Ruth Fraser
Professional Storyteller
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Ruth lived with a father for whom storytelling was as natural as breathing. Any event, question, or a thought would lead him to state, “Let me tell you a story about that!” As a result, Ruth grew up knowing how magical storytelling truly can be. Her childhood was peopled with wondrous characters, exciting places, and marvelous adventures. She learned that the frightening, the miserable, and the mundane could be transformed by the
words, “Let me tell you a story about that!” Thanks to her father, the repertoire she had to draw on was extensive. Tales of Kipling were mixed with Winnie the Pooh, fairy tales, and seasoned with autobiographical adventures.
From telling her father’s stories, Ruth branched out to telling stories of her friends, companions, and an ever-widening circle of
characters. She learned that ‘adults’ delight in stories as much as ever children do.
In her heart, she believes that stories are even more important to ‘grown ups’ than they are to children. Life is tough and the chances to transform that tough world are all too rare.
As her work took her to many lands, the literature, legends and lives of her new friends enriched her storytelling repertoire. Her interest in women’s issues, other cultures, and peace and social justice has led her to create a repertoire that reflects them in story, biography, myth and legend. Her broad storytelling spectrum and her travels has meant that the plea, “Ruth,
tell us a story.” has been heard in many wondrous places.
Since coming to the Bay Area, Ruth has honed her skills in workshops and classes with such storytelling luminaries as Gay Ducey and Erica Lann Clark. She has widened her talents by working at improvisational theater with Joya Corey. She has been a regular storyteller since 1998 in the Asian Arts Museum program that reaches out to schools. Her individual performances have been in such diverse settings as hospices, weddings,
schools, and birthday parties in the park.
