2026 St. John’s Storytelling Festival Storyteller Bios

Charis Cotter

Charis Cotter grew up beside a graveyard and has been living with ghosts ever since. She studied English in university and went to drama school in London, England. Charis is the multi-award-winning author of several spooky books, including The Ghost Road; Screech! Ghost Stories from Old Newfoundland; and The Mystery of the Haunted Dance Hall. Charis has worked extensively in schools and libraries from coast to coast in Canada, using drama and storytelling to bring her books to life. Her spine-chilling performances of Newfoundland ghost stories have thrilled audiences of all ages. She lives beside the ocean in one of the most haunted parts of Newfoundland.

Kelly Russell

A professional musician since 1975, Kelly has been a member of landmark groups Figgy Duff, The Wonderful Grand Band and The Irish Descendants, to name just a few. Working closely for many years with legendary fiddlers Rufus Guinchard and Emile Benoit, learning, recording, and documenting their unique music, Kelly has inherited considerable status as one of Newfoundland’s leading traditional music scholars and performers. He has also been active in the art of storytelling and recitation, inspired by the Tales from Pigeon Inlet by his father, Ted Russell. Accolades include: NL Arts Council Award for Music (1987), the Marius Barbeau Award (1997), City of St. John’s Legend Award (1999), “Tradition Bearer” designation from the Department of Tourism (2010), Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012), The Order of Canada (2015), and an Honorary Doctorate from MUN (2021).

Karin Murray-Bergquist

Karin Murray-Bergquist is a writer, actor, and artist, as well as PhD student in folklore, whose work includes the Ghost Ship Map of Newfoundland. Along with a continually unfinished thesis, Karin is currently working on a collection of original ghostly tales, a map of Antarctic museums and historic sites, and several songs. Previous involvement with St. John’s Storytelling has included hosting the Story Circle at the Battery Café, and being an enthusiastic attendee of several such circles.

Andrew Peacock

Andrew Peacock was born and raised in Ontario but moved to Newfoundland to practice veterinary medicine. In this work he attended to everything from cats to whales. After retiring he began a new career as a writer. His first book Creatures of the Rock won the 2015 Newfoundland Book Award for best non-fiction book in the province and was long listed for the Leacock Medal for the best humour book in Canada. Since then, he has published a children’s book, One Brave Boy and His Cat, a collection of short stories called Bifocal and an eerily prescient novel, VIRAL that deals with what would happen if a pandemic struck Newfoundland. Recently he has been involved in storytelling festivals around the province. Andrew continues to write and lives in Freshwater with Ingrid and a brand-new Miniature Golden Retriever named Haruki.

Catherine Wright

Her background in dance, theatre, voice and visual arts informs Catherine Wright’s unique storytelling style. She has presented traditional tales, personal narratives, ballads, recitations, original stories and songs to a broad range of ages from preschoolers to seniors; at schools, festivals, theatres, galleries, outdoor venues and online in her many years of performance experience. Catherine is also known for her work as an arts educator. She is past president of St John’s Storytelling and current provincial representative for Storytellers of Canada (SC-CC).

Jodie Marie Thornbury

Jodie Marie Thornbury is a writer, visual artist and jewelry designer. She lives in Portugal Cove on a hobby farm with her husband, horses, cats and ducks. Newman is a 23-year-old cat who stole Jodie’s heart and a few cheeseburgers along the way. This meow-moir is the inspiring story of one cat’s triumphant rise from living on the streets to becoming the owner of a hobby farm.

Chukky Ibe

Chukky Ibe is a dynamic storyteller, gifted folklorist, and compelling spoken word artist whose work bridges the traditional and the contemporary. With roots deeply embedded in oral traditions and a voice attuned to the rhythms of modern life, Chukky brings stories to life with a lyrical blend of authenticity, emotion, and insight.

