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Talespinner The Newsletter of the Story Circle of the Capital District Editor and Publisher: Claire Nolan 11 Norwood Street Albany, NY 12203 (518) 209-6477 E-mail: cbnolou@yahoo.com
August 2008 – September 2008 Visit our web site at www.story-circle.org
“I never let schooling interfere with my education.” Mark Twain
Story Circle Business News
Meetings 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the William K. Sanford
Public Library and 6:15
to 9:00 p.m.
at the Guilderland Library (GPL). At GPL, we will have a topic for
panel/roundtable discussion. Facilitators for upcoming meetings: Tellabration Planning Meeting at 5:00 pm – Bring your own Dinner Story Circle Meeting Wednesday June 25 at GPL Facilitator and presenter – Fran Berger: “Body Work for Storytellers” Stories told: Tales ‘n Tunes – Goat in the Chili Patch – Mexican Folktale Claire Nolan – My Father and the Mermaid – Personal The Porcelain Man – Richard Kennedy Louise Koenig – So What Else is New? – a Noah Story Helen King – The Library Fine – Personal Fran Berger – Anansi and the Firefly – African Folktale Listeners: Eric Randall and Corey White
Joe Doolittle – Facilitator Stories told by Eric Randall, Adam Hoffman, Kate Dudding and Joe Doolittle Listeners - Frank Wind and Dee Wind September 16 Tuesday at 5 pm, Story Circle Annual Dinner Meeting at Fox and Firkin’s on Wolf Road. Please call Dee Wind at 458-1781, or e-mail her at we_tell@verizon.net for reservations.
Ongoing Events OPEN MIC in Saratoga On the Second Wednesday of each month. No August date for Woodlawn Commons September 10 (6:45 sign-up) Wednesday Stores from 7 – 9: Open Mic at Café Lena 47 Phila St. Saratoga Springs, NY 12866. For info: (518) 583-0022 or http://www.caffelena.org/open-mic.htm#s
OPEN MIC in Schenectady First Wednesdays September 3 Wednesday - 6:45 sign ups, 7:00 pm begins storytelling at Proctors: Located at the small stage in Robb Alley, adjacent to the Muddy Cup Coffee House, just off the main entrance to Proctors. It is a visible, fun space and provides great exposure for storytelling. Consider signing up to tell – or to be a Featured Teller in the future!
Adirondack Storytelling Guild – Contact Fran Yardley franstory@gmail.com. Upcoming schedule: August 9 1:00 The ADK Storytelling Guild will meet at the Storytelling Festival in Jay, New York. Featured tellers will be Onowumi Jean Moss, Marge Bruchac, and Dan Berggren. There will also be an open mic session. For more info about this festival, contact Karen Glass, kglass28@kvvi.net.
Adult Programs
July and August Fran Yardley will be featured in the psycho thriller, Night Must Fall, by Emlyn Williams at Pendragon Theatre in Saranac Lake in repertory. Contact Pendragon Theatre, 518 891-1854 for info. Sunday August 3 at 6:00 pm Heather Forest “Tales of Womenfolk”. Old tales with a touch of modern femininity featuring courageous and resourceful women. Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site Visitor Center * 129 Schoharie * Fort Hunter NY 12069 * 518- 829-7516 Street Bring Lawn Chairs. Rain or Shine. Sunday August 10 at 6:00 pm Michael Parent “Stories and Songs from Maine”. Poignant and humorous stories about characters who live in the out of the way state (of mind) called Maine. Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site Visitor Center * 129 Schoharie * Fort Hunter NY 12069 * 518- 829-7516 Street Bring Lawn Chairs. Rain or Shine. Sunday August 17 at 6:00 pm Ken Corsbie “Caribbean Voices”. The joys and adventures of growing up in the Caribbean. Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site Visitor Center * 129 Schoharie * Fort Hunter NY 12069 * 518- 829-7516 Street Bring Lawn Chairs. Rain or Shine. Sunday August 24 at 6:00 pm Four Stories High “Sum-Sum Summertime Stories Under the Maple Tree”. Jane, Carol, Mary and Barbara tell original world folktales. Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site Visitor Center * 129 Schoharie * Fort Hunter NY 12069 * 518- 829-7516 Street Bring Lawn Chairs. Rain or Shine Sunday September 7 at 6:00 pm Joe Peck “Memories of a Country Boy”. Sixty years’ worth of great farm stories in upstate New York. Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site Visitor Center * 129 Schoharie * Fort Hunter NY 12069 * 518- 829-7516 Street Bring Lawn Chairs. Rain or Shine. September 20 at 7:30 pm – Word Plays at Proctors Theater 432 State Street, Schenectady, New York - $16.00. http://www.storycircleatproctors.org/word-plays.shtml
