Storytelling Events November 30th - December 3rd 2011

November 30, 2011

Speak Up Spoken Word Open Mike Hosted by Storyteller Tony Toledo

State: Massachusetts

Speak Up Spoken Word Open Mike is held every Wednesday at The Walnut Street Coffee Cafe, 157 Walnut Street, Lynn MA. It is hosted by storyteller Tony Toledo who gives every speaker a story and a lucky coin at the end of their words. We start at 7:30 pm till 10ish. Each person who wants to speak gets 5 minutes at the microphone. Tony stands up when all the sand in the five minute hour glass is done. At five and a half minutes he is walking toward the speaker. At 6 minutes he will slide his tongue in your ear. We are a free speech zone with a three word cussing minimum. Storytellers, poets, comedians,singers, community activists and just plain ranters are all welcome. Each week has a Featured Performer who goes on at 8:30 PM for half an hour. The hat is passed to get gas money so the feature can get home. See you at Speak Up.
Time(s) 7:30 pm to 10:00 pm
Admission Free, pass the hat for the feature.
Location - The Walnut Street Coffee Cafe, 157 Walnut Street, Lynn, MA 01905
Contact Phone 978-921-4628
Contact Email  ToledoGoat@aol.com
Event Website www.facebook.com/walnutstreet

December 2, 2011

First Friday Storynight @ BLTC

State: Washington

Wintertime… and the livin’ is easy. At least on the first Friday of the month in Port Townsend, WA it is, as we engage in that ancient act of gathering together as a community listening to stories told by those who love to tell! Please join Mythsinger Foundation and host Brian Rohr for this monthly ritual of First Friday Storynight @ Better Living Through Coffee.

This month we will be featuring host Brian Rohr and International Storyteller and Seattle resident Kathy Currie. Currie will be bringing us her ever popular, and unseasonally delightful collection of stories called "Argggg, Pirates.”

This monthly event explores the art and ritual of the oral tradition: sharing the old myths, folk tales, and fairy tales along with more modern stories and personal sharings. Showcased will be local and visiting storytellers, musicians and weavers of magic with words. Each month, there are two to three featured tellers, and space for guests in the audience to share a story or two during the open mic sections.
7-9pm
Admission $10 Suggested Donation

Better Living Through Coffee
100 Tyler St.
Port Townsend, WA 98368
360.531.2535
brian@brianrohr.com
www.brianrohr.com/FirstFridayStorynight

Single Day Event

First Friday Open Mic Night

State: Tennessee

Heart-to-Heart Storytellers (HHS) feature a monthly first Friday Open Mic Night at Mimis' Cafe. A featured teller is highlighted and HHS members also perform. Audience participatin is encouraged. Time limit 10-minutes. Stories are timed. A small heart is held up at 8 minute, a larger heart at 9 minutes and at 10 minutes the heart is waved. Fun noise-makers applaud the teller off stage! Mimis Cafe in support of the HHS vision to develop a youth storytelling club in Sumner County donates 15% of sales to HHS. There is also a 50/50 raffle with funds raised earmarked for youth storytelling development. HHS endeavors to promote storytelling, encourage adults to share and persevere family stories and provide a place where youth storytellers' voices are heard and valued.
    
6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
Admission  FREE    
Mimis Cafe, 298 Indian Lake Bl., Hendersonville, TN 37075
615-264-4772
jngmarshall@comcast.net
http:hendersonvilleheart2heart.webs.com/

Single Day Event

Holiday Storytelling—Sharing the Magic of the Holidays workshop

State: North Carolina

at the John C. Campbell Folk School with Elizabeth Rose
Decorations, trees, lights, Santa, reindeer, presents, family, anticipation! Everyone has special holiday memories, vignettes, and traditions. Preserve them by crafting stories from them and learning to find your “voice” in telling the tales, so that you will be able to pass down these remembrances through the generations. It’s the gift that keeps on giving—the gift of story! All levels welcome.

