Santa Darrin

A professional storyteller with over 20 years of experience, I sometimes act out my stories as much as I tell them. Becoming each character as I go along and involving the audience, both young and old alike. I have been told before that I have a "Robin Williams " type of feel at times- though I am very Family-friendly friendly. I do however have a wide range of stories from folklore, funny to scary and sad, holiday stories, fairy tales, Native American tales, true and not so true stories from around the world, as well as several of my own. Most of the stories my children were told at bedtime were ones I wrote for them. I also enjoy poetry, both writing and reading it. Speaking of reading, it's another of my favorite things and it's hard to find anything as comforting on a rainy day as the smell of an old book that one is reading, while wrapped in a blanket as the rest of the world goes quietly by.

I enjoy improv and acting in plays and skits. These are not only fun, but help me to think quickly on my feet when I am Santa. They also allow me to enjoy time with my friends.

Art has always been important to me, and I enjoy creating it in almost every way I can. Some of my favorite things to do though are wood carving, drawing, painting, and fixing and customizing toys and building dioramas for action figures. Though because I am a perfectionist, I have found some of my favorite things to make are primitive folk art pieces, as there is perfection in their very imperfections.

I love nature. I've always felt at peace in the woods and enjoy hiking, taking in all the sights, sounds and smells they offer. My favorite time to be out there is in the fall. That time of year everything seems to be turned up several notches so to speak. The colors are more vibrant, the crunching of your steps more crisp, the very air filled with the scent of fall.
I have always had various pets and animals. I had the usual dogs and a very few cats, but I've also owned ducks of various types, pigs, goats, pigeons, various rabbitsn fish, lizards, chickens, and other assorted creatures that I don't or should not mention in case my mom were to read this now! I always loved spending time with my human friends but there's something about pets and other critters that sometimes brings out another side of things. We used to own several acres in Kentucky which was bordered by state land with no one for miles. I used to take my pack (yes pack) of about 10 dogs (all rescues) and go hiking from sun up to sun set. My mom would fret and my dad would say, "He has Dobermans, German Shepherds, Pit Bulls and a knife. He's fine."

Something else I enjoy is singing. I'm very eclectic with my music, loving bluegrass, surfer, 80's rock, celtic, some pop, classical, instrumental and, like art, what ever catches my ear.

Well, that's a little about me. I hope you have enjoyed learning more about the various sides, but still not all, of me.

Hope to hear from you soon,
Darrin Mckinzie
"Santa Darrin "
"The Storyman"