LANES/CT Stories+Storytellers

Nancy Duarte Story in Presentation

2012-02-05T07:56:00.000-08:00

The story in the middle of the presentation

The story that promotes you ideology

The story that makes people sit up and listen not just hear!

If Irish eyes smiling it's because they.....

2012-02-02T20:09:00.000-08:00

were remembering the storytelling of an Irish Seanachie ( storyteller). Here you can listen to a wonderful tale told by Batt Burns, and enjoy the Irish accent too!

You can find performances of storytelling similar to that everywhere. Two places this spring will have us swirling in stories. Sharing the Fire, the Northeast Storytelling Conference March 16,17,18, 2012 in Albany, NY. www.lanes.org The second is the Connecticut Storytelling Festival on April 28, 2012 in New London, CT. www.connstorycenter.org

more info in these blogs:
http://lanesrepct.blogspot.com/2012/01/ct-storytelling-festival.html

http://lanesrepct.blogspot.com/2011/12/sharing-fire.html

Look; VoiceMail In Mansfield General Store

2012-01-31T06:28:00.000-08:00

A new hangout for the Connecticut storytelling community comes with built in hot soup and chili. The lights were twinkling on arrival last night at the Mansfield General Store for the first VoiceMail held in the new location. VoiceMail is open mic storytelling and features one teller each month. The host store is a historic centerpiece to the village of Mansfield Center just a few miles south of the University of Connecticut campus. ( 534 Storrs Rd./ Rte 195 Mansfield Center, CT. 06250)

Once inside, the night was for set aside for friends, stories, and good food. The setting is conducive to first time tellers, two took the floor on this January night to share a inaugural story. They were joined by three other tellers who told in an open mic slot. The final half of the evening was a trio of riddle tales delivered by storyteller Gail Zeiba.

Our hosts for the evening are a dynamic duo intent on reviving the old store into a new community space. Sisters, Lisa Rich and Keleigh Shumbo are balancing the charm of colonial country store with the foods and sounds of an upscale coffee house... and it works! Check out their FaceBook and "like them" if you would please. They are really helping the story community reach new tellers and listeners. https://www.facebook.com/update_security_info.php?wizard=1#!/MansfieldGeneralStore

SOUPS ON!!! That call to dinner has resounded for centuries, but here soup has companions and last night the biscuits and cornbread, and then there is the dessert table New England dining for a night of story.

Everyone gathered their food settled in and the stories began. A wonderful evening of tales shared, that ranged from a love story to a military, a ghostly general store story and more then, feature Gail Zeiba's classic riddle tales.

The upcoming featured tellers for 2012 VoiceMail

Feb. - Sara deBeer
March - Bill Hinderer
April - Carolyn Martino
May - Libby Franck ( last Tues due to Memorial Day)
June - Robin Bady
July - Jim Harriman
Aug. - TBA
Sept. - Teresa Whitaker & Frank Schwartz
Oct. - Ellie Toy
Nov. TBA
Dec. - off- See you in 2013

Previous posts on VoiceMail or Connecticut Storytelling:

http://lanesrepct.blogspot.com/2012/01/ct-storytelling-festival.html

from our previous VoiceMail venue a report;
http://lanesrepct.blogspot.com/2011/11/karen-chace-brews-up-magical-evening.html

Scavenger Hunt

2012-01-25T20:50:00.000-08:00

A Sharing the Fire Storytelling Conference - Scavenger Hunt from

www.lanes.org/sharing-the-fire-conference2

you might want to open a second browser window or print the list

1.) A tractor in the house   ___ ____ ___      ____   ____   ___   ____

2.) mind movies          ____ ____ ___      ____ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

3.) youth on ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ morning

4.) Kevin Cordi is ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

5.) ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ____ hotel

6.) Storyteller's ___ ___ ___ ___ ___     ___ ___ ___ with Meg Gillman

7.) Geraldine ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ in Paradise

8.) Jeff ____ ___ ___ ___ In Your ___ ___ ___ ___

9.) Photos (c) by ___ ___ ___ ___ ___      ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

10.) Fran Journeys to ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

11.) CT. Workshop Presenter last name ____ ____ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

12.) Brooklyn -Based Overcoat and ___ ___ ___ ___ ___     ___ ___ ___ ___

13.) Barbara crosses barriers with ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

14.) ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ with our Demons

15.) Technology ___ ___ ___ ___ it Baby!

16.) Jeane and Audrey How Do I ___ ___ ___ ___ ___?

17.) 3 people with cow references ____________, ________________, ___________________

18.) Granny has ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ballads

19.) Jo has from Seed to ___ ___ ___ ___

20.) Slam ___- ___ ___ ___ ___ Nights

other blogs about the conference:

www.lanesrepct.blogspot.com/2012/01/healing-and-spirituality-workshops.html

www.lanesrepct.blogspot.com/2011/12/sharing-fire.html

Healing and Spirituality Workshops

2012-01-23T04:44:00.000-08:00

Come to the Sharing the Fire Conference a Northeast gathering. March 16,17,18, 2012 in Albany, New York. All the details are on the website for the sponsor organization www.lanes.org Let the League for the Advancement of New England Storytelling be your host, everyone is welcome. Here is the listing of workshops available in the Healing and Spirituality track, I'm sure you will be inspired by something in the list.

Healing & Spirituality

Gerald Fierst- “Making Life Rituals From Your Stories”
Using ritual structure, traditional motifs, and the rhythms of language, we will discuss concepts and tools to create life passage celebrations which open our lives into an awareness of the universal. Births, weddings, and funerals, are all moments of recognition; so are kitchen warmings, downsizings, retirement, and divorce.
Category- Healing & Spirituality Levels:All

Meg Gilman- “Storyteller’s First Aid: Taking Care of Yourself in Down (or Up) Times”
Business is slow. Your new project isn’t going well. The residency you counted on wasn’t funded. Or too busy, stressed, no time for yourself? Too nervous before a performance? How do you stay calm when your world is spinning? Experience practical, insightful (and fun!) practices for centering, no matter the ‘weather report.’ Wear comfortable clothes.
Categories- Healing & Spirituality; Performing Skills Levels: All

Sarah Halford – “The Nature of Symbol: Symbols of Nature in Story”-
Through discussion and exercises we will explore the power of symbol to heal, to transform, to create new worlds from the ruin of old. Through story, myth and dream, we will explore symbols of nature as vehicles for restoring a heart connection to the natural world.
Categories- Healing & Spirituality Levels- All - mature audience

Fran Yardley- “ Journeys to Transformation: Sharing our Experience of How Story Heals”
What is healing story? Who is it for? Why is it important? Drawing from thirty years experience, Fran will share a keynote exploring these questions. Participants at all levels will be actively engaged to share their own experiences, expanding the discussion of the past, present and future of healing story.
Category- Healing & Spirituality Levels: All interesting in story and healing

Carol Martino- “It’s Not That Easy Being Green: Telling Tales of Redemption”
( Showcase with workshop- 90 min. session.)
Carolyn Martino will present Masks, an autobiographical tale of self-acceptance and healing that Donald Davis calls “a beautiful work of courage, humor and honesty.” Learn to shape a difficult or challenging personal experience into a life-affirming story that is clear, accessible and safe for the listener.
Categories- Healing & Spirituality Levels: All

Elisa Pearmain – “Dining with our Demons: Cultivating Self-Compassion through Story”
Helping ourselves and our clients to sit with and embrace uncomfortable feelings and unaccepted parts of ourselves is a key aspect of personal growth and therapeutic work. Drawing on wisdom tales, brief mindfulness exercises and personal stories we will explore and deepen the practice of welcoming and honoring what is.
Category- Healing & Spirituality Levels:All

Jean Alter, LCSW- “Telling Stories to Teach Peace Skills”
Stories can be a “back-door” that allow students to consider how to handle conflicts peacefully and fairly. Participants of this workshop will learn:

How to apply storytelling to teach the four steps for conflict resolution
Effective ways to help students draw meaning from the stories and apply them to real-life situations

Categories- Education /Youth; Healing & Spirituality Levels: All (incl.clergy, librarians)

And the Title of the Song Is.......

2012-01-16T19:05:00.000-08:00

ummmmmm........let's see ........... ahhhhhhh. ...........ummmmm

Apparently that is the sound of the song title brainstorm going on over at the studio
with Bill Harley and Keith Munslow. It would seem the Texas drought moved east!

We just want to hear those guys play, so help them out, send a title to a pair of needy musicians.

Directions are in the short video:

I've crossed the path of this duo before, read about them in here:

www.lanesrepct.blogspot.com/2011/07/cool-cat-returns-to-ct-keith-munslow.html

www.carolynstearnsstoryteller.blogspot.com/2011/08/keith-munslow-no-token-no-milk.html

www.carolynstearnsstoryteller.blogspot.com/2010/09/mistakes-were-made-review-or-family.html

Are You LinkedIn Yet? 6 Places to Find Links

2012-01-13T20:26:00.000-08:00

Here is a basic introduction to LinkedIn and how it can help you.

If you are looking to build a web community to help with networking who will you invite?

We all know a variety of people but be sure to link up with people outside the storytelling circle as well! I try to keep storytellers to one quarter of my connections and have the others be connections from other parts of my life. Here are 6 suggestions of people to ask.
1. People from college or training
2. People in extended family
3. People from your favorite recreation activity
4. People from church community
5. People whose services you use at home
6. People you worked with at previous employment

Previous blogs with business helps:
www.lanesrepct.blogspot.com/2011/08/qr-what-is-it.html

www.lanesrepct.blogspot.com/2011/10/6-pointers-for-web-community.html

www.lanesrepct.blogspot.com/2011/12/public-speaking-conquer-it-with.html

State Police Story with Bob Welsh

2012-01-09T16:23:00.000-08:00

Imagine the stories our state troopers have. Stories all powerful, some good enriching and heartfelt, some bad, tears dripping, no one should have to experience this, kind of stories. Stories that keep this land one of hope, because sometimes an angel wears a uniform. In this case after retirement from the ranks of Ohio State Troopers, the police officer becomes a storyteller. This was such a moving story I couldn't wait for the holidays to come around again, we are not so far past them, so have a listen.

Want to learn more about Bob's work and stories? His website is; www.bobwelsh.com

His Book and CD of the same title:

How did I learn about Bob Welsh? Elk introduced us, well that's another story!