Housing and Meals: Available on-site for an additional fee.
9 am- 5 pm daily
Tuition: $308  
John C. Campbell Folk School
1 Folk School Road
Brasstown, NC 28902 
800-FOLK-SCH; 828-837-2775
info@folkschool.org
www.folkschool.org

December 3, 2011

Holiday Storytelling—Sharing the Magic of the Holidays workshop

State: North Carolina

at the John C. Campbell Folk School with Elizabeth Rose
Decorations, trees, lights, Santa, reindeer, presents, family, anticipation! Everyone has special holiday memories, vignettes, and traditions. Preserve them by crafting stories from them and learning to find your “voice” in telling the tales, so that you will be able to pass down these remembrances through the generations. It’s the gift that keeps on giving—the gift of story! All levels welcome.

Housing and Meals: Available on-site for an additional fee.
9 am- 5 pm daily
Tuition: $308  
John C. Campbell Folk School
1 Folk School Road
Brasstown, NC 28902 
800-FOLK-SCH; 828-837-2775
info@folkschool.org
www.folkschool.org

12-02 :: 12-04

A Christmas Rose told by Patrick Ball

State: Indiana

In A Christmas Ros, Patrick Ball will tell the traditional tales from A Child's Chrstmas in Wales; chapters from The Wind in the Willows: and passages from Shakespeare, William Butler Yeats, and Thomas Hardy, mingling them with beloved pieces of seasonal music on his Celtic harp.

7:30 - 9:30 p.m.
$20/Advance, $25/Door

Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center
450 W. Ohio St
Indianapolis, IN 46202

317-576-9848    
Ellen@storytellingarts.org
www.storytellingarts.org

Single Day Event

"Santa's Gone Hawaiian!"

State: California

Family Holiday Show with Storyteller B.Z. Smith and the Blue Shoes Ukulele Orchestra
Now in our third year, join us for a raucous good time to start off the holidays. BZ will tell holiday stories and Aunty Uke's Blue Shoes Ukulele Orchestra will lead us in songs of the season, including our favorite "Christmas Island." We'll also have a wonderful family friendly raffle with something for everyone. Grand door prize: A ride on "Santa's Holiday Express" at Railtown 1897 Historic State Park. This holiday event is sponsored by Delta Kappa Gamma's Iota Epsilon Chapter and is a fund raiser for Family Literacy Activities in Tuolumne County, CA.

TICKETS at Mountain Bookshop (209.532.6117), Stage 3 Theatre Box Office (209.536.1778) and at the door. ADVANCE PURCHASE OF TICKETS IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. THIS IS A POPULAR SHOW!

11am to 12:30pm
$5 for children 3&up. Children under 3 are free. Adults with a child are free. Adults unaccompanied by a child--$10

Stage 3 Theatre, 208 S. Green St., Sonora, CA 95370
209.532.7697  
bz@hive-arts.org
www.hive-arts.org

Single Day Event

Leeny Del Seamonds - The Art of Storytelling

Leeny Del Seamonds, Master Story Performer™, is a multi award-winning, internationally acclaimed master performer of Hispanic/Latino, original and World stories spiced with exquisite mime, a cornucopia of characters, and love of people. With a twinkle in her eye and fire in her heart, Leeny breathes life into her stories, as she masterfully and effortlessly springs from one story character to another. A dedicated Teaching Artist, Leeny encourages listeners to feel positive about themselves and to rejoice in human and cultural diversity, inviting them to share in her Latin/Cuban-American sense of humor and love of performing.
Leeny Del Seamonds has over 30 years of stage, film and directing experience in Philadelphia, New York and Boston. Originally from the Philadelphia area, Leeny graduated magna cum laude from Rowan University and holds a BA in Speech and Theatre/Performing Arts (with a minor in Stage Directing). In New York City, she was trained by and has performed with The Richard Morse Mime Theatre, The Herbert Bergdorf Studio, The Purple Craft Theatre and The Mercer Ballet Company.
Since moving to New England in 1978, Leeny has worked as an actor, director, coach, teacher, and Master Story Performer™.  Although she loves all aspects of theatre, Leeny's happiest when performing a tale, for she is best able to utilize mime, acting, singing, writing and teaching talents. From 1991 to present, Leeny has devoted all of her passion and energies to full-time, professional storytelling.

