April Armstrong
Storytelling, Poetry, Jazz
April Armstrong divides her profession between storytelling, acting, and singing.
As a storyteller, April performs stories in person and virtually for schools, libraries, museums, historic sites and corporate events throughout the US, Jamaica and Indonesia. She and her jazz trio have performed her storytelling concert, Stories and Songs with a Jazzy Twist at Flushing Town Hall, Abrons Art Center Theater, Apollo Theater and Kravis Center. She was awarded the 2020 J.J. Reneaux Emerging Artist Award from the National Storytelling Network and won the 2015 BRIO Award for Storytelling from the Bronx Council for the Arts. April performed as featured storyteller for the 2020 National Association of Black Storytellers’ Conference Gala, the National Storytelling Network Conference, the Grapevine, Story Space and the Clearwater Festival. Her debut CD “The Cat Came Back” won a Parent’s Choice Award (Silver).
April’s acting bio includes Off-Broadway productions, Broadway National Tours such as CAROUSEL and RAGTIME, and roles at regional theatres include The Guthrie, American Musical Theatre of San Jose, and American Repertory Theatre, among others. On film, her voice can be heard in the movie WASHINGTON SQUARE, directed by Aneskia Holland. She has appeared on shows on Comedy Central, Showtime and NBC networks.
As an educator, April has been teaching for over 25 years offering curriculum-related programs and residencies for students from pre-K to high school. Themes and subjects include: storytelling, drama, comedy improv, music and poetry of the Harlem Renaissance, playwriting, music, collage and oil painting. She is a teaching artist at Flushing Town Hall and has taught for Lincoln Center Institute, Apollo Theater, Theatre Development Fund, Center for Arts Education, Henry Street Settlement, and Carnegie Hall's "Link Up." April holds a Bachelor of Music from Manhattan School of Music and a Master of Arts in Music Education from Teachers College, Columbia University.
