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Latest Activity
- Cambridge Forum/Maria Tatar and Odds Bodkin on October 22, 2009 from 6pm to 7pm
- Heartpounders: Halloween Horrors/Odds Bodkin at Syracuse on October 27, 2009 from 8pm to 9:30pm
Profile Information
- About Me:
- Odds Bodkin--award-winning performance storyteller, author, musician and educator--represents a new direction in modern storytelling. A multi-voiced character actor and instrumentalist, he tells a wide range of stories self-accompanied on twelve-string guitars, electric guitar, Celtic harp, grand piano, pipes, drums, African sanza and Indian sitar.
His most recent CD, The Harper and the King: The Story of Young David, won the Parents' Choice Gold Award, the Dove Award and the Storytelling World Award. Detroit Jewish News writes "Odds Bodkin is a fabulous musician…his music is wondrous. It's engaging, expressive, mesmerizing…he manages to paint a scene more captivating than much of what you see on the big screen."
His critically acclaimed Art of the Tale Off-Broadway series at Lincoln Center in New York earned rave reviews from The New York Times ("a consummate storyteller") to TimeOut New York ("Odds Bodkin is the talk of the town…a one-man vocal universe").
The Odds Bodkin Musical Story Collection--his award-winning line of audio's--features giants, fairies, dinosaurs, heroes and heroines, ghosts, kings, gods, goddesses, lumberjacks and scores of colorful characters from cultures around the world. Little, Brown, Houghton-Mifflin and Harcourt-Brace publish his children's picture books.
Renowned for his renditions of epic tales--The Odyssey, The Rage of Hercules, Sir Percival and the Fisher King, The Iliad: Book I and his latest work, The Harper and The King: The Story of Young David--he tells over one hundred musically scored stories with character voices. With this repertory, he entertains young children, high school and college students, adult audiences, families, even prison inmates.
Three specially-designed Odds Bodkin story books and audios sit at the heart of Perkins Panda™--a cuddly toy bear who tells stories and sings. In cooperation with educators at Perkins School for the Blind--Helen Keller's school, makers of the Brailler--Odds' newest character, Perkins the Panda Bear, offers early literacy skills to children born blind. The Hercules Process: A Rage Awareness Program for Youth has been funded for outreach in the New Jersey schools. A classroom kit used over five days, the process employs Bodkin's The Rage of Hercules story and numerous exercises to wean youth of the rage response. A graduate of Duke University, Odds taught at Antioch New England Graduate School, awarding credits for masters and doctoral degree programs in education and environmental sciences.
Now he shares those same insights into the creative process with his learning method, The Door to Imagination: How to Awaken Your Inner Storyteller, opening paths to self-expression and personal art for adult learners, professionals, and young people.
Bodkin has won the Parents' Choice Gold, Silver and Honor awards for multiple titles, The Indie Award for Best Children's Storytelling, The Golden Headset Award, The Storytelling World Award, The New York Public Library's 100 Best Titles for Reading and Sharing Selection, a Booklist Editor's Choice Award, The Oppenheim Platinum Award for Best Children's Audio, American Bookseller's "Pick of the Lists", Dr. Toy's Best Vacation Product Award, The Family Channel Circle of Excellence Award, The Education Source "Top Ten" Award, The Dove Award and numerous others.
Together with his wife and manager of twenty-six years, M. Miguelina Bodkin, Odds has been in the bumptious guild of storytellers since 1982. Odds and Mil have three college age sons, Jonathan, Gavin and Christopher. They live in New Hampshire.
- Website:
- http://www.oddsbodkin.com
Odds Bodkin's Photos
Odds Bodkin's Blog
Hello, Layne, the Philosoph
It's a fairly straightforward thing to tell a story. You open your mouth, and if you're not tongue-tied, out it comes in one way or another.
However, it's quite a different thing to cycle across Continental America on a flimsy looking contraption that in a Mary Poppins film would take off in a good breeze, and still tell stories. Especially when you're filled with so much novel imagery of America, having expended so many BTU's.
So, Layne, congratulations on your Crazy Guy on a Bike adventure t… Continue
However, it's quite a different thing to cycle across Continental America on a flimsy looking contraption that in a Mary Poppins film would take off in a good breeze, and still tell stories. Especially when you're filled with so much novel imagery of America, having expended so many BTU's.
So, Layne, congratulations on your Crazy Guy on a Bike adventure t… Continue
Posted on October 22, 2009 at 8:06pm — 1 Comment
Angelina Jolie, My “Grendel’s Mother” is Uglier
For those of you who enjoyed Robert Zemeckis’ Beowulf, a rollicking good film adaptation of the old English poem––I certainly did (I watched it twice)––my 1-hour storyteller’s version of Beowulf may surprise you. Firstly, Ms. Jolie is much prettier than I am, but then again, I’m a man, and the “Grendel’s Mother” that screams from the fens in my version of the story isn’t pretty anyway, or supposed to be.