Happy Thanksgiving from Let's Tell Stories

I was at my 4 year olds pre-school today for their "Thanksgiving Feast".  (It was adorable.)  As I past the various classrooms, I heard each class hearing different stories about Pilgrims and Thanksgiving.  It reminded me how central stories are in our lives and how important they are in giving color to our world.  It's easy to forget how essential stories are in our culture.  We think of storytelling as an event we take our children to at the library or something we do with our children at bedtime; we forget the impact stories have on our lives because they are so seamlessly woven into our lives.  Think of all the things that happen at Thanksgiving: families re-unite across country, children fly home from colleges, relatives we haven't seen all year come to visit, the preparations for the meal, all the activities at our children's schools, the parades, the decorations, etc, etc, all these things happen because of this story.  It does not matter that it is based on history.  It is still a story.  Think how much more interesting our lives are because of these stories we tell.

Storytelling Events November 22nd - 26th, 2011

November 22, 2011

Tellabration! A Gathering of Storytellers and Story Listeners
State: Wisconsin
Stories will be appropriate for families with children (adults without children who are interested in the art of storytelling are welcome).

Featured tellers include: Karen Wendt, Don Falkos, and Kay Elmsley-Weeden will be sharing their stories, ranging from traditional to personal. Also, enjoy the musical stories of Ken Lonnquist, award-winning songwriter and performer! This is a Free event. Wheelchair accessible.

6:00 to 7:00p.m.
Admission Free

Monona Public Library
1000 Nichols Road, Monona WI 53716
608-216-7453
kmwendt@mononalibrary.org
http://www.mononalibrary.org/youth/index.html
Single Day Event

Clemson Area StoryTellers Guild Meeting
State: South Carolina
Clemson Area StoryTellers Guild, meets the 4th Tuesday of each month, 7:00PM, at The Art Center, Clemson, SC. We Welcome Listeners as well as those with a story to tell! If you have a  family friendly story to share, poetry or music.... come and tell to a captive audience! Listeners are Welcome! 
4th Tuesday of each month (Dec. TBD) 
7:00 PM 
FREE  
All Welcome! 
The Art Center 
212 Butler St 
Clemson, SC 29631 
(go to explorearts.org for directions and map) 
864.653.4932 
clemsonareastorytellers@yahoo.com

November 23, 2011

Speak Up Spoken Word Open Mike Hosted by Storyteller Tony Toledo
State: Massachusetts
Speak Up Spoken Word Open Mike is held every Wednesday at The Walnut Street Coffee Cafe, 157 Walnut Street, Lynn MA. It is hosted by storyteller Tony Toledo who gives every speaker a story and a lucky coin at the end of their words. We start at 7:30 pm till 10ish. Each person who wants to speak gets 5 minutes at the microphone. Tony stands up when all the sand in the five minute hour glass is done. At five and a half minutes he is walking toward the speaker. At 6 minutes he will slide his tongue in your ear. We are a free speech zone with a three word cussing minimum. Storytellers, poets, comedians,singers, community activists and just plain ranters are all welcome. Each week has a Featured Performer who goes on at 8:30 PM for half an hour. The hat is passed to get gas money so the feature can get home. See you at Speak Up. 
Time(s) 7:30 pm to 10:00 pm
Admission Free, pass the hat for the feature.
Location - The Walnut Street Coffee Cafe, 157 Walnut Street, Lynn, MA 01905
Contact Phone 978-921-4628
Contact Email  ToledoGoat@aol.com 
Event Website www.facebook.com/walnutstreet
Single Day Event

November 26, 2011

Tellebration at The Spoken Word Cafe
State: New York
The Spoken Word Café in Poughkeepsie, New York will hold its annual Tellebration with five celebrated presenters to delight, captivate, and mesmerize you, and to strengthen our common bonds as brothers and sisters of the spoken word: Janet Carter, Lorraine Hartin-Gelardi, Jonathan Heiles, Muriel W. Horowitz and Bill Joel will spin their tales - mostly at the adult level, but everyone is welcome. For info: Angela Henry, Artistic Director, 917-509-5636
   
7:00 PM
Admission $5

67 South Randolph Street
Poughkeepsie, NY 
917-509-5636
graceangelahenry@gmail.com
Single Day Event

No Child Left Behind

Recently, the Education Department stated that 11 states have sought a waiver around unpopular proficiency requirements in the No Child Left Behind education law.  The states that applied this week are Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Tennessee.  About 28 states — including New York and Connecticut — as well as the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have declared their intention to apply in the second round, the department said.


