Leeny Del Seamonds, Master Story Performer™, is a multi award-winning, internationally acclaimed master performer of Hispanic/Latino, original and World stories spiced with exquisite mime, a cornucopia of characters, and love of people. With a twinkle in her eye and fire in her heart, Leeny breathes life into her stories, as she masterfully and effortlessly springs from one story character to another.  A dedicated Teaching Artist with a B.A. in Speech & Theatre/Performing Arts, Leeny encourages listeners to feel positive about themselves and to rejoice in human and cultural diversity, inviting them to share in her Latin/Cuban-American sense of humor and love of performing.

 

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Programs Where Stories Come Alive…

Workshops & In-Service Where Hearts Shine…        

Television and Radio Spots

Leeny's Current Fees

 

Programs Where Stories Come Alive…

 

A multi award-winning international artist, Leeny Del Seamonds is available for performances, workshops, teacher in-service, commissioned pieces, coaching, Keynote addresses, television and touring.  She has performed and presented workshops/residencies in hundreds of school systems, libraries, community centers, conferences and festivals nationally and internationally and is a Massachusetts and New Jersey DOE approved Professional Development Provider.  A dedicated Teaching Artist (with a BA in Speech & Theatre/Performing Arts from Rowan University), Leeny offers seventeen 50-minute programs, each including audience participation, enabling listeners to share in the joy of performing, stimulate imaginations and build confidence.

Leeny offers diverse 50-minute programs for all listeners designed to enthrall, entertain and educate audiences. Her repertoire for listeners of all ages includes:

  1. Foibles, Folklore & Fun! - Folk tales, poems and storysongs from around the World.
  2. Tales, Trials & Tribulations - Humorous and poignant multicultural tales and tunes.
  3. The Star Inside - International folk tales, humorous anecdotes and story-poems encouraging that special "STAR" inside each of us to shine through. The perfect self esteem program for Grades 4-12.
  4. ¡Ay Caramba! - A colorful piñata full of Latino/Hispanic folk tales, anecdotes and personal stories decorated with English-Spanish translations and bursting with Leeny's Latin humor.
  5. The Nature of Things - A blooming bouquet of stories, fables, story-poems, myths and storysongs honoring our Earth and Nature, their beauty and preservation.
  6. For the Birds! - Myths, legends, humorous tales and tunes featuring our feathered friends.
  7. The Home of the Brave - Native American folk tales, legends and myths about Creation, Sky Country and respect for our Earth and the environment.
  8. Hooray for Heroes! - Stories and songs of courage and heroic triumphs from around the World. Specially designed for PreK-Grade 2.
  9. Which Way to the Witch? - A Halloween cauldron brewing with witches, ghosts and goblins from multicultural places.
  10. Winter Magic Tales - Heart-warming, magical folk tales, stories and storysongs certain to take the chill out of "Wind-Chill" and chase away the Winter doldrums.
  11. Far Out! A Spacial Odyssey - "Volaris," the inter-galactic Talespinner, beams aboard with stories and songs from Atlantis, Zargon, Earth and her home planet Xcees.  Perfect for Grades K-4 and families.
  12. I'magic'nation - Journey to fantastic, far away places with magical folk and fairy tales - sure to spark everyone's imagination!
  13. Millennium Myths & Madness! - Celebrate our new millennium with World stories and storysongs that span ten glorious centuries.
  14. Kudos for Courage & Kindness!** - Soar around the World with heroic tales bursting with kindness, inspiration, bravery and courage to overcome adversity and make a difference.
  15. CelloTales: The Melding of Music, Myth & Memories** - An unforgettable melding of stories and cello music for all ages performed with virtuoso cellist Gideon Freudmann. (**Bookings for these two programs available through Young Audiences of Massachusetts
  16. It Takes Two to Tango - (ages 13 and up) An intimate and amusing look at relationships.
  17. More or Less Amour - (ages 13 and up) Love and laughs - romance through the ages.

