Although relatively new to storytelling as a career, having exploded onto the storytelling circuit in 2005, Andy has won five national awards for his storytelling CDs. He claims to be “Neurotically Sentimental,” and he lives with his wife and son in his childhood home, in Covington, Newton County, Georgia. Many of his stories and characters are inspired by his hometown and childhood memories.
To say he is a storyteller doesn’t come close to describing what it is he does when he’s on stage. His tales are his own. He weaves a yarn that brings you into the middle of it, especially when Aunt Marguerite or one of his other characters begin to speak for themselves. He has a complete arsenal of sound effects at his beck and call, without any tools or instruments, an unparalleled sense of humor, irony, and wit, an uncanny ability to make each of us homesick for someplace, and a deep understanding of what will entertain!
He tours alone, he tours with Bil Lepp and Kim Weitkamp as “The Uncalled For Tour,” and he tours with the Kandinsky Trio. He hosts Evening Star for Georgia Public Radio. He does an immense body of work with children and youth in arts education, environmental education, and literacy. He is an amazing storywriter, singer, musician as well as a humorist.
He was Artist in Residence at Oxford College of Emory University for 7 years, and an actor/director for street theater at Epcot at Disney World for 5 years. And, now, as he puts it, his full-time job is “showing up and showing off.”
The latest information with the most details about where he’s showing up can be found on his facebook page. Andy Offutt Irwin on facebook
