Antonio Rocha has performed in 14 countries on 6 continents. From Singapore to Washington, D.C. Antonio has enthralled audiences with his art. Antonio has captivated audiences with his movement, classic stories from diverse cultures and personal stories from his own life. He incorporates mime skills that he learned from Mime Master Tony Montanaro and the late Marcel Marceau. He has entranced audiences in West Texas with his tales that defy gravity and cause us to soar. storyinmotion.com

Barbara McBride-Smith is an ageless oracle of stories. From the myths of Mount Olympus translated into Texas tales, born again Bible stories and button box memories, Barbara strings words like pearls and helps us see the world’s beauty. Her stories are vocal comfort food, dessert laughter and just the uttered nutrition to satisfy your listening soul. Barbara is a recipient of both the John Henry Fault Award for outstanding contributions to storytelling and the Circle of Excellence Award for stage performance. barbaramcbridesmith.com

BilLepp is just as unpredictable and unique as the spelling of his name. Growing up in a family where the truth was fluid, Bil became adept at spinning tales and exaggerating circumstances at an early age. A nationally renowned storyteller and five-time champion of the West Virginia Liars’ Contest, his outrageous, humorous tall-tales and witty stories have earned the appreciation of listeners of all ages and from all walks of life. Bil can find the humor in any situation and explains that while his stories may not be completely true, they are always honest. leppstorytelling.com

breathes life into traditional and contemporary stories from African and African American oral and cultural traditions. Her repertoire is vast and programs are adapted to any grade level or age group. In the PBS documentary Safe Harbor, producers proclaim her “strong steady voice is like a lantern in the darkness”. She has performed in venues throughout North America and abroad and has been a featured narrator for several orchestras and conductors. charlotteblakealston.com

Donald Davis is quite possibly gifted with the most prolific memory in the storytelling world and he is a walking library of original stories. He has recorded more than 25 storytelling albums, published more than a dozen books and is a fan favorite at numerous festivals across the globe. Donald has been part of our Midland festival since its inception and we eagerly look forward to his unique stories filled with wit and wisdom and filling our hearts with joy. ddavisstoryteller.com

Laura Pershin Raynor has performed as a Teller in Residence at the International Storytelling Center and she is a favorite at our Midland Storytelling Festival. Laura brings to life the very colorful cast of characters from her unique and loving family. Her Grandma Dinah, who lived to be 105 years and raised her on the tales of the Old Country, providing her with a vivid landscape for her own stories. Laura is a recently retired librarian who shared stories with enthusiastic listeners every week at the Ann Arbor District Library. Now she is freed up to share stories with others everywhere. [email protected]

Willy Claflin is a one-man festival. Spanning historical sagas, intergalactic yarns, Mother Moose Tales and counter-culture misadventures, he covers the full spectrum of spoken word entertainment. A headliner and master of ceremonies at the National Storytelling Festival, Willy is a favorite at festivals throughout the U.S. He offers stories for families as well as adults, often weaving music into his performances. Audiences love his sidekick Maynard Moose. He’s been coming to Midland since 2010 and we’re delighted to welcome him again. willyclaflin.com

Andy Hedges is a songster, reciter, storyteller, guitarist, and collector of cowboy songs and poems. The son of an Italian schoolteacher and a rodeo cowboy turned preacher, Andy was born in Lubbock, TX and grew up in the small community of Tokio, TX, where his family paid rent on an old farmhouse by looking after a few head of cattle. It was there that Andy fell in love with traditional music by listening to his father’s cassettes of cowboy songs. His vast and varied repertoire includes classic cowboy poetry recitations, obscure cowboy songs, dust bowl ballads, and blues. @andyhedges.com