Welcome to GreatTalesLive.com, home of actor-storyteller Steve Anderson. Steve tours year-round to schools, theatres, libraries, senior centers, and events of all kinds, in central Pennsylvania and beyond. From Edgar Allan Poe to Charles Dickens, to true stories of the Civil War, his one-man shows and storytelling programs bring the past to life for audiences you and old. Combining solid research, ten years of teaching experience, and twenty years as a stage actor, Steve seeks to enlighten, inspire, and entertain. Wherever there’s an audience, he’s ready to put on a show!

“I loved your stories and I liked how you told them.”

“Excellent job. The show was amazing.”

“Virtuoso performance…. Riveting.”

“Steve did an excellent job!”

“Your delivery is musical… Poetic.”

Great Tales Live on CD

A Christmas Carol and Tales From Poe are just $15 each. Email for details!

Upcoming Engagements

Wednesday, May 19, 2012 at 7:00pm

Homegrown Heroes: Pennsylvania Communities in the Civil War

Conshohocken Free Library, Conshohocken, PA.

Sponsored by the Pennsylvania Humanities Council.

Free and open to the public.

Saturday, June 16, 2012 at 1:00pm

Appearance as Thaddeus Stevens

Part of the “Men Who Cook” event at Thaddeus Stevens College, Lancaster PA.

Sponsored by Crispus Attucks.

Open to the public.

Saturday, June 30, 2012 at 10:00am

Homegrown Heroes: Pennsylvania Communities in the Civil War

Historical Society of Berks County, Reading PA.

Sponsored by the Pennsylvania Humanities Council.

Free and open to the public.

Tuesday, July 17, 2012 at 2:00pm

Homegrown Heroes: Pennsylvania Communities in the Civil War

Centre County Library and Historical Museum, Bellefonte PA.

Sponsored by the Pennsylvania Humanities Council.

Free and open to the public.

Thursday, August 16, 2012 at 7:00pm

Homegrown Heroes: Pennsylvania Communities in the Civil War

Turkeyfoot Valley Historical Society, Confluence PA

Sponsored by the Pennsylvania Humanities Council.

Free and open to the public.

Saturday, September 22, 2012

Thaddeus Stevens: Amending the Constitution

Daughters of the American Revolution – Harrisburg Chapter

Luncheon in Camp Hill, PA.

Saturday, September 29, 2012 at 8:00pm

Tales From Poe

Wolf Sanctuary, Lititz PA

Open to the public.

Wednesday, October 10

Tales From Poe

St. Theresa’s Catholic Church, New Cumberland PA.

Sunday, November 11, 2012 at 2:00pm

Civil War Stories

Hemlock Farms Community Association, Hawley PA

Free and open to members of the community.

Saturday, December 29, 2012 at 8:00pm

A Christmas Carol

Wolf Sanctuary, Lititz PA

Open to the public. Dress warm!

Recent Engagements

Libraries: New Cumberland, Fredricksen, Hershey, Annville, and Amelia S. Givin Libraries

Theatres: Oyster Mill Playhouse, Ephrata ACT, Eichelberger Performing Arts Center, Indian Head Theatre for the Arts

Museums: National Civil War Museum, Pennsylvania State Museum, Atlanta History Center

Senior Centers: Carlisle Senior Center, NE Social Services Center, Frey Village, St. John’s Herr Estate, Red Land Senior Center

Public Events: Dickensfest, Baltimore Book Festival, Baltimore’s Artscape 2009

Private Events: Conferences, fundraisers, family reunions, retirement parties, company picnics, and more!

Great Tales of Literature:

You’ve heard these stories before… but never like this.

Tales From Poe. Discover the original master of horror and suspense. Experience the madness of “The Tell-Tale Heart,” the obsession of “Annabel Lee,” the grief of “The Raven,” and the tragic life of the author, Edgar Allan Poe. Running time: 45 minutes to an hour, or 90 minutes with an extra story or two. Developed with support from the PA Council on the Arts and Jump Street.

A Christmas Carol. Charles Dickens’ classic tales of ghosts and Yuletide redemption comes to life, just in time for the holidays. Meet Scrooge, Marley, and an entire Victorian village. Running time: about an hour. Or, add Bah, Humbug as a pre-show or post-show discussion, and you’ll have a full 90-minute evening of seasonal fun!

Bah, Humbug: Inside a Dickens Classic. Explore the cultural history behind Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.” How did it take shape? How has it changed our celebration of Christmas? And what is a humbug, anyway? Features a live performance of selected scenes. Running time: 45 to 60 minutes. Developed with support from the PA Council on the Arts.

Great Tales of Pennsylvania History:

Every performance is custom-tailored for your group: stories from your community, themes that match your interests.

Civilians of Gettysburg. Gettysburg wasn’t just a battlefield, it was their home. Discover the stories of women who stood up to the invaders, children who tried to save lives, and farmers who defended their town.

Gettysburg and Beyond. Carlisle, Mechanicsburg, York, the West Shore, Wrightsville, Hanover, and Chambersburg—discover the stories of your community, soldiers and civilians alike.

Homegrown Heroes: Pennsylvania Communities in the Civil War. Abolitionists, activists, volunteers, doctors, nurses, grieving families—even if your community never saw a skirmish, there are still great stories to tell. .

Civil War Kids! Fun, fast-paced, and interactive, these are stories about kids, for kids, telling the story of the Civil War in Pennsylvania through the eyes of our youngest residents.

Ghostly Tales of Gettysburg. On July 1, 1863, almost two hundred thousand soldiers descended on the quiet town of Gettysburg. Almost ten thousand gave their lives… and legend says, some never left.

Homegrown Heroes is also available free of charge to schools, non-profits, and government agencies in Pennyslvania, as part of the Pennsylvania Humanities Council’s Commonwealth Speakers program for 2012-2013.

Great Tales in First Person:

Shake hands with Pennsylvania history with our living-history presentations.

Thaddeus Stevens: The Making of an Abolitionist. Spend an hour with Thaddeus Stevens, and discover how a poor farm boy with a twisted foot became one of the most powerful men in America. As an attorney in Gettysburg and Lancaster, a Congressman during the Civil War, and an author of two Amendments, Stevens worked for fifty years for freedom, equality, and education. How did he form his convictions? How do his divisive politics relate to ours? And why did Jubal Early want him dead?

Thaddeus Stevens (Keynote). A fifteen-minute keynote address from nineteenth-century attorney-turned-Congressman Thaddeus Stevens. Choose your topic: saving public education in Pennsylvania, working for abolition, amending the Constitution, or we can create a custom address just for you.

John Rupp: Witness in Gettysburg. Rediscover the Battle of Gettysburg, through the eyes of a civilian who lived through it all.

About the Storyteller:

STEVE ANDERSON is a professional actor and storyteller with more than twenty years of performance experience. Based near Harrisburg, PA, his credits include more than one hundred stage plays, ten years with the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire, nine years as a storyteller in Gettysburg, and five years as a certified living-history interpreter with the Pennsylvania Past Players. When he’s not performing live, he narrates audiobooks, writes and produces online videos, and explores Pennsylvania history. He’s also an experienced playwright, a former college professor, and is proud to be owned by his cats.

Contact Us: Steve Anderson, c/o Great Tales Live, 717-982-1538, Info “at” GreatTalesLive.com, or visit www.SGAcreative.com.