Experience magical moments that will delight and surprise you. With her pleasant smile and singing voice, Kucha draws the audience in and the story enwraps the audience in its magic.
The art of storytelling is much more than a stage art and much more than entertainment. It is the reliving of life.
It is the past. As long as we can tell the story, we can remember.
It is the present. The art of listening, so important to understanding and communication, is an active part of storytelling.
It is our future. The present immediately becomes the past and if we want our times to be remembered and learned from, it is essential to teach our children to become storytellers.
Kucha brings over 25 years of performing to the storytelling arena. She sets the scene then becomes the story, flowing from narrator to character with ease. Kucha is a performance artist with great dramatic flair. Her presentation is dynamic storytelling at its best.
In addition she is a storytelling coach for ASE's Youth Group. She has facilitated workshops for After School Matters, for Mayor Daley's Book Club, for Children's Literacy Institute through the Chicago Board of Education, and trained student tellers to assist in Head Start programs for the Department of Children and Family Services. She also facilitated workshops for the Spirits Light Foundation, Inc.
Affiliations
NABS (National Association of Black Storytellers)
National Storytelling Network
Illinois Storytelling Inc.
Northlands Storytelling Network
Co-founder of ASE: The Chicago Association of Black Storytellers
Illinois Arts Tour Funding Available
Whether you are Pre-K, Primary, Middle or High school, daycares, libraries, hospitals, universities, museums, festivals, concerts, associations or corporations, Kucha has a performance to suit your needs. The many programs Kucha offers can accommodate your school assemblies; Family Reading Nights or just bring her in for a dynamic workshop for children, teachers or parents.
Kucha weaves a rich tapestry of fanciful folk tales, frolicking fables, proverbs and dialect into her art. Her unique presentation is accompanied by shekere playing, enhanced by audience participation which involves singing, learning and lots of fun.
She believes that stories can be used to uplift as well as to entertain. Storytellers are word doctors using stories to ease unseen pain, to push aide clouds so that a ray of hope can shine through. We speak for our children, for our families, for our communities.
Jumping Jambalaya
Diverse stories, folktales, call and response, dialect, “a little of this and a little of that.”
The Harlem Renaissance Revisited
What a time! What a place! What wonderful art! This is a performance of works originated during the Harlem Renaissance along with brief descriptions and anecdotes of the era, incorporating poetry, stories and music of the period.
A Kwanzaa Celebration
A highly energetic 50 minute performance that will introduce to some and make real for others the symbols and principles of Kwanzaa. In this performance we learn about the Nguzo Saba – Unity, Self-determination, Collective work & responsibility, Co-operative economics, Purpose, Creativity and Faith. During Kwanzaa (First Fruits) we celebrate our first fruits (Children) and begin to instill the Nguzo Saba (7 Principles).
The Talking Animals
A 50 minute performance of the most lovable animal characters from Brer Rabbit to The coyote to El Mucaro. Packed with participation and fun, this performance will leave you smiling.
Wondrous Wonders of Women
A 50 minute performance of stories by and/or about women – scientists, athletes, writers, performers, adventurers. A celebration of our contributions and pioneering spirit.
Voice Your Choice
A custom-designed presentation. Do you have a favorite story? Author? Theme? This is the show for your organization.
Civil War Stories
Why were the casualties of this war so high? Did you know that Harriet Tubman led soldiers into battle? This is a collection of stories, poems and information concerning incidents occurring during the Civil War.
A King’s Legacy – Your Civil Rights
This is a celebration of Martin Luther King’s life and his influential accomplishment that lead to having the Dram Become Reality!
Bringing Black History to Life
This is a taste of the many contributions and achievements of Africans and African-Americans making the difference in innovation and pioneering.
Earth Day Celebration
All the earth is connected from the sky to the sea, the land to all its creatures! Celebrate the earth through stories and song.
The Middle Passage: The Search for Freedom
This 50 minute performance takes you on a journey through Middle Passage. The Middle Passage explores the voyage from the West Coast of Africa to the New world and other various ports where Africans were left alive and otherwise.
Zora Neale Hurston
This 50 minute performance brings to life some of the works of Zora Neale Hurston. Fiesty, headstrong and wonderfully artistic, Zora's life was as independently unique as her work.
John and Mary Jones and the Illinois Black Codes
This is a fully costumed performance of the life, times and accomplishments of John Jones, vice president of the Freedmen's Association who was most influential in removing the Black codes from Illinois Law, and Mary Richardson Jones, his constant support. Find out about life in Illinois during the mid to late 1800s for free people of color, the abolitionist movement and the courage and ingenuity of this family.
Juneteenth: The Celebration of Freedom
This performance is an account of the impact of Harriet “Moses” Tubman in the Civil War and the ending of enslavement in the United States. Dating back to 1865, it was on June 19th that news came that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free. This performance will take us on a journey from the emancipation Proclamation Executive Order issued in 1863 to the actual implementation of Freedom. This was a time of celebration experienced through stories, narratives, songs and the music of that time. Free at last, free at last!
Bringing the Story to Life©
A storytelling workshop designed to guide participants in transforming stories from the written to the spoken, from bare bones to life. Bringing the Story to Life© consists of ten lessons covering aspects of storytelling from choosing a story, to expanding upon it and making it your own. You will leave knowing several techniques for involving the audience as well as performance preparation and self-improvement exercises. This workshop is an interactive storytelling experience that enhances storytelling from the classroom to the stage. Format: A 90 minute session or a half day session, or ten 50-minute sessions. Intended audience: students, teachers, librarians, storytellers and lovers of stories.
The Breathe and Depth of Storytelling
This workshop will assist in bringing your skills, methods and techniques to life in order to enhance your storytelling. Learn how to present your stories and incorporate literacy elements like imagery, irony and symbolism. Learn the seven steps to presenting your stories in a manner that will create an atmosphere for literacy, imagination, fun, entertainment, education, culture and listening. For librarians, educators and lovers of story.