The Wren's Nest has four affiliated professional storytellers who regularly perform at and on behalf of the museum. You can find out more information about them on our website here. 

For Virtual Storytelling, The Wren's Nest is excited to welcome guest performers! These guests are members of the professional storytelling organizations Kuumba Storytellers of Georgia and the Southern Order of Storytellers. 

While The Wren's Nest is the historic home of Joel Chandler Harris, who compiled and published the Brer Rabbit tales, the museum is dedicated to promoting and preserving the art of storytelling in all its forms. Therefore, Virtual Storytelling will feature both Brer Rabbit and non-Brer Rabbit stories!

Find out more about Gwendolyn on our website here. 

Find out more about Gwendolyn on our website here. 

The second story in this performance is based on the book At the End of the Rainbow written by A. H. Benjamin and illustrated by John Bendall-Brunello.

Find out more about Akbar Imhotep on our website.

Find out more about Chetter Galloway on our website here.

This story is a personal "porch story" from Gwendolyn which she dedicated to her family.

Find out more about Gwendolyn on our website. 

LaDoris Bias-Davis has shared stories and facilitated workshops local and internationally for over 25 years. Sharing Personal stories, folktales, fairy tales, etc to varied audiences and ages. LaDoris believes that "Storytelling has no Limitations" and "Storytelling releases the power of the mind and nurtures the human spirit!."

For more information, check out her bio on the KUUMBA Storyteller website: https://kuumbastorytellers.org/ladoris-bias-davis/

The Brer Rabbit story an original story by Akbar Imhotep which puts the trickster in a more contemporary setting. 

Find out more about Akbar on our website. 

Find out more about Chetter Galloway on our website.

Sarah Beth Nelson directs the Library Media program at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. In addition to researching oral information, she studies the American reality (true, personal, edgy) storytelling movement. Sarah Beth has performed in the NSN, Classic City, Atlanta, and Greensboro fringes; and in the Peach State, Joyful Jewel, and Stone Soup festivals. She has served on the boards of Southern Order of Storytellers (a Georgia guild), and the National Storytelling Network.

Find out more about Gwendolyn J. Napier on our website. 

Debroah Strahorn is Founder & Director for Word of Mouth Stories n3d, Inc. providing storytelling & literacy workshops and performances for youth and adults. A Professional for over 20 years she believes that Storytelling is the “Voice of Literacy.” In 2015 and 2017 Deborah was the featured teller at over 33 libraries for the Atlanta Public Library Summer Reading programs. In 2017 she published her first children’s book, “Jabari and the Always Busy, Sometimes Quiet, Often Noisy Room.” Currently serves as the Special Projects Coordinator and Storyteller-In-Residence at the APEX Museum. Memberships include Kuumba Storytellers of Georgia, the National Association of Black Storytellers and the National Storytelling Network.

This story was a special session that was part of a week-long celebration of Akbar Imhotep's 35th Anniversary as a Wren's Nest Storyteller, called "Akbar Week." You can find out more about Akbar on our website. 

Find out more about Chetter Galloway on our website. 

Sundiata the Tale Weaver is a film-maker, multi-talented griot (storyteller)/author/musician/martial artist and public school educator. He is a graduate of Clark Atlanta University where he majored in Mass Media Arts and was involved in music production with the S.O.L.A.R. Panel. He also helped to produce a long running radio show in Atlanta called, "The Panther Power Hour."

Sundiata is the CEO of Vortex Tales - a creative media company. He made his public debut as a film director in 2012 with the release of "A Touch of Love: Black History 2012," in conjunction with Origin Nile Films. He is the author of numerous original children's stories, featuring some modified versions of classic folktales. These titles include, "The Tale of Mkeke"* (*all books with audio version), "The Roach in Clothes,"* "They Call Him Bigg-O, the Bully,"* "The Bag-Lady,"* "The Hairyman,"* "Three Billygoats Gruffneck,"* "The Three Bears Rhyme,"* "Johnny Come Lately"*, and more.

Atlanta Georgia native, Brenda Griffin, aka Queen Storyteller has a natural flare for storytelling. Her expressive stories range from Family Tales based within her local community to global history Tales. This world traveler and a recent professional storyteller has a talent for writing, listening, and developing stories from various cultures, particularly the African and African African genre. She is indeed a Story Artist.

Find out more about Gwendolyn J. Napier on our website. 

Find out more about Chetter Galloway on our website. 

Find out more about Akbar Imhotep on our website.

Lona Bartlett is a professional storyteller, puppeteer and educator who has delighted audiences throughout the U.S. and internationally for over 30 years.

You can find out more about her on her website: www.lonabartlett.com

Ann Ritter is a business woman, author and performer, who often melds storytelling, movement and poetry into her narrative work for the stage as well as with client groups. For more than a decade, she has been active with Southern Order of Storytellers events and Carapace monthly storytelling at Manual’s Tavern. Telling true stories, and bringing unique or historical children’s books to life are among Ann’s great joys.  She is also a published poet, journalist and fiction writer, and an occasional local actor.

Contact Ann at Teawithtansy.com to learn more about her storytelling.

Find out more about Gwendolyn J. Napier on our website.

Barry Stewart Mann, MFA, is a professional actor, storyteller and arts educator based in Atlanta. A graduate of Harvard University with an M.F.A. in Theatre from the University of San Diego, Barry tells, performs and teaches throughout Metro Atlanta and beyond. As a storyteller, he has shared tales in schools, libraries, festivals, camps, and museums; he has toured internationally to Colombia, Chile and Argentina with Dream On Productions, was featured at the II Festival Internacional de Cuentacuentos in Santo Domingo, DR; and was named the 1999 National Storyteller of the Year.

Find out more about Barry on his website at: http://www.barrystewartmann.com/

Gloria S. Elder is a professional storyteller and author. Gloria ( AKA “Glow Glo”) has been telling stories for more than 25 years. She enjoys telling stories of her many adventures of growing up around her loving grandparents. Gloria's first book titled: “I Walked A Mile in Her Shoes: A Story of Unconditional Love”, is a story about one of her many adventures of growing up with her maternal grandmother.

Josie Bailey knows that she has the best job in the world. She talks to animals. And they talk back! She finds hope and inspiration in the stories of the lives of people of today and from our history. She helps people grieve and celebrate the joy in their lives. With her presentations and narratives, Josie takes her audiences on imaginative journeys to reach new insights and understanding. She uses an engaging and interactive approach that draws her listeners into a world of imagination, teaches the love of language and literature and shows the power of words to create new insights.

For more information check out her website.

LaDoris Bias-Davis Bio, BA, MS LaDoris has shared stories and facilitated workshops local and internationally for over 25 years. Sharing Personal stories, folktales, fairy tales, etc to varied audiences and ages. LaDoris believes that "Storytelling has no Limitations" and "Storytelling releases the power of the mind and nurtures the human spirit!."

For more information check out her bio on the KUUMBA Storyteller website. 

*Original story written by Jerry G. White

As a percussionist, lyricist, songwriter, screenwriter, writer, producer, director, actor, and singer, Jerry G. White fuses all of those elements into his passion and love for performing and being an arts educator.

Find out more information about Jerry on his website: A Performance Method