Saturday Morning Story Time Live! 100 Books and Counting!
Having spent three decades as a teaching-artist (with a certification from the Kennedy Center) and playwright and performer for Young Audiences, I thought it was a terrific idea and Tonya (who also has a background in performing) enthusiastically agreed.
Our first book was one of our favorites, which I had used in children's theatre programs since the start of my career (doing theatre programs in 1990 at a summer camp in Portland, Maine): Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are.
Our audience quickly grew, and the best part was that multigeneration families were often joining in to watch. Grandparents were particularly grateful for something new and different to do when the grandkids were over.
As the show developed, we received requests for books to read, from audience, publishers, and authors. We also received books in the mail that audience members sent us. Our favorite books were the ones that had meant so much to a family over the years. We had been happy to share our family favorites, and to have the opportunity to share the audience's as well.
Whenever it added to the story, we wore costumes (sometimes as simple as a hat) and used a variety of voices. I also love to sing, and some books offered me that opportunity.
A few years into the show, Tonya's schedule on Saturday's no longer allowed her to join me, so I carried on alone.
Before she left though, we were honored to read a book by Carola Schmidt, Bald Is Beautiful, about children battling cancer, live for Crayola Crayons.
Having spent years touring as my pirate alter ego, Angus "Quill" MacGregor, I "let him" host the show and read the book whenever it was about pirates or anything to do with a nautical theme.
Angus "Quill" MacGregor, Chronicler of Captains and Kings
So here we are, about to read the 100th book. Tomorrow is the day.
You can watch live (or afterward) on my Facebook and LinkedIn pages and on my YouTube Channel, "Every Day Is a Story All Its Own."
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