Randel McGee
Award Winning Puppeteer, Ventriloquist, Storyteller, and Teaching Artist!
- Entertain
- Inspire
- Educate
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.
Randel McGee
Special Awards!
- Trustees Award for Outstanding Service to the Organization
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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
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- 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
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- 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
Randel McGee
Career Highlights
Highlights of Randel’s Career
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
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 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 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
- Hands On Literature Conference
- 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
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
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
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
- Idaho Commission of the Arts