I love telling stories to people young & old. There's nothing more satisfying than to see folks in an audience who have entered into a story & become part of it. 
    About 17 years ago I took a storytelling class in Kansas City. I learned a folktale & tried it out on my 1st grade class. To my delight I found that by putting the book down & telling a story an immediate positive bond was formed between my students & myself. I was hooked. On weekends & during the summer I started getting offers to do paid performances at some area libraries & then began to tell to adult audiences.
     Since then I have developed an extensive repetoire of original stories, my own versions of folktales & stories based on literature. In the spring of 2000 I left teaching to become a full time performer & have been on the road visiting many states in the U.S. Recently I did a storytelling tour in Ireland!
    When telling to the very young I use lots of music & audience participation. For older kids & adults I have some great funny pieces, ghost stories & inspirational stories. I also write music & bring my banjo along for a song or two. 

 For detailed descriptions of my programs click on the "Programs" button above. 

                                                 Contact Information: 
                                                              E-mail
                                                        rcutrer2@cox.net
                                                             Phone
                                      785-271-1982   or  785-640-8845

Links:
Kansas City's Storytelling Celebration http://mcckc.edu/main.asp?P=CEMWStoryTelling
Kansas Arts Commission: http://arts.ks.gov/roster/storytelling/cutrer.shtml
Kearney Storytelling Festival: http://kearneystorytellingfestival.org
Kansas City's River & Prairie Storytellers: www.storyraps.org
Cape Girardeau Storytelling Festival: www.capestorytelling.com 

                             2011 -2012 CALENDAR

FOUR PROGRAMS FOR THE NEWLY OPENED CHILDREN'S DISCOVERY CENTER IN TOPEKA, KS
(TIMES & DATES TO BE DETERMINED)

JAN. 4 LEXINGTON PARK RETIREMENT CENTER PROGRAM IN TOPEKA, KS

JAN. 7 ALDERSGATE APARTMENTS PROGRAM IN TOPEKA, KS

JAN. 11 MC CRITE PLAZA PROGRAM IN TOPEKA, KS

JAN. 14 ROLLING  HILLS APARTMENTS IN TOPEKA, KS

JAN. 15 PRIVATE HOUSE CONCERT IN TOPEKA, KS

JAN. 17-22 FEATURED TELLER AT THE KEARNEY STORYTELLING FESTIVAL IN KEARNEY, NEBRASKA

JAN. 27 ALL SCHOOL ASSEMBLY AT PETERSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN WICHITA, KS

JAN. 29 KANSAS MUSEUM OF HISTORY PERFORMANCE IN TOPEKA, KS

FEB. 7-9 THREE DAY RESIDENCY FOR SCHOOLS IN MANHATTAN, KS

MAR. 8-9 FEATURED PERFORMER AT THE FRANKLIN COUNTY LITERATURE FESTIVAL IN OTTAWA, KS

MAR. 17 IRISH STORYTELLING PROGRAMS AT THE IRISH MUSEUM & CULTURAL CENTER IN KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI

APRIL 21-23 FEATURED TELLER AT THE LAND RUN FESTIVAL IN CHOCTAW, OKLAHOMA

APRIL 28-30 FEATURED TELLER AT THE HEARTLAND STORYTELLING FESTIVAL IN BEATRICE, NEBRASKA

MAY 5 TELL TO PRIMARY CLASSES AT JAY SHIDELER ELEM. IN TOPEKA, KS

MAY 6 STORYTELLING PROGRAMS AT AUBURN WASHBURN MIDDLE SCHOOL IN TOPEKA, KS

JUNE 15 SUMMER READING PROGRAM FOR BURLINGAME PUB. LIBRARY IN BURLINGAME, KS

JUNE 27 SUMMER READING PROGRAMS FOR LIBRARIES IN THE WICHITA, KS AREA

JULY 8-10 WORKSHOP PRESENTER AT THE SOUTH CENTRAL STORYTELLING CONFERENCE IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS

JULY 14 SUMMER READING PROGRAMS IN THE WICHITA, KS AREA

AUG. 13 BACK TO SCHOOL PROGRAMS AT THE CHILDREN'S DISCOVERY CENTER IN TOPEKA, KS 1 PM AND 2 PM

AUG. 26 MULTICULTURAL PROGRAM AT PAWNEE ELEM. SCHOOL IN OMAHA NEBRAKSA  9:10 AM & 9:55AM

SEPT. 11 PERFORM FOR THE LAKE OF THE FOREST HISTORICAL SOCIETY IN BONNER SPRINGS, KS 6:00-8:00 PM

SEPT. 17 WALNUT VALLEY BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL IN WINFIELD KANSAS - AS ONE OF THE WINNERS IN THE NEW SONG SHOWCASE I GET TO PERFORM MY CHILDREN'S SONG MY GRANDPA LIKES SARDINES ONSTAGE BETWEEN 2:15 AND 3:15.