Family Programs August 9 Saturday 2 – 7:30 pm Frank Lee Speaking at the Tell Me A Story Storytelling Festival in Jay, NY. For more information contact Karen Glass 576-2058. Sunday August 17 at 7:00 PM - 7:30 PM Margaret French Freedom Park, Scotia; with the Zucchini Brothers. Wednesday August 20 at 7:00 pm "Gloskap Tales and Abenaki Legends" by Jim Bruchac. Catskill Bluestone Amphitheatre; AfPA 897 St. David's Lane in Niskayuna. More about Jim and "Dawnland" www.ndakinna.com. For reservations: Joe Doolittle at 384-1700 Saturday August 23 at 6:30 pm – Claire Nolan at Emma Treadwell Thacher Nature Center 87 Nature Center Way; Voorheesville, NY 12186; phone: 872-0800. Wednesday September 24 at 7:00 pm "Hitch'em up Matilda & other Mountain Tales” - Rev. Kent Bushman. Catskill Bluestone Amphitheatre; AfPA 897 St. David's Lane in Niskayuna. More about Rev. Bushman: www.storycircleatproctors.org For reservations: Joe Doolittle at 384-1700
Workshops and Classes for Storytellers Wednesdays
August – September
5:30 pm (See dates below) Join four regional and local storytellers in a
new summer storytelling series at the Catskill Bluestone Amphitheatre; AfPA, 897
St. David's Lane in Niskayuna. The
performances are free and open to the community. Before each performance there
will be a Special Story-Supper Seminar open only to Niskayuna School District Continuing
Education Registrants. The registrants will have an individualized learning
session with the storyteller before the performance. It is not necessary to be
a resident of Niskayuna to register. Wednesday September
24 “Hitch'em up Matilda & other Mountain Tales” - Rev.
Kent Location: AfPA; 897 St. David's Lane; Niskayuna, NY Supper Class at 5:30 PM - Performance at 7:00 PM. Fee for class and performance: Individuals - $20 each night or $70 for all four performances. Family rate (up to 4 family members) - $60 each night or $200 for all four performances). To register call 377-4666 ext. 231. Performance Only is free and open to the public.
Among Ourselves In early August at the National Storytelling Conference, Gatlingburg, TN., Kate Dudding will be leading a panel discussion on "Other Kinds of Storytelling Events: Beyond the Festival Model." Kate Dudding will also be receiving the Northeast Regional Leadership and Service Award from the National Storytelling Network for her work as a storytelling producer and advocate. September
26 Friday
9:30 – 11:00 Frank Lee Speaking
(Dee and Frank Wind) offer a workshop for HVCC’s Creative Retirement
program. Open to all retired people. Contact Jean Chennette at 674-2086
to register.
Opportunities for Storytellers Tellabration 2008 Smiling Out Loud: Stories of Joy and Laughter
Sunday, Nov. 16, 2:00 -4:00 p.m. GE Theatre at Proctors, 432 State Street, Schenectady $12 (discounts for groups and new people) 1. Selection Process Live audition: Story Circle members can audition live in September at: (1) The Schenectady Open Mic at on Wed. Sept. 3; or (2) The Saratoga Open Mic at Cafe Lena on Wed. Sept. 10; or (3) The Story Circle meeting on Tue. Sept 16. People who have told at a previous Tellabration can submit a tape by Sept. 10 to: Kate Dudding, 8 Sandalwood Drive, Clifton Park, NY 12065-2700. 2. Marketing Ideas A Tellabration flyer is available on-line: www.storycircleatproctors.org/Flyer-7-15-2008.pdf Flyers printed on pink paper are also available from Kate Dudding – please contact her and let her know how many you want: 383-4620 or kate@katedudding.com Immediately begin marketing to groups of adults, since groups need time to plan their events. The committee asks all Story Circle members to give a flyer to each adults group they belong to, such as: Senior centers; Groups at places of worship; Red Hat groups; Book clubs; Friends of libraries; Service groups Ideally, each member of Story Circle will contact five groups. If you are emailing people, you can also refer them to our Tellabration web page: www.storycircleatproctors.org/tellabration.shtml
3. Keeping Tellabration Running on Schedule It is especially important that Tellabration ends on time this year since we’re marketing to seniors and senior groups who We want tellers and the audience to have a good time, while still being mindful of time passing. 4. Chairs for Tellabration Producers: Joe Doolittle and Kate Dudding Artists’ Table: Betty Cassidy Copy Editors: Carol Connolly and Don Darmer Door Prizes: Nancy Marie Payne Emcee: Karen Pillswort Publicity & Program Design: Kate Dudding Site Manager: Kate Dudding $2 rebate: Betty McCanty Proctors will provide: Tickets (printing and selling) Ushers Refreshments Chairpesons needed: Sound Check organizer Program Ads -- the form to buy an ad is also on the web site www.storycircleatproctors.org/Ad- Form-7-18-2008.pdf 5. Next committee meeting: Wed. Oct. 15, 5:00 pm BYO dinner to Guilderland Library (before the Story Circle meeting)
