This morning I got a confirmation that Yvonne Heally, 2004 storyteller of the year, will be joing us for Fray Day Grand Rapids.

Using simply voice, gesture and story, Yvonne invites you into the theater of your own imagination. Raised in the Irish oral tradition she grew up to act on New York’s stage and screen. Multicultural mythology, a love of language, and her outrageous family lured her back to storytelling.

Born in England to Irish parents, Yvonne immigrated with her family to the Appalachian Mountains in Pennsylvania.  Inherited wanderlust inspired Yvonne to leave that small town for Swarthmore College, Tufts University and eventual life as a professional actress in the Big Apple. The birth of her daughters re-opened her heart to storytelling where she thrives on the deep sense of connection between audience and storyteller.

32 years of storytelling, professional acting, and comic improvising infuse Yvonne's lively teaching style with theatre games and interactive approaches. Children, teens and adults develop communication skills while enhancing literacy development in “Playing with Words”, “ActUP!” and other dynamic residencies and workshops.

Yvonne gives thanks for her good fortune by volunteering as MI Story Editor, Northlands Storytelling Network Treasurer and participating & mentoring actively in  the National Storytelling Network, Detroit Story League and Ann Arbor Storytellers Guild. This Swarthmore College graduate and Kripalu Yoga teacher volunteers frequently at her children’s schools and church, regularly scrubs pots in homeless shelters and enjoys wedded bliss with the same wonderful man since 1984.