Mary Jo Maichack, Singer Storyteller

Expect professionalism in every aspect, from contracting to delivery of agreed-upon services. Expect to be entertained, to experience her work "speak" to every age and age-group, honed from her vast experience. Expect a thoughtful time, a fun time. For children, expect a warm and gentle adult who really gets a kick out of kids and relates to them kindly, recognizing them as full persons in development--as are we all! Please be prepared to let me know your goals in hiring me, what your venue is like physically, the composition of your target audience and purpose. We can decide whether we're a good fit. I learned long ago that this is important for everyone to be happy.
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Mary Jo Maichack has spent 30 years full-time as a storyteller and musician, on stage and in classrooms pre-k to seniors. Shows, workshops, residencies--she lost count at some 4,000 of them, for an estimated half a million listeners. She was honored with two national awards (NAPPA) for her CDs of original historical fiction and folktales celebrating reading, combining storytelling and music. She is the Massachusetts State Liaison to the National Storytelling Network and founding partner in Maichack Arts.
A former children's librarian, she has a B.A., cum laude, English literature, Middlebury College, and attended Middlebury's Deutsche Schule; former marketing director, Connecticut Storytelling Center; as seen on hay bales to gorgeous festival stages in the U.S., and in multi-lingual performances or exchanges in London, Paris (Caroline Castelli), Prague, Vienna (NMS Campus Sonnwendviertel) and Venice, Italy (Scuola Gozzi).
Her show themes are too many to mention, (see her Web site) often created for each summer's new library reading theme--from celebrations of reading, nature, Mother Goose with puppets for preschoolers, Halloween and holiday programs, pourquoi tales, much more. Shows for children and families emphasize FUN, interaction and variety--for example, an opening song to bring us together with a good feeling followed by a multicultural folktale (with interaction for all ages, who may sing, dance, chant as part of it), often a dance as she sings and plays guitar)--The Alligator Stomp, for one!--and when safe in person, a folktale or myth that audience volunteers come to the stage to act out in costume under her narration and deft direction. Virtual programs are still interactive, without the costumes.
Her professional development programs also emphasize fun for adults, who are taught how to tell folktales with puppets, origami, costumes, hand-play and variety, so everyone is actively engaged and they return to their classrooms with memorable, useable content. There is always laughter. Her belief is to be a warm and positive coach, the better to empower all she meets to feel confident and adventurous.
Her philosophy: "I believe passionately in helping people of all ages to find their voices, to help them to become more authentically and happily themselves. I believe that cultivating language skills, and teaching and learning through the joy of play--as found in the performing arts--is the best method for living, growing all life long, for all ages. I believe that literature teaches us about human nature and explores the question, how must we act?"
Ms. Maichack is a skillful writer, whether for promotion or creative enjoyment. She surprised herself by turning down a contract for her book, From Stage Door to Classroom Floor: Playing with Folktales for Powerful Programs and Joyful Literacy, in hopes of finding a publisher who won’t love it so much that they want all the rights. She offers writing, editing and speaking services and coaching for adults.
Adults love her cabaret show interweaving songs from the Great American Songbook with personal tales of growing up in a music-loving family with Vaudeville roots.