a shared experience between the listeners and the teller that combines the intensity of a one person play with the intimacy of a one-on-one conversation
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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 Email: cbnolou@yahoo.com
April 2008 – May 2008 Visit our web site at http://timesunion.com/communities/storycircle
“I have always tried to hide my efforts and wished my works to have a light joyousness of springtime which never lets anyone suspect the labors it has cost me.” Henri Matisse
Story Circle Business News
Eric Randall, "The Princess's Hair" Rennie Fountain, "Some Pig" Frank Wind, "Old Before Your Time” and Adam Hoffman, "The Monkey and the Crocodile", a Folktale from India’.
March 18, 2008 – Colonie Bess Arden – Facilitator for the March 18 meeting writes: “We were a group of 7: Bess Arden, Dale Blanchet, Adam Hoffman, Corey White, Kate Dudding, Frank Wind, and Dee Wind. … story tellers for the evening were Kate Dudding: "In the Face of Evil", improv/rehearsal; Corey White: "Life as a fire-eater"; Adam Hoffman: "Cats are Queer Articles, Irish Folktales; Dee Wind: "Jabberwocky" by Lewis Carol and "Vespers" by A. A. Milne We all had a serendipity evening of conversation and whimsy about poetry, storytelling, and about our reactions to human and political events that, at times, seem to take over our routine lives.”
Meetings run from 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.
APRIL Meeting at Guilderland Library – Note Date Change: The meeting will be on Tuesday April 15 6:00 – 9:00 pm. Topic and Facilitator TBA.
Ongoing Events OPEN MICS in Saratoga On the Second Wednesday of each month. April 9 – Woodlawn Commons 156 Lawrence St. 6:45 sign up. Directions: From Broadway in Saratoga, turn West on Church St. Turn right on Seward St. (if you get as far as the hospital, you've gone one block too far). Turn right again on Clement St. (at the 2nd stop sign) Look for Hospice. Woodlawn is the big yellow building nearby. May 14 at Caffé Lena 47 Phila St. Saratoga Springs. 6:45 pm sign ups; 7:00 Storytelling. Phone: 583-0022.
OPEN MIC in Schenectady April 2 and May 7 First Wednesdays - 6:45 sign ups, 7:00 pm begins storytelling at Proctors: Open Mic. We will be telling 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! April
3 Thursday
7-9 pm Youth Interfaith Story Circle Hubbard Interfaith
Sanctuary (Campus of College of St. Rose) 959 Madison Avenue. Theme: Youth
Share Wisdom Tales. Facilitators: Children at the Well Interns.
Please join us to hear our interns (Adah Hetko, Ben Russell, Ilyssa Simsek,
Sarah Ali and Nimi Jayaraman) who have been coached in the past by Mary
and Marni, tell wisdom tales. The evening belongs to them. This
is their opportunity to run a story circle and ours to be delighted listeners. The Adirondack Storytelling Guild held its first two meetings at the Lake Placid Library. We meet to share a storytelling exercise each month and to swap stories and to listen to each other. Anyone interested in the Guild is invited to contact Fran Yardley franstory@gmail.com or Karen Glass at kglass28@kvvi.net for more information
April 4 Friday, 10:30 a.m. People Who Made a Difference. Clifton Park-Halfmoon Public Library. Free. Come listen as Kate Dudding shares the stories of a diverse group of people, both old and young, who made a difference during the last hundred years. While you may know of some of these historical events (including World War II, the integration of major league baseball, and the bombing of the Federal Building in Oklahoma City), you probably don't know these stories of people who lived through those events. 475 Moe Road, Clifton Park, NY 12065 (518) 371-8622. April 6 Sunday , 5:00-8:00 p.m. Storytelling Jubilee: A Potpourri of Stories with Betty Cassidy, Louise Koenig, Betty McCanty, Alan McClintock, Leslie Nase and Eric Randall. Story Sundays at the Glen Sanders Mansion, 1 Glen Avenue, Scotia, NY. Join six of the region’s storytellers as they share stories from around the world. Entreé Choices: Sliced Sirloin with a Garlic Gorgonzola Demi Glace, Chicken Francaise with Lemon White Wine Sauce, or Penne Pasta with Grilled Summer Vegetables and Marinara Sauce. Reservations: (518) 384-1700 or sc@katedudding.com Price: $27.00, including dinner. Money Saving Opportunity for Newcomers: (Only one $5 discount per person): Save $5 if you’ve never come to Story Sundays; Save $5 if you bring someone who has never come to Story Sundays. May 4 Sunday 5:00-8:00 p.m. Transformation Tales: Stories of Changes and Changers with Joseph Bruchac. Story Sundays at the Glen Sanders Mansion, 1 Glen Avenue, Scotia, NY. As a professional teller of the traditional tales of the Adirondacks and the Native peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands, Joe Bruchac has performed widely in Europe and throughout the United States from Florida to Hawaii and has been featured at such events as the British Storytelling Festival and the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesboro, Tennessee. Entrée Choices: Sliced London Broil with Hunters Sauce, Chicken Chambord with Balsamic Raspberry Sauce, or Vegetable Stir Fry. Reservations: (518) 384-1700 or sc@katedudding.com Price: $27.00, including dinner. Money Saving Opportunity for Newcomers: (Only one $5 discount per person): Save $5 if you’ve never come to Story Sundays; Save $5 if you bring someone who has never come to Story Sundays. Family Programs
April 7 Monday 10:00 am Margaret French and Betty Cassidy will be presenting a program of children's stories at the Indian Lake Library Pelon Road, Indian Lake, NY 12842 (518) 648-5444. as part of the SALS program (and as a result of Carol Connelly's hard work!) Free.
