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Leeny Del Seamonds, Master Story Performer™, is a multi award-winning, internationally acclaimed master performer of Hispanic/Latino, original and World stories spiced with exquisite mime, a cornucopia of characters, and love of people. With a twinkle in her eye and fire in her heart, Leeny breathes life into her stories, as she masterfully and effortlessly springs from one story character to another. A dedicated Teaching Artist, Leeny encourages listeners to feel positive about themselves and to rejoice in human and cultural diversity, inviting them to share in her Latin/Cuban-American sense of humor and love of performing.
Leeny Del Seamonds has over 30 years of stage, film and directing experience in Philadelphia, New York and Boston. Originally from the Philadelphia area, Leeny graduated magna cum laude from Rowan University and holds a BA in Speech and Theatre/Performing Arts (with a minor in Stage Directing). In New York City, she was trained by and has performed with The Richard Morse Mime Theatre, The Herbert Bergdorf Studio, The Purple Craft Theatre and The Mercer Ballet Company. Since moving to New England in 1978, Leeny has worked as an actor, director, coach, teacher, and Master Story Performer™. Although she loves all aspects of theatre, Leeny's happiest when performing a tale, for she is best able to utilize mime, acting, singing, writing and teaching talents. From 1991 to present, Leeny has devoted all of her passion and energies to full-time, professional storytelling. Awarded the title 2002 National Storyteller of the Year®, Leeny is on the Massachusetts Cultural Council's Creative Schools Program roster, the MA Touring Program, the New England Foundation for the Arts roster, Young Audiences of Massachusetts roster, BOCES roster for Nassau County, NY, is a member of the National Storytelling Network and is a past Board Member of the League for the Advancement of New England Storytelling and is a frequent contributor to their Museletter. She has also been published in Storytelling Magazine, Tale Trader, Ahhhh! A Tribute to Brother Blue, and on the web site of Parents' Choice Foundation .
Leeny is a regular presenter at the Sharing the Fire Storytelling Conference, Cambridge, MA, and in March 1996, was the featured Opening Keynote performer. Leeny is a former Board Member of the Three Apples Storytelling Festival , a Charter Member of The Sky's The Unlimited, Ltd., a Boston theatrical production company, and a member of Theatre Unlimited Stage Company. She holds memberships with the International Order of E.A.R.S., Inc.; Boston Cultural Network; Massachusetts Alliance for Arts Education; Connecticut Storytelling Center; and Folk Arts Network. She has taught numerous courses in acting, improvisation, storytelling, voice, mime and movement in community theatres, community centers, national conferences, festivals, schools, universities, and privately. Additionally, Leeny has performed and presented workshops/residencies in hundreds of school systems and libraries nationally. Leeny is a DOE Professional Development Provider for New Jersey and Massachusetts.
Leeny Del Seamonds, Master Story Performer™, was Keynote for the 7th Annual Conference on Storytelling for Children at Keene State College, NH, and has performed and presented at the National Storytelling Conferences in Philadelphia, Kansas City, Providence, Denver, Bellingham, and Pittsburgh. In July 2002, Leeny was one of seven Latino tellers in the NSN Conference General Session presentation "Bienvenidos a la Fiesta: The Latino Experience."
Leeny has been headliner at the National Storytelling Festival and Teller-in-Residence at the International Storytelling Center, both in Jonesborough, TN, as well as headliner at "Gimistory," The Cayman Islands International Storytelling Festival, BWI; Mesa Storytelling Festival in Arizona; Mariposa Storytelling Festival in California; Multi-Cultural Storytelling Festival in Oregon; Nebraska Storytelling Festival; Kansas City Storytelling Celebration; Virginia Storytelling Alliance Gathering in Richmond, VA; Tcha Tee Man Wi Storytelling Festival in Corvallis, OR; Three Apples Storytelling Festival in Harvard, MA; Keepers of the Word Storytelling Festival, Amherst, MA; Prairie Center for the Arts Storytelling Festival, IL; NC Storyfest; and Smoky Hill River Festival in Kansas. She has been featured at dozens of national festivals, including Clearwater Great Hudson River Revival in New York and Corn Island Storytelling Festival in Louisville, KY. In September 2006, Leeny was a featured delegate to China as part of the Nu Wa Storytelling and Cultural Exchange tour. In October 2008, Leeny graced the stage at Comix Club in NYC to a sold out crowd.
Leeny Del Seamonds has been a featured performer at eight First Night Boston celebrations; and in September 2004 was headliner at the Baltimore Book Festival (sponsored by Parents' Choice Foundation) and the City of Jacksonville's "Celebration of Women." Leeny stars in the national Television and DVD series Ribert & Robert's WonderWorld, a multi award-winning children's program. In the series, Leeny plays Leeny the Story Performer and writes/performs her own segments. Seventy-five episodes currently air in over 110 PBS stations throughout the country and worldwide.
Leeny's highly acclaimed recording, "¡Ay Caramba! ¡Ay Ay Ay! Cuentos y Canciónes (Latino Stories & Songs)," takes listeners on a journey through Leeny's rich Latino heritage and won a 2003 Parents' Choice Silver Award. Leeny's musical CD, "CelloTales: The Melding of Music, Myth & Memories," created and performed with cellist Gideon Freudmann, won a 2004 Parents' Choice Gold Award and a 2005 Storytelling World Winner Award. Both CD's received favorable endorsements from Booklist and School Library Journal.
September 2009 marks the release of two new recordings created, produced and performed by Leeny Del Seamonds geared for seasoned listeners. "It Takes Two to Tango – Ties that Bind Us" is an alluring, witty and insightful look at the triumphs and tribulations of relationships and "Shadows in the Woods – Spine-Tingling Tales" is a compilation of Leeny’s original scary stories guaranteed to shiver and chill all who lend an ear.
With passion, fire and wit, Leeny Del Seamonds’ dynamic one-woman shows and renowned workshops headline festivals, concerts and events worldwide.
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