Randel McGee

Award Winning Puppeteer, Ventriloquist, Storyteller, and Teaching Artist!

  • Entertain
  • Inspire
  • Educate
Randel Mcgee and Groark

Who is the "real" Randel McGee

An internationally acclaimed storyteller, author, and teaching artist, who has received numerous media awards for his character education programs and “The Citation of Excellence in the Art of Puppetry founded by Jim Henson”.

Randel’s lively characters and amazing illustrations capture the audiences’ imaginations, and touch their hearts! His friendly personality helps him to connect with people around the globe and makes him indeed a world-class performer. With his dozens of different voices, chameleon-like face and energetic body he transforms a story into a memorable life experience. His original songs have folks singing along for days afterwards. His shows always have a character building aspect and help stimulate interest in literature. His craft books inspire creativity! His workshops bring his art to a practical and personal level. He is an enthusiastic mentor and role model who motivates children and adults to explore their creativity and talents. He is a great example of the effect that one person on an empty stage can have over an audience.

Randel McGee is the artistic director of McGee Productions. He has thirty years of extensive work with children and the arts. He was an artist–in-residence with the California Arts Council and Idaho Commission of the Arts. He served as a consultant with the California State Library System. He taught for CSU- Fresno and the University of Phoenix- Fresno, CA Extension. He assisted his wife Marsha in coaching award winning teams for Odyssey of the Mind (see below). He is an internationally recognized storyteller and children’s performing artist. His new series of paper craft books for children “Paper Craft Fun for Holidays” is now sold around the world.

Marsha McGee is the managing director and education liaison for our company. She has a master’s degree in Creative Dramatics and a California teaching certificate. She has been an elementary teacher, reading specialist, and an instructor for Chapman University for over 20 years and currently teaches at an online charter school. She directed several children’s performing arts programs. She took a team of high-school students for Odyssey of the Mind (international creativity competitions for students) all the way to the World Competition 3 different times, where they received recognition and awards for their creativity!

Here is an article about how Randel’s Christian faith motivates his performances.

Unima-USA Citation of Excellence

Randel McGee

Special Awards!

Trustees Award for Outstanding Service to the Organization

Puppeteers of America, Inc

Citation of Excellence in the Art of Puppetry founded by Jim Henson

UNIMA-USA

Received for Randel McGee & Groark’s “Tell Me a Story” during the National Puppetry Festival in Atlanta, GA in July 2011.

Awards for the “Getting Along with Groark” Video Series
  • Golden Eagle — CINE
  • Gold Award — Parents' Choice Foundation
  • Gold Apple Award — National Educational Media Network
  • Telly Award
Awards for the “6 Pillars of Character” Video Series
  • KIDS FIRST! Endorsement — Coalition for Quality Children's Media
  • Distinguished Achievement Award — Association of Educational Publishers
  • Parents' Choice Award — Parents' Choice Foundation
  • Honors — National Parenting Publications Awards
  • Creative Excellence Award — U.S. International Film and Video Festival
  • 2004 Awards Portfolio Winner — Media & Methods Magazine
Center for Puppetry Arts, Atlanta, GA

Randel McGee

Career Highlights

Highlights of Randel’s Career

Randel inspects his top billing on the marquee of the Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta, GA.

Randel and the other featured tellers at the first Malaysian International Storytelling Festival in Sun City near Kuala Lumpur.

Here are some of the many places, venues, sponsors, and events where Randel has performed and taught:

