About Milbre
Milbre Burch is my other soul—
I love the way she tells my stories.
Jane Yolen, Author
Milbre Burch is a GRAMMY-nominated spoken word recording artist, an internationally known Oracle-Award-winning storyteller, and a sought-after teaching artist. The preeminent interpreter of Jane Yolen stories, she has performed and taught across the US, Europe and Asia since 1978.
She has created nationally recognized residencies, workshops and pre-conferences, as well as locally lauded community outreach events. A produced and published playwright, Milbre holds a PhD in theatre and performance studies from the University of Missouri.
She is dedicated to addressing issues of diversity, equity and inclusion, to working for peace and justice and reconciliation, and to speaking the truth of women’s experiences.
Background
As a movement-trained solo performer Milbre studied with Doris Humphrey-protégé Meli Kaye and Etienne Decroux-trained Tony Montanaro.
Her mentors in the storytelling community include some of the foremothers of the American storytelling revival. From Carol Birch and Elizabeth Ellis, she learned the power of the spoken word and the eloquence of what’s left unsaid. Heather Forest and Gwenda LedBetter deepened her understanding that the personal is political and that storytelling is a lifelong pursuit. Laura Simms taught her that the stories we live through and those we find shape our lives. And Gioia Timpanelli demonstrated how deeply entrancing the work can be for both the teller and the listener.
Milbre has worked in schools; libraries; community, residential and correctional settings; coffee houses; castles; art museums; black box theaters; churches; synagogues; hospitals; and senior centers. She has been featured at folk music, storytelling and theatre festivals in 36 states, and eighteen cities in Austria, Spain, Ireland, England and Taiwan.
Besides her work as a freelance touring and teaching artist, she has taught classes in public speaking, adaptation of literature, communication and American classroom culture at the University of Missouri, and children’s speech arts at California State University-Los Angeles.
She has presented multiple times at the American Folklore Society’s Annual Meeting and conferences produced by the National Storytelling Network, the American Literature Association, the Association for Theatre in Higher Education, the MidAmerica Theatre Conference, the Central States Communication Association, the National Popular Culture Association/American Culture Association, the National Association for Gifted Children, the National Association of Elementary School Principals and the Network of Progressive Educators. In addition, she has presented at international conferences in the US, Canada, France and Spain.
Commission her for customized performances, keynote presentations, lecture-demonstrations, master-classes and workshops to suit your needs.
If I were a story, I would want to be told by Milbre Burch.
Beth Horner, Storyteller