Christine Hennebury

Christine Hennebury’s storytelling career began at age 4 when she tried to convince her parents that the couch was wet because water had mysteriously shot out of her nose and drenched it. Since she was holding an empty bubble jar at the time, her parents were – to say the least – unconvinced. ‘The Bubble Incident’ was a long time ago so she has had lots of time to improve her storytelling and her bubble jar holding in the meantime but she has flatly refused to learn her lesson about blowing bubbles in the house. Christine has performed at the St. John’s Storytelling Festival, the Storytellers of Canada – Conteurs du Canada annual conference, the Rocky Harbour Storytelling Festival, and at a variety of shows, festivals, and community events in NL. She has been coaching individuals and teaching workshops in writing, storytelling, creativity, and personal art practices since 1998. Since graduating from the Business and Arts NL Creative Edge (2020) program, she has expanded her repertoire to include in-person and online workshops on building connection and community through storytelling, as well as consulting with local businesses on how to incorporate storytelling into their presentations and pitches. Christine is the founder and chair of the Association for the Arts in Mount Pearl, the storyline manager for Morrigan Mystery Evenings, past president of Storytellers of Canada – Conteurs du Canada, and a former president of the St. John’s Storytelling Festival.

Michelle Clemens

Michelle is a writer, director and producer in Newfoundland & Labrador. She published her first novel The Girls of Belvedere in May 2025 and it was selected as the Top Three Love Our Local Authors List by the Newfoundland Labrador Public Libraries. Her second novel, A Respectable Woman will be published in the fall of 2026. Michelle has been a storyteller since 2021 when her short story Murder on Milbank won a place at the Memorial University’s /WritersNL Storytelling event at the Sparkes Festival. Her essay, The Christmas Stocking, was published in the WritersNL’s e-zine. The recording is on line at https://michelleclemens.ca Michelle has hosted events for St. John’s Storytelling and has performed her tales at their annual festivals. She co-produced “How to Write a Narrative”, an instructional video for The St. John’s Storytelling and the Department of Education in 2024.

Dave Paddon

Dave Paddon is a retired airline pilot originally from North West River, Labrador. He grew up listening to the songs and stories of the trappers and attending many a late night “session” around many a kitchen table. In 1986 he married a Gander girl and subsequently became immersed in Island culture. As a result he accumulated a store of material which suddenly bubbled to the surface when he and Kim returned to Newfoundland and Labrador in 2005 after 20 years upalong. He wrote his first recitation in 2007 and has now written 60. Five of these have been published in handmade chapbooks and his work is available on 2 CDs through electronic download. His recitations “Ralph:Flying Hound” and “Kimmy and Mike” have been released as illustrated children’s books. He has also released “Half the lies you tell are not true”, a collection of 13 of his funniest recitations. Dave has a serious side also and in the fall of 2025 he released “Nurse Fortescue and Doctor Paddon”, a collection of articles written by his father as well as transcripts of recordings he made with his mother. The book covers their wartime and post war careers and includes stories of near misses from bombs as well as dogteam medical patrols which could cover up to 2000 miles. Dave lives in St.John’s and is a regular at festivals and fundraisers throughout the province.

Ainsley Hawthorn

Ainsley Hawthorn is an award-winning cultural historian and sensory scholar who writes about forgotten events, curious folklore, and the surprising connections between past and present. She’s contributed over 160 articles to publications like National Geographic, The Washington Post, CBC, and Psychology Today, she presents for television and radio, and she’s a history expert with Smithsonian Journeys. Her nonfiction anthology Land of Many Shores: Perspectives from a Diverse Newfoundland and Labrador, which challenges the myth that NL lacks diversity, was named one of The Telegram’s Top Ten NL Books of 2021.

Dave Penny

Dave Penny has established himself as a Newfoundland and Labrador comic songwriter/storyteller, which over the past 25 years has brought him around the province as well as parts of Ontario, PEI and New England. He chronicles current events, or makes up stories loosely based on personal experiences or news article using his unique brand of clever satire. Whether the issue is localized to Newfoundland and Labrador, such as a state of emergency following a record snowfall, or a more global issue such as the COVID-19 pandemic, Dave ties them with humorous narrative and catchy melodies. His 2017 release, All Turned Around, was nominated for a MusicNL and a Canadian Folk Music award for Traditional Artist of the Year. In October 2020, Dave released Chip Wagon Ahead, another album of original songs, which has been nominated for a MusicNL award for Celtic/Traditional Artist of the Year.

Amelia Reimer

Amelia Reimer has been involved in the St. John’s storytelling community for over 10 years. She originally hails from the Pacific Northwest, and has been lovingly referred to as a “baygirl from a different coast”. Amelia has spent her adult life as a voice for Indigenous rights throughout both Canada and the US. She is of mixed settler and Métis ancestry, has two adult Makah children, and carries many teachings from her time spent with a wide variety of Indigenous groups.

