What Others Say About Brett's Work
Brett Dillingham - Visit to West Yorkshire, England
“I had heard of Brett’s work from a colleague in Dublin and took a rare chance by booking a performer and workshop leader that I had not personally seen. After a polite introduction the storytelling began. His rich voice took them slowly down into calmness, animal sounds of bears and ravens and dogs kept them listening and awake. ‘Is it true?’ a boy asked. I am left after Brett’s visit wanting more, much more. I was like a child saying ‘again’ to the story they have to hear again and don’t know why. Fortunately the people at every venue he attended felt the same, this means his return will be planned in the very near future.”
- Christine McMahon, Hebden Bridge, England
Restorative Justice Coordinator
"No props. No lights. No stage set. No music. No costume. Just a bald guy from Alaska in a T-shirt and jeans, and our own imaginations- that’s how this fabulously effective storytelling show goes down… he had the audience attentively eating out of his hand as he used mime, sound effects, gestures and animal noises to embellish his narratives."
–Calgary Herald
"Brett is a dynamic and exciting storyteller. His stories range from traditional Irish tales to Inuit legends to original stories with style and flair… he is a powerful storyteller who compels his audience with the drama, the humor and the beauty of his stories. Without contrivance or artificiality, Brett becomes his characters. His voice and body movements, his sound effects, his pacing all fit the stories perfectly… I have seen many storytellers in the course of my library career, but none that I have enjoyed more then Brett."
- Suzanne McMillan,
Youth Services Librarian, Long Beach Public Library
"Brett is a very special person and we are proud to have got to know him. We have our fingers crossed that he will be back again before long. Maybe then he will give us some tips as to how to follow in his giant footsteps.”
- Miceal Ross
Coordinator, Dublin Yarnspinners, Dublin, Ireland
“I was lucky enough to witness and participate in a storytelling session which Brett did with the senior classes in our school in October of this year. The great enthusiasm and commitment which he brought to this work both fascinated the pupils and drew from them a tremendous well of creativity. The quality of the ‘end product’ in terms of the self-confidence of the pupils in standing in front of the other pupils and telling their own stories is itself testament to the excellence of the work. A significant minority of our pupils have considerable learning difficulties and work such as this which boosts their self-esteem has benefits both in terms of literacy and in other areas of learning. I believe that work such as this is extremely beneficial and hope that we can have another visit from Brett in the not-too-distant future.”
- Gregor Kerr
(5th & 6th Class Teacher) Dublin, Ireland
"Brett Dillingham offers storytelling at its best- timeless and entertaining, with the tone of the campfire intimacy and the drama of theater. There may be a moral, or a metaphor, or a glimpse into another culture, but it’s beside the main point, which is to engage the audience and hold their attention."
- Riley Woodford,
Arts Editor, Juneau Empire