About Us
Peggy
Twice Upon a Time Storytellers
Twice Upon a Time Storytellers
Prior to joining Gene on the professional storytelling stage, Peggy was an award-winning reporter and freelance writer. She has a B.S. in biology and a master’s degree in journalism. Currently, Peggy serves as secretary for the Dallas Storytelling Guild and Tejas Storytelling Association, both 501(c)3s. Over the years, Peggy has produc
Prior to joining Gene on the professional storytelling stage, Peggy was an award-winning reporter and freelance writer. She has a B.S. in biology and a master’s degree in journalism. Currently, Peggy serves as secretary for the Dallas Storytelling Guild and Tejas Storytelling Association, both 501(c)3s. Over the years, Peggy has produced a number of story concerts including Sacred Tales for the Texas Storytelling Festival and Ghost Tales at the Bath House. As freelance writer for over 30 years, she was a regular contributor to the Allen Image magazine, edited the 2008 Healing Storytelling Alliance journal Diving in the Moon, and contributed chapters to Team Up! Tell in Tandem! (Ed. Jonathan Hammer Wright) and Engaging Community Through Storytelling (Eds. Sherry Norfolk and Jane Stenson). Peggy can also be heard sharing stories of Dallas history at Dallas Heritage Village at Old City Park.
In 2016, Peggy received the John Henry Faulk Award from the Tejas Storytelling Association, given "to a person who has made a significant contribution to the art of storytelling
in the Southwest."
Twice Upon a Time Storytellers
Twice Upon a Time Storytellers
Twice Upon a Time Storytellers
Telling together since 2000, Twice Upon a Time Storytellers utilize the ancient art of storytelling to explore the complex and challenging issues facing us in our modern society—for all ages.
In addition to telling in a number of diverse educational and entertainment venues, Twice Upon a Time has shared stories in county jails, state and
Telling together since 2000, Twice Upon a Time Storytellers utilize the ancient art of storytelling to explore the complex and challenging issues facing us in our modern society—for all ages.
In addition to telling in a number of diverse educational and entertainment venues, Twice Upon a Time has shared stories in county jails, state and federal prisons, addiction recovery facilities, domestic violence shelters, and other therapeutic settings.
Through the experience of listening to and sharing stories, children and adults alike can be united in their families, schools, work places and communities. Storytelling opens us up to understanding the connections we have with others around our wonderful globe. Discover this new world with Dallas storytellers
Gene and Peggy Helmick-Richardson.
Gene
Twice Upon a Time Storytellers
Gene
After earning his Ph.D. in entomology, Gene took a 10-year career detour into historical museum reenactment. At the Georgia Agrirama and Homeplace 1850 at the Land Between the Lakes he honed his skills as a storyteller and historical agricultural/folklife interpreter. After a brief return to the field of entomology, Gene could not res
After earning his Ph.D. in entomology, Gene took a 10-year career detour into historical museum reenactment. At the Georgia Agrirama and Homeplace 1850 at the Land Between the Lakes he honed his skills as a storyteller and historical agricultural/folklife interpreter. After a brief return to the field of entomology, Gene could not resist the siren's call of storytelling. In 1999, he was appointed to the board of the Tejas Storytelling Association and served as president in 2002. Gene currently serves as a member-at-large on the board of the non-profit Dallas Storytelling Guild. He also volunteered as site director for the Texas Storytelling Festival for over 15 years. In addition to telling stories as a member of Twice Upon a Time Storytellers, he can sometimes be heard spinning tales and sharing history at Dallas Heritage Village's 1870 Gano Farmhouse, in the heart of downtown Dallas.
Gene is the 2015 recipient of the John Henry Faulk Award from the Tejas Storytelling Association given "to a person who has made a significant contribution to the art of storytelling
in the Southwest."