Quite the opposite, in fact. Like Grendel himself, she’s much closer to an im… Continue
Quite the opposite, in fact. Like Grendel himself, she’s much closer to an im… Continue
Posted on October 22, 2009 at 5:23pm —
Bodkin's Beowulf and A Christmas Carol
Wanted to let you all know that I have added two new tales to my repertory:
BEOWULF (1 hour)
A CHRISTMAS CAROL (1 hour)
Also a MySpace page, www.myspace.com/obodkin. Music samples.
Also, made a few videos for YouTube. Type in "odds bodkin" and there I will be!
Peace to all,
Odds
BEOWULF (1 hour)
A CHRISTMAS CAROL (1 hour)
Also a MySpace page, www.myspace.com/obodkin. Music samples.
Also, made a few videos for YouTube. Type in "odds bodkin" and there I will be!
Peace to all,
Odds
Posted on September 1, 2009 at 11:35am —
Odds Bodkin at Chautauqua in Boulder
Hi, everybody. I'll be performing at Chautauqua Auditorium in Boulder, CO on Friday, May 16 at 7:00 pm.
for for the kickoff of:
Storytelling: A Chautauqua Tradition
Odds Bodkin Family Storytelling Concert
Friday, May 16, 7pm Auditorium : $10 adults, $5 children, students, seniors Buy Tickets
Master Storyteller and Musician Odds Bodkin, called “a consummate storyteller” by The New York Times, performs family stories self-accompanied on twelve-string guitars, electric guitar, stomp drum, African… Continue
for for the kickoff of:
Storytelling: A Chautauqua Tradition
Odds Bodkin Family Storytelling Concert
Friday, May 16, 7pm Auditorium : $10 adults, $5 children, students, seniors Buy Tickets
Master Storyteller and Musician Odds Bodkin, called “a consummate storyteller” by The New York Times, performs family stories self-accompanied on twelve-string guitars, electric guitar, stomp drum, African… Continue
Posted on May 5, 2008 at 7:56am —
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© 2009 Created by Dianne de Las Casas, Author, Award-Winning Storyteller on Ning. Create a Ning Network!
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How do you use the harp in your performances?
Michael
You're right about Robin Williamson, I found a video of him, online, performing The Parting Glass. What a treat to see him live, no doubt.
Sometimes, I employ my harps as sound effects during the telling. Other times, I play and sing a little tune to open and close a tale or incorporate a bit of song throughout as a hook. Not to mention, playing a piece outright in between stories just to break things up. I'm working on a story, The Tenderhearted Fool, where my aim is to get the audience to join me in the harp song at the end of the tale for a finishing touch.
Your Rage of Hercules is a great piece of work. I listened to part of it a while ago. How was the Granite State Festival in New London? What did you tell there?
I'm still getting the hang of all the social media so my Professional Storyteller page is still under development. Thanks for the welcome!
Michael Forestieri
Beer indeed sets the muse afloat. Best of luck to the slammers.
Yes, I perform in the Boston area all the time. I'll be appearing at the Cambridge Forum on December 6th, with Maria Tatar, to discuss storytelling in the modern world.
I think I'm about to ruffle their format somewhat, in that, as a practitioner, I'm going to tell a story as my introductory remarks. Wish me luck.
Odds
Rock the house in Syracuse!
Doria
We first met at Rowe camp a couple years back, and as a result I finally made the jump to "professional" storyteller, as opposed to "woman-who-obsessively-collects-stories-and-hoards-them-in-her-brain". When people ask me, what gave you the kick in the pants to make this step? Well, I just smile and blame you for everything.
Thank you (I mean that) and Happy Tales,
Doria
We met at GVSU. I drove you around when you came and spent a couple of days with us. I think you talked to my storytelling class too.
Millie
Glad you liked it. Glad you joined this site, too, I can happily add. Dianne, we thank you. Take care, Layne.
Odds
Just heard Troubadour for the first time. Was there ever a time in your timeless life you didn't have the magic? Catchy tune. Stirring lyrics. Thanks for offering it to the ether.
I remember back to when you performed at the Hanford High School as a school assembly in Hanford, CA. After school time, you did a question and answer session with the Voices of Illusion high school storytellers and Kevin Cordi.
Though I was a BYU graduate and a recent move-in to Fresno, Kevin invited me to tag along and I still have the picture of the group. Perhaps I could find it and send it to you?
My wrist really hurt after that night because I scribbled so many notes. I have those still, too. Thanks for outreaching to us.
Until we tell again,
Rachel Hedman
It's great to see you here. Your name's been mentioned all over this site. We met in NJ in Nov. I love you....but I adore your wife. I hope she's working on her stories. I hope to hear her stories soon.
Rivka
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