April 16 Wednesday 2:00 pm Claire Nolan as Mother Jones at the Guilderland Public Library 2228 Western Avenue. This event is in conjunction with The Big Read. This year’s book is Edith Wharton’s The Age of Innocence and the theme for the Library’s Big Read events is the Gilded Age. What will you find when Mother Jones peels away that thin veneer of gilt? This program is best for children age ten and up. Free. 456-2400. http://www.booksite.com/texis/scripts/bookletter/showlist.html?sid=6686&list=CNL19 (see Page 5 of the newsletter)
April 16 Wednesday 10:30 am at the Greenwich Free Library, Greenwich, NY “Brave Hearts and Bold Adventures” will be presented by Lucinda Joy Robertson, a storyteller from the Story Circle of the Capital District. This program will include audience participation stories, fun songs, and lively storytelling. 148 Main Street Greenwich NY 12834 518-692-7157.
April
18 Friday
11:00 a.m. Squeaks, Shrieks and Squeals: Interactive Stories for Families.
Town of Chester Public Library. Free. Join storyteller Kate Dudding in
the fun as she shares stories from around the world. There's something for you
to do in each story, so please come -- it won't be the same without you. Town of Chester Library,
April
19
Saturday 12:00 and 2:00 p.m.Tales ‘n Tunes will perform at Earth Day at
the Mabee Farm, 1080 Main Street Route 5 S Rotterdam Junction, NY 12150. They
will present a family program: “Mother Earth Songs and Stories”. 518-887-5073 or
518-374-0263.
April 21 – April 27 Monday – Sunday at various times and locations The Riverway Story Telling Festival: “Where stories Come Alive” http://www.riverwaystorytellingfestival.org/
April
22
Tuesday 7:00 p.m. Tales ‘n Tunes will be featured tellers at the East
Greenbush Community Library., East Greenbush, NY The family program is at and
is part of the Riverway Storytelling Festival. See www.riverwaystorytellingfestival.org
for details. April 26 Saturday 11:00 Dee Ellen Lee was selected to be part of the Riverway Family Concert and she will be telling a story at the Albany Public Library Main Branch: www.riverwaystorytellingfestival.org.
May 1 Thursday 10:00 am Margaret French and Betty Cassidy will be presenting a program of children's stories at the Richards Library 6 Elm St, Warrensburg, NY (518) 623-3011 as part of the SALS program (and as a result of Carol Connelly's hard work!) Workshops and Classes for Storytellers
A
teacher workshop at Proctors with Marni Gillard – open to anyone
interested in teaching. Call (518)382-3884 ext.139 or email raskew@proctors.org for more
information.
Opportunities for Storytellers
The Community Storytelling Grant Fund, which underwrites storytelling programs in the Capital Region using profits from Tellabration, has recently awarded seven grants to area libraries. Carol Connolly, the Grants Administrator and her committee, composed of Dee Wind and Audrey Seidman, have awarded grants to East Greenbush Library, Canajoharie Library and Arkell Museum, Stillwater Free Library, Town of Chester Library, Pember Library, and Indian Lake Library. The tellers for these programs will be chosen by the libraries from the Story Circle Roster. The programs will take place between April and December. We ask that the storytellers do not contract for more than one of these programs. Make sure that your listing on the Story Circle Roster is up to date!
Among Ourselves
April 14 Monday Frank-Lee Speaking will do a 90 minute workshop at HVCC for students who are planning to go into teaching.
Fran Berger - will be presenting to 11 classroom groups from April 21 through April 23 at the Bromley East Charter School in Brighton, Colorado. Fran will be presenting for K-8 students and for two different Montessori groups within the school. Program focus requests from the teachers include Native Americans, Colonial Times, Revolutionary War, Civil War, Westward Expansion and Colorado History. Needless to say, she is busily preparing!
Advice for Storytellers Gathered by Story Circle Member Janet Glantz & the Talespinner Editor
“The teller’s imagination is his most valuable asset. The story to be told merely is the foundation, the launching pad for that imagination. Telling mental pictures frees the imagination to soar with the story and to include the listeners as special passengers on the journey.” From “Tell a mind picture” by Robert E. Robinstein
“Storytelling isn’t about words. It’s about images, and emotions, and sharing those with your listeners. The trick to telling a story isn’t knowing every word that is written on the page. The trick is knowing how the characters feel and why they do what they do—then sharing that knowledge and understanding with your listeners.” From “The Moral of the story” by Bobby and Sherry Norfolk
“The pause is an exceedingly important feature in any kind of story, and a frequently recurring feature, too. It is a dainty thing, and delicate, and also uncertain and treacherous; for it must be exactly the right length--no more and no less--or it fails of its purpose and makes trouble. If the pause is too short the impressive point is passed, and [and if too long] the audience have had time to divine that a surprise is intended--and then you can't surprise them, of course.” From “How to tell a story” by Mark Twain,
See You Next Time!
"Just living is not enough" said the butterfly, "one must have sunshine, freedom and a little flower." Hans Christian Andersen
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. (April 15) APRIL Meeting at Guilderland Library – NOTE Date Change: The meeting will be on Tuesday April 15 6:00 – 9:00 pm. Developing Your Storytelling Career round table led by Carol Connolly.
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. (May 20)
***************************************************************************** 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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