email: keniverson2@comcast.net
Ken has been telling stories most of his life.
An early fascination with Jonathan Winters
led him to write and perform stories for
friends when he was 17 and he hasn't stopped
yet! He loves the connection that sharing stories creates and how the telling of a story can bring people together.
Ken believes the old adage 'Laughter is the Best Medicine' is close to true. It's not the only medicine however it is
the most fun to take.
Ken tells traditional and contemporary folktales and myths from around the world for audiences of all ages.
Sometimes using a drum, his energetic telling of Jack Tales, Arthurian tales and world folktales has been
enthusiastically received.
He is a founding member and past-president of the Portland Storytelling Guild. He teaches Beginning Storytelling
and has presented workshops at: Boston Public Library, Stories By-The-Sea Storytelling Festival in Newport, Or., as
a part of Portland Waldorf Schools 'Word of Mouth' festival; and for the Portland Storytellers Guild.
He says stories have a remarkable ability to reach deep inside of us and to loosen our prejudices and fears. Even
a seemingly simply children's story may contain untold gifts. During the story we may laugh, reflect, even cry and
being in the story is all that matters. Sometimes a story will come back to us later and we realize there was much
more to it than we first knew.
"Ken has been telling stories for St. Michael's School for 6 years. Telling in the classroom, at fundraisers, and at
our Yulemart Festival. With all of the stories he thrills his audiences, and often directly involves them in the telling of
the story. He has a warm and intimate style, a child-like ability to clown and thoroughly immerse himself in the
telling of the story that makes the story come alive in the telling."
James Hughes, St. Michael's School
