Carol Birch Biography
In 1998 Carol Birch received the National
Storytelling Network's Circle of Excellence
Award given to storytellers recognized as master
tellers by their peers who set the standard for excellence and demonstrate a commitment
and dedication to the art over a significant period. Southern CT State University
presented her with the Millennium Award for distinguished teaching and service in The
Storytelling Institute in 2000, and the Outstanding Educator Award, in recognition of her
as Master Teacher and Master Storyteller in 1994. As storyteller, recording artist,
distinguished teacher and director of recordings, she delights audiences by restoring
vitality to language with a repertoire of stories that echo the heart's concerns -- from shy
hope and tenderness to humor and good sense. Although she has told stories in
Singapore, Australia, and Europe, Carol's primary venues are concerts at schools,
libraries, colleges, theaters, storytelling festivals, museums, theme parks, and corporate
fetes throughout the United States. She lectures extensively at conferences, teaches at
Southern Connecticut State University, and regularly appears at festivals including the
National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, Tennessee.
Carol was one of 18 storytellers included in Cable Vision's STORY CAFE and one of 4
storytellers chosen for the McFeely-Rogers' Foundation [as in Mr. Rogers!] storytelling
project. Other media appearances include: ABC'S NIGHTLINE; CBS, THIS MORNING
with Harry Smith; National Public Radio's GOOD EVENING, AMERICA with Noah
Adams; and A LIKELY STORY, the Emmy award winning children's television series
produced by Channel Five in Boston. She is featured on the commemorative
documentary THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NATIONAL STORYTELLING
FESTIVAL, and the other two major video-cassette productions: Hometown
Entertainment's TELL ME A STORY and The H. W. Wilson's AMERICAN
STORYTELLING SERIES. In addition to innumerable radio, television, and newspaper
articles, she has also been the subject of feature articles in the NEW YORK TIMES and
GLAMOUR magazine.
Ms. Birch published two award winning books with August House: writing, THE
WHOLE STORY HANDBOOK: USING IMAGERY TO COMPLETE THE STORY
EXPERIENCE in 2000, and co-editing, WHO SAYS? ESSAYS ON PIVOTAL ISSUES
IN CONTEMPORARY STORYTELLING, on the aesthetics of storytelling in1996. One
of 50 storytellers interviewed for in STORYTELLER'S GUIDE for August House, and
STORYTELLERS: A BIOGRAPHICAL DIRECTORY OF 120 ENGLISH-SPEAKING
PERFORMERS WORLDWIDE for McFarland Press, she has also contributed essays to
TEACHING ORAL TRADITIONS for the Modern Language Association, and THE
STORYTELLING ENCYCLOPEDIA for Oryx Press. She's contributed stories to eight
anthologies: STORYTELLING ART AND TECHNIQUE 3rd edition for R. R. Bowker,
BEST LOVED STORIES and MORE BEST LOVED STORIES TOLD AT THE
NATIONAL FESTIVAL for the National Storytelling Press, READY TO TELL TALES
for August House, STORIES IN MY POCKET for Fulcrum Press, JOINING IN for
Yellow Moon Press, THEMES IN AMERICAN AND WORLD LITERATURE and
MASTERING THE OGT: READING AND WRITING for Amsco School Publications.
All three of her audio-story anthologies are recommended for elementary schools by
Bowker's seminal reference book, THE SCHOOL LIBRARY COLLECTION, as well as,
BOOKLIST MAGAZINE, and the BULLETIN FOR THE CENTER FOR CHILDREN'S
BOOKS . Awards include: CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR, the National Parenting
Publications' Gold Award; HAPPILY-EVER-AFTER LOVE STORIES...MORE OR
LESS, an American Library Association Notable Recording; NIGHTMARES RISING, a
New York Public Library Best Recording. Her telling of "Caryn's Story" appears on THE
LISTENING TREE, VOL 1 from the Connecticut Storytelling Center, while Kipling's
'How the Rhinoceros Got Its Skin" is included on the NSA cassette TALES OF HUMOR
AND WIT.
An award winning recording artist in her own right, Ms. Birch is in demand as a dynamic
director in the recording studio, recognized by her peers for her skills in bringing out their
best work. Jane Yolen praised her direction: "Carol is intelligent and insightful...she
raised my level of understanding about STORY...she cares for - but does not cater to - the
storyteller's ego. What she caters to is the story's needs." She's produced nine audio
anthologies from the NSA archives in Jonesborough, Tennessee, including the award
winning 5-cassette set of the 20th National Storytelling Festival, and directed 16
independent storytelling productions. She served as the artistic director of the nationally
acclaimed WESTON WOODS STORYTELLING CIRCLE and received two grants from
the National Endowment for Humanities for I HEAR TELL, a proposed television series
on storytelling.
In a review of her storytelling, BOOKLIST magazine praised her as "an articulate,
skillful weaver of images and creator of moods...her facial expressions, speaking rhythm,
voice timbre combine to provide a dramatic, effective presentation." A third grader in
North Carolina stated it more simply -- "She knows that story 'cause she was there!"
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