FEBRUARY WORKSHOPS IN OKC

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
"I Love Stories" Workshop.  Saturday, February 8TH, 2014 from 10 a.m. to about Noon.

Location: Education Wing, Wesley United Methodist Church (NW 25th and Classen; free parking and entrance on the west side- past Douglas).

 Two wonderful workshops will be offered for both the beginner and the more experienced story teller:

Chara Watson, Edmond, will share tips and methods to begin your storytelling journey. She holds a masters in storytelling from East Tennessee University.

 Kathryn Thurman, Del City, will share skills for those who have some experience but wish to fine tune skills in stage presence and use of microphones, etc. 

Stories Will Light Up the Night!

Let me tell you about.... the OKC Tellabration event!!

Contact: marilynahudson@yahoo.com /405-307-0962

EVENING OF STORYTELLING TO BENEFIT LOCAL HISTORIC CHURCH

 

K.Thurman, Contemporary
native American Storyteller /
Flutist

Members of The Territory Tellers, the statewide story arts organization, the OKC Tellers (a new Oklahoma City story guild) and Wesley United Methodist Church will combine to present an evening of the storytelling art this November. The date is Saturday, November 23, 2013 from 6 to 8 p.m.  A special guided tour will be available from 5:00 to 5:40 p.m. followed by the story concert at 6 p.m. Tickets will be $10 per person and available by reservation or at the door.

The internationally notable event, "Tellabration", will be celebrated in numerous locations to highlight the rich tradition and ever-new innovation of the art of oral story sharing. Although produced locally, the event is in association with the National Storytelling Network in Jonesborough, Tennessee.  

The OKC Tellers  is a new Oklahoma City story guild that will begin meeting at the church in late summer. Storytellers will include numerous professional talents from across Oklahoma and will include Molly Lemmons (Mustang), Salley Riffey (Oklahoma City), Kathryn Thurman (Del City) and Chester Weems (Yukon).  M.C. will be author storyteller Marilyn A. Hudson (Norman).

Reserved tickets will be available for the event and will be available at the door.  

 

Funds raised will go to help with the historic preservation of the church, which was founded in 1910. The Lovely Gothic English style stone sanctuary dates to 1928.  The church sits beside the historic Route 66 as it loops through the area of the city designated "Uptown" and the “Asian District”. The church is located at NW 25th and Douglas Avenue, just north of NW 23 Street.  The current pure English Gothic architecture design sanctuary and stained glass art was dedicated in 1928.

To purchase tickets, donate to the fund, or reserve your tickets for the event, or information about the story guild, email event coordinator Marilyn A. Hudson, marilynahudson@yahoo.com.  

 

Hudson can also be contacted to do phone interviews with local radio stations. 

 

If emailing put on the subject line: “OKC Tellabration.” The church is located at 1401 NW 25 (corner of NW 25 and Classen Blvd.) and the office phone is (405) 525-3521.

OKC TELLERS NEWS (September)

OKC TELLERS E-NEWS

Greeting Friends and Supporters of Storytelling :

The OKC Tellers launched last evening as a group of great people gathered to learn, listen, and improve their storytelling skills. It looks like we have some wonderful budding story artisans and appreciative listeners and that is fantastic.     

As promised, here is some information for your calendar, some links, and contact information.  Plan on joining us next Monday for another great event!   As requested, I can also put together book lists, note sheets, and handouts to send out.  

Schedule for this fall (2013) -

• August 22-23 - OKC Storytelling Festival, OK History Center 
• Meet Up - Mon. Sept. 9,  7 p.m. -Wesley UMC, NW 25th & Douglas Ave. Theme: "Word Doodles"/Intro.
• Meet Up- Mon. Oct. 7,  7 p.m.-Wesley UMC, NW 25th & Douglas Ave. Theme: Fall and Haunted Tales. (Also - check out the calendar for the spooky stories at the Choctaw library at the MLS website www.metrolibraries.org)
• Meet Up -Mon.. Nov. 4,  7 p.m.-Wesley UMC, NW 25th & Douglas Ave.  Theme: Family Stories ; Information on voice projection.
• Sat., Nov. 23 -  Tellabration at Wesley UMC, NW 25 & Douglas Ave., OKC  5-6 history tour (hopefully with costumed guides) ; 6-8:30 is the storytelling concert. Cost is $10 per person and will benefit the the historic preservation of the church.
• Meet Up - Mon. Dec. 2,  7 p.m.- Wesley UMC, NW 25th & Douglas Ave. Theme: Fire & Light: Winter Holidays.

