Hans Christian Andersen Storytelling Center

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Hans Christian Andersen Storytelling Center

Andersen statue in Central Park.

The Hans Christian Andersen Storytelling Center is a non-profit organization that promotes storytelling events held each Saturday for auciences of all ages at the H.C.

08/26/2025

The 2025 season at the statue has ended. This was (I think) our 65th year of storytelling in Central Park. It was a fabulous season of wonderful storytelling, and increasing audiences delighted to be part of a living event. We featured as always global stories and many Andersen tales revisioned for our times, just as Andersen himself told and wrote stories. Parents came back week after week. Chidren requested their birthday parties take place on the day of and near the statue so their guests could listen to stories. And sudden passerbys, remarked that "this was the best thing that they have seen in the park in years." We are thrilled and inspired to see how we can raise funds to have the total three months of telling revived next summer. We are so grateful to our new publicist Kirsten Major who helped us keep our series fresh in everyone' mind. And one of our storyteller, Judith Shuldiner, sent this article posted below. Our last session was the annual Duckling's Birthday Party where after listening to Bill Harley's lyrical wildy funny and pointed telling of THE EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTHES, and Laura Simms telling THE UGLY DUCKLING,children and parents lined up to wish the Duck happybirthday. We were gifted with necklaces with Andersen characters, books and tapes that we gave as gifts. But the biggest gift of all has been the STORYTELLING AT THE STATUE, our wonderful STORYTELLERS and brilliant audiences. THANK YOU.

07/22/2025

the Best Way to Stay Cool is to engage with nature, with each other, with heart open and imagination. Two of America's finest storytellers will tell tales at the Statue this Saturday at 11 am. Grab a seat under the canopy of trees, and join in one of the most potent and delightful human activities - listening imagining, feeling, pondering, enjoying stories. Be carried away. And fall in love with the world. NOA BAUM and LAURA PACKER

07/15/2025

Sunshine and Storytelling ... Pure Joy.. Again, July 19 at 11 am with three fabulous storytellers. BILL GORDH, JOY KELLY and JULIA MORRIS. Please join us. Tell your friends. We believe in storytelling live, and word of mouth .. Our audiences are instant communities. All ages gather. It is spectacular to feel the energy of a live event.

07/12/2025

About to watch chairs and sound arrive. Connie Regan Blake. And Robin Bady. The north and south tell stories to uplift the heart All joy here. 11 am to noon in Central Park today

06/29/2025

STORYTELLING CELEBRATES INDEPENDENCE DAY with great stories, music and song on July 5 our usual time 11 am.. always free .. with an extended half hour... MATOAKA LITTLE EAGLE tell stories and sings accompanied by JULIA HAINES on harp. And we have added APRIL ARMSTRONG telling African tales, Anthony Melendez with Laura retelling a Puerto Rican participation story to get everyone up and moving. And Laura will retell THE NIGHTINGALE, an Andersen all time favorite accompanied by our wonderful Gambian Kora player, FODE DIOP. Bring your picnic and perk up your ears. Celebrate the great diversity of our city and country, and our love of real story.

06/23/2025

ANOTHER SPECTACULAR STORYTELLING SATURDAY is coming this weekend. Please join us and share the news. Three great tellers , all very vivid and brilliant, funny, poignant, just right for ll ears: RON SOPYLA, and his magical painted scrolls were a major hit last summer. His telling is impeccable. Children literally cheer. ED STIVENDER is a sacred fool, and a magician of words. He enchants all audiences with his retelling of Andersen and other stories. And JACKSON GILMAN is not only a storytelling marvel, but an irristible mime. I will happily be their emcess, adding a bit of female spice to our event.

06/16/2025

After two rainy Saturdays, we are promised a sunny day for STORYTELLING on June 21. Please join us, and share this post.
HEATHER FOREST will replace Megan Wells who will join us in August. And we welcome one of our great New York storytellers APRIL ARMSTRONG and a new teller to the statue JOAN LEOTTA. This is as always a fabulous event for all ages, and always free. Please share with everyone you know. LIVE STORYTELLING is an act of enormous benefit, joy, compassion and hope.

06/10/2025

SATURDAY STORYTELLING.. doing a dance for no rain until after noon. The unexpected is always part of a live outdoor event. Please share the poster and join us if you can. This will be a gorgeous morning of story, music and painted scrolls magically arising from an old trunk.. the stories are from all over the world including Andersen's unusual tale of THE FLYING TRUNK and the classic, ever so relevant NIGHTINGALE.

06/07/2025

THE STORYTELLING IS CANCELLED TODAY due to Thunder Storms in Central Park. Please join us next Saturday when our dear RON SOPYLA will join LAURA PACKER and HEATHER FOREST .. He brings his old trunk and the cranky with scrolls of painted stories. Fode and I will join the following Saturday with his brilliant Kora music accompanying the totally fabulous Andersen Story of The Nightingale.

06/02/2025

CAN'T WAIT TO SEE YOU THIS COMING SATURDAY at the Statue for our Amazing Opening Storytelling: RON SOPYLA's magic trunk is both stage and treasure house for his hand painted scroll paintings. Last summer he brought down the house with his stories... And Laura Simms will tell Andersen's tale of THE FLYING TRUNK.. and THE NIGHTINGALE accompanied by our musician on KORA from Gambia, Fode Diep.
Every Saturday from now until The beginning of August. It is always free, for all ages, family friendly, and engaging to the max. Real live Storytelling by some of the world's beloved storyteller.
11 am to Noon. Central Park. by the Boat Pond near fifth avenue and 72nd street entrance. Please share!!!!

05/20/2025

THE OPENING OF THE ANDERSEN SEASON begins on June 7, Saturday at 11 am. RON SOPYLA, a magician of painted scroll storytelling that seems to magically appear out of an old trunk captivates children and adults, not to mention trees that we are sure lean in to listen. And I will tell THE FLYING TRUNK in honor of the old trunk, a story that tells about a trunk that flies.. One of Andersen's tales about the power of storytelling and love. Foday Diop, a Kora player from the Gambia brings it all together with his 21 string harp. Please join us - more stories. and more joy. And spread the word.

02/03/2025

Summer at the Statue is already on my mind. Even Andersen who sits patiently through winter, is getting ready to have his stories told. We are joyfully putting together a schedule for our ten weeks of irrisistible outdoor storytelling and music in Central Park. More than ever we need storytelling to stir the imagination, to keep the heart open, remain full of kindness and laughter. We begin from early June through mid August. And as always 11 am to noon. Always free. Contributions are always welcome. Get ready. Remember your favorite stories. Find a picnic basket and a hand colored fan. (thank you new publicist Jennie Bourne for this winter view)

Address

31 W 52nd Street/12th Floor
Manhattan, NY
10025

Opening Hours

11am - 5pm

Website

http://www.hcastorycenter.org/

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