CT Storytelling Festival

2012-01-06T05:00:00.000-08:00

Schedule of Events

9:00 am GATHERING of the TELLERS

With Eshu Bumpus, Kate Danaher, Motoko, Jim Hawkins, Laconia Therrio, Suzi Whaples, Czenge Zalkat

11:00 am PERFORMANCES

A Morning with Eamon Kelly, His Life and His Works

Kate Danaher & Jim Hawkins

Czenge Zalka & Bob Reiser

11:00 am WORKSHOPS

Learning to Tell Tales Based on Story Structure – Emily Chasse

Eshu Bumpus

Motoko

2:00 pm Eshu & Motoko IN CONCERT

3:45 pm PERFORMANCES

Anne Izard Award Winning Stories

Emily Chasse

Jim Hawkins

Katie Hereld

Laconia Therrio & Suzi Whaples

3:45 pm WORKSHOPS

Telling Our Story; build a family story-keeping tradition – Bob Reiser

Czenge Zalka

7:30 pm CABARET

Entertainment for grown-ups, with wine and refreshments.

With Kate Danaher emcee; Suzi Whaples and Bob Reiser

9:00 pm CAMPUS SLAMMER FINALS

College students from around the state compete in a story slam.
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Click here for the complete list of Festival performers:

http://connstorycenter.org/festivalwhoswho.htm

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Register for the Festival online!

CSC uses PayPal to process credit card transactions but you do not need a PayPal account to register. You will be given a choice between paying by credit card or PayPal. http://www.connstorycenter.org/

You'll find a link to a PDF version of the registration form to download, print and mail here too. http://connstorycenter.org/festivalRegistration.htm

Storytellers Resolutions

2012-01-03T13:15:00.000-08:00

We all have a few ... even if we don't admit it! As storytellers what are some great New Year resolutions? We all need to move forward with our storytelling and together take storytelling to a new place more connected and vibrant in our technologically enhanced age. This is our time to connect and share. Please add to the list in the comments section!

2012 Resolutions

#1 Take Storytelling Everywhere Promote Promote Promote

#2 Connect with old friends and new

#3 I'll Think Outside the Box! Inside too!

#4 Be adventuresome

#5 Keep Learning

Your turn, leave a resolution in the comment box please.

other blogs on New Year events etc:

www.lanesrepct.blogspot.com/2011/12/sharing-fire.html

www.lanesrepct.blogspot.com/2011/12/attention-connecticut-college-students.html

Public Speaking Conquer It With Storytelling

2011-12-30T05:11:00.000-08:00

Storytellers are public speakers and the best public speakers are storytellers.

Plane crashes, fire, car crashes, illness and poverty do not have the power to strike fear as the words
"Public Speaking" for many, this is the number one fear!

photo by epSos.de via Flikr

Let me tell you there is a world of help out there in the realm of storytelling! Conquer the fear of public speaking this year.

Storytellers, do this every day with ease, they are masters of weaving words into a tale you will remember. You can find the power to face that group and make a great public speaking presentation with the help of storytelling, because, that's the way it has been for all recorded time.

Here are some resources to find storytelling near you:
in Connecticut: www.connstorycenter.org Their conference/festival with workshops
Connecticut Storytelling Festival April 28, 2012

in the Northeast: www.lanes.org Their conference with workshops Sharing the Fire March 16,17,18 2012 in Albany

In the Nation: www.storynet.org The National Storytelling Conference www.storynet.org/conference/index.html
2012 National Storytelling Conference. The 2012 National Storytelling Conference will take place June 28-July 1, 2012 at the Cincinnati Marriott at River Center

Have a Listen this short video explains:

blogs of connecting content:
www.lanesrepct.blogspot.com/2011/12/sharing-fire.html

www.lanesrepct.blogspot.com/2011/10/where-to-study-storytelling-in-ct.html

I Spy A Connecticut Storyteller 3

2011-12-28T07:17:00.000-08:00

I Spy a Storyteller who is also an artist: Virginia Lynn Anderson

Virginia has two books out, Flying Phlox and A Very Lonely Garden learn more about her artwork, residencies and gallery exhibitions. Come listen to Virginia share one of her stories, they are filled with the magic that grows in every garden.

This link will take you to a video tour of Flying Phlox:

copy this one into your browser:

http://exposureroom.com/members/drumflight/8accfaa57ada4ce4944fa2722ef2005c/

or click on this one:
www.vimeo.com/5386023

Virginia Lynn Anderson's website

www.elandraarts.com

Amazon.com carries the books here is the image of the new one A Very Lonely Garden

Find more Connecticut Storytellers at www.connstorycenter.org

previous posts in this series:

www.lanesrepct.blogspot.com/2011/12/i-spy-connecticut-storyteller.html

www.lanesrepct.blogspot.com/2011/12/i-spy-connecticut-storyteller-2.html

I Spy a Connecticut Storyteller 2

2011-12-25T11:18:00.000-08:00

" Eye Spy with my little eye" so the saying goes in popular children's book. I don't think it is that hard to spot the Connecticut Storytellers in the world they are everywhere Building Bridges to Literacy, building Campus Slammer, sharing Once and Twice Upon A Time! There are storytellers down by the sea and over in the western hills. Storytellers are in the cities and in the Quiet Corner.

Today I spy storyteller, Gwendolyn Quezaire-Presutti

Gwendolyn Quezaire-Presutti

Historical Character Interpreter and Storyteller
PO Box 380496
East Hartford, CT 06138-0496
Phone: (860)528-0733
Email: woventales6@sbcglobal.net
Website: http://www.rhetoricofsurvival.com/

Living history scenarios of women. Their voices are the vehicles Gwendolyn uses to serve up the drama of slavery and freedom, and to underscore the enormous courage of many individuals. History is Gwendolyn's passion; it is our story. A chronicle of the struggles, tragedies, triumphs and joys of people from all walks of life and many cultures. All the people who shaped and helped build this country.

Gwendolyn's collection of stories reveals universal themes, spirited celebration from lighthearted trickster tales of Brer Rabbit to legendary Buffalo Soldiers and Black Seminole Indians. Her True Tales will force many to reexamine their assumptions about American history.

Currently, Gwendolyn is an Artist-In-Residence at the Connecticut Historical Society Museum, with Young Audiences Arts for Learning - Connecticut, and a Recipient of The New Boston Individual Artist Fellowship by the Greater Hartford Arts Council. A talented workshop leader, Gwendolyn has presented in many educational settings. She is a member of the CT Storytelling Center.

"Spellbinding, captivating and riveting performance."
- Elizabeth Santoro, Bucks Hill School, Waterbury, CT.

"Teaching in this way leaves an indelible mark on students and increases their joy in the learning of history."
- Barbara Simpson, Wheeler School, MA.

Fee: call

looking for more Connecticut Storytellers? www.connstorycenter.org

Previous Post in this series: www.lanesrepct.blogspot.com/2011/12/i-spy-connecticut-storyteller.html

Sharing the Fire

2011-12-22T21:34:00.000-08:00

Sharing the Fire: The Northeast Storytelling Conference

March 16-18 Albany, NY

For over 30 years, Sharing the Fire has been helping people from all walks of life implement the art and craft of storytelling into their personal and professional life. On March 16, 2012, Sharing the Fire will make its New York debut bringing hundreds of people from New York State, New England and beyond into Albany for three days of learning, sharing and networking with performances and workshops presented by storytelling professionals. This conference is open to everyone!!

Check out our EXCITING Calendar of Events! Sharing the Conference 2012

Registration opens online by January 3, 2012– Get the Early Bird Discount which ends Feb. 20th!

Preconference Seminars Friday, March 16, 2012 at 1:00 PM

· Doorways to Empathy: Using Storytelling to Enhance Nature &Science Education with Diane Edgecomb.

· The Joy Cycle: Discovering Audiences for Your Storytelling Wisdom with Doug Lipman.

· Trust the Process: Expressive Arts Approach to Story-Telling with presenter(s):Dawn D. Collins (Ouellette), M.A., CMP, Lorraine Hartin-Gelardi, Rebekah Near, Judith Prest

· My Web Presence is Dead and Other Fear Factors with Carolyn M. Stearns

New York Storytelling Showcase

“Vagabond Shoes – Stories from Old New York”- Concert with Kent Busman, Jonathan Kruk, Regina Carpenter, Lorna Czarnota, Joy Kelly, Lee-Ellen Marvin, Regina Ress and Fran Yardley.
Date and time: Friday Evening, March 16, 2012 at 7:00 – 9:00 PM
Location: Page Hall, 135 Western Avenue, SUNYA Downtown Campus

Conference Highlights

· “Unlocking the Puzzle of Learning through Story” - The Saturday keynote, demonstration and facilitated discussion by Dr. Kevin Cordi, Ph.D. – a nationally recognized educator and founder of YES (Youth, Education and Storytellers).

· On Saturday and Sunday there will be 38 workshops presented by professional storytellers who are also educators, psychologists, writers, and business people. These diverse classes provide opportunities for both novices and seasoned tellers to hone their skills and find new ways to implement storytelling into their work environments and their personal lives.The Saturday Evening

· Featured Tellers - “Olio” performance at the Sovereign features five Regional Tellers selected by the LANES membership for this showcase event. Saturday Evening “Olio” performance at the Sovereign Hotel features five Regional Tellers selected from the LANES membership: Robin Bady, Geraldine Buckley, Joe Peck , Lani Peterson and Bill Ratner.

· “LANES Regional Story Slam” – FREE to the public -following the Saturday Olio where regional tellers compete on the Theme of “Erie Nights” and joining us for this from Los Angeles is Bill Ratner, eight time winner of the Moth. (Slammers will have up to 4 minutes to tell their stories.)

· Sunday morning performance features youth storytellers from Children at the Well, an acclaimed interfaith group for peace and understanding based in the Capital District.

There will be ample opportunities to share stories through FREE story swaps and informal networking. Watch Sharing the Conference 2012 or www.lanes.org for more details. Registration opens by January 3, 2012.

12 Days of Christmas with CT. Storytelling

2011-12-19T04:23:00.000-08:00

On the first day of Christmas:
       Watch storytellers on You-Tube with friends for free!

On the second day of Christmas:
                          Invite someone to go along to Sharing the Fire Storytelling Conference in Albany, New York, March,16,17, 18, 2012 Fa la la la la, la la la la www.lanes.org all are welcome

On the third day of Christmas:
                          Give a card promising to take some kids to March 16, 2012 "Once and Twice Upon a Time Concert" featuring Bill Harley in Greenwich for 2012! www.connstorycenter.org www.billharley.com

On the fourth day of Christmas:
                              Write down 4 family stories to pass on to the next generation!

On the fifth day of Christmas:
                           Sing choir of Angels, if you can't hear them, put on 5 storytelling CD's, check www.cdbaby.com for links to storytellers downloads!

On the sixth day of Christmas:
                            Save Dec 26 for VoiceMail Storytelling at www.willibrew.com in Connecticut feature storyteller Carolyn Stearns with "Christmas Spirits", save the last Monday of each month to come join us!

