Area Storytelling Events
If you have an Illinois (or nearby midwest) storytelling event you'd like to have listed, please send an email to info@storytellling.org. The event will be reviewed before being included in this calendar. Listings are updated as necessary.
Updated May 4, 2008
May 6
At 8:00 ET Joshua Safford will be interviewed for a podcast on Eric Wolf's the Art of Storytelling with Children, on the subject of close up storytelling for the street in environmental theater as well as the fusion of storytelling and magic for visual focus. To explain better this better this is storytelling outdoors with no confined theater area, or working without a net. To find out more about this podcast go to the art of storytelling with children website at www.storytellingwithchildren.com. To find out more about Joshua go to www.ravenstory.com
This is an open conference call. You are encouraged to phone in questions about this unusual yet very old world way of storytelling.
To access this conference call phone in a few minutes before start time at
712-432-1620
Access code 641166
You may stay on the call as long as you like, it will last about an hour.
May 17 - Woodstock
“Standing Up” Stories of standing up to oppression and genocide
A Special Fundraising Event Hosted by Jim May
Featured Storyteller(s) Jim May, Susan O’Halloran, Anne Shimojima, Rich Tobiasz and others
An evening of stories and viewing of the documentary of Lisa Derman’s last story at the Illinois Storytelling Festival in 2002, told moments before her sudden heart attack and death on stage. Lisa was a resistance fighter in Poland during World War Ii and a Holocaust survivor. She told her story of survival and the story of the Holocaust and was influential in lobbying the State of Illinois to become the first state to require Holocaust Studies in the schools. Donations for the evening will go to creating a sculpture and plaque to commemorate Lisa’s story.
Following the documentary storytellers will tell stories of courage and hope in the face of genocide and oppression from occurrences in other parts of the world, present and past.
Donations can also be made out to Illinois Storytelling Inc (Lisa fund memo) and sent to P.O. Box 1012, Woodstock, Il 60098.
7pm to 9:00 pm
Admission — none
125 Van Buren, Woodstock,Illinois 60098
maystory@earthlink.net
815-382-5264
May 17 - Chicago
Vicki Elberfeld shares stories of "Love and Other Misadventures" at the 3rd Saturday Coffeehouse, Unity Temple, 875 Lake Street (at Kenilworth), Oak Park, 9pm, preceeded by 8pm open mic (7:30 sign-in). Donation $3 - $5.
Info: 708-660-9376.
May 17- Oakbrook Terrace
Journey From the Heart with Swiftdeer-Paige
Swiftdeer-Paige presents for the young and old Journey From The Heart, an enchanting hour long multi-entertaining & educational ecology Native American storytelling program.
Lakeview Nature Center, 17 W 063 Hodges Rd.
630-941-8747
1 p.m, 2 p.m. & 3 p.m. (each performance is 30 minutes)
fee: free
May 18
Storytelling in the Snug with Sue Black
8 pm
Living Out Loud!
"Life's a journey. Hold hands with a friend along the way. Sing. Dance Tell stories." Join Sue in the Snug and celebrate LIFE! with laughter and grace. Weaving personal stories and folktales with songs and music, this veteran of marriage and motherhood creates a tapestry that is rich, bold and inspirational. -www.sue-black.com
There will be NO COVER CHARGE for this wonderful event, but we will "pass the hat" for Sue that evening.
**PLEASE NOTE** Seating in the Snug is very limited. Come early to reserve your seats, have a meal in our dining room, and then retire with your drinks to the coziness of the Snug for storytelling!
Reservations strongly recommended.
If any Deaf or Hard of Hearing person would like to attend, a sign language interpreter will be provided.
The Celtic Knot Public House
626 Church Street
Evanston IL 60201
(847) 864-1679
www.celticknotpub.com
June-July
"Voices of the Land"
Tom and Chris Kastle have collaborated with naturalist, Joel Greenberg to create this show inspired by Joel's newest book, Of Prairie, Woods, & Water: Two Centuries of Chicago Nature Writing, University of Chicago Press. It includes stories, poems, letters and journals as well as songs that examine how we, here in Illinois, have perceived and interacted with the natural environment over time. It will be at the following venues:
June 1, 1:30 pm: Chicago Botanic Gardens, 1000 Lake Cook Rd., Glencoe, 847-835-5440
June 22, 1:00 pm: Lincoln Park Zoo, 2001 N. Clark St., Chicago, 312-742-2000
July 20, 1:00 pm: Morton Arboretum, 41oo Illinois Rt. 53, Lisle, 630-968-0074
July 27, noon: Volo Bog (National Bog Day), 28478 W. Brandenburg, Igleside, 815344-1294
Other sites tba. See www.kastles.net
June 1 - Evanston
Storytelling in the Snug with Jane Stenson
MEETING THE STYLES is a rhythm-filled story about children growing up and parents growing up. It moves from Anglican choirboys to street rappers, from graffiti to a slide show.
