Professional Teller
Alton Takiyama-Chung
Audience:
All ages, from pre-school through college/adult
Story types:
Asian folktales, Hawaiian legends, ghost stories, Japanese-American experience of WWII, stories of the Hawaiian monarchy, stories of immigration, historic stories, personal stories, and stories from literature
Themed programs and workshops available
Sample video:
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About the Teller
Japanese-Korean storyteller Alton Takiyama-Chung, grew up with the stories, superstitions, and the magic of the Hawaiian Islands. This gives him a unique perspective when telling stories from Hawaii, of WWII Japanese-Americans, and Asian folktales. His secret passion, however, is telling ghost stories.
He has been a featured teller at the Timpanogas Storytelling Festival, the National Storytelling Festival, and international storytelling festivals in the Cayman Islands, Singapore, India, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand.
He has created and lead many custom storytelling workshops and performances for a variety of professional, academic and social organizations and has guest lectured on storytelling at the University of Hawaii and the University of Washington. He also is a former Chairman of the Board of Directors for National Storytelling Network.
Reviews/audience comments
“Alton Chung was a one-man show…utiliz[ing] his artistry and talents as a storyteller to portray the story. Chung was able to transform himself into the characters – to climb into their skins. His vocal modulations, facial expressions, hand gestures, spoke as emphatically as his mouth in capturing each character’s essence. The audience was…spellbound.” — May Sasaki NVC Foundation Newsletter
“With fluid body movements, unique vocalizations, and a dramatic flair, Chung breathes life into his stories, introducing children to the excitement of tales beyond books, and allowing adults to re-experience the beauty of the oral tradition.” — Jackson County Library System
“Chung was captivating with his facial expressions and acting skills, as he switched alter-egos…no one missed a word.” — Maria Kanai Honolulu Weekly
“Last year we were visited in the office for a story telling luncheon with Mr. Alton Chung, a master storyteller participating in Gimistory [Storytelling Festival]…. We were so impressed by his talent we decided to sponsor the event this year….” Marco Martins, managing partner of Harneys Cayman, The Cayman Reporter