  • Festivals:
    Puppeteers of America National Festivals
    Tampa, FL; St. Paul, MN; Atlanta, GA
    Randel demonstrates paper crafts for a class
    Views of the Midland, TX “Celebration of Light ” Storytelling Festival. How many places do you see Groark? Randel?
    Japanese Ventriloquist Association Convention
    2001, 2002, 2009
    Singapore International Storytelling Festival—2005, 2009, 2011
    Singapore
    Three Rivers Storytelling Festival
    Pittsburgh, PA (Twice)
    International Ventriloquists Association Convention
    Las Vegas, NV
    “I Love You” Touring Puppet Festival
    Throughout Japan (2 tours)
    VA Storytelling Festival
    Colonial Williamsburg, VA
    Ocala Storytelling Festival
    Ocala, FL 2005, 2007
    Manila International Storytelling Festival
    (Inaugural Event) Philippines
    Magnolia Storytelling Festival
    Roswell, GA
    Celebration of Light Storytelling Festival
    Midland, TX 1996- 2008
    Malaysia International Storytelling Festival
    (Inaugural Event) Kuala Lumpur
    St. Louis Storytelling Festival
    St. Louis, MO
    Tampa-Hillsborough Storytelling Festival
    Tampa, FL
    Danish Days, 2000–12
    Solvang, CA
    Scandinavian Festival
    Thousand Oaks, CA
    Miami-Dade Art of Storytelling Festival, 2011 & 2012
    Miami, FL
  • Museums:
    Treehouse Children’s Museum
    Ogden, UT 1997 – 2013
    Randel demonstrates paper crafts for a class
    Randel McGee as H. C. Andersen in the Elverhoj Museum garden in Solvang, CA.
    Pittsburgh Children’s Museum
    Pittsburgh, PA
    National Museum
    Singapore 2009 &  2011
    Nordic Heritage Museum
    Seattle, WA
    Elverhoj Museum of History and Culture
    Solvang, CA 2009 -2013
  • Conferences (as a presenter/lecturer):
    Hands On Literature Conference
    Randel demonstrates paper crafts for a class
    Randel presented at the Asian Congress of Storytellers in Singapore in 2009.
    Singapore
    California Reading Association Conferences
    National Storytelling Network
    Bellingham, WA; Pittsburgh, PA; Los Angeles, CA; Richmond, VA
    Nebraska Reading Association Conference
    Asian Congress of Storytellers
    Singapore 2005, ’09, & ’11
    Rotary Regional Conference
    Ridgecrest, CA
    Guild of American Papercutters Collection Conference
    Asilomar, CA
  • Theaters and Special Venues:
    Center for Puppetry Arts – Atlanta, GA
    The Puppet Playhouse – Glen Echo, MD
    Tony LaRussa’s Animal Rescue Foundation Gala Fund Raiser – Walnut Creek, CA
    Tampa Historic Fox Theater – FL
    The Puppet Showplace – Brookline, MA
    Tulare County (CA) Symphony Orchestra – Masters of Ceremonies & Narrator (with Groark)
  • Television & Media:
    Groark is the star of 2 videos for children on character education!
    “Getting Along with Groark” – DVD series on conflict resolution in cooperation with Live Wire Media – San Francisco
    Respect, Responibility, Trustworthiness, Ctizenship, Fairness and Caring.
    Popcorn Park —the 6 pillars.
    “Popcorn Park – The 6 Pillars of Character” – DVD Series on character education in cooperation with Live Wire Media (San Francisco) and the Character Counts Foundation
    Featured Artist NHK-TV Documentary
    Japan
    Children’s Program Special KVPT (PBS)
    Fresno, CA
  • Extended School & Library Tours:
    International School, Brunei
    – Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam
    11-18 Library fans at Tampines.
    Groark is a hit with all ages during our tour of the Singapore National Library System in 2010.
    Mesa Unified School District
    Mesa, AZ
    Columbus School District
    Columbus, GA
    Midland Independent School District
    Midland, TX
    Santa Barbara County Library System
    >Santa Barbara County, CA
    Salt Lake City Library System
    Salt Lake City, UT
    Kings – Tulare Counties Library Systems
    Kings – Tulare Counties, CA
    Fresno County Library System
    Fresno County, CA
    Los Angeles County Library System
    Los Angeles County, CA
    Canadian International School
    Singapore
  • Consultancies, Residencies, & Workshops:
    Idaho Commission of the Arts
    Logo - Treehouse Museum, Ogden, UT
    The Treehouse Children’s Museum in Ogden, UT – one of my favorite sponsors.
    California Arts Council
    California State Library System
    Treehouse Children’s Museum
    Ogden, UT
    National Library Board
    Singapore
    Puppet Fest Mid-West
    Trenton, MO
    Creative Center for the Handicapped
    Visalia, CA
    Puppeteers of America National and Regional Festivals