On the seventh day of Christmas:
Give the gift of Rory's Story Cubes to someone on your gift list this year. I saw them in Walmart and always on line or try the website www.storycubes.com

On the eighth day of Christmas:
Finals Are over, sign up for Campus Slammer at your CT. college www.connstorycenter.org

On the ninth day of Christmas:
Check back with www.connstorycenter.org for the forthcoming date for a Mid-Nine Cabaret in the greater Hartford CT. area

On the tenth day of Christmas:
      Hire a storyteller to build a "Bridge to Literacy" in your neighborhood school - they won't call you Scrooge anymore! See www.connstorycenter.org for more info on the Bridge to Literacy.

On the eleventh day of Christmas:
      Talk your civic organization into hosting a Tellabration November 2012 - Tellabration is the celebration of storytelling!

On the twelfth day of Christmas:
            Sit with a child and tell a story face to face - no books just tell it like it , "My best Christmas", " I saw the Christmas Miracle", " Once I Got A .........for Christmas"
                          Merry Christmas to all and to all a GOOD STORY!

blog review of Rory's Story Cubes:

www.carolynstearnsstoryteller.blogspot.com/2011/09/education-in-cubes-not-just-childs-play.html

previous post similar topic:

www.lanesrepct.blogspot.com/2011/11/black-friday-shopping-list-for.html

I Spy A Connecticut Storyteller

2011-12-14T19:58:00.000-08:00

Keith Hughes with the Littlest Listeners Program

want more info?

www.connstorycenter.org

Need to learn more about Keith?

www.jugglejoy.com

similar blogs:

about Ct. Tellabration:

www.lanesrepct.blogspot.com/2011/11/tellabration-in-connecticut.html

anout learning storytelling craft:

www.lanesrepct.blogspot.com/2011/10/where-to-study-storytelling-in-ct.html

Attention Connecticut College Students and Staff

2011-12-08T20:01:00.000-08:00

Get your college signed up now to participate in the Campus Slammer! An inter-collegiate story slam - competition with a 5 minute story. Last year ( our pilot program) we had 6 colleges this year how many? All the info is available on the Connecticut Storytelling Center website. www.connstorycenter.org Coming to college campuses all over CT. starting in January. Any department or club can be the host organization. The finals will be April 28, 2012 at the Connecticut Storytelling Festival, who will the 2012 winner be?

questions? email csc@conncoll.edu or mothermoo2001@yahoo.com

Cowgirl Up

2011-12-03T08:31:00.000-08:00

Thought I'd share some resources from my western half!

Annie Oakley: " Aim high at a mark, and you will hit it"

www.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annie_Oakley

Cowgirl, Songstress, Activist Dale Evans wife of Roy Rogers

After the death of her daughter Robin at age 2 from complications due to her Downs Syndrome Dale Evans wrote a best seller to begin to turn the tide of treatment for the disabled. Angel Unaware became a bestseller. She is widely recognized with her screen and life partner Roy Rogers.

Happy Trails has a second less known version, one with a religious message to see the words to this version visit the official site at www.royrogers.com/happy_trails-index.html
She was born Frances Octavia Smith in Uvalde Texas she is remembered as Dale Evans.

Who was the cowgirl born Martha Jane Cannary Burke in 1852?

Calamity Jane

www.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calamity_Jane

(From en.wiki: 21:35, 4 Aug 2003 . . Branko (17317 bytes) (Picture taken in 1895 by H.R. Locke. This copy from the Library of Congress website.) Picture taken in 1895 by H.R. Locke. This copy from the Library of Congress website. {{PD-old}} [[Category:P

Hollywood couldn't resist her story! In this clip you will see a bit of storyteller in the character too!

Her story quote from the movie; "That's better, next time I tell a story, keep your hands in your pockets you toothless old buffalo!"

Before her death in 1903 she was quoted: "Leave me alone and let me go to hell by my own route"

Today cowgirls compete in the arena of the Cowboy Mounted Shooting, sport, costume and Annie Oakley aim are the key to winning. www.ctrenegades.com

Lisa Dinsmore on Annali ( daughter of Sun) at Round-Tuit Ranch

Jenn Seymour on Sun- Enfield, CT. Round-Tuit Ranch

Karen Chace Brews Up A Magical Evening

2011-11-30T07:48:00.000-08:00

Connecticut's new storytelling venue VoiceMail at Willimantic Brewing Company was fortunate to host Karen Chace at its November 28 night. Her stories whisked us away to frozen lands and to tropical countries where the scent of Almond blossoms linger in the spring air. We hovered in anticpation as a changeling story took shape and laughed with delight over the story where a husband and wife learn a little diplomacy.

Many had arrived early to enjoy a little dinner ahead of time. The menu of delicious food tempting even the most discerning palate. Some tried the variety of award winning beers brewed on site, or listened over a a slowly sipped glass of wine. www.willibrew.com (967 main St. Willimantic CT)

The audience came from all over to cluster in the quiet little room that once, long ago was the postmasters office. Here between the paneled walls and clusters of listeners the tales were shared. The open mic spot filled by local Charles Prewitt was a trip into the power of family stories as 93 year old Charlie related a tale of his Grandmother Perry in Pre-Civil War Kentucky. Granny Perry stood up to slave chasers in a bold stand to protect a neighbors slave come to visit his wife at her place. Charlie showed us the incredible power of sharing our family stories through the years to keep the memory alive and instill that sense of closeness with our own history and that of the world.

From teenagers to Charlie we spanned the generations and all were bound by the commonality of the stories. As the evening came to a close many discussed plans of a return in future months to hear more of the stories now available on a monthly basis at this exciting new venue. Donations collected at VoiceMail are split between the nights featured teller ( to cover gas at least, we hope) the other half of the collection goes to the Connecticut Storytelling Center to further their good work in promoting stories, storytellers and storytelling! www.connstorycenter.org

If you want to keep up with VoiceMail come over and find us on FACEBOOK and please while there could you, would you, "LIKE" us?

Coming up in December

The December 26 VoiceMail begins at 7 p.m. and will feature local Carolyn Stearns sharing an original epic holiday story, "Christmas Spirits". Don't let the holidays slip by without hearing this historical fiction tale, you know all about Christmas, this is the "rest of the story" as Paul Harvey would have said.

Tom Callinan Double CD Debut

2011-11-26T18:05:00.000-08:00

The First Connecticut State Troubadour Out and About

Tom Callinan

www.crackerbarrel-ents.com

Set your sails for New London, CT. then watch your tides that you make it into port for
6:30 p.m. DEC. 3, 2011
Landlubbers and Sea Farers alike will meet at New London Custom House and home of the New London Maritime Society, they are having a Winter Celebration!

It was 20 years ago that Tom Callinan was named the first Connecticut State Troubadour. In honor of that milestone he will share his musical talents with the New London Maritime Society. Their celebration of winter follows the New London Annual Celebration of Light and Songs.

Tom Callinan Celebrates with the debut of two new CD collections of his music.

COMMEMORATIONS

Also available will be the new CD " I'll take New England Any Day"

The Concert and Celebration are in the Customs House on Bank St New London. On this crisp winter evening the music will be traditional maritime and holiday music just right for those age 10-adult. Hot Cocoa and cookies will be provided. Members of the Maritime Society are invited free as are children 14 and under. $5.00 for other guests, space is limited please call 860-447-2501 to save your seat.

another nautical blog:

www.carolynstearnsstoryteller.blogspot.com/2011/10/bosuns-pipe-calling.html

Saturday Carol Birch- Woodbury CT. Grapes of Wrath!

2011-11-25T15:54:00.000-08:00

Woodbury Parks & Recreation presents

National Storytelling Network Circle of Excellence recipient...

Carol Birch

Stories from John Steinbeck’s

“The Grapes of Wrath”

Saturday, Nov. 26 @ 8 pm

Woodbury’s Historic Old Town Hall

A benefit for the Community Services Council of Woodbury

When turkey and relatives leave you sated, renew your zest for life with savory pleasures for ear and soul! Nationally renowned storyteller Carol Birch of Southbury will perform selections from John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath along with songs from Woody Guthrie’s Dust Bowl Ballads in a special program benefiting the Community Services Council of Woodbury. The selections performed are some of the other stories in the novel – stories not about the Joads. Hearing Steinbeck out loud is as exhilarating, as it is a revelation. His words soar even as they echo today’s news; they ricochet from head to heart and bring us deep inside the world of this thoroughly American novel.

Birch’s forty years of experience have earned her recognition as a pioneer in the revival of platform storytelling, including six appearances as featured storyteller at the National Storytelling Festival, international performances from Germany to Singapore, and guest appearances on ABC, CBS, NPR and other national media. She’s taught at Southern Connecticut State University and lectured at universities and for professional and corporate organizations nationwide. Her peers honored her in 1998 with the Circle of Excellence Award from the National Storytelling Network in recognition that she sets the standard for excellence and has demonstrated a commitment and dedication to the art over a significant period.

Birch has generously dedicated her performance on Nov. 26 to help in raising funds for the Woodbury Food Bank, energy assistance and crisis assistance programs of the Community Services Council of Woodbury. The Community Services Council, an independent nonprofit agency that relies exclusively on private donations and grants, seeks to provide the necessary bridge that enables our neighbors in need to preserve the well-being of their families and restore their financial security.

Tickets are $5 at the door.

For reservations, please call (203) 233-4651.

Refreshments will be served.

Old Town Hall is located on 5 Mountain Road at the corner of

Main Street South (Rt. 6) in Woodbury, CT.

Black Friday Shopping List for Storytelling

2011-11-24T19:33:00.000-08:00

Shopping Storytelling on Black Friday?

Shop right at home on your computer and make this a Season of giving that supports Storytelling and Storytellers

CD's:
There are so many available try CD Baby and most tellers sites

For your world traveller or dreamer recipient a world map or a globe and stories from all over the world on CD by Mike Lockett; .Tales and Fables East Meets West.

www.mikelockett.com or www.cdbaby.com

Give the student on your list a Webster's Dictionary and the CD Commemorations with a song about Noah Webster!
Coming out soon! watch for exciting debut CD Launch Party DEC 3 to be announced here this week!

A New CD by Tom Callinan of www.crackerbarrel-ents.com

Need one gift for a whole family all ages How about a batch of CT. Grown Apples and the Tom Callinan's CD ( coming out before the holidays) "I'll Take New England Any Day"which includes the tale of the Blood Red apples of Micah Rood, Franklin CT.

How about a package of Black Socks and the Bill Harley CD " Play It Again" with the song Black Socks, maybe some air freshener in that gift basket!

This and so much more available at www.billharley.com/store.asp

Reviews of Games:
www.carolynstearnsstoryteller.blogspot.com/2011/09/education-in-cubes-not-just-childs-play.html

www.carolynstearnsstoryteller.blogspot.com.2011/11/mike-lockett-tales-and-fables-east.html

www.carolynstearnsstoryteller.com.blogspot.com/2011/11/story-play-cards-game-review.html

Books

CT. Storyteller/ Artist Virginia Lynn Anderson will sweep you away to a warm summer garden with her book "Flying Phlox" available at www.elandraarts.com/storybooks add seeds, gloves a trowel and you have a great gift basket.

