Randel McGee & Groark

Randel McGee and Groark were featured performers at

the Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta, GA!

 

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Virtual online performances are available for those groups that want them!

Here is what one principal recently said:

Your presentation was so fun! I enjoyed it quite a bit myself and I know our kids loved it as well. I think it was the perfect amount of storytelling as well as giggles and jokes! The video was very clear and the sound was great!…  We will definitely be reaching out to you again for the future!

C. Pursell, Principal, Lincoln School, Hanford, CA

 

Groark is a part of the Character Counts Family of programs for children.

 

 

Our live programs titles include:

You Can Learn a Lot from a Bug!

What can you learn from a bug? Using your head to overcome obstacles and being persistent are some of the concepts Groark gains from these tales and songs!    Suitable for grades K – 3

It’s All Greek to Groark!

Groark learns from ancient Greek tales lessons of hope and compassion and loyalty! Great character traits!     Suitable for grades 3-6.

Tell Me a Story!

Original stories and songs that emphasize friendship!     Suitable for grades K-6.

Dragon Tales!

What does it mean to be brave? We find out in this retelling of “Saint George and the Dragon” and a hilarious version of  Ogden Nash’s “Custard the Dragon”.    Suitable for grades 1-6

and holiday themes available!

“When I was growing up, every vent I ever saw seemed to do the same act – I even thought ventriloquism meant doing the same voice. It also seemed the audience was focused on the gimmick – did his or her lips move? With Groark you have created a full-realized, separate character that you don’t just interact with in conversation but also in movement. When I see you perform, I forget I am seeing a vent act. I become immersed in these two characters. I’ve never felt that way about other vent performers, so I see you as pushing the art form, if not into a new area, into an area of excellence that elevates it way above the rest. Honestly, if someone tells me they don’t like vent or find it boring, I tell them they have never seen you perform.”

Jeff Cornett, Director of the National Puppeteers of America Festival 2011

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Taiwanese kids love learning English with  Groark !

  “Randel McGee & Groark” are an internationally acclaimed comedy storytelling duo! Their shows are a lively combination of fast-paced comedy, hilarious storytelling, and memorable melodies that literally have people laughing for days! They leave their audiences at storytelling festivals, libraries, schools, conventions and corporate events all clamoring for more! Randel McGee and Groark are the stars of 2  award-winning video series on Character Education that have been used in schools around the English speaking world. They received the prestigious UNIMA-USA Citation of Excellence founded by Jim Henson for their performances!

Visit us on Facebook at Randel McGee & Groark (the dragon)!

Would you like to know the history of Randel McGee & Groark? What makes them “tick”? Listen to this interview by Sam Payne of “The Apple Seed” a program for and about storytelling from BYU Radio!

The Apple Seed: Tellers & Stories

Watch an excerpt of our performance at the Las Vegas International Ventriloquist Convention!

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What people are saying about Randel McGee and Groark?

The “conversation” between Randel and Groark was so natural, so fast-paced, with the “characters” so completely delineated, I was impressed and delighted!

Gwen Bonilla at the 2013 National Storytelling Conference in Richmond, VA

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Randel McGee is favorite performer at Treehouse Children’s Museum. Both children and adults are delighted, fascinated, and literally spellbound by Randel and his pet dragon Groark. Inevitably children and adults believe totally in the reality of Groark.

Lynne Goodwin Director, Tree House Children’s Museum treehouse@relia.net Ogden, UT

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Randel McGee returned with Groark – or was it the other way around?! Their partnership is so seamless, his ventriloquism so good, that it’s often hard to remember that Groark is just a puppet. Watching his tireless interruptions and interplay with Randel was a terrific demonstration of how effective a puppet partner can be – teachers take note for your classroom also!

Roger Jenkins, Storyteller and Program Producer, Singapore

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Saturday evening was just a perfect performance. Finishing with you was perfect, as I heard kids laughing  in the audience. 
When kids laugh, parents are happy... It's so important to end on a happy note!

 Becky Walstrom, Exec. Dir., St. Louis Storytelling Festival

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Randel is a master of straddling that line between being laugh-out-loud funny and gently respectful of the audience at the same time, 
with his material working equally well for children and adults.

 Michael Nelson, Internationally renowned Puppeteer

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Groark is such a lovable character! Everyone loves him! … Your song “Tell Me A Story” touched all our hearts, for there are some of us who remember our childhood days and our parents telling us stories; and there are others who are now living your song, we have little ones who tug at our skirts and ask for a story; but the best part of your song is that it reached out to the others who do not tell stories to their children (for whatever reason) and your song has planted a seed… Kamini Ramachandran, Storyteller & Producer  Singapore  

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Groark was a great hit with the kids and I had many adults come up to me later saying that they too were mesmerized by him (they were surprised, I was not).”

Tim Sutphin, Coordinator for the Colonial Williamsburg, VA Storytelling Festival

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“I have never heard such incredible feedback as I did from your visit! …  The most impressive feedback was indirect…in that the middle school students stole away from the dance they were sponsoring to see you perform again downstairs.

Marybeth Krawczyk, Program Coordinator – Blessed Sacrament School, Burlington, NC

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Randel McGee, a ventriloquist, puppeteer, storyteller, musician and master of who knows how many other arts, was brilliant. He was without doubt one of the best children’s performers I have ever seen. He and his buddy Groark had us all laughing and singing along. He did it all effortlessly and made it look so easy, the true sign of a master. I was amazed by his skill and talent. 

Joe Wos Storyteller/ Cartoonist/ Producer joewos@onceuponatoon.com Pittsburgh, PA

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Thank you for your first-rate storytelling program at Fairfax (CA) Library last week. You and Groark make a great team! Excellent selection of stories, too: just the right combo of silliness, spookiness and adventure; yet with subtle positive messages about friendship, kindness and looking beyond first impressions. Thanks for the library plugs, too.

Carolyn Potter, Fairfax (CA) Library

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“Thank you for coming to my school and talking about bullying. We think it is important to talk about it because a lot of people are getting bullied at our school. And your stories were funny, and they had great morals.”

Alex 5th gr. Mill Valley, CA

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 I really did fall in love with Groark – he made me laugh so much. It was wonderful to have such a child(like) energy & way of seeing the world in amongst all the stories.

Anna Jarrett, Australian Storyteller, Singapore Storytelling Festival 2009

Here’s an excerpt of their Evening Concert show for the Woodlands Regional Library in Singapore!

[youtube_sc url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RrqUUKCnY8″ autohide=”1″ fs=”1″]