Set in an environment of standing paper sculptures reminiscent of the figures in a pop-up book, The Ready Heart features the writing of award-winning American author Jane Yolen, performed by her most distinguished spoken word interpreter, Milbre Burch. With the strands of the writer's words, the teller spins a web of stories, some whimsical, some chilling. In them, a young man marries a cat; a sailor's wife retrieves him from the deep; a fairy is caught in her own spell; a girl meets her vampire mother after dark, and more.

Called America's Hans Christian Andersen, Jane Yolen has published over 200 books ranging from children's picture books to adult non-fiction, science fiction and fantasy. Among her numerous writing honors are the World Fantasy Award, the Kerlan Award, the Golden Kite Award, the Mythopoeic Society Award and the Christopher Award. Of the performer, Yolen has said, "Milbre Burch is my other soul. I love the way she tells my stories."

Burch premiered The Ready Heart at the University of San Diego in March of 1995.That same spring she included excerpts in a juried performance at the Los Angeles Women's Theatre Festival, and in a twelve-city European tour. Her participation in Sushi Visual and Performing Art's Solo Visions Festival in San Diego garnered critical acclaim. The San Diego Union Tribune called Burch "an instinctively rhythmic performer with a wonderfully organic use of movement and gesture... She became a kind of transparency through which to see the heart of each tale. Her simple, selfless performances were mesmerizing, like a fine solo dancer's."

Before taking sections of the work to Austria in 1997, Burch performed The Ready Heart at the California Institute of Technology and at Occidental College. Ellen Ketchum, who was then Occidental's Performing Arts Director, wrote this: "A very strong 'bravo! ' for your wonderful performances here. You are one of the most smashing actresses I have seen in my long years spent running theaters. I consider myself an advocate of your splendid work."

The haunting figures that set the stage for The Ready Heart were created by limited edition book artist Beth Thielen. Her work has been exhibited at the Getty Museum and in the book collections of Harvard and Yale Universities.


The material in each act of The Ready Heart is selected from the following sources:

"The Ballad of the White Seal Maid" adapted from Neptune Rising Ð Songs and Tales of the Undersea Folk by Jane Yolen.

"The Fisherman's Wife" adapted from Neptune Rising Ð Songs and Tales of the Undersea Folk by Jane Yolen.

"The Cat Bride" adapted from Dream-Weaver by Jane Yolen.

"Sans Soleil" adapted from The Moon Ribbon and Other Tales by Jane Yolen.

"Knives" by Jane Yolen adapted from Snow White, Rose Red, edited by Terri Windling and Ellen Datlow.

Sleeping Ugly adapted from the book by Jane Yolen.

"Beauty and the Beast: An Anniversary" adapted from The Faery Flag by Jane Yolen.

"Mama Gone" by Jane Yolen adapted from Vampires, edited by Jane Yolen and Martin Greenberg.

"Dragonfield" adapted from Dragonfield and Other Stories by Jane Yolen.

The Boy Who Had Wings adapted from the book by Jane Yolen.

"The Storyteller" adapted from Dragonfield and Other Stories by Jane Yolen.

Running time is 90 minutes. There is one 10-minute intermission.

Milbre Burch's recording of The Ready Heart features some of the  selections above, and was awarded a Parents' Choice Gold Award in 1995.