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:
Upcoming Facilitators/Meetings
August 20-- GPL--Dee and Frank Wind —“Visual
Aspects of Storytelling”
September 16--Colonie--Carol Connolly -- Dinner
Meeting
October 15--Guilderland--facilitator needed—“Use
of Space in Storytelling”
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
Story Circle Meeting Tuesday July
15 in Colonie
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.
The class takes place during a (bring your own) PICNIC SUPPER with the artist.
See Calendar Listings for more information on the performances.
Wednesday August 20 "Gloskap
Tales and Abenaki Legends" by Jim Bruchac.
Wednesday September
24 “Hitch'em up Matilda & other Mountain Tales” - Rev.
Kent
Bushman.
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.
September 28 Sunday from 2 – 4 Fran Berger, Frank and Dee Wind are
putting together a benefit for Fran Yardley and Peggy Lynn’s Adirondack Art and Healing Retreats at Great Camp Sagamore. The Benefit will be at the
Lark Tavern in Albany. All
donations are accepted. 458-1781, or e-mail we_tell@verizon.net for more information.
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
of each county is now woven into the tapestry of the story and I, along with
Ronan, fell ever more under the spell of that colorful land and its diverse
people.
The book is published by Harper
Collins Publishers and the CD comes from
Harper Audio. It is available from the Upper Hudson Library System. If you do
give it a read, or a listen, I’d love to discuss it with you.
See
You Next Time!
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)
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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.
(
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(
) 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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