Judith Black is a professional storyteller, story maker, and teacher/coach with an international following. Originally trained at Wheelock College as an early childhood educator, Judith leapt from the classroom to the stage after training at London’s Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. Ultimately she bound these two passions with storytelling and for 35 years has been using story to motivate, humanize, entertain, and teach. Most recently she has turned her attention to the climate crisis and in June of 2016 gave a TEDX talk on the link that can bind storytelling and climate. She is the winner of many awards in her field, including, but not limited to:
| National Storytelling Network Oracle Award: | Circle of Excellence |
| MASSMOUTH Big Mouthoff | 2012 Winner |
| Wheelock College: | Centennial Alumni Award |
| Boston Phoenix: | Banned in the Western Suburbs: One of the year’s ten best |
| Storytelling World | Multiple honors for CDs |
| New England Emmy Awards | (nominated) Outstanding Performing |
| Cable Ace Award | Performing Arts Award |
| League for the Advancement of NE Storytelling | Brother Blue and Ruth Hill Award |
| Boston Parents Paper: | Gold Medal Family Entertainer of the Year |
| Parents Guide to Children’s Media | “Outstanding Achievement” for CD |
| National Youth Storytelling | Pegasus Award |
| Parents Choice Magazine: | Gold Medal Award |
As a creator of tales she has been commissioned by organizations to develop stories that reflect their mission/history. In the last couple years these have included: Morton Museum of Collierville History The Hoosic River Revival, and the Mugford Street Unitarian Church. For more about this work go to: Commissioning A Story
As a coach Judith helps others explore and shape their experiences for audiences and then bring that work to the stage. For instance, she was engaged in directing and script writing Searching For my Own True Voice: One Deaf Woman’s Story, by KR Glikman that premiered at the Salem Theatre Company. For more information: http://patch.com/massachusetts/salem/ev–searching-for-my-own-true-voice Black also creates original, full length, theatrical pieces based on her own carefully observed life and world. The latest, That Fading Scent: A Seditious Comedy About Women and Aging has played at theaters from Florida to California.
:“This is the thinking woman’s version of Menopause: The Musical,….. Black is a warm and dynamic storyteller with a wry sense of humor………. Smart and undeniably funny” Orlando Sentinel
Judith’s work both as a teacher and teller has been broadly produced. Following is an abridged list of some of the organizations and institutions that have featured her:
Theaters and Festivals: (abridged list)
| The National Storytelling Festival‘90, ‘92, ‘94, ‘96, ‘2000 ‘03 ‘07 ‘08 ‘12 ’16 Plus 3 times as their artist-in-residence |
Jonesboro, Tennessee |
| The American Story Theater | Providence, RI |
| The Montreal Comedy Festival | The Hoosier Festival |
| The Hoosier Festival | Indianapolis, Indiana |
| The Timpanogos Storytelling Festival | Orem, Utah |
| The Sierra Storytelling Festival | Nevada City, CA |
| The Three Apples Storytelling Festival (founder) | Harvard, MA |
| The Vermont Storytelling Festival | Burlington, VT |
| Las Vegas Storytelling Festival | Las Vegas, Nevada |
| Columbia Festival of the Arts | Columbia, Maryland |
| Johnstown Storytelling Festival | Johnstown, PA |
| Stories From the Heartland | Austin, Minnesota |
| Clearwater Revival | Poughkeepsie, NY |
| Jung Center 92nd St. YMHA (multiple appearances) | New York, New York |
| Missouri River Festival | St. Louis, Missouri |
| The Ark | Ann Arbor, Michigan |
| The Flynn Theater | Burlington, Vt. |
| Boise River Festival | Boise, Idaho |
| The Mariposa Storytelling Festival | Mariposa, CA |
| The Flying Leap Storytelling Festival | Solvang, CA |
| Bay Area Storytelling Festival(multiple appearances) | Kennedy Grove, CA |
| Toronto Jewish Storytelling Festival | Toronto, Ontario |
| The Barter Theater | Bristol, VA |
| Salem State Summer Theater | Salem, MA |
| Ohai Storytelling Festival | Ohai, California |
| Michigan Storytelling Festival | Flint, Michigan |
| Washington Storytellers Theater(multiple appearances) | Washington, DC |
| Winter Tales(multiple appearances) | Oklahoma City,OK |
| Cave Run Storytelling Festival | Morehead, KY |
| Mesa Storytelling Festival | Mesa, AZ |