New Parents on your shopping list?
This is a great choice for parents on a journey to raise a child.

www.jacksongillman.com Jackson also has a great collection of funny answering machine messages check out his site for all his products!

For the school teacher, minister, student or storyteller on your list I am happy to recommend Storyteller Tim Tingle's book "Crossing Bok Chitto" I was very fortunate to see him perform this story at the 2011 Connecticut Storytelling Festival. Just beautiful! www.tinglebooks.com

Give the Gift of Bread

Here is a great idea. A Bread Gift Basket with homemade bread and the book "Everybody Bakes Bread" from Norah Dooley www.norahdooley.com I can almost smell it baking! This is one of a series, Norah also has some fun CD's do check her site out for your Irish, Italian or Pirate family and friends

Still Stumped?
Donate a performance of a storyteller to you favorite school, library, senior center, nursing home, or organization! It is a gift that they will remember for a long time.

Find storytellers in the directory at www.lanes.org or www.connstorycenter.org

Albany Series Post 3- History

2011-11-22T06:12:00.000-08:00

Sharing the Fire the Northeast Storytelling Conference moves to Albany New York this year. ( see www.lanes.org ) You can find storytellers and listeners gathered at the Sovereign Hotel on March 16-18.

So what's old in Albany? Who lived there? Why is Albany the Capitol?
1690 - Henry Hudson
learn more at www.albanyny.org/government/cityhistory.aspx

Your family? More on Albany area geneology at:
www.freepages.geneology.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~clifflamere/

What's the oldest house in Albany? 1728 was the year and you can read all about it in this blog post by Paula Lemire:
www.albanynyhistory.blogspot.com/2010/08/oldest-house.html

What year did the NY capitol burn? Find out here on the tour:
www.nyassembly.gov/Tour

Looks like Albany is full of interesting stories and places! Hope to see you there! Sharing the Fire the Northeast Storytelling Conference has the chance to leave its small mark on the history of Albany, NY.

Previous blogs in this series:
www.lanesrepct.blogspot.com/2011/08/albany-series-post-1-road-trip.html

www.lanesrepct.blogspot.com/2011/11/albany-series-post-2-side-trips.html

Tellabrations Upcoming Treats in Story

2011-11-18T03:55:00.000-08:00

Tellabration: A Celebration of Storytelling held each November world wide. The event originated as a program of the CT. Storytelling Center www.connstorycenter.org

This week join a Tellabration near you:

Sunday, Nov. 20

1:00 p.m. Children
Site: Children’s Museum,
950 Trout Brook Drive,
West Hartford, CT
www.thechildrensmuseumct.org
Contact: Jonah Cohen

Maude Carpenter + Chris Rothe

860-231-2830 X34
jcohen@thechildrensmuseumct.org
Tellers: Chris Rothe,
Maude Carpenter

4:00 p.m. All Ages
Site: Dragon’s Egg, Shewville Rd.,
Ledyard, CT
www.dragonseggstudio.org
Contact: Marya Ursin
860-535-3346
mybeasts@aol.com
Tellers: Mystic Paper Beasts, L'Ana Burton, Audrey Daigneault, Morning Glory, Jane Johnson, Kit Johnson, Eric Larsen, Ann Shapiro

Monday, Nov. 21

Time: 6:00 Families
Site: West Haven Support Group
for Parents of Children with Special Needs
West Haven City Hall basement
355 Main St. West Haven, CT
Contact: Karen Muro
203-645-4934
KarenMMuro@aol.com
Tellers: Anne-Marie Forer

December 2

7:00 p.m. Families
Site: Cos Cob Library,
5 Sinawoy Rd. Cos Cob, CT
Contact: Wendy Silver
203-622-6883
wsilver@greenwichlibrary.org
Tellers: Marcia Hupp, Judy Petersen, and students from Central Middle School

This Week CT. Tellabrations

2011-11-16T06:33:00.000-08:00

Tellabration: A celebration of storytelling. Tellabration originated in CT. a project of the Connecticut Storytelling Center www.connstorycenter.org and has spread worldwide. Tellabration is celebrated each November with story performances all over the state. for a complete listing please see the story center website.

This Week Ct has several Tellabrations:

Thursday, Nov. 17

10:15 a.m. Young Children
Site: Hall Memorial Library,
93 Main St., Ellington, CT
www.biblio.org/ellington
Contact: Susan Phillips
860-870-3160
Phillips@biblio.org
Teller: Liz Gruber

Friday, Nov. 18

10:00 a.m. Adults
Site: Plainville Senior Center,
200 East St., Plainville, CT
www.plainvillect.com
Contact: Ronda Guberman
860-747-5728
rfguberman@snet.net
Teller: Hank Savin

6:30 p.m. Adults
Site: Smith School,
64 St. James St.,
West Hartford, CT
www.whps.org/school/smith/index.htm
Contact: Keith Hughes
860-231-8954
Tellers: Lot Therrio, Sara deBeer

7:00 p.m.
Site: Prosser Library, 1 Tunxis Ave., Bloomfield, CT
Contact: 860-243-9721
Teller: Jim Harriman performing "Characters Known Along The Way"

Saturday, Nov. 19

11:00 a.m. Children
Site: Willimantic Public Library
905 Main St., Willimantic, CT
www.willimanticlibrary.org
Contact: Gail Zeiba
860-465-3082 gzeiba@biblio.org
Tellers: Margie Warner, Carol Glynn

7:00 p.m. Adults & Families
Site: Hampton Recreation Community Center,
178 Main St., Hampton, CT
www.hamptonct.org/commission.htm?id=owscjhjl
Contact: Juan Arriola
860-455-0160
arriola96@yahoo.com
Tellers: Sara deBeer,
Teresa Whitaker

7:30 p.m. Adults
Site: South Windsor Public Library,
1550 Sullivan Ave.
South Windsor, CT
www.southwindsorlibrary.org
Contact: Pat Wiggin
860-644-1541 pwiggin@libraryconnection.info
Tellers: Sally Rogers, Steve Long

8:00 p.m. Adults
Site: United Church,
210 Rowayton Ave.,
Rowayton, CT
www.ucrowayton.org
Contact: Judy Petersen
203-359-9239
JRPetersen@aol.com
Tellers: Jennifer Munro, Edward Pleasant,
Lara Herscovitch, Slash Coleman
Tickets: $10 in advance; $15 at door

Albany Series Post #2 Side Trips

2011-11-12T04:43:00.000-08:00

Albany or Bust

       The wind has a bite to it as it whips around the corner of the house. Winter is knocking can March 16,17,18,2012 and Sharing the Fire, the Northeast Storytellers Conference be far behind?

                    Haven't Signed Up? Here is where you begin your trip   www.lanes.org


There will be reunions and stories, workshops and stories, performances and stories, memorable meals and stories....OK you get the picture. Come early or stay late and plan to see one of the treasures of the Albany, NY area.

The New York State Museum    www.nysm.nysed.gov

Albany Aqua Ducks and Trolleys    www.albanyaquaducks.com

Albany Institute of History and Art www.albanyinstitute.org

USS Slater   www.ussslater.org

Schuyler Mansion Historic Site   www.nysparks.com

Need more variety? www.wegoplaces.com/NYAlbany_Region86.aspx

                               Call all your Peeps and tell them " Let's go to Sharing the Fire!

missed the first blog of the series? here it is:

www.lanesrepct.blogspot.com/2011/08/albany-series-post-1-road-trip.html

write up and photos from after the 2011 Sharing the Fire here:

www.lanesrepct.blogspot.com/2011/03/snapshot-memories-from-sharing-fire.html

Arts 5.7 Million Jobs and Revitalization

2011-11-10T10:23:00.000-08:00

The arts are alive movement has been gaining ground locally and nationally.

Keeping the arts in front of the community is a full time pursuit. Building an audience for any art form takes time, creativity and initiative. I was excited to open Entrepreneur Magazine Nov. 2011, and find a stimulating article by Adam Davidson. (Planet Money, NPR-This American Life) There in the middle of the page in the midst of the article "Artopolis The State of the Creative Nation", is the bold large type quote that caught my eye before the American flag artwork did,"The arts attract the educated, and the educated make more money." (pg. 59 Entrepreneur Mag. Nov.2011) Read the article to see how cities are utilizing creative energies to turn their growth and economy around. Entrepreneur Editor Amy C. Cosper says in her column Editor's Note:
"In some of this country's more economically blighted regions, something hopeful is happening."

According to statistics cited in the article, non profit arts business collectively are worth $166.2 billion in economic value per year! That is providing an approximate 5.7 million jobs, the arts are a force that has been like the sleeping giant. Now just stretching to awareness.

I am watching the local take on this effort right here in the quiet corner of Connecticut and doing my part to expand that notion. Last Monday of the month, our local eatery The Willimantic Brewing Company is host my open mic for storytelling. Known as VoiceMail the new space is growing a new crowd interested in the adult venue for performance storytelling. My effort is working in Willimantic and others have taken advantage of a growing sentiment to build and revitalize through the arts in Willimantic. In November on the 28th catch Mass. Storyteller Karen Chace www.storybug.com at VoiceMail. On Dec. 26 get one final bit of traditional holidayentertainemnt when I share my original epic "Christmas Spirits". www.carolynstearnsstoryteller.com

The Breadbox is a folk music venue that is the financial fairy Godmother to the Willimantic Soup Kitchen. Once a month, the roof vibrates with the effort to attract a crowd and grow a new music community in service to our less fortunate neighbors. www.breadboxfolk.org This is a showcase mic with crafted lists of performers to bring high quality music and new talents to this local stage.

The new Arts Space at the former American Thread Complex is another initiative to become a reality. Housing in a final building phase will give space to the entrepreneurs and new business faces of the small city of Willimantic.

There are small galleries and shops working to survive the economic downturn. All this is aided by the movement to buy local and support local small business. With that notion becoming a pre Holiday season mantra the shops and galleries may see a flurry of late season business. Include yourself in the effort to revitalize by shopping the small independent businesses and patronizing the arts in your area.

another blog on our storytelling art leads to our conference:
www.lanesrepct.blogspot.com/2011/08/albany-series-post-1-road-trip.html

Donkey and Elephant Election Collection

2011-11-08T04:00:00.000-08:00

Election Day and our Democratic friends will like these resources.

www.fortunecity.com/greenfield/wilderness58/tales.htm

On Election Day our Republican friends will like this link:

www.elephanthost.com/About_Elephants/stories/Parables/parables.html

(thanks to Arthur's free clipart)

REMEMBER TO GET OUT AND VOTE!

other blogs from our community:

www.lanesrepct.blogspot.com/2011/10/6-pointers-for-web-community.html

Tellabration in Connecticut

2011-11-05T05:58:00.000-07:00

It is TELLABRATION TIME!!