8:00pm
Some adult language.
Join Jane in the Celtic Knot's SNUG for an hour of story. And, why not have dinner before the story?
The Celtic Knot
626 Church Street
Evanston, IL
June 14 - Chicago
African American Storytelling Organization Celebrates 10th Anniversary in Concert
eta Creative Arts Foundation, 7558 S. South Chicago Avenue, Chicago
7:00 p.m.
Ase: The Chicago Association of Black Storytellers will celebrate its 10th anniversary with a storytelling concert for adults. The stories will reflect pride in the various ancestries of the tellers, strength in the face of adversity, and the ability to laugh and sing through the toughest of times. These keepers of the culture will honor the people, events, and folklore of African-rooted cultures as they perform both original and traditional stories.
Ase’s concert (pronounced “ah-SHAY”) will showcase the wonderful talents of its members and will feature the tremendous energy of its guest storyteller Nothando Zulu of the Twin Cities of Minnesota. Nothando uses storytelling in ways that elicit raucous laughter and drive home important messages. Highly acclaimed for her fresh, humorous, and earthy style, nationally renowned, Nothando Zulu remains a favorite of audiences of all ages and cultures. She and her husband Vusumusi Zulu established and host the annual Black Storytellers Alliance Storytelling Festival in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
The talents of Ase’s members will round out the two-hour concert, and will include the artistry of D. Kucha Brownlee and Mama Edie Armstrong, who together called forth the first historical meeting of Ase. Also featured will be Baba Tony Brown, Alice Collins, Andrea Fain, Velma Gladney, Gwen Hilary, Zahra Baker and Emily Hooper-Lansana of “In the Spirit”. Oba William King will serve as emcee, and Babu Atiba Walker, Assistant Artistic Director of Muntu Dance Theatre, will accompany the performers on percussion.
Tickets may be purchased at the door or in advance from any member of Ase. Doors will open at 6:30. All admissions are $15.00.
Contact: Emily Hooper-Lansana, Ase Chair ehooperlansana7539@wowway.com or Andrea Fain, Vice-Chair 773-342-9298
August 7-10 - Gatlinburg, TN
National Storytelling Conference 2008
For more information visit http://www.storynet.org/Events/Conference/2008/
August 30 - Sept 1 - Geneva
Fox Valley Folk Music and Storytelling Festival.
Workshops, music, stories and more.
Island Park in Geneva, IL
MUSIC BY
Mike Anderson - Lou & Peter Berryman - Bob Bovee & Gail Heil - Bryan Bowers - Judy Cook - Cooper, Nelson, & Early - Curtis & Loretta - Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer (Tent.) - Joel Mabus - Steve Gillette & Cindy Mangsen - Lee Murdock - Larry Penn - Bill Robinson & Friends - Danny Santos - Cosy Sheridan - Ed Trickett - Chris Vallillo - Matt Watroba And Several More Feature Acts To Be Announced
PLUS STORIES BY
Mike Anderson - In The Spirit - Yvonne Healy - Chris Fascione - The Fox Valley Storytelling Guild
For more information visit http://www.foxvalleyfolk.com/
October 2-6 - Jonesborough TN
National Storytelling Festival
Plan now to attend the world-renowned National Storytelling Festival and hear your favorite tellers. Check out the Festival at www.storytellingcenter.net
RELAX. All the trip details are taken care of: transportation, motel and festival ticket. Great rates. Pleasant and carefree group travel with McHenry County Storytelling Guild. Almost 300 people have enjoyed the Festival via our trip over the past 25 years.
Make this the year you join us: Thursday, October 2 ˆ Monday, October 6, 2008
Three pick-up points in Illinois: Wheeling, Burr Ridge, Champaign. Estimate is $600 per person/double occupancy with 30 participants on the coach. Capacity is 40. The more, the merrier, and cost decreases to $525 estimate. Full and partial packages available. Advance Registration is $150 if received by March 1. After March 1 registration will be $175.
Questions? Contact Denise at festivaltrip@earthlink.net
Evenings at 630-556-4771 Days at 630-584-0076, ext. 236