Joan Leotta

1002 Montgomery Ct . Calabash, NC 28467
joanleotta@atmc.net
910-575-0618
http://www.joanleotta.com/

Introduction

“Storytelling is entertainment that educates, encourages, empowers, and energizes! Story molds minds and opens hearts to other cultures, new ideas, and is a spark to the creative spirit”

. . . Joan Leotta   (also check  JoanLeotta.com )

Twenty years of experience giving programs in schools, museums, libraries, community stages, private parties, and corporate functions. Joan gives custom folklore programs, combination writing and storytelling shows, storytelling instruction, teacher workshops, programs for adults on telling, writing, and creativity and week-long residencies for children and adults on storytelling and telling and writing.

Programs Offered

Folklore-bringing folktales to life

Joan gives interactive performances of adapted folk tales on topics ranging from Magic!, Aesop, Jack Tales, Small Animals to Dragons and shows that highlight multiculturalism such Chinese New Year, Japanese Sea of Gold, Latin American Celebration, African Safari, Native American Tales, and Caravan Tales of the Middle East. Programs are available on many themes, aimed at varied age groups ranging from pre-school – high school. Discounts for BTB performances, E-mail JGL1@aol.com

Time Travelers

Joan also offers Colonial Tales, the life, times, and stories of a colonial indentured servant; A Time to Heal, remembrances of a Civil War nurse, the Whaler’s Wife, a look at life onboard a 19th sailing vessel from a woman and her family-themes of science, conservation, and multiculturalism, and Westward Ho! , the trip of Narcissa Whitman on the Oregon trail. These are one-woman shows performed in period costume. Variations of the shows are available for
K-3, 4-6, and Jr. and Sr. High, and general audiences on museum. library, and community stages, with special adaptations for corporate audiences.
Writing Programs

A freelance writer with hundreds of articles to her credit, Joan’s first book for children, Massachusetts, a history book has just been published by Scholastic. She is designated as a Writer in Virginia, as a Poet and is available to talk to students on the writing process for K, 1-3, 4-6, Jr., High and Sr. High.
Programs include:
Poetry (for Jr. and Senior High) Express your deepest self-in brief
Get a Good Start (for K and Gr. 1-3) Uses a story and focuses on beginning, middle, end.
Tale of the Tail. Teaching writing using folklore presentation to model a story and teach how to write a pourquoi tale.
History: A Real Story. Talk about how to research, write and revise.
For Gr. 4-6, Jr. High, and High School.
Drawing on her book Writing Techniques for Hotel Managers, Joan Leotta also teaches: The Art of Saying What You Mean

Cultural Interpretation for Museums

Art, History, Natural History, Science Museums
Custom story presentations to enhance audience enjoyment of exhibits ranging from ancient Greek urns to Renoir’s Luncheon of the Boating party and Baseball. A member of IMTAL, my radio theatre script helps children learn about World War II on the homefront. Programs on Gingerbread Houses. Russian Saints, Tibetan Animals, and the Ukraine’s Tales of the Golden Table have entertained audiences in Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Washington , DC, New York, and Richmond. Whaler’s Wife, Sharks!, Sea Turtles, are especially good for nautical and natural history museums where my shows included, and other topics. Most programs are custom for a particular show are thoroughly researched and include factual material. Docent Training programs in general presentation and storytelling also available. E-mail for details and rates: JGL1@aol.com

Library Programming

Engaging minds and hearts through story can have few better venues than the library, the treasure chest of stores that helped develop my own love of books.
I have performed in libraries in many locations and have a variety of holiday programs, summer theme programs, and more. Interactive programs for children from ages preschool through elementary in library setting.

• It’s Magic
• Jack Tales
• Aesop
• Dragons
• Custom Program of Folklore from a specific country, or tales on a theme

Training for librarians:

• Planning and Giving Storytelling Programs
• Starting a Children’s Book Reviewing Group
• Starting a Children’s Storytelling Club

Teaching Storytelling, Creative Dramatics, Creativity

Part of my performance philosophy is to empower others. I want children and adults to be able to use my performances as a stimulus to their own creativity. I also teach storytelling to adults and children, teach creative dramatics to children, and creativity to parents and corporate managers. Some of my programs are listed below:

Single Seminars:

• 1 Hour presentation on storytelling-for children
• Beginner’s storytelling seminar for adults, geared to pre-school teachers, or librarians or elementary teachers-each seminar is three hours long
• Using Story in the ESL Classroom
• Using Story in the Social Studies Classroom
• Making the Link between oral and written language through Story
• Creativity Seminar for Parents
• Creativity Seminar for Teachers

Three-five Day Residencies

• Storytelling for Pre-school teachers. Includes performances and work with your school’s staff, teaching them, helping them choose, prepare and give a story, evaluate and strengthen.
• Storytelling and writing-writing presentations in elementary school introduced by oral presentation. Length of residency depends on number of children to be served. Includes teaching students, working with students, creating a class play on a social studies topic-e.g. Greek Myth, Brazilian tale, etc.

