Basic Information

• About me

  I lived a storied childhood. My earliest memories are of the enchanted existence lived in the world of my imagination. The realm of the imagination (the world of talking wolves, powerful queens, and enchanted forests) was much more real to me than the realm of the physical (the world of hungry pets, pesky sisters, and concrete sidewalks.) I thought everybody told stories, dreamed stories, made stories and lived stories. It wasn’t until I grew up that I learned many adults had been shamed for using their imagination and punished for making up stories that weren’t “true.”The way in which I practice my art form allows me to live my life doing all the things I love: reading, writing, researching, playing, pretending. I love the way words sound and taste, their ability to shift time and perceptions. I love that my artform allows me the luxury of digging in the rich soil of a story and bringing treasure to light, of discovering hidden crannies and guiding others to them. I love that telling a tale is a genuinely co-creative act, that it requires both teller and listeners, and that it only exists in the moment of the telling. Whether reshaping an old traditional folktale for contemporary audiences, crafting a legend that lives today or translating the truths of a personal tale, storytelling feeds my deepest self and that of my listeners. Our world is ravenous for the deep listening that storytelling engenders and the profound truths that stories convey.Fairy tales do come true. I live in an enchanted castle in a mysterious forest. I share my life with a generous and kind- hearted king and wise canine advisors. When I travel east of the sun and west of the moon, I take my stories with me and cast them away to others. Like all magic cauldrons, the more I share, the more full it becomes. Telling stories tells me who I am and allows me to be more fully human. Every story I tell is true, even if it never happened. I live a storied life.

• Resume

  Age-old stories are given new life through the fresh interpretations of Jeannine Pasini Beekman. Known for the wit, passion and integrity of her work, listeners of all ages are enthralled and delighted by her vivid characterizations and masterful use of language. As a nationally acclaimed storyteller, each tale in her encyclopedic cross-cultural repertoire becomes a polished gem through her artful use of voice, gesture and movement. In addition to performing, she teaches and lectures nationally and is currently writing a book for the American Library Association Press. Jeannine has designed and implemented collaborative story arts projects in conjunction with and sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the American Library Association, the Smithsonian and Opera America. Most recently, she was a lead national artist for Triumph Over Tragedy, an interdisciplinary project commemorating the 80th anniversary of the start of the Great Depression/New Deal Era. A professional storyteller since 1977, she is the recipient of the John Henry Faulk Award for Outstanding Contributions to Storytelling, the National Storytelling Network Oracle Award for Leadership, and the Ann Martin Book Award for Outstanding Contributions to Literacy.Her appearances include the National Storytelling Festival, the Washington Storytellers Theatre and The Disney Institute. The Houston Chronicle called her storytelling performance with the Houston Symphony "brilliant…scintillating through the emotions" and she was the first storyteller ever invited to appear at the Tennessee Williams / New Orleans Literary Festival. She hosted the adult educational television program The Power of Storytelling and consulted with Baylor College of Medicine on the Healing Arts Project to determine the change in brain function when children experience story. For over a decade she served as storyteller-in-residence at the Houston Museum of Fine Arts where she developed interpretive programs for permanent collections and special exhibits.Her recording work has earned several awards, including two Parents’ Choice, and is part of the Library of Congress International Storytelling Collection. She is one of 120 performers included in the reference book Contemporary Storytellers. Jeannine traveled to the People’s Republic of China as a member of the first American storytelling delegation to visit that land and, in the winter of 2007, she attended the first Festival of Traditional Storytelling in the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan. She returned to Bhutan in the summer of 2009 as a visiting scholar where she presented a paper on the use of storytelling and folklore as an educational tool. An eighth generation resident of Louisiana, she currently serves as a Louisiana Humanities Scholar.