2023 Festival features a great lineup!
We are looking forward to listening to the line-up we have planned for you in 2023.Kevin Kling, Rev. Robert Jones, Megan Hicks, Brian "Fox" Ellis, and Mo Reynolds, all in one Festival weekend! All the talent you have come to expect on the Kansas Storytelling stage will be in Downs on April 28-29, 2023.
2023 PERFORMERS
Kevin Kling describes his zodiac sign as “Minnesota with Iowa rising…” He grew up in Brooklyn Park and Maple Grove, Minneapolis suburbs, and graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College in 1979 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in theater. His storytelling started when a friend from the now defunct Brass Tacks Theatre asked him to perform his stories. Since then, he has been awarded numerous arts grants and fellowships. The National Endowment for the Arts, The McKnight Foundation, The Minnesota State Arts Board, The Bush Foundation, The Jerome Foundation and others have recognized Kling’s artistry. In 2014 Mayor RT Rybak named Kevin “Minneapolis Story Laureate”. www.kevinkling.com/
Kevin Kling
Rev. Robert Jones
Rev. Robert B. Jones, Sr. is A Nationally Recognized Storyteller. For more than twenty years Rev. Robert Jones' storytelling has been featured in a variety of venues including multiple appearances at venues such as National Storytelling Festival (Jonesborough,TN), Timpanogos Storytelling Festival (Lehi, UT), Ojai Storytelling Festival (Ojai, CA), Storytelling Arts of Indianapolis and many others.
Whether he's telling stories about growing up in his native Detroit, sharing tales about old blues musicians or sharing inspirational stories drawn from history or scripture, Rev. Robert Jones loves telling stories that reach both the mind and the heart. www.revrobertjones.com/
Megan Hicks
As a self-proclaimed Teller-Without-a-Niche, Megan dives heart-first into every story she tells – fairy tale, personal story, American history, parody, ghost & horror, humor – and magically, her listeners are happy to follow.
Storyteller Megan Hicks has a way with words. Add her warm sense of humor and deep respect for anybody who is now or ever was a kid, and you’ve got an award-winning performer who captivates audiences of all ages and from all walks of life.
“I’m all grown up now,” says Megan, “and I’m telling stories around the world, writing a lot of the stories I tell and, when I’m not performing, making art that people want to play with. I’ve realized all three of my life’s ambitions.
Brian "Fox" Ellis
Brian "Fox" Ellis is an internationally acclaimed author, storyteller, historian, and naturalist. He has worked with The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, The Field Museum and dozens of other museums across the country. Fox is a highly sought keynote speaker at regional and international conferences including the International Wetlands Conservation Conference, National Science Teachers Association Conference and the North American Prairie Conservation Conference, et al. Fox is also the Artistic Director for Prairie Folklore Theatre a unique theatre company that celebrates ecology and history through original musical theatre productions. He is the author of 16 books. Many of his stories are also available on one of 12 CDs. He and his wife run a Bed and Breakfast in Bishop Hill, Illinois. https://www.foxtalesint.com/
Mo Reynolds
Mo Reynolds has tried to like knitting and crocheting but the only weaving she really enjoys has to do with words . Based in Idaho, Mo travels the country weaving personal stories with folk and fairy tales, throwing in a tall tale here and there for good measure. She performed on the National Storytelling Festival Exchange Place stage in 2022 and will be featured at the Stone Soup and Women’s Storytelling Festivals in 2023. Her YouTube channel, Miss Mo Storyteller, is a platform for families and teachers to bring folk and fairy tales into their homes and classrooms. Mo shares stories to foster connection, encourage confidence, and invite compassion. Plus, it is just a whole lotta fun.
