Mark is the resident storyteller at the North Park Village Nature Center in Chicago. He leads storytelling walk-abouts through the 46 acre preserve and coordinates other storytelling activities, including an after school storytelling program for children, festivals and annual Tellabration event.

Mark tells stories exploring his Cherokee Indian heritage. He has programs for children and adults. His programs cover a wide range of topics and include original stories and retellings of myths, animal, nature, and folk tales from around the world.

He studied storytelling at Emerson College Sussex, England. Mark holds a BFA in dance from the University of Illinois. Before beginning his professional storytelling career in 1996, Mark taught and performed dance in the schools with Creative Learning, Math On The Move, and GAIA Environmental Theater.

Recent Storytelling adventures include: commissioned story for Art Institute of Chicago; Fourth Presbyterian Church, Chicago; Camp Fires, Summer Camps, Maple Syrup Festival, Harvest Festival, Summer Solstice and Winter Solstice Shadow Puppet Play at North Park Village Nature Center, Chicago; Jefferson Washington & Franklin Grade School Residencies in Sterling, IL; Sterling Library; Sterling Storytelling Festival; Country Club Hills Arbor Day Celebration; May Day Celebration - Waldorf School, Chicago; Near North Montessori, Chicago; St. Peter's Academy, Skokie; Seltzer Library, Chicago; LaSalle Library, LaSalle; Coonley Elementary School, Chicago; St. Tzarzissus School, Chicago; Dwight Common School, Chicago; Wonderworks Children's Museum, Oak Park; Northlake Library; Edgewater Library; North Shore Academy, Northbrook; Gaza Wedding, Wildwood Resrort, Canada; Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago; Barry Memorial Church, Chicago; Kid's Day International, Chicago; Washington Park, Chicago Park District; Oak Brook Terrace Park District; Hayride, Elgin; Cornell Lake, Palatine; Cicero West School, Cicero; DLS Electronic System, Wheeling; Cosmopolitan Bank, Chicago.

He studied storytelling at Emerson College Sussex, England. Mark holds a BFA in dance from the University of Illinois. Before beginning his professional storytelling career in 1996, Mark taught and performed dance in the schools with Creative Learning, Math On The Move, and GAIA Environmental Theater.

Mark's storytelling and workshop activities take him to schools, libraries, festivals, parties, corporations and community events.

Performance Programs

Folk Tales From Around the World - Various thematic and interactive programs 30 to 60 minutes in length, with stories selected from the folklore of Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas. Stories selected based on ages of children to adult.

Program Theme Ideas:

Environmental - Stories involve the audience in the importance of taking care of the earth
Holiday & Seasonal - Thanksgiving, Christmas, Halloween, Fourth of July, etc., and story themes for the winter, spring, summer and fall seasons, including an original story about how the seasons came to be.
Conflict Resolution - Stories promote community building and peaceful solutions to conflict
Happy Times, Sad Times - Stories focus on dealing with life's ups and downs
Jack Stories - Jack tales appear in all cultures. Through Jack we learn to not give up, how to get help, the consequences of our actions, and how to love and enjoy life.
Birthday Parties - These programs are developed around the child's or adult's interests and any special characters or themes they might enjoy. One option is for me to write an original story, highlighting a special theme or place
Historical / Cherokee Trail of Tears - Mark looks at his Cherokee heritage. Mark has traveled the Trail of Tears, studied with the Eastern Band of Cherokee in the Qualia Boundary. He tells the story of the 1838 Cherokee Indian Removal. An in-depth look at a tragic chapter in U.S. History. Ages 10 and up.

Workshops and Residencies

Tongue Wagger Programs available during and after school. Two to twelve week residencies and workshop programs in storytelling for all ages. Designed for 1-4 hours, full day, or weekend. Developed for schools, colleges, businesses and communities.
Corporate Storytelling

Historical - Tell the company story. Through research of company history, Mark develops the corporate story of who, why, when and how a business came into being. He then tells the story before employees at special corporate events.
Special Programs and Workshops - Using storytelling techniques, this program is designed to increase employee communication skills and teamwork. Ideal for retreats, special skills workshops, and team building.

Coaching - Do you need help with your public speaking or storytelling? Mark will work closely with you to develop and achieve your goals. Through specific exercises and constructive advice you will find a new, more confident voice.