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Workshops & In-Service Where Hearts Shine…

Student Workshops, available in single, series and residency formats, are 45 minutes in length (maximum of 28 students) and include:

Creative Dramatics (Gr. K-2). The perfect participatory workshop for the primary grade level student! The goal of the workshop is to excite the young student about oral literature, as well as reading. It promotes and encourages self-esteem while the student learns the basic fundamentals of acting and performing in a group (ensemble) tale. In the first part of the workshop, students are taught a variety of warm-up and improvisational exercises for face, body and voice. Then the class performs a tale with Leeny, such as "The Three Billy Goats Gruff," using four volunteers at a time for the speaking parts, while the remainder of the class performs the sound effects. This type of ensemble acting fosters self-esteem, cooperation, respect for others and individual ability. Everyone (including the teacher) has fun while learning!

Creative Dramatics (Gr. 3-12). This is a creative dramatics/basic acting workshop designed for the older student. The workshop's goal is to enhance students' appreciation for oral literature and reading, while encouraging self-esteem. It enables students to more fully embrace the lessons and morals found in literature. In the first part of the workshop, students are taught a series of warm-up and improvisational exercises for face, body and voice. Then the class performs a short folk tale using several volunteers at a time for speaking roles, while the remainder of the class performs the sound effects and scenery. Ensemble acting is an effective tool in developing self-esteem, cooperation, respect for others and individual ability. There are no "stars" in an ensemble performance-everyone has a chance to shine!

Mime, Movement & Improvisation (Gr. 3-12). Anyone can learn the art of mime (commonly called "pantomime"). This workshop is designed to teach the older student basic mime skills and explore using his/her hands, face and body to enhance communication and self-expression. The workshop includes warm-up and improvisational exercises, basic mime isolation techniques, facial expressions, mime wall and "tug-o-war." Students should be prepared to move and have fun!

Making the Most of Your Voice (Gr. 3-12). This workshop is designed to teach students how to use their voices properly and achieve vocal variety through healthy phonation. The first part of the workshop will include a series of exercises in relaxation, posture, breathing, projection and articulation. The second half of the workshop will enable students to explore and experiment with different story character voices and learn a variety of sound effects, animal sound effects and birdcalls. A tape recorder may be used for student feedback.

¡Ay Caramba - Dos! (Gr. K-12). This workshop, a follow-up to Leeny's program, "¡Ay Caramba!," is designed to further expose students to the Latino/Hispanic culture, emphasizing correct pronunciation of español, especially the vowels, and how to "roll the rr's." Then the class acts out the tale, "Tres Cabras Llamados Gruff," (Leeny's Spanish version of "The Three Billy Goats Gruff") using four volunteer actors at a time for the speaking parts (español), while the remainder of the class performs the sound effects and rhythm dance. This type of ensemble acting not only fosters self-esteem, cooperation, respect for others and individual ability, but helps to bridge the cultures. Everyone (including the teacher) enjoys "la fiesta." ¡Muy bien!

Telling a Tale (Gr. 4-12). It's fun to get up and tell a tale! This basic storytelling residency is designed for the older student. It's main objective is to teach the fundamentals of telling a story/folk tale:  vocal projection, articulation and vocal variety; achieving correct posture, body movements and gestures; and incorporating character voices to enhance the story and bring it to life! Students learn how to change from "narrator" to "story character(s)." They are encouraged to make the story their own and strive towards feeling comfortable and confident when telling the story to a small audience. This workshop is most effective when taught in a series/residency (three or more workshops per class), enabling students to develop and adapt the story while polishing performance techniques, thereby allowing time for individual coaching.

From Storybook to Storyteller: Making the Story Your Own! (Gr. 4-12) Every storyteller has his/her own unique style of performing and writing stories. Leeny teaches the basics of "how to make the story your own" when adapting an existing traditional (public domain) folk tale, from paper to performance. Key components of this workshop include: adding a time and setting (where and when the story takes place); introducing the story character(s); creating distinct, well-defined characters; and adapting the language to familiar language usage, reflecting the teller's actual style of speaking. This workshop can be a part of Leeny's "Telling a Tale" residency or be a self-contained, two meetings per class mini-residency.

