by Carol Birch One fall I requested permission to perform Truman Capote’s “A Thanksgiving Visitor.” The representative agreed with the proviso that not a word be changed – an impossible request. The text required editing. In this case the editing was particularly important because of the age of the audience and the time available to […]
Literary Storytelling Details »
Told by Randel McGee & Groark Listen to story In Western Culture, the story of “Sir George and the Dragon” is THE quintessential dragon tale of a daring knight, a lovely maiden in distress, and a monstrous dragon. Since Groark, my “friend”, is a young dragon, we are naturally drawn to dragon tales as he
Sir George and the Dragon Details »
by Sherry Norfolk I spend most of my professional life in the classroom. Storytelling allows me to work with kids of all ages and skill levels, in a huge variety of settings, for a multitude of purposes. Each classroom offers its own set of challenges and potential rewards. Among the most challenging – and the
A Story About the Power of Story Details »
Told by Karen Golden Listen to story This story was published in Nice Jewish Girls: Growing Up In America in 1996 and is one of my favorite personal stories to tell. All the characters have passed away with the exception of my dear friend Diana. We still laugh about this day so long ago and
by Regina Ress Living from within myth and fairytale, looking with a metaphoric eye, life’s lessons are deeply experienced and learned. Recently I spent two months volunteering for Fundacion Arte del Mundo, an arts and literacy center in the Andean town of Baños, Ecuador. Besides the in-town waterfall and hot springs for which the town
Sweeping Ashes for the Witch Details »
by Kirk Waller Listen to story Uncle Cleo means a lot to me for many reasons. Each time I tell and hear the story, it reminds me of all of the people in my life that have introduced me to and influenced my storytelling. It intimates at the magic of those older storytellers weaving stories
Uncle Cleo and the Word the Devil Made Up Details »
By Yvonne Healy What is more Irish than storytelling? American audiences often request stories about one particular Irish character. They visualize a little man dressed in spring’s color with a matching green top hat, jacket and shoes with big buckles and a matching scarf. He beguiles with his sprightly laugh and dancing step. You want
Identity Theft: the Leprechaun Details »
By Mary Hamilton Listen to story I’m far from the first to tell “Rindercella” a Spoonerized “Cinderella.” For years it held no appeal whatsoever. To me, “Rindercella” seemed like a memorized fixed text being recited rather than told. Me, memorize text? No way! Then, I needed a version. I put together Around the World with
by Katie Knutson Chances are that your path to storytelling and mine are quite different. Maybe you were a part of the storytelling revival of the 1970’s; maybe you discovered storytelling within another career path; or, maybe you started as a story listener. I am guessing that few of you had your first introduction to
Storytelling: Community through… Competition? Details »
by Dolores Hydock A friend of mine teaches fourth grade in a public school. They were doing a section on theatre, and she asked me to talk to her class about acting. When I got there, I heard about the students’ experience doing a play about Colonial Jamestown. (“I played a dog and a colonial