Tellabration is an annual celebration of storytelling, it originated in Connecticut and has spread world wide. The Connecticut Tellabration sites support the continuing work of the Connecticut Storytelling Center. Storytelling serves us as a form of entertainment, a literacy tool, in corporate circles, for healing and so much more.

There will be Tellabration Celebrations all over Connecticut so you can be sure to find one near you! Check the link to the Connecticut Storytelling Center for the Tellabration nearest you.

www.connstorycenter.org/tellabration.htm

Find Hank Savin at Plainville

Near Bloomfield you will find Jim Harriman up that way.

Connie Rockman will host a Tellabration

Tellers Chris Rothe, Maude Carpenter, Liz Gruber, Gwendolyn Quezaire-Pressutti, and so many more will be out sharing in our communities.

Again Click Here to see the whole list: www.connstorycenter.org/tellabration.htm

For other links to blogs of the Connecticut Storytelling Center: www.lanesrepctblogspot.com/2011/10/where-to-study-storytelling-in-ct.html

How To Do Video Marketing Right

2011-11-02T06:51:00.000-07:00

Video Marketing Right learn more here about promoting storytelling

check out this site

http://smedio.com/2010/06/09/how-to-do-video-marketing-right/

Here is one of my attempts at video marketing for Campus Slammer

and another video for Campus Slammer

Flip video equipment is very simple to use and effective for these short commercial videos. It is available online and at Staples in the $100.00 price range. Lights, Camera, Action!

Let me know how your journey to video promo is going!

LANES Wrong Job Description

2011-10-30T20:08:00.000-07:00

We are LANES the League for the Advancement of New England Storytelling
www.lanes.org

I am sure the venerable weatherman read the description wrong and thought it said: LANES: League for the Advancement of New England SNOW!
We are fine with stories about snow or snow angels and pictures on the December page of the calendar but really a pre-Halloween snow. I'm calling "Uncle"

There is just something wrong about piles this big around the driveway!! This is definitely the "Trick" part of Trick or Treat.

Here are some snowy resources:
From Friend Karen Chace at www.storybug.net I chose a curriculum support for teaching Snow White find it at www.storybug.net/teacher-curriculum.html

Snow Resources Mixed at: www.angelfire.com/ga/prespecial/pg29.html

From the Baldwin Project a Russian Folk Tale; The Little Daughter of the Snow
www.mainlesson.com/display.php?author=ransome&book=russian&story=daughter

Past Blogs of a similar trend:
www.lanesrepct.blogspot.com/2011/08/cool-summertime-news-from-ct.html

www.lanesrepct.blogspot.com/2011/10/robert-frost-two-roads.html

Last Word: VoiceMail the open mic for storytelling will be held on Halloween ( if power on at WilliBrew! re: Snow) I will post here, FB, Twitter, and the storytellers lists if it is cancelled - hope not I have candy bags to give away to our tellers and listeners! ( Willimantic, CT. - all of CT. in a snow/power out emergency this Halloween!)

Robert Frost Two Roads

2011-10-26T20:07:00.000-07:00


Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference. Robert Frost (1874–1963). Mountain Interval. 1920. www.robertfrostfarm.org Derry NH his home www.internal.org/Robert_Frost his poetry Frostiana the Poem to Music Link to another blog of similar content: www.carolynstearnsstoryteller.blogspot.com/2011/10/autumn-colors-asignment.html www.lanesrepct.blogspot.com/2011/10/trees-collected.html

Education- Square Pegs and Round Holes

2011-10-24T17:02:00.000-07:00

Not everybody was made to sit in desks and take tests, and recite from memory. Learning styles are as different as people are and we try really hard to produce an average student. I have had 4 children each had a different learning style. I homeschooled one for 3 1/2 years and that was a great experience. I work in schools, I have been a 4-H leader using hands on learning for 34 years. I believe we need to shake up the educational system to reach the kids today. They need more experiential learning. Kids hunger for communicatin skills and interaction. We need to spend a lot of time with the question, why?

Trees Collected

2011-10-20T19:55:00.000-07:00

Inspired this week by the storytelling of the Battle of the Trees by Christine Cooper of Wales as shared at Story Space ( Yarrow) in Cambridge, Ma. Here is a clip of her opening:

Like Christine I am a lover of trees and enchanted by their stories. On that night at Story Space I was in the open mic tellings and shared the story of the Connecticut Charter Oak. Here is a blog I wrote about that tree earlier in the year.

www.carolynstearnsstoryteller.blogspot.com/2011_05_01_archive.html

Descendants of the Original CT. Oak are still grown and revered, this one in Lebanon, CT..

Showing the recent wound of Hurricane Irene the hundred year old oak dominates the scene along the road in Lebanon.


   Walt Disney loved grand trees as well and speaks to preserving the Redwoods through the media in his 1967 movie the Gnomemobile. Here is an opening piece. It is available to watch on netflix. This was a favorite with my kids when they were young.

In search of a special tree story? Here are some resources;

www.spiritoftrees.org/folktales/story-links.html

www.americanforests.org/our-programs/historic-tree-stories/

www.native-languages.org/legneds-maple.htm

The logging and forestry industry in America truly began with the first people! More people , more logging. Here is a look at some of the old time logging techniques. This was filmed in 1930 to preserve a way of life and a industry rapidly changing.

I just couldn't call this complete without some tree houses! We had a great one as kids, built from scrap and it kept us busy for many hours.

Then there is the all time most famous tree house:

Revolutionary War -Tell It Like it Was

2011-10-17T17:51:00.000-07:00

Part of being a storyteller is getting "into" the story I'm telling. I want my words to take the listener there. I want them to imagine as if it was right outside the window. Those moments when a story told moved an audience are the magic that keeps me learning and practicing, honing my craft and finding that tellable moment in a story where the time line from when or where it happened and that live moment slip together and everyone can feel the action and slip in to another realm.

Nathan Hale Homestead in Coventry, CT.

To build realism in my stories I love to visit places where they took place. When I can't do that I turn to the internet to show me the aerial view from Google Earth. I want to see reenactments, I want to see the clothing styles, can I see art from that location painted at the time. Is there a movie of the subject? I take a lot of photographs of places for reference. Better than those are the memories I play like a movie in my mind.

Another great tool is You-Tube! There is a little of everything there. If you were planning to tell a story about the American Revolution look at the resources I found in just a few minutes.

On the grounds of the Nathan Hale Homestead the local fife and drum corp open a muster.

George Washington

Actor, storyteller, this discussion; the difference the similarity, has been current and ongoing. We can learn from the actor to put into the storyteller performance. Even study of his wardrobe, furnishings, architecture of the time can help.

The Rochambeau march passed right through Eastern CT. The soldiers of Lauzon's Legion were encamped at Lebanon, CT. on they marched to Yorktown.

   Filmed at the family Home of Samuel Huntington, signer of the Declaration of Independence
    Rte 14 Scotland , CT.

I drove out to Lebanon today. I can see the open fields of that town from our farm. The War Office, Governor Trumbull House, the Wadsworth Stable, the Congregational Church, Renwood and most importantly the mile long town green, still intact and the hub of history and activity in Lebanon, CT.
Here is one of my Dashboard Moose videos taken in a loop of Lebanon Green. A bit bumpy where the crushed stone on the road after oiling is rutted it is almost like in a buggy!

Where to Study Storytelling in CT.

2011-10-15T19:23:00.000-07:00

Central CT. State University
New Britain, CT.
Emily Chasse; chasse@ccsu.edu
860-832-2063
Undergraduate :Storytelling ( English Dept.)
Graduate: Folktelling Art and Technique

Eastern CT. State University
Willimantic, CT.
Raouf Mama mama@easternct.edu
860-465-4549
Storytelling will be offered intercession winter 2012

Sacred Heart University
Trumbull, Ct.
Connie Rockman; connie.rock@snet.net
203-365-4791
Graduate: Storytelling Seminar ED-571-EY

The Graduate Institute
Bethany, CT.
Whendi Cook and Robin Moore

203-874-4252 www.learn.edu
MA in Oral Tradition

more info on Storytelling in Connecticut is available at; www.connstorycenter.org

Links to previous LANES blogs of similar thread:
www.lanesrepct.blogspot.com/2011/02/fresh-faces-of-storytelling.html

www.lanesrepct.blogspot.com/2011/03/how-to-move-storytelling-next-level.html

Attention CT. College Students ask for your school to host CAMPUS SLAMMER the 2012 winter semester inter-collegiate story slam with lots of cool prizes! www.connstorycenter.org or contact producer Carolyn Stearns at mothermoo2001@yahoo.com

Bust A Name - Domain Finder

2011-10-10T08:59:00.000-07:00

Find the best domain name with this easy tool Bust A Name. All the how to is included in the how to video from Ryan Stout. I tried it out and it is simple to use. If building a website is on your to do list here is a great place to see what is available in domain names.

other blogs of mine that can help with your website:
www.lanesrepct.blogspot.com/2011/10/6-pointers-for-web-community.html

www.lanesrepct.blogspot.com/2010/10/embracing-new-technology.html

www.lanesrepct.blogspot.com/2010_09_01_archive.html

6 Pointers For Web Community

2011-10-04T14:01:00.000-07:00

6 Pointers For Our Web Community Growth

Getting through the web to develop a following, grow audiences and build relationships with patrons, donors and other storytellers is a daunting task. Do you feel like you are climbing this swinging net. At any moment you will lose the shaky footing you have secured. Are you all alone on the net? Who is on your safety line? Have you headed out alone one step at a time?

There is a way to get the help and relationships on line that you need. Here are the pointers to follow.

1.) Share this is the most important. Just as we learned when children we need to share. Find an article you like hit the share to your twitter, LinkedIn, Google+ or Facebook. Read a great blog re post, quote, ask them to guest blog in your blog. We can move our info and ideas over the web quickly when we all share. That is how things get viral (spread) the simple act of sharing!

2.) Thank-You say thank you to new followers. Begin a conversation with them. Have a great day, or why did you like this particular blog? Courtesies of the person to person relationship shouldn’t be skipped over on the web.

3.) Forward when you receive a post and it makes you think of a few friends who would be interested send it along. An example, I get an email regarding a Civil War event after I read it I send it to all my Civil War friends it may be they are available for the event date.

4.) Diversify Your social media friends list should include a wide variety of friends, fans, acquaintances and business connections. This is where you can use the business page in Facebook for example to develop your following. If you want a close knit family friends group make that a personal page. Grow a business page to post about your work, places you can be seen, your blogs, friends work and blogs, photos and videos of your work. Don’t sing to the choir. As much as we want to share with the inner circle it is the outer circle of friends that will fill our venues. This is where share becomes important “Like” people’s pages so your circle sees what they are doing. It is not taking business from you it is showing that you are a resource to go to for information on events and local happenings.

