Laura J. Bobrow
storyteller
elegant
clever
informed
Tell me the tales that to me were so dear,
Long, long ago, long, long ago
--Thomas Haynes Bayly Storyteller
In her life Laura J. Bobrow has been a magazine editor, author, folksinger, sculptor,
painter, poet, and lyricist. She juggled all of those pursuits at once. It was when she
discovered the world of storytelling that everything came together. The music, the art, and
the visual excitement were all there. The epiphany came at a children's book writers'
conference when she listened to a storyteller describe the techniques he used to turn a
told story into a book. There has been no stopping her since.
Her work as a storyteller has been recognized by cultural organizations such as the
New York Philharmonic Orchestra and the New York City Opera, who have included her
performances in their fundraising auction catalogues. In addition to her acclaimed storytelling performances, Laura has been active in the storytelling world as the author of articles on the craft, a leader of workshops, and the originator of storytelling series and festivals. Laura introduced storytelling to the prestigious International Platform Association in 1993 and served on its Board of Directors for many years. She was the founder of LAUGHS, "Loudoun's Annual Unforgettable Gigantic Hilarious Storyfest!" which was held in Sterling VA for several years. In 2009 she was the recipient of a Storytelling World honors award for one of her CDs.
Poet
Laura has been winning awards for her poetry ever since 1960 when former poet laureate Louis Untermeyer dubbed her "the American Milne." She has been a judge for the annual competitions of the Florida State Poetry Association and the Poetry Society of Virginia. She is the author of six poetry chapbooks: Betrayed, The Book of Names, I Remember, A Little Bit of Banter, Mister Cricket and Other Poems, and Cats' Eyebrows. Of special interest: the stories of Basile's Il Pentamerone, are here retold in narrative verse. Click on Poetry. A picture book for children, The Captain's Beard, was popularly received in 1995. In May 2002 Laura was named Artist of the Month by the Loudoun Arts Council.
Listen:
