Don Doyle - Storyteller

Don Doyle is a nationally recognized storyteller, a professional actor, a director of theatre and opera, and a Professor Emeritus of theatre and storytelling at Arizona State University. In July 2004, he was honoredwith the Lifetime Achievement Award by the National Storytelling Network. He isalso recipient of the Campton Bell Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Alliance for Theatre and Education (Artists and Educators Serving Young People), and has also been presented with the Medallion of Merit from the National Society of Arts and Letters for his contribution to the state of Arizona in the dramatic arts. He received undergraduate degrees from the Goodman School of Drama and Arizona State University, a master's degree in theatre from Northwestern University, and a doctoral degree in theatre from the University of Minnesota.

Don Doyle has been telling stories to children and adults for over thirty years as an integral component of his work in drama in education as a Professor of Theatre at Arizona State University. As a professional storyteller for the last fifteen years, he is nationally recognized in this field and appears as a featured teller and workshop leader at storytelling festivals, educational institutions, private corporations, and in public and private school districts in this country and abroad. He also is an accomplished actor and director of theatre and opera.

Several prestigious honors have been bestowed upon Dr. Doyle since his early retirement from university teaching in 1991. He received the Medallion of Merit Award from the National Society of Arts and Letters for a lifetime contribution to the state of Arizona in the field of Theatre, and the Campton Bell Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Alliance for Theatre and Education (artists and educators serving young people). Don served three years as a member of the board of directors of the National Storytelling Association. In 2004 he was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the National Storytelling Network. He has been a storyteller and advocate for the preservation of storytelling for more than 37 years, and recently was presented with the Leadership Award by the National Storytelling Association for sharing his leadership abilities and talents.

His storytelling video, Tales of Transformation, received the highest award for excellence from Storytelling World. Summit Records recently released a new CD recording of Platero and I: An Andalusian Elegy with Don as narrator and Frank Koonce, guitarist. Originally in Spanish, the book of prose was written by Nobel Prize-winning poet Juan Ramn Jimnez and music composed by Italian-born American composer Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco. This is the first recording of Platero and I in the English language and it was entered into the Grammy competition in the category of "music and the spoken word". Doyle and Koonce completed a 7-state concert tour of Platero and I, and performed concerts in London and Manchester, England as well.

As a performer, storyteller and teacher, Don has influenced the lives of many people, and gently touched their souls with his stories.

Program Types Available

Concerts

An hour to an hour and one-half storytelling concerts are available to adults or family audiences.

Workshops

Don is available for short or day-long workshops in storytelling and/or improvisational drama techniques. The workshops can be tailored to meet the needs of teachers, librarians, recreational leaders, retirement communities, and other social organizations. The focus of such workshops may be on finding and preparing story material, developing personal stories, leading improvisational drama sessions, or integrating these activities into the curriculum.

Storytelling Concerts in Schools and Libraries

One 40-50 minute concert in an auditorium setting for up to 500 students, or two 30-35 minute concerts back-to-back in a library or media center to accommodate 100 to 150 students in the same grade level or grouping.

Residencies Available on Limited Basis

Don may spend an extended period of time in one school working with students in selected classes, either helping them find their own stories to tell or involving them in Improvisational activities.

"Serving on the board of directors of the National Storytelling Association for three years, I have become even more aware of the power of storytelling: the importance of the art form in education, business, health, entertainment, and especially our personal lives. We must tell our stories to each other. It may be the one thing that will make a difference in our world."

- Don Doyle

Additional Background Information

	Education
	Highlights of Professional Career
	Educational Philosophy
	Teaching Experience
	Membership in Professional Organizations
	Selected Productions directed at Arizona State University
	Acting - ASU Faculty Showcase and Scholarship Shows
	Acting - Professional and Community
	Directing - Professional and Community
	Artist/Instructor
	Other
	What sponsors have said

Other Related Links

	National Storytelling Network
	American Alliance for Theatre and Education
	National Society of Arts and Letters
	Tellabration! A Worldwide Storytelling Event
	Platero and I - Classical CD Review - Music on the Web (UK)

For information regarding storytelling concerts, availability and fee, workshops, or video and cassette tapes, please contact:

Don Doyle
1903 East Fairfield
Mesa, Arizona 85203
(480) 833-3013

E-mail: Ddoyle800@msn.com

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