5.) Think Viral When you are making web content, promotion material be as creative as you can. A creative vibrant promo piece will get more shares and spread quickly around the web. There is no certain recipe for viral content, just keep trying.

6.) It’s Not About You, Sorry; It is all about creating a motivated audience for storytelling or music, or whatever art form or venue you promote. If we create a great following for the subject then our own personal growth as a performer or site will follow suit. As long as we are the magical best kept secret we will have trouble filling venues. This brings us full circle to point #1 SHARE! Together we will make it to the top.

Sharing Photos and and Search for photos in this blog:
www.lanesrepct.blogspot.com/2011/09/searching
more web tech:
www.lanesrepct.blogspot.com/2011/08/QR-What-is-it

Searching With Google Images

2011-09-15T05:47:00.000-07:00

What are you searching for?

learn more from Google:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t99BfDnBZcI&feature=player_embedded

Every day new ways to do things come across our computer screens, some are just way to much fun! Imagine the possibilities.........what is the story there?

          An Experiment with Google photo search:
  This is my favorite promo picture I wonder what I will get when I ask google?

My Image and the word "storyteller" took me to a category of similar images.

There was Storyteller Bill Lepp looking out of the selections from one of his promo pics.
Some images were close to the target, some well the similarity ended with the name Carolyn! But, I had my first laugh of the day over it!
                   ( I didn't post the image of the bodybuilder named Carolyn I'll leave that to your imagination!)..
When I put Carolyn Stearns Storyteller in with the image it brought me to my blog first and then a selection of my photography.

Changing it up;I switched to this picture:

When I searched just the image no words I got three links to 3 of my blogs that used this image in promoting VoiceMail open mic for storytelling.
www.lanesrepct.blogspot.com/2011/07/willimantic-brewing-company-and.html

So I'm now wondering how current is the Google search I'll search a picture I posted yesterday.

Just starting to promote the Seacoast Fringe Festival in Portsmouth NH ( www.seacoastfringefestival.com ) I posted 2 photos. This one only brought me to similar shades of red in photos, it is kind of obscure!

This one brought me a group of very interesting similar photos, but no connection to the Seacoast Fringe Festival. The image was posted less than 24 hours ago and very few hits.
The big thing here is to play with these programs and see what they can do for you. I love learning how to maneuver in these and this one was very simple to use.

Where is That Accent From? David Stern Knows!

2011-09-10T07:43:00.000-07:00

Our stories are from all over the world and we all take delight in hearing them in the native language or accent. Sometimes we know a story would be best represented with a bit of the dialect, accent or speech style that it was originally told in. Here's to the Eliza Doolittle's who want to learn a new accent and change their story!

Hope you enjoyed that! For more info:

David Alan Stern
Associate Department Head of Courses and Curriculum,Professor of Voice, Speech, Dialects

Department of Dramatic Arts
802 Bolton Rd., Unit 1127
Storrs, Connecticut 06269-1127

Phone: 860-486-1630
Fax: 860-486-3110
Email: david.stern@uconn.edu

DAVID ALAN STERN (Associate Department Head for Graduate Programs and Professor of Dramatic Arts in Voice & Speech, Dialects and Acting): BFA University of Connecticut, MA and Ph.D. Temple University. Formerly a faculty member at Wichita State University, Pennsylvania State University, and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts-West. Dr. Stern has been a guest lecturer and artist-in-residence at numerous other universities. His four sets of audio training programs, ACTING WITH AN ACCENT, SPEAKING WITHOUT AN ACCENT, THE SPEAKER'S VOICE and THE SOUND & STYLE OF AMERICAN ENGLISH are used by theatre, speech and ESL departments in over one thousand colleges and universities. They are considered among the essential voice, speech and dialect resources by professional actors around the world. In 1980 he founded Dialect Accent Specialists in Hollywood where, among many others credits, he trained Forest Whitaker for THE CRYING GAME and BIRD, Lynn Redgrave for MIDNIGHT and SWEET SUE, Michael York for SPACE, Geena Davis for THE ACCIDENTAL TOURIST, Jack Klugman for LYNDON, Mike Farrel for JFK: A ONE-MAN SHOW, Olympia Dukakis, Sally Field, Julia Roberts, and Daryl Hannah for STEEL MAGNOLIAS, and Stephen Baldwin for ONE TOUGH COP. He has recently coached dialects for actors in productions at the Berkshire Theatre Festival and the Hawaii Theatre Center.

Brewing Up VoiceMail

2011-09-06T08:33:00.000-07:00

Carol Birch - Storyteller kicked off the first ever VoiceMail at the Willimantic Brewing Company in Willimantic CT. That is a simple statement, but there is so much more to the story. Irene was the uninvited guest, Hurricane Irene, or at least the watered down version Tropical Storm Irene. All day Sunday the rain pelted Eastern Connecticut and the wind, that was the headline maker! Windswept trees gave way after hours of the brutal assault and down they came. Power flickered and lights went out all over the state. For the CT. residents reading this, that's a well known fact! Carol Birch and I sent messages back and forth," if the WilliBrew has power I'm holding VoiceMail but travel only if it is safe and you can get here". 24 Hours had passed and the storm was gone and the lights and more importantly the stove was on at WilliBrew a hungry crowd of people out of power would stream to the warm food and friendly atmosphere of Willimantic Brewing www.willibrew.com on this first night of the recovery.

Carol Birch made the drive to Willimantic, a trip of mostly main roads already cleared of storm debris. She had a line up of stories in mind, depending on the assembled crowd to help her decide the choice. Carol was the feature teller for the first VoiceMail. I appreciate her jumping in and saying YES! to a new venue. Carol has a deep repertoire well to draw from but a few of her selections were material others had not heard and the relaxed atmosphere made them even more heartwarming. I had reason to laugh extra hard about the story of a cows udder, it was simply hysterical considering my dairy farm background! www.carolbirch.com

                All our guests settled in to enjoy the delicious dinner and signature beer selections brewed on site. Then the stories began, but the first half of VoiceMail is open mic and no one wanted to go first! There were looks about the room as I asked for a first teller, everyone deferring to the next. Someone suggested I go first. I had a plan of backup stories in mind in case the storm kept Carol Birch from coming so I would go first, break the ice and launch the new venue. The story I told was about a storm and flooding which seemed an appropriate choice on such a eventful evening. It came from my program of horse stories and is a favorite of mine. www.carolynstearnsstoryteller.com

     A couple stories followed and then Carol Birch did her part. The venue will always have a pass the hat for donations and the collected offering will be split between the feature teller and the Connecticut Storytelling Center. www.connstorycenter.org Although this will provide only a trickle of cash flow to the center the idea I had originally was to have others replicate this venue in other towns around the state and build audiences who plan on the night out in their monthly calendar of events. With each venue sending half the proceeds we would have a steady stream of donations to the storytelling center.
          Publicity at WilliBrew and around town includes QR codes that lead to a web page about VoiceMail. You can read about the importance of QR codes in this blog www.lanesrepct.blogspot.com/search/label/QR%20code

   On Sept. 26, 2011 we will hold the second VoiceMail with feature teller Hank Savin - On Sea and On Land. I hope only the stories make the night memorable and not the weather and subsequent cleanup. Come out if you are in driving distance and enjoy the hospitality of Willimantic Brewing Co. and the newest Connecticut venue for storytelling VoiceMail. Halloween will be the October VoiceMail night, bring a spooky story for the open mic!
     Please find us on FaceBook we need friends and need our page shared just type VoiceMail into the Facebook search bar at the top of your page.

QR What Is It?

2011-08-18T20:27:00.000-07:00

This is a QR Code

I remember when Bar Codes came out on groceries. There was a confusion, people couldn't read them. How do you figure a price out from that. We were not familiar with scanning technology or the supermarket inventory needs. The zebra stripe on the side of the package was a mystery.

So we are a little more in tune as the QR code begins to join the rank and file of new technology. Here it is I've seen them in the newspaper, an ad for a car dealer, on a flyer or two and just a few other places.

Buckle your seatbelts this thing is about to explode. More and more people are upgrading to phones with app technology to read these. In an instant they click the code with their phone and the screen whisks them away to your website or event site. This is the hot new promotion tool!

I use www.quikqr.com to make codes that lead to web pages. I can't upgrade my phone until Feb. in the meantime I grab a teenager and get a test of the code and make sure it works before making posters etc with it. Go ahead try one they don't cost you anything to make. Make one that leads to your website and save it on your computer like a photo.

I dare you...double dare...triple dog dare you....

Albany Series: Post #1 ROAD TRIP!

2011-08-10T07:05:00.000-07:00

Thinking of Sharing the Fire!
Our Storytelling Conference March 16,17,18, 2012
Sovereign Hotel Albany, NY

It is not as hard as it used to be to get to Albany!

CT. to Albany ROAD TRIP!
      Car Pool Anyone?Start planning now! We can arrive in Albany looking like the clown car from Ringling Brothers and storyteller after storyteller get out of the car. This sounds like so much fun we really need to make a video of it when we are all in Albany! Who will you travel with, are the minds working out the logistics of this annual journey to storytellers heaven! Just for your info the distance to Albany:
New London to Albany 123 miles
Fairfield to Albany         107 miles
New Haven to Albany    102 miles
Willimantic to Albany    102 miles
Norwich to Albany         116 miles
East Hartford to Albany 84 miles
Torrington to Albany      67 miles
Middletown to Albany    94 miles
Providence RI to Albany 132 miles

Seeing old and new friends and hearing storytellers - Priceless!

Point of Reference- How Far is a LONG WAY? The five day, 21 miles I walked from Killingly CT to Mansfield CT over rail trail and road with two teams of oxen and two boys age 8 & 13 in celebration of our towns 300 th anniversary and our family making that trek to our farm in 1772. So really, Albany by car - no problem! Someday you will have to hear that story! If you thought I was a little crazy before, now you know ...the rest of the story!

www.lanes.org Get all your Sharing the Fire updates here

www.connstorycenter.org   Ct. tellers let's start working out some car pool ideas, I'll drive ( auto)

Storytellers - Time To Plan a Tellabration

2011-08-06T18:45:00.000-07:00

Plan and Produce a Tellabration, Sure You Can Do It!

Tellabration : the annual celebration of storytelling takes place each November. It began in Connecticut and spread across the world like good news.

The proceeds of CT. Tellabratrions go to the Connecticut Storytelling Center www.connstorycenter.org this is the annual fall stream of funding that supports programs all year long. You can be a part of this vital celebration of story.

Plan a Tellabration! www.connstorycenter.org/tellabration.htm

Place: pick a venue just right for the program idea you have from living room to auditorium

Time: Choose a date and time and share the info with CT. Storytelling Center so they can get it in the line up and promote it!