Looking into 2014:

Lots of opportunities to volunteer, tell stories, and just have some fun!

• Around March, and World Storytelling Day, a possible "Neighborhood Story Fest"  is planned on the grounds of WUMC with a story stage and various family oriented activities. This will give everyone who wants to try their hand at telling family friendly and appropriate stories a chance to tell!
• Choctaw Library will probably host another "Whopper's Contest" - more as details emerge.
• In June (1st weekend), The Territory Tellers will hold their "Spirit of Oklahoma Storytelling Festival" in Bethany on the campus of SNU.  It would be great to have a good participation in this as the new OKC group!!
• Later in the summer will be the OKC Storytelling Festival sponsored by the OKC Arts Council. National and international tellers are brought in for concerts and workshops.
• Need a T-shirt, golfshirt, to proclaim you are a member of the OKC Tellers? : http://www.cafepress.com/okcstorytellers
• You should also check out membership in the state organization at www.territorytellers.org

Explore Storytelling Online:

Sean Bulava, a nationally known storyteller, has put together this video on "How To Tell a Story" : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOA8mUflH-Q

The End

See you next month and remember everyone has a story to tell!

OKC Tellers Storytelling Group (weblink) 

okctellers@yahoo.com  (Email)

Oklahoma Association of Storytellers - OKC Tellers (Facebook)

The Basics of Storytelling: First Things First

FIRST THINGS FIRST

One of the first things learned in school was that a story has three parts: a beginning, middle, and an end.  The secret to the success of the final product depends on how those elements are used.  Think of a car since it also has minimally three components: body, tires, and engine. The end result will be much better if the parts are put together in a logical whole where each part performs the function it is best suited to perform. 

Visualize the parts of the story as a mountain you are attempting to climb. Analyze a story of your choice into scenes or movements representing the BEGINNING, MIDDLE, and END elements.    Notice that the beginning will include some introduction that sets the stage, introduces characters, explains the problem and PULLS THE READER/LISTENER IN.   The middle section will connect the events, contain the action, propels the story forward to the CLIMAX. Here the problem is faced and solved.  The end of the story comes quickly after the high point of the story seen in the climax and presents the RESOLUTION to almost all the problems, and challenges that propelled the action in the story.  Like guests at the end of a party, be brief and quickly conclude the story.

TYPES OF TALES

Stories come in various forms.  Some tellers find that they have a natural strength in one or more of these, some can work with ease through them all, be aware each is individual – find the voice that is true and comfortable for you.

 

• Folk tales

• Family / personal

• Fairy Tales

• Inspirational / Religious

• Science and  Pour quoi Tales

• Humorous Tales

• Lesson / moral tales

• Jump tales & trickster tales

 

SHARING STORIES – Bits & Pieces

Some of the most common means of sharing stories:

Read aloud from a written work. 

• Oral Storytelling. 

• Puppets. 

• Musical story/songs.  

• Acting out/ theatrical. 

• Tandem told stories. 

• Dance.    

• Magic. 

• Writing   

• Visual expression 

HEAD WORK

Make a list of several stories or films that you really enjoy.  What do you like about each one? What do these have in common? What does this say about you and your culture? What are the negative aspects of these same works?   What do the negative elements say about you, and your upbringing?  Would your parents or grandparents have appreciated these same stories or books?  Why or why not?

--Marilyn A. Hudson (c2011)

List of Tellers for OKC Tellabration- Updated!!

Lending their talents to this celebration of the oral tradition of storytelling will be Molly Lemmons, Mustang, Ok; Kathryn Thurman, Del City, Ok; Salley Riffey, OKC, OK.   MC for the event will be Marilyn A. Hudson, Norman, Ok.  The event, part of an international event, is sponsored by the National Storytelling Network, the Oklahoma Territory Tellers, and the Oklahoma Association of Storyellers/ OKC Tellers guild.  The evening is scheduled for Sat. Nov. 23rd, 2013 at Wesley UMC, NW 25th and Douglas Ave (just north of NW 23rd and Classen).  A special guided tour of the historic sanctuary stained glass and architecture will be conducted from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. and the storytelling performances will begin at 6 p.m.  Tickets for the benefit will be $10 per person with funds going to the preservation of the historic building dating to 1928.

All of the artists sharing their talents are experienced professional tellers who can delight any audience with stories diverse, humorous, thoughtful and challenging. 