 

Adult & Teacher In-service Workshop Descriptions (length of workshop designed for sponsor needs):

Making the Most of Your Voice - This workshop is designed for teachers and performers at all levels: for anyone interested in achieving healthy phonation as well as vocal variety. In the first part of the workshop, participants will learn how to care for and preserve their speaking voices through proven relaxation, posture, breathing, articulation, and projection techniques. Although the workshop is highly participatory, Leeny will include some vocal demonstration. Leeny plans to tape record participants so they may hear first-hand (and learn to improve upon) their vocal patterns, vocal style, and regional accents, if any. We will also explore vocal variety and versatility.

A Time for Mime & Movement - Anyone can learn the art of mime! Come and learn, or brush up on, basic mime techniques. Explore using your bodies, hands and face to enhance communication and add some specific movements and gestures to enhance your storytelling technique. This highly participatory workshop includes warm-up and improvisational exercises, basic mime isolation techniques, facial expressions, mime wall, walk/run, climbing stairs, picking up and pulling a rope, and a group tug-o-war. Finally, we will add mime to the spoken word, weaving movement into the story. Be prepared to move and have fun!

Spoken Word Alive! - This highly participatory workshop is designed for teachers and performers at all levels. Bring your words alive with vocal variety, healthy phonation and body movements/mime. Explore different vocal pitches, qualities and vivid character voices. Use your body, hands and face to enhance communication and add specific movements/mime, gestures and vocal variety to the spoken word. Learn to develop distinctive, well-defined story characters and how to make clean, crisp determination and distinction between narrator and characters. Be prepared to move, challenge yourself, and have fun!

Creative Dramatics - This creative dramatics workshop is designed to teach basic acting techniques to anyone interested in learning how to interpret and create a character (from a story or play) by using his/her voice, body movements and facial expressions. This highly participatory workshop will begin with a series of warm-up and improvisational exercises for face, body and voice. Then, using several volunteers at a time, the class acts out a short folk tale and/or scene from a play. Everyone has an opportunity to perform and receive coaching.

Telling a Tale - This basic storytelling residency is designed to teach the fundamentals of telling a story/folk tale:  vocal projection, articulation and vocal variety; achieving correct posture, body movements and gestures; and incorporating character voices to enhance the story and bring it to life. Participants learn how to change from "narrator" to "story character(s)." They are encouraged to make the story their own and strive towards feeling comfortable and confident when telling the story to an audience. This workshop is most effective when taught in three or more sessions.

From Storybook to Storyteller: Making the Story Your Own! - Every storyteller has his/her own unique style of performing and writing stories. Leeny teaches the basics of "how to make the story your own" when adapting an existing traditional (public domain) folk tale, from paper to performance. Key components of this workshop include: adding a time and setting (where and when the story takes place); introducing the story character(s); creating distinct, well-defined characters; and adapting the language to familiar language usage, reflecting the teller's actual style of speaking. This workshop can be a part of Leeny's "Telling a Tale" residency or be a self-contained, two meetings per class mini-residency.

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Television and Radio Spots

 

 

"As a performer in Ribert & Robert's WonderWorld, Leeny brings a wonderful storytelling art that puts a smile on the children AND adults who view our show.  She's such a talented storyteller, Leeny could read from the phone book and have you glued to your chair!  We thank Leeny for bringing such joy to our show."  -Chris Allard, Creative Director/VP, Deos Animation Studios

 

 

"Leeny, you were magnificent! Thanks for gracing my show with your beautiful talent, warmth and wit."
-Jordan Rich, WBZ Radio, Boston, MA

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Leeny's Current Fees

Performance & Workshop Prices: (Travel additional)
$475 - Single School Daytime Performance (audience max. 200)
$675 - Two School Performances, same location ($875/Three)
$475 - Library/Camp Daytime Performance
$125 - Student Workshop, to accompany a performance (max. 25)
$250+ - Teacher In-service Workshop
 

For Keynote Addresses, Festivals, Touring, Corporate, Television and Evening/Weekend performances, please call for quote.  978-692-3961.