Who: It can be just you sharing stories or line up some storytelling friends to join you

Theme: Tellabration does not have to have a theme tell your favorites or choose a theme it is all part of the variety

Age Group: Everyone loves a story! Tellabratioon can be for one age group or for families, for adults only or seniors, you choose. Isn't it great to have so many choices. This is where you can do a dream program, all your favorite stories for a favorite audience!

Promote Tellabration: The event is only as good as the promotion effort
      Today many free forms of advertising are available;
          LANES Calendar www.lanes.org
          newspaper calendars
          FaceBook Events
          blog
          radio blurbs
          podcasts
         online calendars
          web pages
         ning, yahoo, google pages and more!
          My Space
          Twitter
          You - Tube

     be creative - do some fun photos to promote the theme , location or event send them out to facebook friends and maybe they will go VIRAL - we want our material to become viral content and make people come to the event to see what it is all about.

example: Billy Goats Gruff Tellabration at xxx Pre-School

What makes VIRAL? Awe as in WOW! Awe as in a kitten sleeping, sadness, generosity, slapstick, cute, courage, animals, it is very hard to guess - but try.

                                 example " I Spy - Tales of Nathan Hale" told at his Schoolhouse
( courtesy www.historichouseguy.com     Nathan Hale School House New London, CT. and the CT. Sons of the American Revolution www.connecticutsar.org )

                    Example:    Wild West Connecticut - At a barn or organization meeting
     imagine the publicity you can create with different images and short videos. This cowboy video would be shared.

                                                ( courtesy my son & www.ctrenegades.com

Last Year I did Tell-U-Ride a horse trail ride with storytelling stops along the way and a wagon for those who don't have horses. The year before was a Veterans Day Tellabration done with high school students telling stories after workshops in storytelling and a few professional tellers in the mix.

What Tellabration will you share with your area? CT. Storytelling Center and Lanes CT. Blog can't wait to hear all about your plans. Be sure to share them with me so I can blog all about it - more free promotion!

Get Your Tickets ladies and gentleman don't miss the greatest show- Tellabration!

"Cool" Summertime News From the CT Storytelling Center

2011-08-02T13:40:00.000-07:00

SOME "COOL" SUMMERTIME NEWS FROM THE CONNECTICUT STORYTELLING CENTER

Join Our List

Teresa Whitaker and Frank Schwartz

September 24 at 7:30 p.m. Connecticut College,

New London, CT

*Tickets On Sale Now*

"Gathering The Waters" is a 90 minute performance of music and story for adults. It is an exploration of a river in a small Kentucky town, a mother and a daughter coming home to reclaim what she couldn't wait to leave. This original piece includes music on a variety of instruments including guitar, udu, banjo and Frank and Teresa's vocals. As Teresa takes the audience on a storytelling journey, Frank's intricate and beautiful instrumentals are woven throughout.

This lyrical and joyful story is both personal and universal. It is filled with rhythms, watery soundscapes and mythological voices. Blending songs, stories and the strong voice of one prodigal daughter, listeners are invited to explore their own relationships to water, health, family and source.

Teresa and Frank presented this program at this April's 30^th Connecticut Storytelling Festival and Conference to rave reviews.

If you missed it then, here's your chance to see it at Connecticut College on September 24 at 7:30 p.m. in Fortune Hall in Cummings Art Center.

This is a benefit performance. All proceeds will go to support the work of the Connecticut Storytelling Center. Tickets are $20.00. All seats in Fortune Hall are good ones. This venue only holds 75 people - first come, first served.

Go here to purchase your tickets!

http://www.connstorycenter.org/benefitconcert.htm

benefit concert

Changes at CSC

Change can be a scary thing, but it doesn't have to be; it can be viewed as an exhilarating opportunity. Even very successful corporations and organisms need to adapt and evolve to changes in their environments. This coming year, the board of the Connecticut Storytelling Center has voted to try some exciting variations on our usual programs to better promote our goals. We believe that keeping our membership informed will help us all make these transitions more successful.

For 30 years the Connecticut Storytelling Festival has been a showcase vehicle for both tellers and listeners. It has created opportunities for tellers and aspiring tellers to grow, develop and refine their craft. It has also provided an exceptional vehicle to highlight the talents of some of the best tellers around!

In 2012, we plan to test a new format for the Festival. We will host a one-day festival, jam packed with exciting performances and workshops. This will take place on our familiar Conn College stomping grounds with Eshu and Motoko as headliners.

We also plan to break out some additional programs around the state. Of course, Tellabrations! will be held in various venues during the month of November. The very successful Campus Slammer will continue, and expand to additional colleges and universities. Our wildly popular, Mid-Nine Cabaret for adults will be traveling to multiple venues throughout the state. Finally, we will break off our family friendly Once and Twice concert into a stand alone event! Our goal is to bring the joy story to as many listeners as possible all around our state.

We are all truly excited by the possibilities these changes present! However, we will need the support of our many volunteers to make the most of these new events. Your volunteerism helps make our Center a viable force. Watch for future mailings as details develop during the year. Support our efforts by being a willing worker, and eager participant in our events. As always we welcome your input. You can reach us via e-mail at: csc@conncoll.edu or by phone at 860-439-2764.

Schools Programs on Youtube!

If you've ever wondered what the CT Storytelling Center's School Programs are really like, you can take a peek on Youtube. We've posted one video about the elementary schools programs and another about Littlest Listeners, our preschool program. The videos show how storytelling can increase literacy skills. You can help us by passing these links on to any educators you may know, who might be interested in bringing our programs to their schools. Spreading the word about our schools program is a way that you can help us continue to bring story to the next generation.

Elementary School Programs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rz4Dt9R6M34

Preschool Program: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xwJ1BvBmIY

Conntell - CSC's web directory of storytellers

Our web site has a directory of storytellers available for performances in Connecticut: http://www.connstorycenter.org/directory.htm

Storytellers pay $75 annually for a listing. If you are interested in a listing, please send a photo, your contact information, a blurb about what you do and $75 to:

CT Storytelling Center

CT College Box 5295

270 Mohegan Ave.

New London, CT 06320

Deadline for inclusion: August 15, 2011. The web site will be updated by September 1, 2011.

Tellabration!

It's hard to believe that it's almost time for Tellabration, which we celebrate with storytelling concerts all over the state during the month of November. We are just lining up all of the sites, but so far, we have over twenty venues: some for adults, some for children, and some for the whole family. If you are a storyteller who would like to donate your talents, let us know by dropping us an email at csc@conncoll.edu or giving us a call at 860-439-2764. We will be matching up sites and storytellers during the month of August. If you have an idea for a good venue in your own community for a Tellabration, let us know that as well. Perhaps you'd like to host a small Tellabration in your own home for your friends. Need help? Give us a shout!

Thanks To Donors!
Thanks so much to everyone who contributed to our end of the fiscal year call for help. Because of the generosity of those folks, we were able to reach our goal and ended the fiscal year with a balanced budget.

Commemorations Tribute to 9/11 Tom Callinan

2011-07-30T09:23:00.000-07:00

On Sunday September 11th (the 10th Anniversary of the horrific attacks on our homeland), I'll be releasing my latest CD (#14) entitled "Commemorations" [People, Places, And Things Worth Knowing About] at The Yantic Fire Department [in the Yantic Village section of Norwich] at 4:00 P.M. The concert will be a mix of songs from the new album, interspersed with locally and/or patriotically-themed songs, excerpted from my other recordings. All proceeds from the free-will donations of attendees will go to these first-responders, the volunteers who serve my family, friends, and neighbors on a daily basis. Founded in 1847, the Yantic Fire Department is the oldest state-chartered fire department in Connecticut. Sales of any CDs will go to me. Please spread the word among your friends and colleagues, and come if you can.

As with all of my thematic albums, my goal is to be both informative and entertaining. Some of the songs in the new 21-song album that may be of interest to any Connecticut and/or American history buffs include:

Land Of Hills And Mills (Killingly) • Stanley-Whitman House (Farmington) • Bushnell’s Turtle (Essex/Old Saybrook) • Yantic Fire Department • Ellsworth And "Elmwood" (Windsor) • Connecticut’s Patriot Governor (Lebanon) • Sebal Ludington (Danbury and Putnam County, NY) • Prudence Cummings Wright (Pepperell, MA) • The Bells Of Norwich • Adjutant William Campbell (West Haven) • Fort Griswold Massacre (Groton) • Micah Rood (Franklin) • The Struggles Of Ruggles (Norwich-native) • The 9-Year-Old Pirate (Provincetown, MA) ... among others.

For any who can't make the September 11th event, but would like to order the CD, it will be available by mail for $17 (that includes tax + shipping) at the address below.

Best -

Tom Callinan
Connecticut's 1st "Official State Troubadour"
Co-owner, Crackerbarrel Entertainments
55 East Town Street • Norwich, CT 06360
Website: www.crackerbarrel-ents.com/Callinan/bio.htm
E-Mail: Tom.C@Crackerbarrel-Ents.com
Phone/FAX: (860) 889-6648 • Cellphone: (860) 669-6648

A Cool Cat Returns to CT. - Keith Munslow

2011-07-26T06:50:00.000-07:00

The Dictionary: Cat - 3a. a person especially a man
3b. a devotee of jazz

Cool Cat came to mind on this warm summer morning when I thought about a return to Connecticut for Rhode Island storyteller - musician Keith Munslow.

This past Spring Keith entertained many at the Connecticut Storytelling Festival sponsored by the Connecticut   Storytelling Center. www.connstorycenter.org Seeing an announcement of his calendar dates for Connecticut reminded me of a song my kids sang in elementary school. "The cat came back he couldn't stay away , he came right back the very next day." Well it is not the very next day but the cat is certainly back with us. Where ever you call home Keith Munslow , www.keithmunslow.com will be playing a library near you. Set the date, mark the calendar, program your phone for bells, whistles and alarms and get out to see Keith Munslow.

                                                                 The August Dates

August 10   Scranton Memorial Library       10-11 a.m.
                    801 Boston Post Rd
                    Madison,CT. 06443
August 10   Woodbridge Library                  4-5 p.m.
                    10 Newton Rd
                     Woodbridge, CT.

