Willy Claflin, for the second time, bringing his love of story and absurdity. With his faithful sidekick, Maynard the Moose, from San Francisco, Willy has been a hit at national and regional festivals all over the country – and at international venues as well. He has been honored with many awards for his story recordings as well as for his contributions to storytelling including a 2003 Storytelling World Award.

Elizabeth Ellis grew up in the Appalachian mountains before leaving to seek her fortune in 1969.  She worked as a children’s librarian in the Dallas Public Library for ten years before becoming a professional storyteller. She has been inducted into the National Storytelling Network’s Circle of Excellence. Beloved by her audiences, she has captivated over 250,000 children and countless adults at schools, universities and festivals in her 25-year career as a storyteller.

Bobby Norfolk, an internationally known story performer and teaching artist, this three-time Emmy Award winner and Parents’ Choice honoree is one of the most popular and dynamic story-educators in the country today. “I tell stories to see the happiness and joy that can be shared through the oral tradition. No fancy electronics, just teller and listener." Bobby comes to the WSU Storytelling Festival from St. Louis, MO.

Dovie Thomason is an award-winning storyteller, recording artist, teacher, lecturer, and author recognized internationally for her ability to take her listeners back to the “timeless place” that she first “visited” as a child, hearing old Indian stories from her Kiowa Apache and Lakota relatives. She has been recognized by the National Endowment for the Arts and numerous arts organizations across the United States. From Harrisburg, PA, this is Dovie’s second appearance at WSU.