Pyramid Lake Storytelling Camp Review By Marni Gillard Pyramid Storytelling Camp weekend was again a huge success. Thanks to Nancy Payne who always does a great job warming up participants opening night. And for WOMEN tellers who might be interested, storytellers are welcomed with open arms at the women’s writing retreat which is the week following storytelling camp. This year there were several storytelling ‘writers’ and the art of composing on your feet is gaining respect. Again, Nan Payne led a two part workshop in which tellers made mythical tales about their births, introducing some women to storytelling for the first time and watching them not only birth a story but also a consciousness about their lives. Thrilling! Next year, tentatively, the storytelling weekend will be July 17-19 and the writing week July 19-24. Pencil it in.
A Fine Summer Read By Nancy Marie Payne
There are still plenty of days left to read at the beach!
Between tapes, CDs and actual bound copies, I read lots of books. Often I think, "Wouldn’t it be nice to share this or that particular tale with some of my story telling friends." Ireland, by Frank Delaney, moved me to such a degree that I am actually putting thought to paper and passing the treasure on. This novel impressed me on many levels. Those of you who love Ireland and everything Irish, can’t help but be mesmerized. Secondly, the ancient oral craft is actually taught within the story. For those of you who just want a beautiful gripping story, this has history, romance, adventure, love, heros, honor, villains, freedom fighters, a coming of age story and mystery: what more could you ask for? Lastly, if you hear the story on CD, as I did, you will enjoy the beauty and richness of the language. The author himself reads his tale and has a gift for dialects and voices. Ireland starts in the 1950's with an itinerant Storyteller
coming to a rural community. He is invited to stay in the home of John O’Mara.
For three nights the old traveler tells stories of Ireland’s history to a growing
crowd of listeners. John shares his home life with his wife, his wife’s sister
and Ronan, his son. Each of the adult characters has a mystery about them.
Ronan’s life will be a journey in search of those mysteries. Although the boy
rarely spends time with the Storyteller, the old man is able to give him
stories and lessons through the rich cadre of characters who weave their way
through the pages. When Ronan becomes a young man he travels the island in
search of his mentor. The uniqueness The book is published by Harper
Collins Publishers and the CD comes from
All meetings are held from 7 to 9 p.m. on the 3rd Tuesday or Wednesday of the month alternating between Tuesdays in odd numbered months at the William K. Sanford Library and Wednesdays in even numbered months at the Guilderland Public Library. DIRECTIONS: The Guilderland Public Library is located at 2228 Western Avenue, Guilderland, 1/2 mile west of Rte. 155 on the south side of Western Avenue. (August) The William K. Sanford Library is located at 629 Albany Shaker Road, just off Northway Exit 4, and 1/4 mile east of the intersection of Wolf Road and Albany Shaker Road on the left side. (September) ***************************************************************************** Name_____________________________________________________________
Address___________________________________________________________
Phone__________________Email_______________________________________ ( ) I want to be a member of Story Circle, enclosed is a check for $10.00 for the newsletter and a roster of members. Renewal January of each year. ( ) List my name among performing storytellers for referral. ( ) Send my newsletters via US mail. ( ) Send my newsletters via E-mail. Membership renewals are due each January and are good for one year. Please make checks payable to “Story Circle” and send to Carol Connolly, 1100 Niskayuna Road, Niskayuna, NY 12309 *****************************************************************************
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