional, and thoroughly prepared. During the time with Linda on tour for "I Shape Freedom," I witnessed her work in numerous venues from voluminous theatres to cramped and noisy school commons. She adapted to each new scenario effortlessly and with good humor. Last, she has a remarkable innate ability to connect with her audiences. Always engaging and knowledgeable, Linda captures the viewer's attention, answers questions expertly, and is friendly and approachable." - Nathan Richie, McCormick Tribune Freedom Museum
Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott – Rosa Parks is the Mother of the Civil Rights Movement. In 1955, in a simple act of defiance, she refused to give up her seat on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama. That act sparked a boycott of Montgomery’s buses by the city’s 55,000 African Americans. The boycott lasted 381 days and ultimately led to an end to segregation on public transportation throughout the United States. I tell this powerful and riveting story through the eyes three people: Claudette Colvin, a 15-year-old teenager, James Blake, the bus driver on the day Rosa Parks was arrested, and Rosa Parks herself. (4th grade - Adults)
The Little Rock Nine – Fifty years ago, in the fall of 1957, nine African American teenagers became known as the Little Rock Nine when they volunteered to integrate Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. The nine students managed to survive their years at Central High School but they were fraught with turmoil, name-calling, hatred, isolation, violence, and fear. They, and many others, sacrificed their childhoods to take a stand for freedom and equal rights. I give a personal glimpse into their yearlong struggle. (Middle School - Adults)
The Story of Ruby Bridges – Ruby Bridges was six years old in 1960. She was excited to attend a new school for first grade, Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans, Louisiana. There was only one problem, the school was a “white only” school and Ruby Bridges was an African American. The whole school boycotted. Ruby went to school alone for an entire year. This story is very appropriate for elementary school groups. (Elementary School)
Madam CJ Walker – Born Sarah Breedlove, Madam CJ Walker became the first self-made female millionaire by creating and selling hair products for African American women. She said, “I am a woman who came from the cotton fields of the South. From there I was promoted to the washtub. From there I was promoted to the cook kitchen. And from there I promoted myself into the business of manufacturing hair goods and preparations.... I have built my own factory on my own ground.” Walker’s story is one of determination and creative marketing. (All ages)
Harriet Tubman – Well-known abolitionist and conductor on the Underground Railroad, Tubman’s escape and subsequent trips to help free others are legendary. (All ages)
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. – To honor Dr. King on his birthday, I wrote a short, interactive story suitable for young children. “Who is the man? I say, King, King, I say King, King, I say Martin Luther was the man, Martin Luther King! Yeah!” (Elementary School)
Wilma Rudolph & Andy Stanfield, Olympic Heroes – Wilma Rudolph & Andy Stanfield beat the odds to become Olympic heroes. When Rudolph, an African American, was a baby, she had many illnesses including measles, mumps, scarlet fever, chicken pox, and double pneumonia. Then as a young child, already weak from the other diseases, Rudolph contracted polio and loss the use of her left leg. The doctor told her mother that she would never be able to walk. Rudolph's family never gave up. With their help, she learned to walk and she learned to run – fast! At 20 years old, Wilma Rudolph became the first American woman to win three gold medals at the Olympics. Andy Stanfield, Linda's uncle, also won Olympic gold. As a boy, the aunt who raised him always told him that he would never succeed at anything. Stanfield was determined to prove her wrong. As a young man, he found success in track and field sports. Like Wilma Rudolph, Andy Stanfield ran and ran fast! He won three Olympic medals. Stanfield and Rudolph were both part of the United States Olympic team in 1956. Both stories exemplify perseverance. If you believe in yourself, you can do anything! (All ages)