"Quicksilver transformations!" says the National Endowment for the Arts. "You completely change who you are!" says Opalanga.At the8th ANNUAL WINTER FESTIVAL OF STORIESat the Boulder Public Library, Sara did all that repeatedly.
On Saturday morning, she was Rachel Carson: A Sense of Wonder. In the afternoon, she morphed into many characters in "Sojourner Truth." And that evening she was immersed in being Victoria Woodhull for President Then on Sunday she brought to life the ancient tale Gilgamesh. (Read more about these shows below...)
HIRE THESE (and other) PROGRAMS YOURSELF: It’s Rachel’s 100th birthday year--she who warned the world of the dangers of DDT... And shared with us the wonders of the natural world. In character, a strong and gentle presence. Email for photo and details.
And as for Victoria... She ran for President of the United States in 1872 on women’s suffrage, 8-hour workdays, socialism--and free love! Hire her (in character--ask for a photo) for your program. Give us all a breath of fresh air! Email me for details.
OTHER HISTORICAL SHOWS: "Sojourner Truth" and "Billy the Kid" -- dramatic telling, with multiple characterizations throughout. Powerful.
NOW ALSO ON CD (tape,too): "Billy the Kid as Told by Sara Ransom" -- 1996 Parents’ Choice Award. The true story of a talented and intelligent young man gone bad
You can order this, and all my recordings, directly from me: durangoransom@yahoo.com. CDs: $15 + $3 s/h; Tapes: $10 + $3 s/h.
For descriptions of all my recordings, visit:
http://sararansom.com
For a more whimsical look at who I am, drop by my blogspot:
http://sararansom.blogspot.com
MAJOR AWARDS:
2004 Parents’ Choice Award ("Scary Stories from Around the World)
2002 Storytelling World Honor Award ("Sojourner Truth")
1996 Parents’ Choice Award ("Billy the Kid")
1991 National Endowment for the Arts Solo Performance Artist Fellowship Grant
AUDIOCLIPS (see bar at right): "Sojourner Truth" (Storytelling World Honor Award 2002) & "Billy the Kid"(Parents’ Choice Award).
SOME RECOMMENDATIONS:
"high-ranking performer"
--National Endowment for the Arts
About "Scary Stories.." CD: "Perhaps more mysterious than scary, this collection will entertain listeners who want a chill bump or two without accompanying nightmares. Ransom wisely selected stories without the distasteful gore or violence that seeps into so many entertainment programs labeled as “scary.” Parents can rest easy with this diverse collection of tales found in a variety of cultures."
--Parents’ Choice Reviewer
"Ransom’s remarkable talent as an actress and storyteller was evident from the first moment of her first story."
--The Santa Fe Reporter, Santa Fe, New Mexico
"I was so thoroughly engaged that I lost track of time."
--James Nave, Founder, Director: Taos Storytelling Festival
"...a powerful presence..."Jay O’Callahan, jay@ocallahan.com
"...simultaneously powerful and inviting."
--Michael Parent, www.michael-parent.com
"...enthusiastically received and critically acclaimed"
--Barbara Dawson, Artistic Agent, Christchurch, New Zealand
"..mesmerized her audiences...immediate and personal"
--Douglas Temkin, Spoken Word Series, West Valley College, Saratoga, CA
"It was the best day at school I’ve ever had!"
--Student at Red River Schoolhouse (NM) 75th Anniversary
Featured in festivals from New England to New Zealand, Sara is the daughter and granddaughter of performing storytellers. Sara has traveled worldwide in learning her craft. Her "excellent sense of pace and dramatic tension" (NEA) won her an NEA Solo Performance Fellowship in 1991. Her international experience exhibits itself in her eclectic performances. With a hint of the brogue in her masterful portrayal of Celtic mystery she draws her audience into ancient Irish legends while her powerful portrayals of Kali, Shiva, and the Ramayana gain an authentic feel from her years in India. Using voice and posture, Sara has mastered the "quicksilver transformations" (NEA) that can mesmerize an audience. Involving the audience as she performs, she is indeed "a compelling presence, representing the art of storytelling at its best." (Sidney Brien, Boston Institute of the Arts)
With a lifetime of professional experience, Sara has developed a vast repertoire. Besides presenting concert-length solo shows for adults, she has taught 2-3 week workshops to retirees. She taught music/drama in schools for eight years, and has been on school-based artist-in-residence programs across the nation since 1980. Performances, workshops, residencies, and festivals--she will tailor her repertoire to your theme.
DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW REPERTOIRE ADDITIONS (see other repertoire listings below these new ones):
NEW FIRST-PERSON SHOW:
"A Sadhu’s Christmas in India" Barefoot and penniless under vow of poverty, Sara Ransom walked through India as a spiritual pilgrim (sadhu) in the early ‘70s. These are some of her stories.
NEW CONCERT SHOW:
"The Epic of Gilgamesh" The world’s most ancient story (from what is now Iraq)-- 4500 years old. A tyrant king who seeks immortality and enslaves his subjects to reach his goal. But then he encounters a wildman from the wilderness... and everything changes.
NEW CHILDREN’S SHOW:
"Maui The Trickster" In fine company with Coyote, Anansi, Monkey, and Jack--Trickster Maui of Polynesia brings the secret of fire, slows the sun, and fishes up entire islands. Invite this show to your school, or family program of any size.
OFFERINGS and I’m always adding new ones):
WORKSHOPS (tailored for adults or children):
"Art of Storytelling," "Creating Your Own," "Master Class," "Myth & Wisdom," "How-to of Historical Characters"
JUST A FEW FAVORITES FOR CHILDREN (delightfully participatory):
"Just-So Stories," "Starstories," "Swedish Storyquilt," "African Storystick"(on tape), "Scary Stories from Around the World"(on CD), "Scary Stories from Across the Nation," "Trollen!" (plural of Troll), "Dreams of Flying," "Maui the Trickster," and so many more
POPULAR ADULT PRESENTATIONS:
"Sojourner Truth"(on CD), "Billy the Kid"(on CD & tape), "What a Woman Most Wants," "The Selkie," "Finn McCool," "Victoria Woodhull for President/1872!," "Gilgamesh" (and that’s just for starters)
FESTIVALS / TOURS FEATURING YOURS TRULY:
8th Annual Winter Festival of Stories, Boulder, CO
Timpanogos Storytelling Festival, Orem, UT
Albuquerque Folk Festival, NM
Four Corners Storytelling Festival, Farmington, NM
Four Corners Folk Festival, Pagosa Springs, CO
Ram Dass & Friends, Santa Fe, NM, Austin, TX, Durango, CO
Spoken Word Series, W.Valley College, Saratoga, CA
Taos Storytelling Festival, Taos, NM
“Once Upon a Time” Storytelling Festival, Arapahoe District, Littleton CO
Rocky Mountain Storytelling Festival, Monument CO
Rocky Mountain Storytelling Conference, Denver CO
Renaissance Festivals, Farmington, NM
Utah ARTS ON TOUR, Utah Arts Council
"Festival of Romance," Christchurch, New Zealand
"Teddy Bear Festival," Christchurch, New Zealand
New Zealand ON TOUR
Three Apples Storytelling Festival, Harvard MA
“Dangerous Ideas” /Solo Performance Art Festival, New York City NY
New England ON TOUR
Tellabrations, Albuquerque & Farmington NM, Mancos, CO
Storyfiesta, Albuquerque NM
Sharing the Fire, Cambridge MA
Fall Festival of Tales, Charlottesville, VA