No Child Left Behind has been widely criticized by educators and parents alike for being too reliant on standardized testing.  NCLB requires current school curriculums emphasize academics and standardized testing to the exclusion of developing creative thinking.  But without creative thinking, how are the new inventions and new solutions going to happen? Albert Einstein said, "Logic will get you from A to Z; imagination will get you everywhere."


Insufficient education funding has left public educators with little choice.  In order to receive federal funds, they must comply with NCLB.  And by requiring a curriculum that emphasizes standardized testing to the exclusion of these types of creative learning, our children and our entire Nation will be left behind.

Storytelling: Tool to Overcome Fears

From the time my oldest daughter was very small, she was very afraid of the ocean.  I remember one time it was a windy day and she had been asking to fly a kite.  I thought the beach would be a perfect place to do it.  There would be no trees to get caught up in, plenty of area to run.  I knew she didn’t like being near the surf, but the beach near our house was wide enough we could stay far away from the surf.    We got to the beach.  I brought the Elmo kite.  We couldn’t have been more than five minutes.  “Mama, I want to go home.”

We aren’t sure where this fear came from: she didn’t have any specific upsetting experiences at the beach when she was little.  She has also always hated loud noises (4th of July was always traumatic), so maybe a part of her fear of the ocean was the noise of the waves hitting the surf.  So when she was four, I decided to try making up a story about having a positive experience at the beach where she confronts her fear and overcomes it.  

It was a story about going to the beach with a family we were friends with.  They have a daughter who is 9 months younger than my daughter and they enjoy playing with each other.  They also have an older son.  So I would describe going to the beach and how at first she played in the sand with her friend far away from the ocean.  Then her friend asked her to go down to the waves, and she said no, go ahead, I don’t want to go.  Then her friend plays by herself, but it isn’t much fun so she asks her again to go to the water.  Again she refuses.  Finally, the brother comes and reassures her and tells her he will hold her hand.  She reluctantly goes with them and she puts her feet in the wet sand and the waves come in.  Then I describe her having a positive experience.  I always try to create the scene by describing tactile details: the feel of her toes digging in the wet sand and the warm sun on her back, the breeze in her hair and on her face, the sound of children laughing and the seagulls squawking.  I would end the story by having her friend’s mother pick her up and carry her deeper in the waves and then having a picnic on the beach and we tell her how much we love her.  I do not know how much this story helped her overcome her fear, but she did want me to tell it to her every night.  Now she loves the beach and could spend hours there.

My beach story was not great literature.  No one will ever illustrate it for publication.  Its value was that it was created by me specifically for my oldest daughter and no one else in the world.  And the specialness of this experience is available to every parent and caregiver.  Anyone making up a story for a child creates a unique experience for the two of them that will strengthen the bond between them.  Most importantly, this personal storytelling experience will give the child the feeling of specialness and the comfort of being cared for that every child deserves to feel.     

Diane Ferlatte - Visual Storytelling

An internationally renowned storyteller, Diane Ferlatte has traveled the globe, from Europe to Singapore & Malaysia, from Australia & New Zealand to Colombia and Senegal, Kenya, South Africa, and of course all over the United States. She believes that telling and listening to each other’s stories not only enables us to learn about each other, but also to understand each other better. She views storytelling as a traditional art form that can promote literacy, imagination, and values in the young. While emphasizing African American stories, she loves to tell stories that hold truths touching upon our common humanity, including personal stories as well as many tales from across the globe. Having a background in music as well as American Sign Language, Diane frequently incorporates both into her performances. Erik Pearson, her musical sidekick, often accompanies Diane on banjo & guitar. 

Awards: 2007 Grammy Nominee, National Storytelling Network’s Circle of Excellence Award, National Association of Black Storyteller’s Zora Neale Hurston Award, California Arts Council Highest Ranking, as well as Parents Choice, American Library Association, iParenting Media, Storytelling World, and National Parenting Publications awards. 

www.DianeFerlatte.com