Greek mythology fascinates students of all ages and abilities.

My classroom performances and workshops present authentic retellings of ancient myths in context. Much more than just a series of engaging stories, Greek myths are an interconnected world of ideas. The end of one story is always the beginning of another. From the creation of the universe to the fall of Troy, Greek myths - what Homer called “the deeds of gods and great heroes” - enthrall modern listeners with an ancient world view.

My presentations are interactive, entertaining, and also model scholarship. I talk about my research process, stressing the importance of understanding stories in their historical contexts, and using primary documents from thousands of years ago.

PERFORMANCES, WORKSHOPS & RESIDENCIES

PERFORMANCES

PERFORMANCE feature stories from Greek mythology performed for small groups or large assemblies The content of these programs may be arranged in advance, to support classroom instruction, or chosen from the many mythological subjects in my repertoire. Performance programs are always suited to the age and interests of each group. Performances are typically 45 minutes in length.

• THE CREATION OF THE UNIVERSE AND EVERYTHING ELSE

• THE SONGS OF THE MUSES: ANCIENT HYMNS TO THE GODS

• PARENTS AND CHILDREN: MORTAL, IMMORTAL, AND OTHERWISE

• HADES: THE UNDERWORLD AND THE AFTERLIFE

• THE ODYSSEY: A LONG JOURNEY HOME

• GODS AND ATHLETES: SPORTS AND MYTHOLOGY

WORKSHOPS

WORKSHOPS explore a variety of topics related to Greek mythology, working in depth with hands-on projects. Group size is a single class at a time. (Up to four sessions per day.) Workshops align with both Social Studies and English Language Arts curricula. These sessions are very interactive, differentiated, and incorporate multimodal activities for individual students and small groups. Workshops are designed to fit the age and curriculum of each group.

• PRIMARY SOURCES: HOW DO WE KNOW WHAT THE ANCIENT GREEKS BELIEVED? Some myths survive in writing - through plays, poetry and hymns. Many others have not survived in their original format, but were copied and re-copied over the centuries. We will look at ancient papyrus scrolls, both whole and in fragments, and consider how ideas can be communicated after two and a half thousand years.

• THE NAMES OF THE GODS: WRITING IN THE STYLE OF CLASSICAL POETS: For ancient Greek poets, each of the many gods, goddesses, and heroes had specific descriptions by which they were known. We will explore these “epithets” as an entry point into the elevated language of classical poetry. Similes were prized as opportunities for vivid and detailed descriptive language. We will use examples of classical poetry as mentor texts for our own writing.

• CLASSICAL ODES AND CHORAL READING: Many ancient myths have come down to us in the form of odes, narrative poems that were performed by large groups of voices. This workshop explores the power of choral reading to convey the rhythm and moods of expressive language

• LOOKING AT GREEK POTTERY: The potters and painters who lived and worked in the Kerameikos of ancient Athens created vivid images of gods, heroes, and every day life in classical Greece. Using strategies of Visual Literacy we will examine these “visual texts” in detail. In the style of early scholars, students will create tracings of ancient pottery

RESIDENCIES

RESIDENCIES include multiple visits, from two to ten days. Performances and workshops are combined to support classroom teachers’ curricular objectives. Writing and other hands-on projects will demonstrate evidence of student learning. Residencies may also include professional development programs for educators.