Résumé

EDUCATION

Ph.D. University of California, Los Angeles (Theatre History with emphasis in folklore, myth and ritual), 1980. Dissertation: Repertoire of Traditional Brussels Marionettes. Graduate work included performance, production and translation work. AAUW Fellowship supported dissertation research. Research assistantships: Indo-European mythology and linguistics, with Dr. Jaan Puhvel, Professor of Classics. MA; Folklore and Mythology, with Dr. Wayland Hand.

BA. UCLA (Theatre); previous study at University of Idaho (Speech and Drama; minor in French Literature)

Other study:

Includes study with storytellers, puppeteers and elders representing North American tribal societies and other traditional cultures worldwide (supported by grants and  fellowships from Ford Foundation, American Institute of Indian Studies, American  Association of University Women, Thai-American Foundation.) Foreign language study includes French, Flemish, Sanskrit, Chinook.

SUMMARY OF WORK EXPERIENCE

Project Director, Oral History of Orcas Island (appointed December, 1997 - ongoing). Teach workshops in oral history, arrange for interviews and transcriptions. Raise funds and organize exhibit of transcripts and photographs of elders and places sacred to our island community. Currently working on video with highschool seniors, "Elders of the Island."

Professional storyteller since 1988 (concurrently with teaching and writing) in a variety of venues and situations. Typical storytelling/teaching highlights include guest artist and teacher in Fairbanks Summer Festival of the Arts (University of Alaska, Fairbanks 1998 through 2007); Yukon International Storytelling Festival, 2006; Performer and participant: Woman Chautauqua Institute at Cottey College (near Kansas City, Missouri) Friday June 16-June 22, 2006; One-month residencies in storytelling by children (2001, 2002, 2003). Residencies with at-risk children Seattle Juvenile Justice (1999, 2002). Pacific Science Foundation, Seattle (30 storytelling sessions, 97-98). Port Angeles Forest Storytelling Festival (1996, 1999).

Rostered and in the catalogues of The Inquiring Mind of the Washington Commission for the Humanities (1991-1993;1995-1997; 2002-2003, 20005-2007), The San Jose and Silicon Valley Young Audiences (1995 to date) and The Utah Arts Council (1995-1996) , The Washington State Arts Commission (1994-1996). Invited to represent indigenous North American storytelling traditions at “Nantes  Summer Festival,” 1997,  and 30 performances of Animal Stories for Science Wonderland at the Seattle Science Museum, December 24 - January 4, 1998; twelve performances for L'Institut Françile (Canoe  Island, Summer, 1996, 1997, 2003); performance in The Eugene Multicultural Storytelling Festival (May, 1995); the Storytelling Festival of Washington State University (September, 1995). (also see Appendix II)

Instructor, Adult Education Residencies, Workshops, and weekly classes in creative writing, literature, mythology and storytelling (ongoing since 1988, request list of subjects, if needed); Instructor, Skagit Valley College (composition; humanities, general literature; speech, business English; research paper writing 1988 - 1991; various storytelling workshops and classes, 2001 - present). Instructor and performer, Elderhostel Programs (22 week-long intensive programs in a variety of topics having to do with literature, writing and storytelling) 1989-1991, 2001 - present, short programs in local schools.

Instructor, American Language Center, University of California, Los Angeles (English as a Second Language and English for the Foreign-Born Professional; 1978-1987).

PUBLICATION EXPERIENCE

Children’s Editor, The Napra ReView (1997 through November 2002). Editorial consultant and editor — children's books.

As Children’s Editor for the Napra ReView I solicited materials for review; assigned authors. Wrote and edited book and other media reviews for children. Interview authors and others in book and audio industry. Wrote features, profiles, and reviews in areas of children's literature, various musicians, dream study, myth and ritual. Secure permissions to reproduce illustrations or text, etc. (Sample pieces and tear sheets available on request.)

