The Stone Soup festival in Woodruff, South Carolina was a wonderful event, made great by all the Featured tellers, New tellers and the organizers of the Festival. The Festival was hosted by the Stone Soup Storytelling Institute, nestled in the tiny town of Woodruff. Karen Page-Davies and her assistants, Linda Goodman and Lona Bartlett and Cora Newcomb were our most gracious hosts and did a fantabulous job.
The headliner was the incomparable Regi Carpenter and the Featured tellers were Tony Marr, Jeff Doyle, Sam Pearsal, and Kanute Rarey. Twelve "New Voices" tellers made up a diverse set of tellers and tales throughout the three-day event!
Nine of the New Voices tellers stayed in a lovely Air bnb house out in the countryside.
The problem was that there were nine people and only seven beds! We thought we might be the subjects of a new reality show and there may have been hidden cameras to record our decisions regarding sleeping arrangements. Cooper Braun-Enos and I opted for two of the couches.
We all had some late-night discussions about the state of the world of storytelling, along with a rousing game of ping-pong. Fortunately, no one was voted out!
There were old friends and new, and many wonderful stories both on stage and off.
EVTOT To End Monthly Meetings
From Maya Jones, President, East Valley Tellers of Tales: "It is with great regret that the Offcers of the East Valley Tellers of Tales have decided to end the EVTOT meetings."
May 11, 2019 will be the final meeting of this longstanding group that has meant so much to many storytellers in the valley.
The May 11 meeting will be a celebration of all that EVTOT has contributed to the storytelling community since its inception over 2 decades ago. If EVTOT has been an important part of your storytelling life over the years, we invite you to participate in this celebration with a story. We do hope you will join us for this final meeting.
If you cannot attend the meeting but would like to acknowledge the contribution of EVTOT in your life, you can send your thoughts, wishes or stories to Maya Jones at maya_angelofsorts@yahoo.com. We will share them at the meeting.
Congrats to Two of My Students! Congratulations to two of my students: January & Barbara for telling stories at the Moth last week! The theme was BAMBOOZLED. My name was NOT picked out of the hat (bag), but they were. First time telling for both in front of a large crowd and they sparkled! No hesitation, they were spot-on, and the crowd gave them each a rousing ovation.
Public Speaking for the Terrified Monday - April 29th Noon - 1:15 PM
Bring Your Own Lunch
Southwest Valley Chamber of Commerce
289 N Litchfield Road
Goodyear, AZ 85338
If you’d choose paper cuts over public speaking, this workshop is for you.
Every business owner, artist, author and entrepreneur MUST network, connect, speak and communicate with other people, no matter how you might feel about public speaking. Let’s make it easier. Join us for our next “lunch and learn” session to help you become more comfortable in public speaking.
Sean Buvala from The Small-Tooth-Dog Publishing Group runs you through fun, non-threatening, and easy story games to help you loosen up. He’ll share with you immediately-useful ways to increase your confidence as you develop, craft and share your story-based content and presentations.
More info here
Chatterbox Open Mic - The LAST Show Wednesday - May 1st - 7:00 PM
Fair Trade Cafe
1020 N 1st Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85003
This will be the LAST Chatterbox Show
Chatterbox Storytelling Open Mic is a live storytelling event where everyone is welcome to share their story.
Come to share your honest, real, personal stories EVERY Wednesday! No experience necessary. New or experienced – we all have a story!
Tell a story off-the-cuff OR prepare a story OR read some notes, it doesn’t matter as long as it’s YOUR story. OR just come to listen, that’s okay too!
Chandler Storytelling Showcase Thursday May 2, 2019 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
PAC 150 - Chandler Gilbert CC
2626 E. Pecos Rd.
Chandler AZ 85225 US
Storytelling Showcase with students of Caleb Winebrenner at Chandler Gilbert CC
Storyrise - Workshop & Concert Thursday - MAY 2ND - 6:00 pm
Goodyear Branch Library
14455 W. Van Buren, Goodyear
6PM Workshop: StoryRise: Finding and Crafting Your Hidden Life Stories with Sean Buvala
Highly active, the student-focused experience teaches the finding and crafting stories recalled via a variety of fun and non-threatening triggers. All skill levels are welcome. Create and craft a four-minute story for stage or page. Be ready to work and bring writing materials.
