Western Maine Storytelling

03/26/2022

The power of a story!! Thank you, Judge Ketanji Briwn Jackson for this fine tale. — Margaret R Yocom

07/20/2021

05/25/2020

BIG NEWS! Registration and schedule for CONNECTED: A Virtual Storytelling Conference and Festival is now LIVE! Can't wait to see you for all the incredible panels, workshops, & performances from across the nation and around the world!

Visit the NEW LINK: www.storynet.org/virtual-conference-registration/

05/14/2020

In the next Humanities to Go Online, Jo Radner presents "Yankee Ingenuity: Stories of Headstrong and Resourceful People," on Friday, May 15 at 4:00 pm. Enjoy a selection of historical tales - humorous and thought-provoking - about New Englanders who have used their wits in extraordinary ways to solve problems and create inventions.

The stories are engaging and entertaining, but also may raise some profound questions about our admiration of ingenuity and about the ethics of pursuing discoveries without taking their potential outcomes into account.

When
Friday, May 15, 2020 from 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM EDT

Where
This is a free online event (using ZOOM).

Who
Storyteller Jo Radner received her Ph.D. from Harvard University. Before returning to her family home in western Maine as a freelance storyteller and oral historian, she spent 31 years as professor at American University, teaching literature, folklore, American studies, Celtic studies, and storytelling. More at
https://www.nhhumanities.org/presenters/jo-radner

This presentation is free, and you can join by phone OR through your computer using the free Zoom software. Zoom is available for download here: https://zoom.us/download

05/14/2020

05/07/2020

Tom Standard has a private Facebook group, Tales Tom Told. If you are interested, he would probably accept your request to join!

Tom Standard grew up in Kentucky listening to his grandfather.

04/19/2020

The 2020 Maine Storytelling Muster scheduled for Sept. 18-19 in Waterville, ME, has been cancelled. Such events require planning and it seems unfair to ask people to make commitments now when COVID-19 is determining our future.

BUT....

As Saturday, Sept. 19, draws nearer and if conditions seem feasible, Hope and Phyllis may, in a spurt of spontaneity, invite all of you to a POT-LUCK PICNIC AND STORY SWAP at 61 Pleasant St. in Waterville. And, we may add a FASHION PARADE OF MASKS. Prizes may be awarded. It will be a party for sure

So---stay tuned for what may be mustered!

In the meantime, carry on….and….make a story.

Phyllis Blackstone and Hope Lewis, Co-Coordinators

03/29/2020

We are pleased to report that the interview with Theresa Secord is now on the Mt.Blue TV website. Enjoy!

Also visit https://www.facebook.com/MaineIndianBasketmakersAlliance/

Mt. Blue Community Access TV offers video training and access to Bee Line Cable TV Channel 11 & Video On Demand. We showcase a variety of local community programming in the Farmington/Wilton ME area.

03/18/2020

Here is another resource for storytelling!

An online school for courses on folklore and fantastic literature

03/16/2020

Based on recommendations concerning the current novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, such as avoiding groups, storytelling with the Western Order of Dedicated Storytellers (WOODS) in Farmington is cancelled until further notice.

03/14/2020

An article about Boccaccio and the importance of storytelling in the time of plague:

https://www.newstatesman.com/2020/03/coronavirus-survive-italy-wellbeing-stories-decameron

The spread of the Covid-19 virus has triggered an epidemic of advice. This advice is important, but it seems destined to make our lives more miserable and isolated. However, there is an unusual source of counsel which offers another way to deal with an epidemic. That source is the Decameron. The Ita...

03/12/2020

The storytelling event tonight (The Corner) at Guthrie's in Lewiston has been cancelled.

03/07/2020

Mike Burns told fascinating, funny Irish stories to a great audience last night at Twice Sold Tales. Thank you, Mike!

Stay tuned for more information about the storytelling gathering on April 3rd.

03/03/2020

JO RADNER WILL BE FEATURED IN LEWISTON THURSDAY, MARCH 12

Jo will be one of the invited tellers at The Corner, Lewiston’s monthly night of storytelling, telling a tale from her early years titled “Naming the Beasts.” She’d love to see some Farmington-area friends there! The theme of the evening is “Losing My Religion.” (Jo’s story responds to the hosts’ suggestion, “Take this theme description as a starting point, but don't let it limit you. We invite stories that invert this theme in creative ways and go in unexpected directions.”)

The Corner takes place at 7:00 pm at She Doesn’t Like Guthries restaurant, 115 Middle Street in Lewiston. Seating is first come, first served – come early for food and drink and a guaranteed place. The evening combines invited tellers and an open mic (put your name in the fishbowl!). For more information about the event, see https://www.cometothecorner.com/events.

Upcoming True Storytelling Events at The Corner

02/23/2020

The Western Order of Dedicated Storytellers (WOODS) is pleased to announce that Mike Burns, internationally-know storyteller, will tell tales and legends of his native Ireland at Twice Sold Tales, 155 Main Street, Farmington, on March 6 at 6:30 pm. In the event of snow, the date will be March 13. An “open mic” will follow for anyone wishing to tell a story.

Burns, Irish-born, now Farmington-based, is a true keeper of the oral tradition and is known across Europe and Canada for his spellbinding performances. He grew up in a family of storytellers in the south west of Ireland and has been a teller himself since the age of nine.

In 1997 Burns was published in an anthology of Canadian storytellers, Ghostwise, and in May 2003 he published a book with audio accompaniment in French, Raconte Moi Que Tu As Vu L’Irlande. Fluent in Gaelic, English, and French, his works have been collected in numerous publications, including L’Eau de La Vie/The Water of Life (Chemin des Cantons, 2009).

The storytelling guild WOODS meets at Twice Sold Tales on the first Friday of the month March through May, from 6:30 to 8 pm, and is free and open to the public. Seasoned tellers, new tellers and listeners are always welcome; no storytelling experience necessary. WOODS members are happy to mentor those who are new to storytelling.

Coffee and goodies will be available for purchase from Twice Sold Tales. For more information about WOODS, call Rob Lively at (207) 645-2982, or send an email to [email protected]. Visit Western Maine Storytelling on Facebook, or westernmainestorytelling.org to learn more.

01/19/2020

Debby Bliss can now be viewed on Mt. Blue TV's website in the program "Telling Tales: Western Maine's Storyplace"! Go to https://www.mtbluetv.org/program-telling-tales.html

Mt. Blue Community Access TV offers video training and access to Bee Line Cable TV Channel 11 & Video On Demand. We showcase a variety of local community programming in the Farmington/Wilton ME area.

01/13/2020

01/13/2020