| Caldwell Theater | Boca Raton, Florida |
| Orlando International Fringe Festival | Orlando, FL |
| Leheigh Storytelling Festival | Bethlehem, PA |
| Keepers of the Word | Amherst, MA |
| Delta Queen-Storyteller in Residence | The Mighty Ohio River |
| Orcas Storytelling Festival | Orcas Island, WA |
| Forrest Storytelling Festival | Port Angeles Washington |
Conferences: (Abridged List) Judith has offered seminars, conducted workshops, or been the featured keynote speaker at the following:
| Int. Conf. on Brain Development and Learning | Vancouver, BC |
| 40th Annual Inst, of Alcohol and Drug Studies | Austin, TX |
| Unilever: N.AM Leadership Retreat | NY State |
| National Breast Cancer Awareness Conference | Disney Institute, FL |
| Ericson Institute | Sturbridge, MA |
| Hillel International Leadership Conference | Lake Como, PA |
| 6th Annual Hollywood Literary Retreat | Santa Monica, CA |
| Arizona State Library Association | Phoenix, Arizona |
| C.A.J.E. 12 years featured | Various Locations |
| Mid Atlantic Storytellers (MAST) | College Town, PA |
| Wisc. Institute of JudaismScholar in Residence | Lake Denton, Wisc. |
| The Memory Clinic-Keynote Speaker | Bennington, VT |
| MASS ALFA-Keynote Speaker | Newton, MA |
| IFS Annual Conference | Providence, RI |
| Wheelock Alumni Forum | Boston, MA |
| National Congress on Storytelling (9 years) | Various Locations |
| Boston Bi-Lingual Conference | Boston, MA |
| Lesley University Early Childhood Conf. | Cambridge, MA |
| New England Round Table of Librarians | Sturbridge, MA |
| The Spellbinders National Conference | Denver, CO |
International
| Cape Town Museum of Fine Arts | Cape Town, Sooth Africa |
| Hebrew University | Jerusalem, Israel |
| Stockholm International School | Stockholm,Sweden |
| Schools through the townships
of Cape Town |
Cape Town, S.A |
| Fabula ( Performance Series) | Stockholm,Sweden |
| Helsinki International School | Hesinki, Finland |
| Komeettankoulu (Komeetta School) | Espoo,Finland |
| International Storytelling Café | Hesinki, Finland |
| Oulun Lyseo | Oulu Finland |
| Toronto Jewish Storytelling Festival | Toronto, Canada |
| Kulosaaren Yhteiskoulu | Helsinki, Finland |
| International School | Bejing, China |
| Institut Notre Dame | Saint Germain en Laye, France |
| Lycée International | Saint Germain en Laye, France |
| ELSA Conference | Paris, France |
| MEZRAB Gallery | Amsterdam, Netherlands |
| American School of Paris | Paris, France |
| ESSEC Business School | Cergy, France |
Universities and Humanities Counsels (abridged list)
| New Hampshire Humanities Council | Concord, New Hampshire |
| Catholic University | San Diego, CA |
| Midland College | Fremont, Nebraska |
| University of Southern Tennessee | Johnson City, Tn. |
| Hebrew College | Brookline, Ma. |
| Buckeye Community College | Great Falls, Iowa |
| Brown University | Providence, Rhode Island |
| Hebrew University | Jerusalem, Israel |
| Society of Female Engineers | Cambridge, MA |
| White Fund Enlightenment Series | Lawrence, MA |
| Texas A&M | Bryon and College Station, Texas |
| Bowling Green State University | Ohio |
| Emory and Henry College | Emory, Virginia |
| Exeter Hospital: Grand Round,
Community Performance Series |
Exeter, NH |
| Northern Essex Community College | Haverhill, MA |
| Vermont Counsel for the Humanities | Montpielier, VT |
| Florida Atlantic University | Boca Raton, FL |
| Fitchburg State College | Fitchburg, MA |
| Keene State University | Keene, NH |
| Fischer College | Boston, MA |
Libraries and Historic Sites and Institutions (abridged list)
| Smithsonian Institution/National Museum of American History | Washington, DC |
| High PlainsChautauqua | Greely, CO |
| National Trust For Historic Preservation | Boston, MA |
| The Rockwell Museum (‘89, 94, 98, 2001) | Stockbridge, MA |
| Springfield Armory National Historic Site (multiple times) | Springfield, MA |
| National Interpreters Conference (Keynote) | Syracuse, NY |
| Yosemite National Park | Maripos, CA |
| National Heritage Education Program: Ontario Parks | Dorset, Ontario, Canada |
|
Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center |
Great Falls, Montana |
| National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center | Baker City, OR |
| Trustees of the Reservation | Walpole, MA |
| Montclair Historic Society | Montclair, NJ |
| Sturbridge Historical Society | Sturbridge, MA |
