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Artist Bio

David Novak is “a gifted teller who enhances his stories with a bag of tricks.”– Smithsonian Magazine

Highly prized for his ability to bring stories to life and enthrall audiences of all ages, American storyteller, David Novak, is in demand for his school presentations, stage plays, keynotes, and workshops. His school programs receive the highest ratings for entertainment, curriculum relevance, and student engagement. David’s 30+ year’s experience as a performing and teaching artist includes Master Storyteller for The Disney Company, The Lincoln Center Institute, L.A. Music Center, and featured storyteller for the National Storytelling Festival and the nation’s top storytelling festivals. His international appearances include Singapore International StoryFest, Czech Children’s Theatre Festival, Sydney International Storytelling Conference, and international schools throughout China. He is recipient of the Circle of Excellence for storytelling, and the Aurand Harris Memorial Playwrighting Award for excellence in professional theatre for children. David is an A+ Fellow for the NC Arts Council and a Wolf Trap Teaching Artist. David lives in Asheville, North Carolina.

Artist Statement

I tend to go through life like the fool in the tarot deck, at the edge of a precipice in pursuit of a butterfly. That may not seem terribly responsible or grown up. But, frankly, when I was younger I didn’t want to grow up, I wanted to live forever in Neverland. But I did grow up. I had no other choice. So Neverland gave way to another place for growing up: Oz. That meant getting on the yellow brick road to the Emerald City while finding magic and wonder along the way.

But both Neverland and Oz offer unsatisfactory examples of being grown-up. One suggests you become a bitter, despotic pirate. The other, a charlatan showman and humbug. Neither of these are worth becoming. So I found another example I could aspire to: Captain Kangaroo. He was a grown-up who could navigate the absurd world surrounding childhood. He was at home in chaos, long-suffering, and creative. He told stories, demonstrated crafts, danced with dancing bear, solved problems with Mr. Green Jeans, and suffered the pranks of Moose and Bunny Rabbit. So I set out to become Captain Kangaroo in my own way, being silly and inventive and performing as a street-busker, a mime, a storyteller and artist in schools.

Then something happened that made my work much more serious. On January 17, 1989, a man with a gun opened fire on a school playground during recess at Cleveland Elementary School in Stockton, California. 31 children were wounded; 5 died.

I wondered, how many of those children had whined about going to school that morning? How many were told to work hard so someday they could get a job? I realized childhood is not just a path to being grown-up. Childhood is not about tomorrow, but about journeying today. I changed the way I work with schools. For me, arts-in-education should make today worth living. Is today worth it? Is today a good day? If so, then we’re successful. Today, while we are seeking to live well, we are learning from the experience. That is why I call my work A Telling Experience. I create experiences that reward us today while building memories for tomorrow.

A Telling Experience is about curating life now. For now may be all that we have. If it is, it needs to be worth living; it can be itself, a work of art.