7PM OutdoorConcert: TELLERS' CHOICE
It's FREE!
Odyssey Storytelling in Tucson - Heroes & Villains
Thursday, May 2nd, Doors at 6:30, show at 7
Sea of Glass Center for the Arts
330 E. 7th Street, Tucson AZ 85705
Heroes & Villains have faced off since the beginning of recorded history. Moses and Pharaoh, Beowulf and Grendel, Batman and The Joker, SpongeBob and Plankton; we love’em, we hate’em. Sometimes a single character can be a hero to some, and a villain to others. Do you know or have a hero? Do you know, or are you a villain? Has your life ever been impacted by one or the other? Let’s hear all about it at Heroes & Villains.
Would you like to be a storyteller for one of these themes?
Email us - stories@odysseystorytelling.com - with your story idea and a brief bio!
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Thank you for all that you do to keep our community connected. We look forward to seeing you at the shows.
The Whole Story Friday - May 3rd, - 7:30 pm- 8:30 pm
Phoenix Art Museum 1625 N Central Ave Phoenix, Arizona
The Whole Story returns to Phoenix Art Museum! This live storytelling show celebrates the nuances of our humanity through personal stories told from the Black perspective. Featured storytellers take the stage at 7:30 pm.
The Whole Story is a personal storytelling event that began in January 2016. This live show seeks to bring greater depth and breadth to our understanding of the human experience from the Black perspective.
Saturday, May 4th, 2018 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. The Unscrewed Theatre 4500 E Speedway Blvd #39
Tucson, Arizona
Please come to the next Tucson Tellers of Tales meeting. We plan to have a grand time listening to and sharing favorite Southwestern folklore stories. There is still time to think about a tale YOU might tell - but remember: we always need folks to listen, so come join us - even if you don’t have a story to tell. We’d love to see you next Saturday morning as we celebrate “The Day it Snowed Tortillas!”
East Valley Tellers of Tales Saturday, May 11th ~ 10am - Noon
Scottsdale Public Library
Civic Center Drive, Scottsdale
Downstairs in the Gold Room
Join us to celebrate storytelling successes!
OUR LAST MEETING!
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!
East Valley Tellers of Tales is a group that provides a safe place to hear and tell stories, to learn about stories and storytelling, and enjoy fellowship with others. We support the personal and professional development of members, preserve and promote storytelling, and provide information about storytelling opportunities and events.
Our goal is to tell stories, listen to stories and celebrate. Join us!
Lunch Note: After the meeting, many of us gather for lunch. We invite all attendees to join us at Randy's Restaurant, NW Corner of Hayden & Chapparal in the Safeway Center.
AZ Storytellers Project - STYLISH STORIES Wednesday - May 15th - 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
The Churchill 901 N. 1st St. - Phoenix
Fashion goes beyond clothing. It can be a statement of who we are and how we want the world to see us. Join The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com for a night celebrating self-expression in the Great Hall at Phoenix Art Museum.
Hosts:
Kaila White, host of azcentral's Valley 101 podcast, and Garrett Mitchell, Arizona Republic reporter.
Tellers:
Mario Avent
Liz Warren
Angelica Lindsey-Ali
Lizbeth Congiusti
Vanessa Wilson
Accessibility Note: Arizona Storytellers is offering live captioning at this event to accommodate guests who are deaf or hard of hearing. If you require accommodations related to mobility or seating, contact Elizabeth Montgomery at emontgomery@azcentral.com.
Iinfo & Tickets
The Moth - MAMA RULES Thursday - May 16th , 8pm - 10pm
Crescent Ballroom - Doors open at 7
Theme: MAMA RULES: Prepare a five-minute story involving a mother or mothering! Your womb of origin or the person who raised you. Mother love: making it all better or setting you straight. Maternal instincts and mother-powered superhuman acts. (Lifting a car, anyone?) Mama's boys, Mommy Dearest and Mr. Mom also welcome. Becoming a mother, finding a mother, or finally recognizing the wisdom of the one you got. (Please be sure that you bring a story about a mother, not an homage.) Did you get them all to paint the fence or unwittingly show up with your brushes?
Put your name in the hat, ten tellers will be selected.
