Shake off the dust of the mundane with playful keynotes and workshops that harness the joy of storytelling and fuel your team with creativity, connection, and innovation.

Lead With Story.

A woman giving a presentation in front of a screen with slide text, wearing a blue top, black pants, and red necklace, standing on a stage with a laptop on a black podium.

Build With Play.

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Story & Play Matter

Oh hey there, grown up. Have you added play to your day?

(Pssst...) It’s where innovation thrives.

Remember that feeling of being a kid, fully immersed in a daydream?

We all know story sparks imagination in kids, but here’s the secret: it’s just as powerful for grown-ups. Storytelling and play open the door to creativity, fresh thinking, and authentic connection.

In a world that constantly tries to box us in, I show teams how to light up the parts of themselves that wonder, laugh, and create.

When professionals rekindle imagination and curiosity, they bring that flame back to their work.

Speaking & Training Experiences

Speaking & Training Experiences

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From Stage To Strategy

I design performances, workshops, and trainings that move your team from inspiration to implementation.

Keynote Performances
High-energy storytelling that inspires your audience to approach the world through play so they can create and connect with deeper imagination and bigger goals.


Interactive Workshops
Playful, hands-on sessions where teams deep dive into creativity, collaboration, and storytelling frameworks to invigorate professional growth.


Corporate Events & Professional Coaching
Story driven performances that enliven your workspace events, conferences, and bring-your-child-to-work days. One-on-one storytelling coaching that equips leaders and professionals with tools to communicate, problem-solve, and innovate.

Around The Water Cooler

Add your organization’s voice here. Let’s make your event the next story worth telling.

A woman standing and speaking to children and adults seated in a classroom or conference room. There are two large screens with a circle logo that reads 'The Fairy Tale Art Club' behind her, and a poster on the left side of the room. The room has a green carpet and ceiling lights.
A woman with pink hair and a yellow dress performs on stage with a microphone in front of an audience of children and adults in an art gallery, with a blackboard background displaying colorful abstract faces.
A woman standing in front of a screen with a logo for 'The Fairy Tale Art Cart' during a presentation or event. She is smiling, wearing a black and white striped top, a long white skirt, and green shoes with an orange lanyard around her neck. There is a poster to her left promoting Rachael Harrington, a storyteller, with images and QR codes.
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Well, Hello!

I’m a professional storyteller, literacy and SEL specialist, and teaching artist who has spent years helping schools, libraries, museums, and organizations use imagination and folktales as a tool for growth.

I’ve performed and led trainings across the NYC/Tri-State area and internationally, creating experiences that are equal parts joyful and practical.

Everybody is a storyteller when folk & fairy tales come to life at your next event.

A group of four women performing music outdoors under a tent, with a backdrop that reads 'WORD UP Community Bookshop.' One woman is speaking into a microphone, while others play violins and a cello.

Professional Learning For Schools

A classroom presentation with a woman standing in front of a projected slide titled 'Words Alive.' Students and attendees are seated at tables, some taking notes or using laptops. The room has blackboards and a few water bottles on the tables.
Rachael’s storytelling PD was so important as we transferred back into the school building [after Covid]. Her passion and expertise in the art of storytelling transformed the way our teachers engaged with students. Rachael’s workshop is a must for any educator looking to bring magic into their classroom through the power of storytelling.
— Tomek Krzyzostaniak, Current NYC DOE educator. Former Principal at Girls Prep

Educators playfully explore topics in storytelling in order to create classrooms full of engaged learning, vocabulary growth and retention, literacy skills, and creative connection.

Pumped Up Read Alouds:

Weaving storytelling technique into books read-alouds to make literacy come alive.

The Storied Classroom:

The 5 Pillars of Storytelling To Create A Vibrantly Engaged Classroom.

Professional Learning for Museums & Libraries

Hands-on creative workshops that inspire museum and library professionals to light up their spaces and communities with energized storytelling.

Group of men and women museum educators participating in an indoor activity or game, with some jumping and others raising their hands, in a brightly decorated classroom.

Pumped Up Storytimes workshop with museum educators at Children’s Museum of Manhattan.

Rachael’s joyful and fun energy were key to making this workshop a success. She got 40 librarians up and participating in just a few minutes on a very rainy Monday morning. Pretty incredible.
— Renee McGrath, Manager of Youth Services Nassau Public Library System