Freelance Writer/Editor (ongoing since 1972).  Regular contributor (reviews and interviews primarily) to a number of small newspapers and magazines (Stortelling Magazine, New Age Voice, High Performance, The Bellingham Review), edited Arts and Entertainment of LA News for 14 months (1983-84); ghost-writer or editor for six published books. Guest editor for several issues of Prune Alley Quarterly. Regular contributor to Napra ReView from 1993.  Translations of two plays by Michel de Ghelderode (“The  Mystery of the Passion of Our Lord” and “The Farce of Pietje the  Reaper”) published in Israel by Dennis Silk, University of Haifa (1990?). Co-author with Jonathan Epstein of 13- part bilingual educational puppet show, “Miss Phoebe’s Garden,” produced by Solar Productions, 1978. “The Pinguli Puppeteers and Storytellers,”  Mahatma Gandhi Memorial College Journal, Udipi, India (1974). Articles on puppetry printed in several journals, some in association with the late Melvyn B. Helstien. Research associate  and contributor to Myth and Law Among the Indo-Europeans edited by Jaan Puhvel (UCLA, 1973?); contributor to Asian Puppetry (Museum of  Cultural History, UCLA, 1976.) Poetry published in sporadically in small literary magazines (e.g. Prune Alley Quarterly, 1995).

Current work in progress:

The Pilfered Box (an original play about Pauline Johnson.) Canadian Metís women’s history, healing plants and rituals; a novel for young adults.

AWARDS PANELS

Judge Nautilus Awards for Children's books; Judge two years for spoken word category, AFIM (Association for Independent Music). Organizer several literary competitions in San Juan Islands (see Community Service).

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

Northwest Arts; Native Northwest Writers’ Circle; National  Storytelling Network (Formerly NAPPS); American Folklore Society (AFS); Union Internationale des Marionnettistes (UNIMA); Seattle Storytellers  Guild; Los Angeles Storytellers Guild; Port Angeles Storytellers Guild, Vancouver Storytelling Society, New York Storyteller’s Association.

COMMUNITY SERVICE

Current: Organize and sponsor organized storytelling and oral history events for community. Member Orcas Choral Society. Past: Organizer and Superintendent of “The Written Word,” San Juan County Fair, 1994 and 1996 (involved  promoting, judging, fund-raising, arranging readings of  prize-winning works) Judge, Creative Writing Contest, San Juan  County Fair, 1995. Friends of the Orcas Island Library (former  editor of Prune Alley Quarterly; soliciting manuscripts and working with young authors); former Chair of Performing Arts Committee, Orcas Community Center; co-sponsor and participant in Northwest Writers Project, San Juan Islands; served on Boards of Orcas Choral Society, and Orcas Island Historical Museum.

Appendix I

Subjects Taught As Self-employed Independent Contractor and For Elderhostel Programs In The San Juan Islands Since 1990:

Theatre

Modern Drama from Pinter to Gurney
Reader’s Theatre
Women’s Voices in Modern American Theatre

 Appendix II

Additional Performance Highlights Since 1990:

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES: University of Alaska, Sitka, Summer 2003; University of Alaska, Fairbanks, Winter 2002. University of Edinburgh, Scotland, 2002. Washington State University (Pullman  and Richland campuses); Western Washington State University  (Bellingham); Snow College, Utah 1995, 1998, 2002, 2005; New Mexico State University; University of California, Los Angeles; Central Washington State University (Ellensberg);  Eastern Washington State University (Cheney); Highline Community  College; Skagit Valley College; Whitman College; Gonzaga  University; Walla Walla Community College; Yakima Community College; Heritage College (Toppenish); Everett Community College (various times); Shoreline Community College (2005) and others.

PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS K-12 Residencies: Orcas Island and other schools in San Juan County — various programs ongoing; Juab County Schools, Utah (November-December, 1994); tour of Southern Utah,  elementary, middle and college presentations and workshops  (April, 1996); San Jose School District (October, 1995; March, 1996; April, 1997); Saint Lucy’s School,  Campbell; Washington Public Schools, (Eastlake, Tacoma, Orcas, Quincy during 1994-1997);  Interagency Schools, Seattle, WA (at risk and troubled teens, April-June, 1996; February-April 1997). (This does not include over 200 performances sponsored by schools,  libraries, museums and private organizations throughout the States of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, California, Missouri, Massachusetts, New York, Arizona and New Mexico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Mexico, British Columbia, Belgium and France.) Gave 30 performances at Pacific Science Museum in Seattle as part of Science Wonderland event sponsored by Alaska Airlines.

THEATRE WORK (various places): Includes direction, translation, writing of series for children, puppetry and live performance  (stage and television), some experience directing and designing. Performances include "Friend"in A Christmas Memory (Christmas, 1995, 1996 and 1997) Orcas Community Theatre; Emily Dickinson, “The Belle of Amherst,”  for Orcas Readers’ Theatre (June and July, 1997). Also see The Pilfered Box, a play about Pauline Johnson.



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