Jim Payne

A native of Notre Dame Bay, Jim Payne is an award-winning performer, collector and producer of traditional Newfoundland music, as well one of the province’s most prolific songwriters, whose songs and stories reflect the folklore of the province as well as historic and contemporary issues faced by coastal peoples of the North West Atlantic. He has performed on six continents. Besides owning and operating the SingSong Inc. record label, he has appeared in most of Rising Tide Theatre’s annual REVUE’s, performs regularly with long time musical partner Fergus O’Byrne, and is a busy solo performer. He also teaches courses in traditional music at Memorial University’s School of Music. Jim is also an adventurer who has circumnavigated the island of Newfoundland more than 20 times, sailed through the Northwest Passage and back, and travelled widely through the high latitudes of both hemispheres, including the Canadian and Scandinavian Arctic, Greenland, Iceland and Svalbard, as well as South Georgia, the Falkland Islands, and Tierra del Fuego, and rounded Cape Horn to cross the Drake passage to Antarctica dozens of times. Jim is a recipient of Arts NL’s Outstanding Cultural Achievement and Arts in Education Awards, and has been awarded a Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal. He has also received a Cultural Tourism Award from the NL Dept. of Tourism, Culture and Recreation, the federal Dept. of Canadian Heritage, and Hospitality NL. He was inducted into Arts NL’s Hall of Honour in 2016, presented with the ECMA’s Stompin’ Tom Connor’s Award in 2017, and received both the NL Folk Arts Society’s Lifetime Achievement Award and Music NL’s Industry Builder Award in 2021.

Karen Carroll

Karen Carroll is a storyteller, writer, playwright and recitationist living in Logy Bay. She writes stories of Newfoundland based on stories of her family, her personal experiences and those shared by friends. Karen released her first E-album, Molasses & Homemade Bread, on October 11, 2021. Karen was born and raised on the North Shore of Conception Bay in Carbonear, NL. A frequent performer with St. John’s Storytelling at Storytelling Circles, Festivals, and other events, Karen is a familiar face to many in the storytelling community locally. Karen has been a member of the St. John’s Storytelling Board since 2017.

Harry Ingram

Harry Ingram was born and raised in Arnold’s Cove Placentia Bay, or as Ray Guy would call it, “That far greater bay”. Recitations have always been a core element of Harry’s upbringing, which he now performs in various venues. He’s known to appear alongside Dave Paddon, Dave Penney, and Hubert Furey as part of the popular “Stage to Stage” group. He’s also a part of the comedy recitation duo “The Liar’s Bench Show” with his cohort Ken Parsons. Harry writes his own original material, however, he also enjoys keeping alive the works of greats such as Leo O’Brien, John Joe English and others.

Ken Parsons

Ken Parsons loves Newfoundland Labrador, and it shows in his recitations. Spending summers growing up in Bonavista Bay, he has created “Raisin Arm”, an imaginary Newfoundland Labrador community full of “heart warming stories” and “all kinds of foolishness”. The everyday joys and fun of local culture are always “just down the Arm”. As an accomplished magician, you’re sure to see Ken pull a trick or two out of his sleeve during his stories.

Randy Crane

Randy is a singer, songwriter, actor and storyteller. He is a regular performer in the Southern Shore Dinner Theatre. Randy writes and performs his own original songs and stories. He is portraying Paddy “ Iron” McCarthy this summer in the play “Stories from the Southern Shore” co-created with Larry Brazil during the Covid winters.

Gary Green

Gary Green is a storyteller and author who has performed both inside and outside the province for a variety of groups ranging from youth camps to international conferences. Among the groups for which he has performed are the Gros Morne Fall Fest, Cape St. Mary’s Performance Series, Battle Harbour Historic Trust, Canadian National Storytelling Conference, Admiralty House Museum, Labrador Creative Arts Festival, St. John’s Folk Festival and Trails, Tales and Tunes. Gary has performed on television as part of the series “Legends and Lore of the North Atlantic” and on several radio stations. He has performed in the international award winning productions “Inside Outside Battery” and “Foghorns and Heartbreak”. Gary has been a consultant for the use of storytelling in the interpretation of the Battle Harbour National Historic Site, the Point Amour Lighthouse Provincial Historic Site and is very active in developing and delivering a story-based interpretation of The Crow’s Nest Officers’ Club National Historic Site. He has been a board member of the St. John’s Storytelling Festival, and a founding board member of the Soundbone Traditional Arts Foundation. Gary teaches storytelling at the annual Vinland Music Camp.