August 11   Richmond Memorial Library     11-12
                    15 School Drive
                    Marlborough, CT. 06447
August 11 Wallingford Library                 7-8 p.m.
                   200 North Main St.
                   Wallingford, CT. 06492

August 15 New Canaan Library                 3:30-4:30
                   151 Main St.
                   New Canaan, CT.    06840
August 15 Cheshire Library                         7-8 p.m.
                   104 main St.
                   Cheshire, CT.  06410

August 17 Stratford Library                    4:30-5:30
                   @Baldwin Senior Center
                    1000 Broad St.
                    Stratford, CT. 06615
August 17 Plumb Library                       7:30-8:30
                   65 Wooster St.
                   Shelton, CT. 06484

August 25 East Granby Library             7-8 p.m.
                   24 Center St.
                   East Granby, CT. 06026

Come Out, Come Out Wherever You Are!   Catch a Keith Munslow performance near you!

need more info? www.keithmunslow.com

The Road Not Taken; New England or Northeast

2011-07-23T07:47:00.000-07:00

I think in music sometimes. When I'm deep in thought on a subject a piece of some past performed or heard music drifts into my head. It comes as if to jostle free some thoughts I might have missed. I have been reading all the emails and commentary on a proposal to change the regional designation of Lanes. From here my mind pulled deep from the recesses a song fragment I sang in high school choir. The beautiful music was combined with the words of poet Robert Frost. The fragment of music pretty much says where we stand in this discussion on names and regionalism.

The Road Not Taken

"Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;"

Here is how it sounded long ago when I sang it in choir and the melody that was stirred to memory I found a you-tube of the same arrangement.

It seems the membership is in the crossroads on this topic, but we have much common ground and I am sure the consensus will be found before long. Which ever road we choose it is about the journey, not the name of the road.

If you want more info on Robert Frost (1874-1965) or to see the full poem go to the webite:
www.poemhunter.com

Haunting Tales and My Ghost Mary

2011-07-20T09:15:00.000-07:00

Haunted Forests, Caves, Lighthouses and more

Have you ever felt the chill run down your spine? Has a story kept you awake at night? Does the full moon bring out the beasts of story and fable?

We all find an occasion to tell a deliciously spooky tale once in awhile. Sometimes it's all about location, dark night, creepy building, flashlights and campers, there are many recipes for a great spooky tale scenario! There is also a responsibility for the safety of your listeners so do be careful! Give parents fair warning if there are children in the audience, some don't need a excuse to not go to bed! Tone down a story for a younger set and give them a tool of defense like; tell the ghost to go away and he will. Place shoes pointing in different directions under your bed and nothing can scare you.

One of my favorites is my own encounter with the Ghost of Mary E. be sure to ask me about how I met her in the state forest one day and how the other Mary E. feels about that chance encounter with a namesake ghost. Here is the orb Mary E presented as when she crossed the road to join us.

Haunted Trails
The dark arms of the forest ready to grab you

A great spooky spot at the side of the road would be Squaw's Cave in Bolton CT. Here is the link to the story that goes with it: www.boltoncthistory.org/squawcave.html

Hank Savin a storyteller from the CT. shoreline tells haunting tales from the lighthouses and ships of the Connecticut coastline.

Need a nautical cliff hanger? try this link: www.lighthousefriends.com
Hank Savin grew up with this light for a nightlight! The sound of the fog horn, a friend calling him home!

Haunted Story Resources

Tim Tingle and Dale Jarvis both are collectors and tellers of haunting tales. Their books are among the collection pictured. Find out more about their work if you dare at: www.timtingle.com www.hauntedhike.com/dale_jarvis.htm and www.dalejarvis.blogspot.com

Haunting in CT.?

Ghosts Galore and At Your Door! Museums full of stories to explore,

Be a Ghost Host!

Awakening the Hidden Storyteller 7/17 post

2011-07-17T13:50:00.000-07:00

Awakening the Hidden Storyteller

A free workshop for educators, and anyone interested in the power of the spoken word!

Presented by Robin Moore

Thursday, August 18^th, 7 pm

The Graduate Institute

171 Amity Road , Bethany , CT

Call (203) 874-4252 to RSVP, or visit www.learn.edu/frontiers for more information

Workshop Description:

Storytelling is the oldest and most versatile of the language arts, appealing to various learning styles and cognitive ability levels. The ability to tell a story in a compelling manner elicits stories from the listener and creates a power resonance from which imaginative reading, authentically-inspired writing, and creative problem-solving can emerge.

Most importantly, story leads us back to what it means to be essentially human. Intelligent and empathetic listening prepares us all to be citizens in a world that is becoming more diverse and complex with each passing year. And let’s not forget this – storytelling is fun!

Join Storyteller of the Year Robin Moore for a workshop that enables you to access your innate creativity and promote new ways of learning.

Robin Moore serves as Program Coordinator for The Graduate Institute’s Master of Arts in Oral Traditions. A professional performer, author, and workshop leader, he was voted “Storyteller of the Year” by Storytelling Magazine and has shared his stories with more than one million people. Since 1981, he has presented more than 5,000 educational offerings that include storytelling performances, writing workshops, and family programs based on the rich folklore of Pennsylvania , where he grew up.

Author of several award winning books published by HarperCollins, Random House, and Simon & Schuster, Robin is best known for The Bread Sister of Sinking Creek, the first in a series of historical fiction novels about women on the PA frontier. He holds a Master of Arts in Oral Traditions from The Graduate Institute.

Leslie Cahill

Director of Admissions and Recruitment

The Graduate Institute

(203) 874-4252

www.learn.edu

Littlest Listeners A Connecticut Storytelling Program

2011-07-13T15:12:00.000-07:00

Littlest Listeners - Literacy Through Storytelling

Produced By: Connecticut Storytelling Center www.connstorycenter.org

A picture is worth a thousand words, a story must be worth a lifetime of literacy! These children and all the others reached by Littlest Listeners Programs of the Connecticut Storytelling Center- PRICELESS! Please watch, a child's love of story may depend on it.

Thank You

From : The Staff, Board of Directors and Storytellers of Connecticut Storytelling Center

A New Resource for Myth

2011-07-11T16:46:00.000-07:00

The plan is set for a great program on myths. Maybe you will be doing a workshop on myth within a school. Your superstar young teller has Hercules in mind, what next? However you come to the collection of myths you are sure to find a gem among them to shine in your story collection.

Now there is a new resource to help you learn more about the world the myth took place in. The map above is not much help, countless wars and geographical changes have occurred since the time of Hercules. Here is a map resource with period maps all set for use in education.

www.unc.edu/awmc/mapsforstudents.html

What a great resource match the myth and the map by date and location and you can see how far they travelled to a battle. Where home was for them. How close did they live to the sea? Answers galore to fill out the telling of a myth and teach a student of storytelling how to go beyond the page.

All excited to begin a mythic adventure here are a couple quick links to myth sites.

www.storybug.net/links.html

http://greece.mrdonn.org/myths/html

www.about.com/greek/myths/legends

Gwendolyn's SilverTea

2011-07-09T09:21:00.000-07:00

Silver Tea for Derby Historical Society

Gwendolyn Quezaire-Presutti presents Harriet Tubman in "I Can't Die But Once"
Monday July 11. 2011   2 p.m.

Silver Tea For Derby Historical Society at John J. Sullivan's
  557 Wakelee Ave. Ansonia CT.

facebook event page at:
http://www.facebook.com/n/?event.php&eid=155145484558236&mid=4728338G4de55d2eG2c2e9caG7&bcode=d80i3BVO&n_m=mothermoo2001%40yahoo.com

Starting From Scratch & Building

2011-07-05T21:15:00.000-07:00

I wanted to create some visibility

I wanted bigger audiences at my local venues

I wanted people to know that storytelling is not reading a book

I want to introduce the thought to the local community before announcing a new storytelling venue.

I want Tellabrations and Campus Slammer to get a bigger crowd.

So I'm starting from scratch and building! My raw materials plywood and paint , my goal: be seen.

In the Front Porch Workshop I got busy with homemade stencil of the logo.

The lettering stencils came next and more paint

Then a friend with a pick up truck ( I envisioned a 8' bed on it hiding the lower half, but short truck) I wanted Facebook and Twitter Emblems but ran out of daylight.

Before next event, web address, FB And Twitter and the words Tellabration and Campus Slammer will be added.

Just the same as an intro to local story events I reached quite a few people, I am hoping this is the beginning of a conversation. I will be following up with the announcement of local storytelling events.

About 10,000 conversations coming!

www.connstorycenter.org

GOT PEOPLE?

What is an ART?..... Storytellers Continuing the Conversation.....

2011-07-01T10:50:00.000-07:00

What is an art? This conversation is bouncing around between storytellers and was prompted to go wide. Here are some thoughts and images I have had since reading the discussion on line.

Good photography is considered an art. It is hung in galleries, critiques are done, classes offered a wide spectrum of styles and techniques are used.

Music is an art form from a lonely harmonica to the stage at Carnegie Hall from the single voice in church to the Vienna Choir Boys and the Opera Houses of the World.

Dudley Hamlin of Mansfield, CT shares his musical arts in a performance of the Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald to benefit the local soup kitchen. No doubt the gift of music is an art. In music they call them recording artists!

Sculpture is an art in a grand scale!

The artist creates a mold, a statue is made. They are exhibited in public spaces, galleries, and private collections. Yes, the sculptor is an artist.

Stone carvers are considered artisans as well. The art of many colonial stone carvers is well documented in cemeteries and in books about the craft of creating stone carvings.

When you create textiles you are considered a fiber artist! Creating from raw materials a finished product that is useful, decorative and unique.

Take a product and be creative with it - That's considered art!

Recently a storyteller was told her work was not an art, by a grant board for the ARTS!

Let's Compare!!

Storytellers CREATE FROM RAW MATERIALS

storytellers MAKE A PRODUCT

storytellers PERFORM

storytellers are CRITIQUED

storytellers are UNIQUE

storytellers are RECORDING ARTISTS

storytellers TAKE CLASSES, WORKSHOPS, LESSONS

storytellers HAVE BOOKS ABOUT THE ART OF STORYTELLING

storytellers CONNECT WITH THE VIEWERS

storytellers HAVE DIFFERENT STYLES

STORYTELLERS ARE PERFORMING ARTISTS OF SPOKEN WORD IN THE ORAL TRADITION THAT PRE-DATES HISTORY

STORYTELLING IS THE ART OF COMMUNICATION AT ITS HIGHEST LEVEL

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Out and About with Len Cabral

2011-06-29T20:35:00.000-07:00

Tuesday June 28, 2011 at 7 p.m. Storyteller Len Cabral kicked off the summer reading program at Mansfield Library with a program of world stories to go with this years theme "One World Many Stories"

to see a clip from the Tuesday performance watch it here: http://youtu.be/azsgcHp1JFc

Kicking off Summer Reading is not the only project Len Cabral has right now, see what else in the article below!


The SoundSession Festival of Providence is lucky to have Len Cabral as a Chair. They have their home base in the Roots Cafe in Providence. The Festival will run July 8-10 this year with a stellar line up of talents.   Check out      www.rootscafeprovidence.com    401-272-7422

Here is a article on the event from Providence Journal
www.projo.com/music/content/SOUNDSESSIKON_06-23-11_74OPPE2_v10.42180.html

For more info on Len Cabral's programs contaact him via email at lencabral@gmail.com
via website at www.lencabral.com