| National Park Service | Boston, MA |
| The Conservation Foundation | Naperville, Ill |
| Peabody Essex Museum | Salem, MA |
| American Antiquarian Society | Worcester, MA |
| Tsongas Industrial History Center | Lowell, MA |
| Wright Museum of WWII | Wolfboro, NH |
| Boston Museum of Fine Arts | Boston, MA |
Health Care Organizations and Interesting Sundry Hosts
| QMN, Leadership Training for
Health Care Managers |
Boston, MA |
| Grand Rounds and Community
Outreach:Exeter Hospital |
Exeter, NH |
| WMAAP | Holyoke, MA |
| Del Mar Caregivers Resource Center | Sacramento, CA |
| Inland Caregiver Resource Center | Colton, CA |
| The Memory Clinic | Bennington, VT |
| The American Balint Society | Jonesboro, TN |
| Lynn Community Health Center | Lynn, MA |
| Early Childhood Teachers Assoc. | Norfolk County, MA |
| Lucent Technologies, | Andover, MA |
| Cumberland Presbyterian Annual
Minister retreat: Guest Artist |
Mid- TN |
| North Shore Elder Services | Danvers, MA |
| Del Oro Caregiver Resource Center | Carmichael, CA |
| Highland Valley Elder Services | Florence, MA |
| Home Care Association of NH | Concord, NH |
| Hospice of the North Shore | Danvers, MA |
| MASS ALFA | Woburn, MA |
| Mystic Valley Elder Services | Stoneham, MA |
| Benchmark Assisted Living | Multiple Locations |
| Landmark Assisted Living | Multiple Locations |
Background
Judith Black brings to her storytelling a varied background in education, theater, and creative writing. Having studied early childhood education at Wheelock College, she taught for three years before moving to London where she studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Later she toured as an actress for two years with Little Flags Theater Company. Judith was a founder and ten year board member of The Three Apples Storytelling Festival. She helped to initiate and produce Storytellers in Concert , the first and longest running storytelling series for adults in the nation. Her award winning original stories have been commissioned by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Massachusetts Foundation for the Humanities, The Boston Museum of Fine Arts, Old South Church, National Public Radio, The Artist’s Foundation, The U.S.S. Constitution Museum,The U.S. Department of Forestry, North Shore Symphony and many others. She has created three television series’s for Massachusetts Cable Educational Television, worked with organizations who objectives are to prevent domestic violence, has worked with elderly housing organizations to introduce and support caretakers through their journey, and been a grant recipient of the CDC, creating program with ‘at risk’ youth exploring health choices. Basically, Judith wants to take storytelling into any area that can use it to educate and influence, creating a richer world for all.
Publications:
Judith’s articles and stories appear in the following book:
| The Arts Education and Social Change | 2005, Peter LangPublishers |
| Literacy Development in the Storytelling Classroom | 2009,Libraries Unlimited |
| Ready To Tell Tales | 1994, August House |
| Chosen Tales: Stories Told By Jewish Storytellers | 1995, Jason Aaronson Inc. |
| Many Voices: True Tales from America’s Past | 1995, National Storytelling Press |
| Chicken Soup for the Single Soul | 1999, Health Communications Press |
| Bringing the Story Home: The Complete Guide to Storytelling for Parents | 2000, WW Norton & Co. |
| Telling Stories to Children | 2005, National Storytelling Press |
| Jewish Stories of Love and Marriage: Folktales, Legends and Letters |
2015 Rowman and Littlefield |
| Journals |
| Storytelling Magazine | Kansas City, MO |
| The Yarnspinner | Jonesboro, Tn. |
| Journal of Reading:
International Reading Assoc. |
Newark, DE |
| The Inside Story | Santa Rosa, Calf. |
| AudioFile Magazine | Portland ME |
| Storytelling World | Johnson City, TN |
| The Story Bag | San Diego, Calf. |
| The Museletter | Boston, MA |
Press Quotes |
The National Storytelling Festival: “Thank-you for bringing such a variety of strong work to the Festival…Your repertoire is like none other and adds a dimension to our programming that is special to offer.” Susan O’Connor, Director of Programs
The Boston Globe: “For a wicked good time, see Judith Black’s Banned in the Western Suburbs……Black’s lively presentation is more of a one woman show than a session of storytelling.”