Corporate Presentations

My degree in economics and years of working as finance analyst, program analyst, and association executive have given me a feel for what is needed in the corporate world. Over the past few years I have written on a variety of HR topics for many publications, including Selling Power and Federal Computer Week and Quinlan Publication’s HR Report.

Presentations include:

• The Whaler’s Wife : Dealing with a Multi-Cultural Workforce (suitable for large meetings. Costumed presentation ½ hour show and ½ hour on principals with handouts.
• Say What You Mean, a writing seminar for mid-level executives.
• Custom Presentation-to your company’s needs-writing, work on presentation skills, story of your company, and more.

Clients

List of Recent Venues and Media Work

• Whittier -DC Public School Winter Interactive Tales
• Kings Park Library, Fairfax County: Native American Tales
• Hirshorn Gallery-Tales from Spain Oct 2001
• Hillwood House Museum-Stories of Russian Saints (on Icons) Oct 2001
• Frick Art Museum Pittsburgh, PA-Baseball Tales “Driving It Home” Aug 2001
• Loudoun County Laughs Festival June 2001
• Pohick Regional Library Summer programs 2001- on Middle Eastern Tales and Sea of Gold-Japanese Tales
• Arlington County Library Summer Program 2001- Stories From Many Lands
• School Age Child Care Summer Camps-Summer 1999, 2000, and 2001
• Hirshorn Gallery (Modern Art Interp Magic Fish)-May 2001
• Smithsonian Institution Holiday Festival December 2000–Italian Family Lore
• National Building Museum-Gingerbread Houses, WWII-On the Home Front, and various Girl Scout Holiday Storytelling Programs
• National Museum of Women in the Arts-Indonesian Tales to complement Julia Taymore Exhibit, Norwegian Tales, Italian Carnevale Stories, and other programs
• Tudor House-Colonial Tales/Pumpkin Tales
• Fresh Fields Grocery Store: Programs of Food stories
• Drew Model School Celebration for RIF reading Buddies
• Phillips Collection, Washington DC: Special Program to Celebrate Renoir’s Luncheon of the Boating Party– original stories
• Glasgow Middle School-ESL Class Story Presentation
• Featured Performer (also in previous seven festivals) at Voices in the Glen Festival and gave seminars on Creativity and storytelling
• National Zoo’s Guppy Gala, 2000
• Appearances at McLean Presbyterian for ESL supplementary work to aid in understanding of US holidays
• MOPS- Talk – Nurturing Creativity in Children
• National Textile Museum, Turkish Tales, Spanish Tales, Mongol Tales
• Featured Poet Lake Braddock Senior High School,
• Springfield Mall-Storytime for Tots
• White Oak Elementary-residency, Greek and Roman Myths, Egyptian Tales
• Girl Scout Multi-Cultural Program summer camp
• Training for RIF Instructors in Storytelling Techniques
• Loudoun County Parks and Library System-Hispanic Tales, Native American Tales, Aesop and Middleburg Public Library-Hispanic Tales
• Prince William County Middle School, Stories and Writing
• Loudoun County Franklin Park–Stories for Preschoolers and stories for elementary
• Classroom appearances at various schools and preschools

Media Work:

My own television show performing for children and teaching children to perform. Filmed a series for shows for Red Apple 21, Fairfax County Public School Column on storytelling in Virginia Parent Weekly (two years).Guest on Channel 10 show -John Monsul, “Communication”

Testimonials

What Clients Say About Joan Leotta

“..your animated style made the presentation both interesting and entertaining..”

Asian Studies Institute, Fairfax County, VA

“you had a rapt audience..”

Jay Kohn, Kennedy Center

“…Our survey showed that your presentations are one of the favorite parts of our program”

McLean Presbyterian ESL program

“It was such a joy to watch our divers audience held spellbound.,”

Lucia Pierce, Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, DC

“very comfortable with all ages…after the presentation many children wanted to learn how to tell and teachers were convinced they could use storytelling in all subject areas.”

Orange County to Virginia Commission on Arts

“Thank you for coming to tell us stories. Nobody can top he way you did it!”

Fifth grade class, Fairfax County.

“a superb storyteller..”

Director, J. Marchais Museum, Staten Island, New York.

“I liked your stories. They are good stories..”

Alexis, Grade 2 Whittier, El.

“I liked you too because you were funny,”

your friend, Shaquille, Whittier El.