What We Offer
Where We Tell
In addition to myriad schools, libraries, museums, nursing homes, private parties, churches, social and organizational meetings, and community programs, Twice Upon a Time Storytellers have shared their tales at a number of special locations and events, including:
Featured tellers for the Texas Storytelling Conference and Texas Storytelling Festival
Winter Solsticelebration
National Storytelling Conference Regional Concert
I, Too, Have a Story: Voices of Human Trafficking at St. Edward's University, Austin
Frisco Storytelling Festival
Texas Folklife Festival
Dallas Heritage Village
CityArts Festival
Bath House Cultural Center's Very FIT Christmas
Mineola Nature Preserve
International Association of Facilitators Conference
Moonlady Night
American Bandmasters Association National Conference
Smithsonian Institution's Listening to the Prairie traveling exhibit, Allen Public Library
Dallas Children's Museum
Dallas Mayor's Summer Reading Program
Dallas Arboretum
Texas State Water & Conservation District Auxiliary annual convention
City of Rowlett's Camp FEAR
April Fool's Fest, SMU
Tejas Storytelling Association's Straight From the Heart
Ghost Tales at the Bath House
Denton's Scare on the Square
Richland College Emeritus Program's Holiday Spectacular
Genesis Women's Shelter
Carswell FMC, Federal Bureau of Prisons
Dallas County Jail
Several units of the Texas Department of Corrections
Cowboy Camp (Hope Supply Company and Dallas ISD)
Imagination Fort Worth's Welcome to the Fort
Among the places Gene and Peggy have presented storytelling workshops are the Texas Storytelling Festival, Texas Storytelling Conference, National Storytelling Conference, Richland College Emeritus Program, and Texans for Peace Conference.
Storytelling Programs
This list is just a short sampling of what we can offer your school, library or event. We also enjoy creating unique programs to address our clients specific themes and interests.
Different Ways to Make a Story
Incorporating movement, singing, simple musical instruments, origami, string tricks, puppets and magic.
Worldwise Traveler
Legends, folk and fairy tales from around the world or from a specific culture or country.
Texas Prairie Tales
Stories of strong men, resourceful women and crafty critters of the Texas Prairie
Spooky Tales for Kids
Stories of ghosts, assorted monsters and things that go bump in the night for younger audiences.
Ghosts, Ghouls and Goblins
From creepy stories to tales of terror, this teen to adult program offers some spine-tingling fun.
Heart to Heart
Tales from diverse cultural and spiritual traditions, especially suited for healing and therapeutic settings.
Stories for Character Development
Just because kids and adults would rather listen to stories than a lecture
Historical Reenactments
Dressed in historically accurate garb, both Gene and Peggy share the stories of famous or somewhat infamous historical Texans including Betsy McKinney (wife of Collin McKInney), Sophia Suttenfield Porter, Uncle Gus Wilson and Elder Horn.
Storytelling Workshops
Everyone's a Storyteller
This beginning workshop will help you hone your tale-telling skills, whether you are using them for family gatherings, library programs, business meetings or the storytelling festival stage.
First Do No Harm: Storytelling For Vulnerable Audiences
Gene and Peggy share the knowledge and resources gleaned from their years of experience with storytelling in a drug and alcohol treatment facility, domestic violence shelter, hospitals, HIV+ groups, hospice organizations, a juvenile detention center, and county, state and federal prisons.
Saving the Heritage
Wish you could preserve all those wonderful family stories? Want to make certain the history of beloved family members or someone of significance to you is not forgotten? Would you like to tell some of those stories? This workshop will offer ideas on how to best gather and preserve those stories, as well as develop the storytelling techniques to share them from the stage.
Other Popular Programs
Strings 'n' Things
String tricks, folk toys and games from times past--a favorite of young and old alike. For children, this presentation offers a glimpse at what life might have been like between 1850 and 1950, before video games. For adults, this is a time to reminisce.
Historical Re-enactments
In period dress, Peggy and Gene share first person accounts from individuals who affected the history of Texas, including Betsy McKinney (wife of Collin McKinney), August (Uncle Gus) Wilson and Sophia Porter.
Storytelling for Addiction Recovery
For a combined 40 years, Gene and Peggy hosted storytelling programs with clients from Homeward Bound Inc., a drug and alcohol treatment center in Dallas. They shared stories with the facility's Statewide program weekly and as well as evening workshops with the clients on telling their own personal stories of recovery. This popular program hosted several public performances, including one at the Bath House Cultural Arts Center in Dallas.
Photo Gallery
