Lindsay Bonilla: Author & Storyteller

Lindsay offers an engaging, interactive programs for audiences of all ages. While she primarily works with pre-K and elementary-aged audiences, she has done storytelling workshops for high-schoolers and performed stories for senior citizens as well.

Most of Lindsay's program are 45 minutes; however, this can be adjusted to meet the client's needs.

Lindsay's programs come in 3 categories:

1) Author Visits
Lindsay's popular Author Visit program combines interactive storytelling with a glimpse at Lindsay's journey to becoming an author -- from the inspiration behind her books to an inside look at the writing/publishing process.

2) Multicultural Folktale Programs
Lindsay's interactive folktale programs are designed to take audiences on Around the World Adventures as they experience different countries and cultures through folklore. Lindsay has an extensive repertoire of stories from around the world as well as stories based on different themes, holidays, etc. She loves working with clients to help them find the perfect story for their event.

3) Spanish-Language Storytelling
Lindsay gives audiences an immersive Spanish-language experience through folktales. The amount of Spanish spoken can be customized to the level of the audience; however, with Lindsay’s expressive gestures, costumes and props, you’ll be surprised how much even beginning level students are able to comprehend! Perfect for Spanish classes and clubs!

Lindsay spent her childhood voraciously reading books, scribbling stories, and taking the lead roles in her solo front porch stage plays. While a theatre major at Northwestern University, she fell in love with folktales and world travel. Later she spent a year and a half touring Spain and Portugal teaching ESL with the audience-participatory theatre company, Interacting. Since then she's had the opportunity to tell stories to school children in Haiti and Ghana, teach workshops to youth pastors in Guatemala and El Salvador and even perform street theatre in Puerto Rico and New York City. All of these experiences have made her passionate about building understanding and relationships across cultures while inspiring the imagination.

Lindsay Bonilla has been performing and telling stories for as long as she can remember. But today she enjoys making audience members the stars of her interactive shows! In every performance, Lindsay draws people right out of the audience and invites them to take on the role of characters in the story, through the wearing of hats, costume pieces and even cultural dress. No rehearsal is required! It happens right on the spot and makes each performance completely unique and filled with spontaneity!

Through energetic telling, costume pieces, props and LOTS of audience participation, Lindsay makes her listeners part of the show and allows them to see that their imaginations can be used to bring stories to life not just on stage, but anywhere they go! Lindsay performs for audiences of ALL ages and has found that even when she's performing for children, the adults in the room seem to be having just as much fun as the kids!

Lindsay has been called "a masterful storyteller" and has been praised for the gentle way that she works with audience members, making them feel comfortable on stage and bringing out their best. Her programs have been called "captivating, engaging, and delightful." Lindsay prides herself on working closely with clients to put on a program that will fit their needs.

Lindsay has traveled the globe and often shares stories and experiences gleaned from her overseas adventures with her audience members. She is also a published children's book author and has two DVD films (Flight to India & Voyage to Russia) based on some of her most popular storytelling programs.

Lindsay's picture book, POLAR BEAR ISLAND, won a 2018 Parents' Choice Silver Award and is a story celebrating diversity and inclusion. In her popular Author Visit program, Lindsay shares her journey of becoming a published author and includes an interactive storytelling of the book involving audience members.

Professional Affiliations
Lindsay is a member of the National Storytelling Network (NSN) and the Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). She is also a teaching artist with Arts in Stark.
Lindsay is represented by Christa Heschke at McIntosh & Otis Literary Agency.

I can perform in just about any setting and have limited technical requirements.

For all of my large group performances, I like to use a lavaliere mic. If you cannot provide a mic and/or sound system, I can provide my own.

For my Author Visit programs, I require a screen and projector. I can run the presentation off of my flash drive on a computer you have provided, or I can bring my own laptop.