*Seating is not guaranteed and is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please be sure to arrive at least 10 minutes before the show. Admission is not guaranteed for late arrivals. All sales final.
$15 - Advance purchase recommended (with fees, comes to $19.50)
The Language of Latka Thinking a lot about words and language in my storytelling classes. So I thought it might be fun to re-visit a tip from 2013. Enjoy!
Remember Andy Kaufman's character on Taxi? Latka Gravas. He was from "the old country" and spoke a strange language. There were only a few words that were defined like:
"Yaktahbay" - behind/butt
"Nik nik" - sex
"Ibi da" - "yes" or "that is so"
Most of the language was gibberish, or at least sounded like that. But you could always understand what he (and Carol Kane as Simka) were saying due to their facial/body expressions, intonations, etc.
Try this as an exercise, and do it with a coach, friend, group of friends or at a trusted story circle or guild gathering.
Tell the story in gibberish. "Blah, blah, blah" or whatever. Use your body, face, voice, and anything else you can to convey the meaning of the words, just don't use the words. Jeff Gere from Hawaii has used this exercise with pairs. The pairs tell each other a story, then choose one of the stories to "tell" to the group in gibberish.
Remember that this is an "exercise" so, go "over the top" with your gestures and everything else. You can always pull back later, in a real telling. But in this exercise, be outrageous and have fun!
Then, get feedback from the group. What did they think the story was about? Could they distinguish between different characters? Did they get a sense of the setting? Did they have a sense of time passing? What they tell you about what THEY thought you were saying, doing or conveying will be invaluable!
Oh yeah...one more thing...You might want to think about performing a story this way for an audience! What, you say? Outrageous? Crazy? Can't be done? Donna Washington tells the story of the Three Little Pigs with NO words at all...just sound. And it works!
Now go back to your words and do ALL the same movements and gestures. Now you should have a great story!
The San Diego Connection It's almost the first of the month. Don't forget there is a lot of storytelling going on in San Diego, just a few hours west! And the weather is great!
Here is the link to the Storytellers of San Diego Page that lists many of those events and activities.
******************************* THERE'S A LOT GOING ON EACH MONTH ***************************
-------------------CHECK EACH WEBSITE OR THE CALENDAR PAGE TO CONFIRM DATES AND TIMES ---------------------------------CALL TO MAKE SURE THE EVENT IS STILL ON
FStorytellers - Female Story Tellers - Tucson
Usually sometime during the first week of the month - but check their website) at 7 pm - TUCSON https://www.fstorytellers.com/
West Side Story Tellers - Storytellers Guild First Saturday of each month - GLENDALE *NO meetings in July & August http://westsidestorytellers.weebly.com
East Valley Tellers of Tales -Storytellers Guild LAST MEETING - SATURDAY, MAY 11TH http://www.evtot.com
Storyfind Fourth Saturday of each month (usually - check calendar) - *NO meetings in June & July
SMCC Storytelling Institute
A monthly workshop designed to help storytellers build community and deepen repertoire. See the Calendar
- National Storytelling Network? You should be.
The Stone Soup festival in Woodruff, South Carolina was a wonderful event, made great by all the Featured tellers, New tellers and the organizers of the Festival. The Festival was hosted by the Stone Soup Storytelling Institute, nestled in the tiny town of Woodruff. Karen Page-Davies and her assistants, Linda Goodman and Lona Bartlett and Cora Newcomb were our most gracious hosts and did a fantabulous job.
Congratulations to two of my students: January & Barbara for telling stories at the Moth last week! The theme was BAMBOOZLED. My name was NOT picked out of the hat (bag), but they were. First time telling for both in front of a large crowd and they sparkled! No hesitation, they were spot-on, and the crowd gave them each a rousing ovation.
Monday - April 29th Noon - 1:15 PM
Wednesday - May 1st - 7:00 PM
Thursday May 2, 2019 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Thursday - MAY 2ND - 6:00 pm
Friday - May 3rd, - 7:30 pm- 8:30 pm
Saturday, May 11th ~ 10am - Noon
Wednesday - May 15th - 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Thinking a lot about words and language in my storytelling classes. So I thought it might be fun to re-visit a tip from 2013. Enjoy!
It's almost the first of the month. Don't forget there is a lot of storytelling going on in San Diego, just a few hours west! And the weather is great!
