ABOUT Valerie
Valerie Stephens, a native Bostonian, has performed professionally both nationally and internationally. She is an award winning actor, storyteller, vocalist/bandleader, producer, writer and educator with a passion for history. Valerie has received the 2011 NAACP's Image Award, 2007 Urban Music Award in Blues and is a nominee for a 2011 Urban Music Award in Jazz.
Valerie toured nationally for seven years, as a lead actor with the award winning Underground Railway Theatre and after 15 years, returned to the stage to perform in Company One’s controversial production of NEIGHBORS in the character role of "Mammy Crow". As a storyteller, she has performed throughout New England for two generations of audiences and been contracted to research, present and /or perform productions on historical events for Boston’s Children’s Museum, Museum of Fine Arts, Museum of Science and Springfield Art Musuem and Cambridge Cultural Council. While working as Director of Cultural Programming and Community Partnerships for the International House of Blues Foundation, Valerie created and directed “The Blues Schoolhouse: History of the Blues”, an in house educational production for children which was performed in Boston and Los Angeles. She also created a touring production company for the Boston area. She has served as Artist Consultant to the CitiCenter for the Arts' youth programming, training young artists to be community storytellers and researching the history of Boston's diverse neighborhoods.
Valerie developed and taught three middle school courses focusing on Boston’s 19th Century Women in Medicine & Public Health Methodology for 'Girls Get Connected", a program affiliated with Simmons College, committed to inspiring girls to choose technical careers. Valerie teaches creative dramatics/ playwriting & improvisational theater technique to ages 5 – Adult in schools and organizations throughout Massachusetts. She is the founder of 'Village Wonderkin Network', an innovative educational resource company.
As a vocalist, Valerie’s first CD, Potpourri, a mixture of jazz, blues and spoken word, has been very well received. She has created three music series, the first, Women of the Village, celebrating the common voice of American, South African & Cuban women; the second, “Sweet & Salty: Dressed to the Nines” a tribute to Classic Blues Singers and is currently presenting “The Music & Times of Nina Simone” a tribute to the world renowned musical icon, Dr. Nina Simone. The Valerie Stephens Group has become a regular attraction in the area’s venues and festivals.
Valerie has travelled throughout the Caribbean and West Africa and is a member of the Dorchester Historical Society, Massachusetts Memories Roadshow Advisory Board, the Massachusetts Studies Network, Boston Pan African Forum and the NAACP.
“As a girl, I found that I could not see myself in the images that were around me and I began a search to find me, to find where I belonged. In the following years, my quest has taken me around the world and back to Boston, where I found my foundation, my legacy. However, through my search, I also learned that I must be an active global citizen as well and although that may sound overly simplistic, in reality, it is a most complicated responsibility. Its boundaries are fluid, constantly changing. As I wind my way through, I never cease to be amazed at people’s ability to survive. I am in awe at their creativity under the most horrific circumstances. I have tried to use my skills to share this information and do my part to create change through art, one step at a time. As an Artist, I am constantly asking myself "Can I?" and the answer is "I can" . That is what I try to teach, "You Can!"
- Valerie
Valerie toured nationally for seven years, as a lead actor with the award winning Underground Railway Theatre and after 15 years, returned to the stage to perform in Company One’s controversial production of NEIGHBORS in the character role of "Mammy Crow". As a storyteller, she has performed throughout New England for two generations of audiences and been contracted to research, present and /or perform productions on historical events for Boston’s Children’s Museum, Museum of Fine Arts, Museum of Science and Springfield Art Musuem and Cambridge Cultural Council. While working as Director of Cultural Programming and Community Partnerships for the International House of Blues Foundation, Valerie created and directed “The Blues Schoolhouse: History of the Blues”, an in house educational production for children which was performed in Boston and Los Angeles. She also created a touring production company for the Boston area. She has served as Artist Consultant to the CitiCenter for the Arts' youth programming, training young artists to be community storytellers and researching the history of Boston's diverse neighborhoods.
Valerie developed and taught three middle school courses focusing on Boston’s 19th Century Women in Medicine & Public Health Methodology for 'Girls Get Connected", a program affiliated with Simmons College, committed to inspiring girls to choose technical careers. Valerie teaches creative dramatics/ playwriting & improvisational theater technique to ages 5 – Adult in schools and organizations throughout Massachusetts. She is the founder of 'Village Wonderkin Network', an innovative educational resource company.
As a vocalist, Valerie’s first CD, Potpourri, a mixture of jazz, blues and spoken word, has been very well received. She has created three music series, the first, Women of the Village, celebrating the common voice of American, South African & Cuban women; the second, “Sweet & Salty: Dressed to the Nines” a tribute to Classic Blues Singers and is currently presenting “The Music & Times of Nina Simone” a tribute to the world renowned musical icon, Dr. Nina Simone. The Valerie Stephens Group has become a regular attraction in the area’s venues and festivals.
Valerie has travelled throughout the Caribbean and West Africa and is a member of the Dorchester Historical Society, Massachusetts Memories Roadshow Advisory Board, the Massachusetts Studies Network, Boston Pan African Forum and the NAACP.
“As a girl, I found that I could not see myself in the images that were around me and I began a search to find me, to find where I belonged. In the following years, my quest has taken me around the world and back to Boston, where I found my foundation, my legacy. However, through my search, I also learned that I must be an active global citizen as well and although that may sound overly simplistic, in reality, it is a most complicated responsibility. Its boundaries are fluid, constantly changing. As I wind my way through, I never cease to be amazed at people’s ability to survive. I am in awe at their creativity under the most horrific circumstances. I have tried to use my skills to share this information and do my part to create change through art, one step at a time. As an Artist, I am constantly asking myself "Can I?" and the answer is "I can" . That is what I try to teach, "You Can!"
- Valerie
