Society for Storytelling

Storyteller Directory: Don Newton

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Name: Don Newton

Location: Devon

County: Devon

Telephone: 01837 810198

Email: roughmagic@tiscali.co.uk

Website: http://www.roughmagic.co.uk

I have been a full-time professional storyteller since 1987, specialising in schools (mainly in the Primary Sector) throughout the West Country, but I also work for both English Heritage and the National Trust, telling stories either to family groups on their sites or for ‘bussed-in’ schools for specific ‘Discovery Visits’ and other ‘odd gigs’ here and there.

I tell only Traditional Stories, from all cultures. These are Folk Tales, Fairy Tales, Myths and Legends; I have several hundred tucked away in my head.

My usual school day is to tell to all the children for an hour. If I am telling to both Key Stages I split them and do two hour sessions, as I tell longer and more complex tales to Key Stage 2. This telling gets the children ’ fired up’ for the workshops to follow. Each workshop lasts and hour and is with just a class and in their classroom. Here the children take (without looking!) an object from my MAGIC BAG and are then put into groups of fours. Each group has to make up a story about their ’ things’ and TELL IT. Teachers find that a tremendous amount of ‘follow on’ work can spin off this, and it CAN GET THEM WRITING!!

Dear Don, Another very successful workshop. Our Year 6 children are ‘fired up and full of ideas’. The standards of written language were noticeably higher in our SAT’s in the pastt two years, following your visits. Many thanks for your efforts from both Key Stages. Regards, Fred Ovey (Year 6 teacher) Yeo Valley Primary - Barnstaple.

Instow Community Primary School, Devon. “I would unreservedly recommend Rough Magic to any school who want to add an extra sparkle and dimension to their Literacy, Art/Craft and Drama.” Peter Kent. (Headteacher)

• Has special needs experience
• Performs indoors
• Performs outdoors
• Performs to adults
• Performs to audiences over 100 in number
• Performs to pre-school age children
• Performs to primary age children
• Performs to secondary age children
• Performs to senior citizens
• Runs workshops for adults
• Runs workshops for children
• Travels up to 100 miles
• Works in other art forms