The Boston Phoenix: (Banned in the Western Suburbs) “Her sympathetic persona is a cross between Lily Tomlin and Woody Allen, the hard edge of feminist certitude cushioned by self-deprecating humor that never slides into self hatred.”
The Boston Phoenix: “Storyteller, Judith Black’s latest solo performance may be called Teetering on the Edge, but this actress/storyteller is one awesomely confident babe…. she’ll have you giggling in the aisles.”
North Shore Sunday: “Judith Black’s audience hangs on every word.”
Chicago Tribune: (Deborah and Simon) “She received a standing ovation after her engrossing, often hilarious, and in the end poignant portrait of a contemporary urban romance.”
The Montreal Gazette: “By the time Black is through with her show, she’s fashioned a world of giants, castles and disco pool parties with nothing more than her imagination. The adults are smiling as broadly as the children.”
Christian Science Monitor: “There were tales and tellers that had moments of nobility and beauty. Judith Black’s strongly felt parable about a grove of rootless trees symbolizing the Jewish people evoked feelings of shared humanity.”
The Boston Globe: (Adult Children of …Parents) “Black has culled the minefields of childhood and elevated them through her storytelling to a level of universal experience that is not only painful and poignant, but gut-wrenchingly hilarious.”
The Jewish Advocate: (Adult Children of …Parents) “Judith Black should be sought after by one and all for her wisdom, for her wit, for the risks she takes on stage and for her genuine warmth which she abundantly shares with one and all.”
University of San Diego/Storytelling Series: “The silence and deafening cheers of the audience gave tribute to the incredible genius of Judith Black.”
The Boston Globe (Looking For G-d’s Doorbell) “Spellbinding, heartwarming, and yet oh so familiar, a wonderful evocation of the struggle to keep one’s children rooted in Judaism. Judith’s story reaches the depths where we all are one.”
The Improper Bostonian (Retiring the Champ) “Judith Black is like a repertory company of one….She wittily conveys the trials and tribulations of one of life’s trickiest passages, negotiating our parents’ sometimes long and winding ending.”
The Jewish Journal (Retiring the Champ) “A superb one-woman show by the multi-talented Ms. Black. She can swagger like a sailor or act meek as a mouse. Her emotional range seems boundless. “
The North Shore Sunday “Black’s one woman show, Retiring the Champ, is about redemption…also like all of Black’s tales, filled with laughter.”
The Orlando Sentinel (That Fading Scent) “This is the thinking woman’s version of Menopause: The Musical,…..Black is a warm and dynamic storyteller, exposing the legacy of bias against older women with a wry sense of humor………. Smart and undeniably funny, That Fading Scent… is a great example of the power of storytelling.”
North Shore Art Throb “There are two sorts of storytellers in the world: those who like to hear themselves talk and those who embody the voices of others. And, we all know with which type we’d rather spend an evening. Thankfully the Salem Theatre Company (STC) has made arrangements with storyteller extraordinaire Judith Black in her one woman tour de force Bittersweet Midnight.”
The Providence Phoenix “Yet that outline of gigs doesn’t convey the ever present humor and heartfelt humanity of her stories, especially those drawn from personal experience, be it single-parenting her son, coping with aging parents, helping her mother-in-law through the journey of Alzheimer’s disease, or coming to terms with the changing sexuality of a woman over 50. “
Judith’s Mother “If only she got a good hair cut, she could be such a pretty girl.” Judith’s Response: Oh well, you can’t win over all the people all the time.