Fire & Light - NSN Conference Update The theme has been announced for the National Storytelling Network Conference to be held in Mesa, Arizona, July 24-27, 2014:
Fire & Light Storytelling illuminates who we are as individuals and as a community. Stories spark deeper understanding; they enlighten our minds and hearts. Stories light the fire of joy and laughter.
Proposals for Workshops and Fringe performances are now being accepted.
Workshop proposals for 90 minute sessions are due December 9, 2013 - Click here for info
Proposals for 55 minute Fringe performances are due Decamber 31, 2013 - Click here for info
The Winners Perform! Tonight, October 7th - 6:30-8:30 pm
Be part of the fun! Join everyone at South Mountain Community College as the the top seven winners of the Greek & Roman Myth Throwdon from Friday tell the full versions of their myths for Myth Informed - Classic Moves. The tellers are (with laurel wreaths): Philip Lehew, Israel Tinoco, Laura Rutherford, Marian Giannatti, James Ashcroft, Lazarus and Maverick Graham.
Stories Connect Us All Online Storytelling Festival - October 9-11
This THREE-DAY, online event is a worldwide movement to promote understanding among different racial, ethnic and religious groups. Stories Connect Us All is the world’s first-ever online storytelling festival to focus on building bridges between cultures.
During the three-day festival, participants can log onto the Stories Connect Us All Facebook page (www.Facebook.com/StoriesConnectUsAll) to watch personal videos stories from a different professional storyteller every half hour, from 8 am to 10 pm (CDT) each day. The videos will feature multicultural storytellers sharing stories of their unique cultural backgrounds, challenges and triumphs.
Over the three days, you can hear 72 stories by over 60 professional storytellers!
East Valley Tellers of Tales Saturday, October 12th ~ 10am - Noon Join us to celebrate storytelling successes. East Valley Tellers of Tales is a Phoenix area guild of Storytellers and Storylisteners. A truly safe place to share your story! We are an affiliate of the National Storytelling Network. Come and find out what this means, and how it benefits you!
Note: We are back in the Gold Room downstairs! We now have metal folding chairs - you may want to bring a seat cushion.
West Side Story Tellers Saturday, October 12th ~ 10am - Noon West Side Story Tellers will be from 10 am to Noon - at St. John's Lutheran Church, at 7205 N. 51st Ave. in Glendale. For more information, contact their president, Mark Compton at WestSideStoryTellers@Yahoo.com.
Executive Speaker Training - October 21-22 Storyteller and Trainer Extraordinaire Sean Buvala will be conductinig his Executive Speaker Training Workshop in two weeks, October 21-22. Here are just a few of the things you will learn:
The one question you must answer for your audience right away.
Discover your individual secret that separates you from the rest of the speakers.
The surprising techniques of a good speaker that you need before you even open your mouth.
The power of crafting a story: knowing what to keep and what to lay aside.
But wait...there's more! Check out Sean's website to learn more about this amazing workshop and why you should attend.
Planning for More Than One Several of us are telling at an event — now what?
Planning a program with multiple tellers is very similar to the steps for planning a solo performance: know your audience; know your time limits; select your stories; plan the order; plan the transitions; etc. With multiple-teller events, all of these things and more need to be communicated and discussed with all participants. Everyone needs to be on the same page. Here are just a few suggestions for preparing a program with several individual tellers:
One person should be the “lead contact” for the organization/event. This lead person needs to understand all the requirements of the event and the organizers.
Communicate clearly the “who, what, when, where” of the event.
Make sure everyone understands the “theme” or thrust of the event.
Make sure each teller is telling a story that is appropriate to the event, theme and group.
Discuss and select an “order of stories” that will compliment the event, grab the audience’s attention at the beginning and build on each successive story.
Discuss and plan how you will transition from one teller to the next. Will an emcee introduce each person? If so, how will they verbally transition to the next? Will tellers merely follow each other? How will they transition from the previous teller? How will you close and end the event?
Invite tellers to arrive at the venue at a designated time and place and “group up” to check out the space and discuss blocking and/or staging issues. Is the performance area a stage, breakout room, large meeting hall? Where will the audience be? Where will all the tellers sit/stand? What will be most conducive to creating a smooth flowing experience for the audience?
Plan for contingencies. The lighting sucks. There is no PA. How will you deal with “no-show” tellers? How will you deal with venues where attendees can come and go at will? The organizer wants their little Suzy to tell a story.
Invite all tellers to gather just prior to the performance to “warm-up” vocally and physically, re-check the telling order and reiterate protocols for the performance.
Schedule some time after the performance and invite all tellers to gather in order to “debrief” and give “appreciations”. Discuss what went well; what might have improved the experience; what might be considered for the next time or next event?
You should do all of this when you are telling solo. When performing with others, the experience and conditions are multiplied “exponentially”. So make sure you plan, plan, plan!
Halloweeeeeeeen It's October! Almost time for my favorite holiday!
Here's a link to a previous blog from 2010 from my good frind and colleague, storyteller Karen Langford Chace. There's loads of information about halloween, and links to stories to fright and delight, curriculum links, crafts and more. And check out the ARCHIVES too!
- National Storytelling Network? You should be.
The theme has been announced for the National Storytelling Network Conference to be held in Mesa, Arizona, July 24-27, 2014:
Tonight, October 7th - 6:30-8:30 pm
Online Storytelling Festival - October 9-11
Saturday, October 12th ~ 10am - Noon
Storyteller and Trainer Extraordinaire Sean Buvala will be conductinig his Executive Speaker Training Workshop in two weeks, October 21-22. Here are just a few of the things you will learn:
Several of us are telling at an event — now what?
It's October! Almost time for my favorite holiday!