Dave Moriarty

Dave is one of 14 children, born and raised in Harbour Grace in Conception Bay North. He served 38+ years in the Canadian Forces, including two operational tours in Afghanistan and the Gulf War, and numerous operational tours worldwide. He is a father of four and a grandfather of four. Dave performed at the Rocky Harbour Storytelling Festival in September of 2023 and at St. Johns Storytellers Night in November of 2023. He has hosted the monthly Freshwater Coffee House musical night for five years, and plays acoustic guitar with the local Freshwater band “Sweet Trinity.”

Jeanene Walsh

Jeanene is a writer, storyteller, photographer and wood carver from the Avalon. She writes and performs her own original poetry and stories, and as an accomplished photographer has taken a unique approach to storytelling by often performing with one of her photographs featured in her stories. Jeanene is a regular presenter and mentor for Land and See, an international conference held in P.E.I., and she is a frequent performer at storytelling circles and other events throughout the province. Currently, she is studying puppetry arts. Jeanene is on the executive of the St. John’s Storytelling Board.

Dennis Flynn

Dennis Flynn is a freelance writer/photographer and a storyteller from Colliers, Conception Bay, Newfoundland Labrador, Canada. He is the author of two books and over 300 published articles. In 2003 Dennis received a National Writing Award of Excellence from the Canadian Community Newspapers Association and in 2021 Dennis won a Provincial Arts and Letters Award for Visual Art. His photographs and articles have appeared in various books, magazines, newspapers, websites, and other publications provincially, nationally, and internationally. As well his images have been selected for numerous art shows, exhibitions, museum displays, and other cultural tourism displays. Dennis has hosted at the St. John’s Storytelling Circles and the annual Festival and participated in the 2024 Road Show Edition. He has also told stories for the “Our Unsung Heroes: World War I Stories from Newfoundland and Labrador” podcast and the “Home Out of it: Newfoundland Decameron Podcast” and told stories for the “What’s in a Name” series of provincial tourism television commercials.

Wayne Broomfield

A voyager, adventurer, globe trotter, and seeker of nature’s truth, Wayne has travelled from the North Pole to the South Pole, living life to the fullest. A native Indigenous spirit from the remote area of northern Labrador, Canada, Wayne grew up in Makkovik alongside the great Atlantic Ocean. His people and his culture come from Nunatsiavut, which means “Our Beautiful Land,” and it is beautiful. In 2017, Antarctica called Wayne, and he answered. One of the few Inuit people to migrate between the Earth’s poles, Wayne has had the pleasure of serving other adventure enthusiasts in Antarctica. His favourite experiences include being frantically chased by polar bears, witnessing polar bear cubs dig their way out of their den, and watching the seals, whales, and other sea creatures play in the ice-locked waters of the poles. An advocate for the planet, sustainability, and Mother Nature herself, Wayne has participated in movies with National Geographic, photo sessions of the great North and South, as well as sharing stories and adventures with guests who love to listen to his uncommon tales.

Ruth Kirkpatrick

Ruth is one of Scotland’s leading storytellers, and is internationally recognised as a charismatic performer and singer. Viewed as a Tradition Bearer, she has been lucky enough to ‘sit at the knee’ of some of the great storytellers which Scotland has borne and shows a deep respect for the tradition. She has worked for 40 years in social work listening to people’s stories and has been a professional storyteller for 27 years. She has worked in hospitals, prisons, residential homes, schools and even a Turkish bath. Ruth’s company and book, both called ‘Stories Allways’ successfully develops innovative ways to use storytelling with children and families who have emotional and social needs. Her real strength is in forming a warm, authentic rapport with her audience, giving her performance a loving, feisty sparkle. This makes her a popular guest at Festivals worldwide, from the glaciers of Iceland to the bookshops of India.

Clara Dugas

Clara Dugas is originally from St. Mary’s Bay, Clare, Nova Scotia. Presently, she lives in Halifax County. In the late 1980’s, inspired by her storytelling mother, Clara began telling short stories of her own childhood to her elementary students. This continued for 35 years, until she retired in 2024. Now, when she is not travelling to storytelling festivals, she spends time doing what she loves best: rug hooking, reading, writing and telling stories in schools, in French and English. Clara’s stories of life in a quiet Acadian village are full of the fun and mischief of childhood and of the strong women that she came to know and love.