SEPT. 23 AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM AT RANDOLPH ELEM. SCHOOL IN TOPEKA, KS

SEPT. 30 ALL SCHOOL ASSEMBLY FOR CUSTER HILL ELEM. IN FORT RILEY, KS AT 2:45 PM

OCT. 3 ALL SCHOOL ASSEMBLY FOR GARFIELD ELEM. IN PARSONS, KANSAS AT 1:30 PM

OCT. 6 READ NIGHT PROGRAM AT RANDOLPH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN TOPEKA, KS 6-7 PM

OCT. 7 MISSOURI LIBRARY ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE PERFORMERS SHOWCASE 10 AM - NOON

OCT. 14 SOMETHING GHOSTLY PROGRAM FOR INTERMEDIATE STUDENTS AT AMANDA ARNOLD ELEM. SCHOOL IN MANHATTAN, KANSAS AT 9:30 AM

OCT. 21 ALL SCHOOL ASSEMBLY FOR WEST INDIANOLA ELEM. IN TOPEKA, KS AT 10 AM

OCT. 31 INTERGENERATIONAL PROGRAM AT VICTORY HILLS RETIREMENT COMMUNITY IN KANSAS CITY, KANSAS 2PM

NOV. 2-5 REGIONAL TELLER AT THE KANSAS CITY STORYTELLING CELEBRATION SPONSORED BY MAPLE WOODS COMMUNITY COLLEGE

DEC. 16 ALL DAY RESIDENCY AT PAULINE CENTRAL PRIMARY SCHOOL IN PAULINE, KS


2012


JAN. 2 MINERVA CLUB PROGRAM IN TOPEKA 1 PM

JAN. 27 KANSAS DAY PIONEER PROGRAM AT CARBONDALE JR. HIGH SCHOOL 1:30 PM

FEB. 3 PROGRAM FOR P.E.O ORGANIZATION 1:15

FEB. 6  CHARACTER EDUCATION STORYTELLING PROGRAM FOR CENTRAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN LYONS, KS AT 1PM

FEB. 8 STORYTELLING ASSEMBLIES AT MAIZE ELEM. SCHOOL IN MAIZE, KS 10:30 AM & 1:00 PM

MARCH 2 AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM AT RANDOLPH ELEM. SCHOOL IN TOPEKA

MARCH 13-14 FEATURED TELLER AT THE FRANKLIN COUNTY LITERATURE FESTIVAL IN OTTAWA, KS

APRIL 11 ALL SCHOOL MORNING ASSEMBLY AT AMANDA ARNOLD ELEM. IN MANHATTAN, KS 9:30 AM

APRIL 11 TWO AFTERNOON ASSEMBLIES AT BERGMAN ELEM. IN MANHATTAN, KS 1 PM PRIMARY CLASSES AND 2 PM INTERMEDIATE CLASSES

APRIL 19-20 FEATURED TELLER AT THE CHOCTAW LAND RUN FESTIVAL IN CHOCTAW, OKLAHOMA

APRIL 30-MAY 3RD FEATURED TELLER AT THE HOMESTEAD NATIONAL MONUMENT IN BEATRICE NEBRASKA

MAY 5 WASHBURN RURAL MIDDLE SCHOOL PIONEER PROGRAM TO VARIOUS CLASSES THROUGHOUT THE MORNING

MAY 6 TOPEKA AND SHAWNEE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY DAY OF THE CHILD STORYTELLING PROGRAM 6-&:30 PM

JUNE 4 SUMMER READING PROGRAM AT THE WAMEGO KANSAS PUBLIC LIBRARY 10AM

JUNE 4 SUMMER READING PROGRAM AT THE FRANKFORT KANSAS PUBLIC LIBRARY 1PM

JUNE 12-13 SUMMER READING STORYTELLING RESIDENCEY FOR ST. JOSEPH MISSOURI'S FOUR PUBLIC LIBRARIES. 

JUNE 18-22 TOUR OF SUMMER READING PROGRAMS FOR THE SOUTHWEST KANSAS LIBRARY SYSTEM (LIBRARIES VISITED WILL BE: LIBERAL, ASHLAND MINNEOLA, FOWLER, PLAINS, KINSLEY, SPEARVILLE, DODGE CITY, ROLLA, HUGOTON, ULYSSES, TRIBUNE, DIGHTON AND NESS CITY)

JULY 6 SUMMER READING PROGRAM FOR THE PAOLA PUBLIC LIBRARY IN PAOLA KANSAS 10 AM

JULY 9-11 TOUR OF SUMMER READING PROGRAMS FOR THE SOUTHWEST KANSAS LIBRARY SYSTEM(LIBRARIES VISITED WILL BE: JOHNSON CITY, SATANA, INGALLS, CIMARRON, ENSIGN MEADE, KISMET AND SUBLETTE)

JULY 13, 20, 27 TELL AT WANAMAKER ELEM. SCHOOL'S KINDERGARTEN CAMPS IN TOPEKA

SEPT. 15 TELL AT SUNFLOWERS AND STORIES FESTIVAL IN INDEPENDENCE, KANSAS SPONSORED BY INDEPENDENCE PUBLIC LIBRARY