Story Squad in Charlotte, NC

Story Squad gave an introductory storytelling workshop to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Public Library (CMPL) staff this week.  We had 20 attendees from youth and adult services who spent the afternoon exploring how to find, learn, and perform folktales from around the world. We discussed performance anxiety, audience participation, the use of props, and various ways of visualizing stories so that they maintain an improvisational quality, even after multiple retellings.  What a great group of storytellers work at CMPL!  Thanks for having us down to be part of this.

2020 in Review

Well 2020 is just about over, and the impact on Story Squad has been severe (as you can tell from the lack of postings and activity on the website).  We basically shuttered all operations for the year (and plan to remain shuttered for the spring of 2021 as well), with the hope that the vaccines will allow us to return to active engagement with the community.  We have been creating some new storytelling videos, though they are not yet ready for the Folktale Storytelling Digital Library; the FSDL has a few active videos, but more will be forthcoming as we get them processed and uploaded.

We wish everyone a much happier and healthier 2021!

From the members of Story Squad

27th Winter Stories a Success

Winter Stories 2019 was a huge success! Thanks to the Friends of the UNC Libraries for sponsoring the event and for making it special, with hot chocolate (I’ll have to share the Mayan story of the origin of hot chocolate sometime) and goodies for all to eat. We had nearly a full house, and the children were really attentive listeners (thank you parents)! Thanks also to all the adults who came to enjoy the evening.  Our five storytellers enchanted the audience with literary tales and folktales from around the world; thanks to them for their preparation and expertise. The whole evening was simply delightful!

 

 

Newly minted storytellers

Story Squad is thrilled to have a new group of storytellers joining our ranks, having completed the INLS 558 Principles and Techniques of Storytelling class. They have told folktales, urban legends, and even a few personal stories during their semester’s work, and they’ve explored the power of emotional vulnerability in performance (not always fun, but well worth the effort).  Welcome, storytellers!

Winter Stories 2019 (coming December 5th)

Please join us for the 27th annual Winter Stories tradition of storytelling, candy, and hot chocolate on Thursday, December 5th in the Pleasants Room of Wilson Library. Refreshments will be served starting at 5:00pm, and the storytelling and singalong will run from 5:30-6:30.  We hope to see you there!

Another Success

Storytelling Under the Stars was another hit this year, with about 100 people buying tickets to listen to folklore about the heavens. Dr. Brian told a Brazilian story of how the daughter of the Great Snake came to live on the land after marrying a human. She missed the darkness of the deep ocean (and the sleep that came with it), so her new husband sent three servants to get night from the ocean. The Great Snake sealed it in a coconut, saying, “Do not open it, for only my daughter is strong enough to control the night spirits inside.” The servants open it as soon as they are back on land, curious about the hoots, howls, and squeaks that are coming from inside, so night (and all the night creatures) flood the land. The daughter welcomes them, and they go silent, and everyone sleeps. The next morning, the daughter gives three gifts to the world: 1) the Morning Star to signal the end of night, 2) the cockcrow to signal the coming of day, and 3) the most beautiful singing of the birds just at dawn. Hank told a Navajo story about how coyote really wants to help place the stars in the sky, but the gods won’t let him help. He whines and wheedles and then finally in a fit, he grabs the bag of stars from Black God, and they are flung across the sky randomly. He does get to place one final star that is the Wandering Star or Coyote Star. Alexandra then told a Japanese story of the bamboo cutter who finds a tiny child in a piece of bamboo he cuts open. He raises her, and she grows into a radiant young woman. Many court her, but she refuses them all, even the emperor. Finally, the Star People descend and take her back to the sky. They had placed her on earth to learn compassion. She is still seen (and she still watches over us) as the face in the moon. JC finished the storytelling with the Siberian tale of how the sun was stolen by demons. Great Snowy Owl calls a council of animals to see who would try to rescue it. Bear get sidetracked by delicious berries, and Wolf fails when distracted by the howling call of relatives. Rabbit, rescues the sun and kicks it back into the sky to light the world for all. Amy Sayle then guided the audience on a journey through the universe, always a special (and humbling) treat.

Thanks to Amy Sayle and the Morehead Planetarium for continuing to sponsor this event.  We’re in our 10th year!  And way to go, Story Squad storytellers.

Story Squad Director to Participate in Old North State Storytelling Festival

Brian Sturm will join nationally featured storytellers, Donald Davis, Donna Washington, and Michael Reno Harrell, for the Old North State Storytelling Festival in Cary, NC. The festival features four concerts:

Friday, November 1st at 7:00pm

Saturday, November 2nd at 10:00am, 1:30pm, and 7:00pm.

Admission is $15/concert or $50 for a four-concert pass and can be purchased at The Cary Theater box office or eTix.com