With over 30 years of experience, working with educators and their students, from kindergarten to college, Mr. McGee can help you tap into your creative energy and use it!

Randel’s workshops provide a unique perspective and inspire adults and children!

They satisfy many standard educational goals!

Randel offers workshops, residencies for extended periods, and project consultation. He has taught the arts of puppetry, ventriloquism, storytelling, and paper crafts to elementary school children, junior high and high school students, at colleges and universities, museums, conferences and festivals. He would be glad to design a workshop or residency for your needs. Classes may vary from 60 to 90 minutes, 1 to 3 hours, or all day sessions. Ideal for staff development or in-service training. He offers more intimate, hands-on training for small group sessions

Here are our new offerings in paper craft:

1. Symmetrical Paper-cut Designs

   Explores the beauty and simplicity of symmetry as applied to cut paper designs work in single-fold, two-fold and multiple-fold art.

2. Cut & Fold Costumes

   Design and create hats, helmets, masks, and other costume pieces from paper.

3. Cut & Fold Creatures

   Design and create animals and human-like figures from a single sheet of paper. Uses concepts of symmetry, shape recognition, balance of form, and other concepts.

4. He who lives in a Paper House…

   Explores ways to construct buildings and transportation means. Uses concepts of symmetry, shape recognition, balance of form, and other concepts.

5. Inter-Dimensional Transformation Challenge from 2D to 3D

   Explores ways to transform 2 dimensional geometric shapes into 3 dimensional works of wonder without glue, tape or other fasteners!

   • Part 1: Nothing but Paper - Transformation techniques using only folding the paper.
   • Part 2: The Final Cut – Transformation techniques using only scissors or a craft knife.

6. Pop-Up Projects

   Explore ways to design and create different pop-up mechanics.

7. Paper in Motion

   Explore many ways that mechanical concepts can be incorporated into moving paper constructions. (Such as wheels, levers, pull tabs, screen changers, etc.)

8. The Paper Planet

   Using papers in different geometric shapes and a bit of tape or glue, we create structures from a galaxy far, far away.

What people are saying about Randel’s Workshops:

The NSN Conference was so rich and so full of wonderful events … On Friday morning, I attended Randel McGee's workshop “Punch it Up with Puppets, Props and Masks.” I was instantly charmed by Randel’s ease with the intricacies of telling with a puppet. The “conversation” between Randel and Groark was so natural, so fast-paced, with the “characters” so completely delineated, I was impressed and delighted — but also a little concerned that this workshop may be too advanced for my interest finding new ways of using props, masks and puppets.

My worry was unfounded. After a wonderful demonstration of Randel's significant gifts, the workshop got down pretty quickly to the nuts and bolts of how anyone, no matter their experience level or resources at hand, can enhance their storytelling with props, puppets and masks. I left the workshop feeling confident and enthusiastic about my ability to experiment with shadow puppets and masks.

I have been to the Asian Congress of Storytellers for 3 years in a row, and your workshop was one of my favourites. You really, really shared your talents with us participants, you did not hold back, and that is what struck me most about your session. You were so willing to demonstrate and show us the tricks-of-the-trade. I felt that your workshop was a mini, private performance for your participants, for we got to hear and see your … talents at work

We were so happy to have you with us and appreciate the great sessions that you contributed to our conference. Many of my students were still in awe of the storytelling/papercutting exhibition when they got to class on Monday. It was a big topic of conversation as they reported on their experiences. Thanks so much for your willingness to come here and for being so gracious throughout the two days.

You have a wonderful way of communicating the intricacies of the art form (ventriloquism).

• Get S.T.E.A.M.ed UP!

• Incorporate and Integrate Science, Technology, Engineering, ART, and Mathematics!

Here’s a New 5 day Residency Offering:

Using Geometry to Make Divergent Designs in Paper!

1. Symmetrical Paper-cut Designs

   Explores the beauty and simplicity of symmetry as applied to cut paper designs work in single-fold, two-fold and multiple-fold art.

2. Cut & Fold Costumes

   Design and create hats, helmets, masks, and other costume pieces from paper.

3. Cut & Fold Creatures

   Design and create animals and human-like figures from a single sheet of paper. Uses concepts of symmetry, shape recognition, balance of form, and other concepts.

4. He who lives in a Paper House…

   Explores ways to construct buildings and transportation means. Uses concepts of symmetry, shape recognition, balance of form, and other concepts.

5. Welcome to Paperlandia

   Combines techniques from the first 4 days to illustrate an original story created by the participants. But wait…There’s More!

   Puppet Productions involve writing, technical planning, and public speaking and kids love it!

Residency Review of the SPY Puppet Play Grant 2012

I was delighted by how professional the final product was — how polished the puppet shows performed by the teens were and how the audience responded.

One of the great things about working with Randel, besides his skill and artistry, is his flexibility. He can go with the flow, adapting the project and the timetable as needed, both of which he had to do on this project.

Randel was able to connect with the teens on a personal level… He took the time to show the teens his own skills and relate his own artistic journey … As for staff, the only complaint was that they didn’t have time … to attend the residency workshops.

Did Randel meet your expectations for this grant?

Yes, and exceeded them. The puppets are beautiful and very creative.

What were the positive results of the puppet project?

The most positive results … could be seen in the teens … as they made friends, worked together, learned new skills, and developed real confidence in performing … Their pride in the project was tangible.

• Would you like to get your students more excited about reading and experiencing good literature?

• Would you like to attract more people to your museum or cultural center?

• Do you want more pizzazz in your presentations?

Randel McGee uses creative and divergent thinking exercises to work with you to look at ways to add interest and zest to your venue, outreach programs, and presentations.