Kathy Jessup

11404-32 Avenue
Edmonton, AB    T6J 3H5                   

Home/Résidence : 780-430-9399
Fax/Télécopier : 780-432-7173
Email/Courriel : Kathy Jessup
Website:    www.kathyjessup.com

“The power of story - don’t leave home without it
 and never, never, never underestimate it.”
-Terry Pratchett

Storyteller Kathy Jessup has been telling tales all her life and she credits her Irish ancestry for giving her “the gift of Blarney.”  For over fifteen years, she has devoted herself to storytelling as both a career and a passion.  Kathy has performed her original stories in schools, libraries, concerts and festivals across Canada--- from Vancouver to Halifax, and from Inuvik to Medicine Hat.  As an experienced performer, she builds an instant rapport with listeners of all ages.   

Humour plays a large part in Kathy’s storytelling. She often draws upon childhood memories and real-life situations as the spark for creating new stories. During a performance Kathy shares the roots of each story with her listeners, revealing how the smallest ideas can grow into tellable tales. Kathy also enjoys telling world folk tales. She is especially fond of stories that make people laugh!

For Kathy, one of the best things about storytelling is that it gives her the opportunity to travel and to meet people. She’s told stories in a tent at the Yukon International Storytelling Festival, to Irish school children in Connemara, and to tourists wandering through Fredericton’s historic military barracks.  Kathy has been chosen twice by the Young Alberta Book Society to tour northern Alberta as part of their WORDPOWER event.  In November 2008 she visited schools and libraries in southern Ontario with the Canadian Children’s Book Centre BOOK WEEK tour.  In 2009 Kathy will appear at the Toronto Festival of Storytelling and release her first storytelling CD “Listen Up.”

Whether relating an original story or one of her favourite Irish fairy tales, Kathy creates a welcome story circle that draws everyone in.  

Kathy is available for storytelling concerts and workshops.  Concerts can be adapted to accommodate various types of audiences, occasions, venues and program lengths. 



STORYTELLING RECORDINGS / PUBLICATIONS:

- My stories and articles have appeared in various publications including CHICKADEE, TREE HOUSE FAMILY, and WESTWORLD  magazines, and the Edmonton Journal  and Saskatchewan Senior Newspapers.

- My story "Mama and the Bear" is included in the anthology
  Under the Wide Blue Sky: Alberta Stories to Read and Tell (Red Deer Press 2005)

- My story "Hilary’s Fishing Trip" is included in the CD
A Collection of T.A.L.E.S. by The Alberta League Encouraging Storytelling.

- My version of “The Gallant Tailor” (Brothers Grimm) is included in the CD
TALES on the Wind by The Alberta League Encouraging Storytelling.

- My solo CD Listen Up will be released in 2009

Nov 2008