Giselle Achecar(The
Cricket's Song, on Animal Magic) has performed in such films and tv shows as Happy Feet, Justice League Unlimited, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Giselle also has appeared in countless television and radio commercials, on video games and in independent films. With the
birth of her daughter, Adriana, Giselle has stayed home to care for her angel and to write for television and film. Len Cariou (The Talking Cat, on Animal Magic) is a
member of the Theatre Hall of Fame. He received Tony and Drama Desk Awards for his legendary Broadway performance as Sweeney
Todd, a Tony nomination for A Little Night Music, and Tony and Theater World Award nominations for Applause. He has starred
on- and off-Broadway, regionally and internationally during a career spanning almost 50 years. See www.lencariou.com forĀ
more on this esteemed artist. Poppy Champlin(Searching for Fear) is an internationally renowned comedian
and Second City veteran who has appeared on A&E, Lifetime, VH-1 and Comedy Central. Poppy's act is featured
in the new HBO Documentary All Aboard Rosie's R-Family Vacation.
Glenna
Forster-Jones(The Tortoise and the Magic Drum on Animal Magic) was born in Sierre Leone,
West Africa and studied drama at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London. She has worked as a broadcaster for BBC,
a performer for the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association and a presenter for television. Glenna has appeared in such films
as Joanna with Donald Sutherland, Leo the Last with Marcello Mastroianni, and Sympathy for the Devil
with the Rolling Stones, directed by Jean Luc Godard. Other credits include Arthur Miller's The Crucible, Trouble in Mind
by Alice Childers, The Mikado with an all-black cast and the first African play produced in Royal Court Theatre
in London. On TV Glenna appears in shows as diverse as Brideshead Revisited, Desmonds and Casualty.
Amy Friedman (writer and co-producer)
writes the popular (since 1992) syndicated newspaper feature Tell Me A Story and has also written numerous
books, articles and stories for adults. Amy hopes to continue to produce more CDs of the more than 900 stories she has written
for Tell Me A Story. She lives in Los Angeles where she writes and teaches writing at UCLA Extension and privately.
Jillian Gilliland (cover
Illustrator) is an artist, a teacher and an internationally published, award winning book illustrator, with 26 books,
mostly for children, under her belt. Since 1992 Jillian has concentrated on creating the weekly artwork that
accompanies Amy's multicultural tales for Tell Me A Story, the widely syndicated children's newspaper feature
published by Universal Press Syndicate. Jillian and her husband hail from Canada but have lived in Africa and
Ireland. They have two children who so loved storybooks as children, that their unfailing bed time request was, "Please
tell me a story, mum!"
Laura Hall (composer and sound engineer)is best known as the piano player on the hit
television show Whose Line is it Anyway? Laura has written two albums of music for young children as
well as the music for The Wheels on the Bus Video series, starring Roger Daltrey. Thereās more on Laura
at www.laurahall.com. Laura is also maestro of music on in each of the stories
on the CD, playing keyboards, percussion, accordion, concertina, toy piano, autoharp & drum programming
Rick Hall(Anansi and Turtle's
Feast) performs onstage and on television in such shows as Curb Your Enthusiasm and 24. Rick's
film appearances include Three Fugitives and the Hallmark film Audrey's Rain. Rick also plays
trombone and harmonica on Anansi and Turtle's Feast and on Women of Wonder.
Ruthie Hall (titles) has two dogs, one frog and one
sister. Her mom helped on the music for this cd. Ruthie is seven years old. She likes to read chapter books. She likes
to train her nutty dogs. She is in 1st grade.
Lori
Ada Jaroslow(A Sense of Theft, and CD director/co-producer on Timeless Folktales,
director and editor on Animal Magic) has performed on and Off-Broadway in musicals including Fiddler on
the Roof and Grease. Lori is currently completing work as writer/performer on her original musical
and solo show. www.loriadajaroslow.com
Jack McGee(Two Frogs from Japan) is a veteran
of hundreds of film and TV appearances. Since jumping into show business 25 years ago he has dreamed of using his voice
to bring joy and a smile to children's faces.
Meera Simhan (The
Elephant's Reward on Animal Magic) was born in England and raised in India and California. She studied at the London
Academy of Music and Dramatic Art and has appeared in such film and television shows as Date Movie, Law and Order Criminal
Intent, Nip/Tuck, Without a Trace and Crossing Jordan. She is completing her solo show Sex, Lies and Indian
Girls.
Peter James Smith (The Poet and the Dragon on Animal
Magic) is most widely known for his role as Ed in The West Wing. Other television and film credits include Serenity,
Monk, ER, Friends, and the King of Queens. He has performed live theater in Los Angeles, San Diego, Washington, D.C., Salt
Lake City, Virginia City and Galesburg. For more on Peter please see www.pjs-net.com.
Arigon
Starr (Coyote's Gift on Animal Magic) is a multi-talented, enrolled member of the Kickapoo Tribe
of Oklahoma. She is an award-winning singer, songwriter, musician, actor, artist and playwright and has released four music
CDs. Native Voices at the Autry has featured her in their stage productions and produced her one-woman show The Red Road
and radio comedy series Super Indian. For more on Arigon, please visit www.arigonstarr.com.
William Thomas, Jr. (Rabbit
on the Moon) starred in the original companies of such Broadway shows as Godspell and La Cage Aux
Folles, and was a television series regular on The Cosby Show and others. He is currently finishing
his second year of seminary.
Lauren Tom(The Selkie Bride) is an Obie Award-winning actress who has starred on Broadway, in numerous films
including Joy Luck Club, and as a regular on such television series as Men in Trees, Friends
and Grace Under Fire. Lauren's voice can be heard in such animated series as Mulan II, King of
the Hill, The Replacements and Where My Dogs At? www.laurentom.com
Kathleen Wilhoite(The
Boatman's Howling Daughter) has appeared in numerous films, including Lorenzo's Oil and Drowning Mona,
innumerable television series, including Gilmore Girls, and as the voice of Pepper Ann and Cathy, the
cartoon characters on TV. Kathleen juggles songwriting, performance and writing with her most challenging and satisfying
creative endeavor - her family.
Charlayne
Woodard(The Clever Girl) is an Obie award winning actress who was nominated for a
Tony and Drama Desk Award for her notable performance in the original company of Ain't Misbehavin'. Film credits
include Sunshine State and Unbreakable, and her many television appearances include the title
role in Run for the Dream: The Gail Devers Story. You can find more on Charlayne at www.charlaynewoodard.com.
