“Outstanding work in pure storyteller form! Bill Wood knows how to engage an audience like no other!”
— Becky Whitson, Teacher - Blue Ball Elem, East Earl PA
“I hope I can tell stories like you when I get older.”
— Brian, 5th Gr. - Grace Park Elem; Swarthmore, PA
A note from the storyteller
I love stories because a well told story takes the shared bond of humanity and connects it to the personal experience of each individual listener. Through this personal connection, stories can educate, enlighten and inspire action. All great teachers have told stories, from religious figures to political leaders to my 9th grade science teacher. As a child the stories I was told and read expanded my sense of place and purpose in the world. I majored in Comparative Religions at Northwestern University, because I was (and still am) fascinated by the similarity among the parables and myths of many cultures and traditions. I also studied theater. I love the idea that my experiences in the modern day can help me portray the experiences of a character created 400 or 4,000 years ago. I have traveled extensively and traded stories with people on four continents. I am constantly amazed by the diversity of the human family, and even more amazed by the commonality of the human experience.
I began my career as a museum educator, and found that telling a story was an ideal way to convey information and at the same time make a personal connection with the students. In fact I was so taken with the power of stories as a teaching tool that, in 1990, I turned to storytelling full-
In addition to telling stories I facilitate corporate team building programs, and lead outdoor adventure and experiential education programs for youth and adults. Though these may seem like very different endeavors from storytelling, it is all part of my fascination with how people relate to each other and the world we live in!
As part of my commitment to the community that I live in, I currently serve as president of the school board in the Avon Grove School District.
“I love how excited you got the students about using their imaginations and about retelling and writing stories in regard to their own experiences”
— Fifth Grade Teacher; Kratzer Elem, Allentown PA
Resume and Experience
Storytelling Experience of Bill Wood:
- A full time professional Storyteller since 1990.
- More than 500,000 people have enjoyed his stories!
- Has told stories extensively throughout PA, MD, NJ, NY, DE, DC, VA, WV, NC, OH, IN, IL.
- Has told and gathered stories on four continents.
Past performance highlights include:
Theaters: Kimmel Ctr. for the Perfoming Arts - Philadelphia, PA ● Theater of the Seventh Sister, Lancaster, PA ● Psalm Salon - Germantown, PA ● Pasadena Theater Group - Pasadena, MD.
Museums: Phila. Art Museum ● Brandywine River Museum ● Winterthur Museum & Garden ● Cloister’s Children’s Museum ● Academy of Natural Sciences ● Atwater Kent Museum ● Mercer Museum
Festivals: MD Renaissance Festival ● Philadelphia Folk Festival ● Baltimore Folk Fest ● Appel Farms Music Fest ● MD Thespian Festival
Conferences: “Special Presenter” Nat’l Storytelling Assoc. ● “Featured Teller” Mid-Atlantic Storytellers Gathering ● MD Library Assoc. ● Annual PA Child Care Providers ● MD Literacy Corp ● Nat’l Assoc for the Education of Young Children (naeyc)
Environmental Ed. Ctrs.: Schuykill Ctr. for EE ● Lancaster Cnty Environmental Ctr. ● Great Valley Nature Ctr. ● Brandywine and Red Clay Assoc. ● Green Valleys Assoc.
Historical Sites: Mt. Harmon Plantation, MD ● Brandywine Battlefield Park, PA ● Whitesbog Village, NJ ● Chester Cnty Historical Society,PA ● Churchtown Historical Society, PA
Colleges/Universities: Penn State ● Binghamton U. ● Univ. of MD Baltimore ● Arcadia U. ● Bucks Cnty Comm. College ● Gloucester Cnty Comm. College.
Workshop/Residency Highlights:
- Rostered artist for The Pennsylvania Council on the Arts - Arts in Education Program. (1996 – present)
- Approved Trainer, Pennsylvania Bureau of Child Care. (1995 – present)
- Keynote address “Using Stories in the Math and Science Curriculum.” Title II conference, Waterford, NJ.
- Keynote address “Jack and the Dragon – Dancing with the Competition” University Continuing Educators Assoc. Conference – Binghamton, NY.
- “Storytelling to Promote Literacy” workshop for Western MD Libraries annual conf. Hagerstown, MD
- Active member of “Young Writers Day” programs, Haverford Township, PA
- 5 day residency working with visual arts teacher during which students created and illustrated personal “hero quest” stories. Presented at male boarding school for grades 8-12. (Phelps School - Malvern, PA.)
- 5-day intergenerational program designed to promote the sharing of family stories between grandparents and grandchildren. Lancaster, PA (Organized by PA Elderhostel.)
- 15 day residency working with middle school students to create a “mythological” history of the Brandywine Valley area of Chester County, PA with a focus on conservation. (Brandywine Valley Association – W. Chester, PA.)
- 21 day residency during which students developed historical fiction stories. Residency culminated in a public “Historical Ghost Tour” using high school students as storytellers and guides. (Conestoga HS – Berwyn, PA.).
- Numerous workshops for teachers and child care providers on using storytelling in the classroom.
- Thousands of other workshops and numerous other residencies with students in all grades on story creation and performance.
Audio Book Awards:
- 2013 Parents’ Choice Silver Honor Award for Bill & Vick’s Picks: Spooky Tales, Vol. 1.
- 2014 Parents’ Choice Recommended Award for Bill & Vick’s Picks: Spooky Tales, Vol. 2.
- 2015 World Storytelling Award for story, “The New Mother”.
- 2019 Parents’ Choice Recommended Award for Bill& Vick’s Picks: Second Chances and Surprise Endings.
Professional Memberships:
- Patchwork: A Storytelling Guild, Philadelphia (Former President Board of Directors).
- National Storytelling Network.
Also of Interest:
School board director for Avon Grove School District, Chester County, PA (2016 - Present, Current President)
Education:
B.A. (Comparative Religions and Theater), Northwestern University - 1988.
“I like the story of how Fisher sacrificed himself for his people and went to live with the stars. I saw Fisher in the sky last night! You taught us the importance of helping others.”
— Drew, 3rd Grader - Homestead Elem, Bel Air MD
"Adventure Bill"
In his capacity as “Adventure Bill”, Bill works as an independent consultant and facilitator of experiential education, outdoor adventure, team building and organizational development programs with diverse groups from elementary to corporate including numerous “youth-at-risk” populations. Companies that Bill works with regularly include:
The Adventure Network, Chalfont, PA (1994 - Present) – Project Manager and lead facilitator for team bonding, team building, organizational development, Adventure Based Counseling (ABC), trauma recovery and restorative programs.
Optimal Performance Associates, Cherry Hill, NJ (2010 - Present) - Facilitator of team building, inclusion and positive school environment programs.
Outward Bound Professional, Portland Maine (2014 - Present) -Team building and organizational development for large, multi-national corporate teams.