Special Programs
JONATHAN KRUK ENTERTAINS, EDUCATES, AND ENCHANTS
A Christmas Carol
Dickens’ classic of Humbug and Hope, a dramatic retelling with a voice and face for every character.
Libraries
What kind of stories do you need for your Summer Reading 2023?
Tales of the Kind, and the Courageous!
I love performing in libraries! Nestled in the books, at the core of a community, I tell my listeners; ‘Stories are in the air here! Reach up with your hand and a little imagination. You’ll catch them!’ Serving on the board of the Desmond /Fish Library in Garrison, I understand how quality events draw people to the library.
Ask to have a program tailored to your theme or interest. – “Tales of the Kind and the Courageous” for the 2023 summer reading program.
Want local lore? I’ll tell why the Hudson River lore to flows both ways.
. Click here for the story of how my hometown library saved me when I was a teenager.
About my Performances:
Shows are about fifty engaging minutes for children; interactive, with silly stretches, and skits.
Adults enjoy about one an hour, followed by a Q & A.
Fees:
$400
$600 October shows
$1200 Solo Shows with musical accompaniment.
Includes travel within two hours. Additional costs for further distance.
Please tell me your story if you need some flexibility for these rates. Ask for multiple booking discounts.
Programs
Tales of the Kind & the Courageous – Traditional and original stories showing how to conquer whats cruel and callous in the world. Children help Anansi the first spider man take stories from a hording giant. Meet the Girl Who Touched a Star. See how cooperation takes us farther than competion with “Barkface and Rootnose.”
Finger Fables for Young Listeners -Aesop to Anansi performed with a “hands-on” audience, guaranteed to turn your most squiggly wigglers into active listeners. Best for pre-k to first graders
Story Theater – classic tales from around the world performed with kids stepping into stories. Ideal for children in grades 1-5
Faeries, Leprechauns, Giants & Dragons – wildly imaginative adventuresome quests. Best for grades 2-8
Tall Tales & Urban Legends– exaggeration and surprise truth-stretching stories for the “Tween” set. Grades 5-8
Revolutionary New York – Treason of the Darkest Dye, the story of Benedict Arnold and Major John Andre
The Story of Yankee Doodle
Washington in Westchester
Pirates! – In pirate garb, performing interactive shanties, and sharing lore of buccaneers & privateers from Captain Kidd to Black Bird.
The Legends of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” – A book talk in tales. The factually based of lore of the spirits surrounding the “the ghost of Hessian trooper whose head was carried away be a cannonball during the Revolutionary War.” Stories and sources gleaned from my book for the History Press, “Legend and Lore of Sleepy Hollow and the Hudson Valley” Best for teens and adults.
Solo Show –
“The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” – Jonathan’s dramatic retelling of this haunting classic takes you on an unforgettable spine-tingling ride, with live musical accompaniment Best for teens to adults.
Solo Show –
“A Christmas Carol” – A unique dramatic retelling of Dickens’ “most perfect tale of redemption for the holidays” with over thirty characters all portrayed, with live musical accompaniment. Best for teens to adults.
HALLOWEEN – Spooky (but not scary) Stories! – a happy Halloween witch, “The Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything,” “Bony Legs” a ridiculous rolly-pumpkin head, the haunted hand and other frightfully fun tales for young children.
Hudson River Lore – A performance of traditional stories and songs of the mysterious and historical river.
Summer Camps
Jonathan will tailor a program to your camp interests and themes. Give your kids an experience they’ll enjoy, take to heart and glady re-tell at home.
Video for Summer Camps
About my performances:
Tell me your camp theme, I’ll tailor tales for young children to your teens.
Fees:
$400 for one show, $600 two shows on the same day
Hands-on performance for young children, featuring Aesop, animals and Anansi, the tricky spider man.
Enthrall older campers with the Bard, demigods, dragons, unicorns, and knights. Period garb, props & backdrops.
Entrance campers with spooky, historic and mysterious stories.
Engross kids with Legends, from the river’s wild past, with buccaneers, imps and local lore.
Scout Groups
Storytelling for Scouts
On My Honor, I will do my best, as an Eagle Scout and your Storyteller,
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to engage and enchant your Pack or Troop with stories sharing scout values.
About my performances: Scouts are close to my heart, so I am able to offer discounted fees for Boy & Girl Scouts
$350. for a 45-50 min. show
Occasionally, I can donate my time and talents. Please let me know what you plan and we will create a performance for your theme and budget.
Tales told showing scout values. Aesop fables turned into skits on how to be helpful, brave and trustworthy. Plus, a true story of savvy scouts.
from a local Native creation tale to river imps, pirates, and patriots. Tales too of heroic young “scouts” during the American Revolution like Sybil Luddington, and Travis Reynolds.
Ghostly tales gleaned from regional sources and your locale.
Ideal for campfires, but not too scary!
Folklore, Food, Native Peoples, Plant-Lore, Dragons?!
Please ask for tales on your theme.
"You performed at our annual Campfire event at the Clear Lake Scout Reservation in Putnam Valley. Our scouts had such a great time, we would like to have you back!"
Historic Sites & Museums
Creating performance programs and tours in tales highlighting your site’s unique heritage, and museum’s collection.
History Skits for Kids
Turning your site’s history into skits for kids to step into draws audiences sending them off with your tale to retell. Provide background material for an engaging story-skit show at your site.
Turn your sites history into a lively interactive storytelling show with a master of the art, performing in period garb. You provide the facts and background, Jonathan will create a performance families and historians will enjoy.
Face it, ghosts are the gateway to history. They stir things us to remind us of what once went down. Let “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow master storyteller scare a little history into your visitors’s hearts!
The New-York Historical Society, NYC
Old Dutch Church, Sleepy Hollow, NY
Philipsburg Manor, Sleepy Hollow, NY
Fraunces Tavern, NYC
South Street Seaport,NYC
Federal Hall, NYC
Van Wyck Homestead, Fihkill, NY
Morris -Jumel Mansion,NYC
Washington’s HQ Newburgh, NY
Fort Ticonderoga, NY
Liberty Hall, Union,NJ
Philips Manor Hall, Yonkers, NY
Stony Point Battlefield, Stony Point, NY
Fort Lee Battlefield,NJ
Saratoga Battlefield,NY
Fort Stanwix, Rome, NY
Clarkson Chapel, Clermont, NY
Klyne Esopus Museum, Ulster Park, NY
Tapping-Reeve House, Litchfield, CT
many more…
Fort Montgomery,NY
Morristown Historic Site,NJ
Trinity Church NYC
Wayside Cottage, Scarsdale, NY
Madame Brett House, Beacon, NY
Mount Gulian, Beacon, NY
Woodchuck Lodge, Roxbury, NY
Bush-Holley House, CT
Schuyler Mansion, NY
Bartow- Pell Manor,NY
John Jay Homestead,NY
Elijah Miller House
Clermont Mansion, NY
Mark Twain House, CT
Coe Hall, L.I.
Sagtikos Manor, L.I.
NY State Museum
F.D.R. Library, NY
T.R. – Sagamore Hill, LI.
Richmondtown Restoration, S.I.
Boscobel Homestead & Garden, NY
Van Wyck Homestead,NY
New Windsor Cantonment, NY
Amiable Child Monument, NYC