Ina Buckner-Barnette, The Sunshine Storyteller, fills each show with an exciting and often humorous mix of participatory international folktales, movement activities, songs, poetry and personal stories. Positive, character-building stories with an interactive twist are her trademark. And most folks go home still waving their arms or humming a tune after her performances. Regular venues include museums, libraries, schools, corporate events, community festivals, private parties and shopping malls from Barstow to San Diego.

Committed to empowering through her art, past venues also include Wise Senior Services Adult Day Center, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and www.storybee.org. Ms. Buckner-Barnette is a commissioned artist with the J. Paul Getty Family Storytelling Program, as well as, a member of the teaching artist faculty of The LA Music Center.  She’s an award-winning actress/video host/producer with over 17 years of major market production credits. She co-hosted the Emmy-nominated “City Works” show on LA City Channel 35 for 2 years and appeared in KOCE’s “Dollars & $ense: A Guide to Personal Finance “ a PBS series for which she received her first Emmy. 

Today, she works as a concert storyteller and teaching artist while teaching adults part-time for L.A.U.S.D. and Musician’s Institute in Hollywood. This Midwest native graduated with honors from Emerson College where she studied acting, speech and TV production. Her interactive stories will ignite your imagination, tickle your funny bone and help YOU shine like the sun!