Molly Lemmons, "With Tales to Tell"

Molly Lemmons is an award-winning author, and the stories she tells are taken from her very own book, "Kind of Heart," released for publication in 2000. Her stories, told unashamedly from her heart, are stories of life, loves, childhood, relationships, family and friends as she lived it during her growing up years in the 1950's when things were as they ought to be. 

Her stories will tug at your heartstrings and encourage you to celebrate God, families, and life. She believes that "No One Lives To Be Forgotten!" And keeping their stories alive, no one WILL be forgotten.   She is also the author of "The Passing of Paradise," an inspirational romance novel that was released in 2005. 

Her latest publications are: As Bright and as Pure as the Driven Snow, a study and worksheet manual written for young girls on the topic of God's plan for sexual purity before marriage, Seize the Flashbacks! a how-to manual on heart writing, Hold My Hand, My Precious Child, a book honoring mothers, and We are Invisible, a help-manual for caregivers everywhere. She has been published in the Chicken Soup Series, the Heavenly Patchwork Series, and many periodicals as well as newspapers in Texas, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. All six of her books may be ordered from Amazon.com or directly from her via email. 

Available for both storytelling and workshops, she has taught classes on How to Write and Tell Life's Memories (from the heart), adapting her classes to all ages. Her book, Seize the Flashbacks! is a companion book to her book, Kind of Heart and is the class manual used for her writing/telling classes.  

For Oklahoma's Centennial, she has developed and performed the character of Mattie Beal, Lawton's lady who won the second drawing in the 1901 Land Lottery.  She has also developed, and performed other stories that she has taken from Oklahoma's history, having grown up and lived in Oklahoma for seventy years.  She is a member of Oklahoma City Writers, Inc.,Oklahoma Writers Federation, Inc.,Tejas Storytelling Festival, Women's Inspirational Network, Christian Storytelling Network, Oklahoma Association of Storytellers, Oklahoma Performers and Presenters, and is a member of Oklahoma Territory Tellers. 

She was selected as first runner up for "Ms.Senior Oklahoma 2011," and is a member of the "Age of Elegance Club," a group of former Ms. Sr. Oklahoma contestants who have, at over age sixty, reached "the age of elegance." 

Kathryn Thurman, "Contemporary Native American Flutist"

 Kathryn Thurman is a professional Musician and Storyteller who uses her unique musical background to create entertaining stories that can be enhanced with different types of music. Audiences may see such instruments as the psaltery, slide whistle, finger cymbals, spoons, kazoos, and percussion frogs. She has spent the last twenty years performing in schools, libraries, museums, Girl Scout camps, civic groups and community events. Each program is crafted with an element of fellowship, friendship, and fun, perfect for any type of audience.

A published Author and Book Reviewer, she travels to diverse locations to perform for audiences of all ages, such as preschool children who love animal stories, Book Clubs looking for a book review, Seniors who enjoy family stories, school students learning about the Land Run, and Scouts who love Ghost Stories at the Campfire.

With a background involving over fifty theatrical and musical productions, Kathryn brings the spontaneity of the theater into her performances. When possible, she adds audience participation and interaction by teaching a song or dance movement, clapping a lively rhythm or rap rhyme.

Kathryn's background includes a (Muskogee) Creek Great-Grandmother who shared her heritage through stories, and began Kathryn's journey that has led her to becomming an accomplished Native American flute musician and teacher.

Her Musical Story Programs include:  Fairy Tales & Folktales from around the World / Campfire and Ghost Stories / Land Run and Cowboy Stories / Oklahoma Tall Tales / Native American Trickster Tales and Animal Stories

Sally Riffey  

Her stories will tickle your funny bone and pluck at your heart strings!

Sally is a native of Oklahoma City and feels that her roots go deep into Oklahomas red clay.  Her stories have been called Stories from the Heart.

As a Storyteller, Sally enjoys telling folktales, original stories and stories of the season with a deep passion for Biblical stories.   She has been a participant in the annual Easter drama The Great Plains Passion Play.

Sally does Biblical portrayals of Mary Magdalene and Mary the Mother of Jesus in Biblical costume as a solo drama presentation. A highlight of Sally's storytelling career was the recent opportunity to tell Biblical stories at several sites in Jerusalem and at the Sea of Galilee.

Sally has taken her stories behind prison walls to our state and federal prisons. She has been a featured teller at Tellabration and Oklahoma Olio. She has also told stories at WinterTales, the Oklahoma City Arts Festival, for the opening of the Oklahoma Trails at the Oklahoma City Zoo. She frequently tells stories for civic organizations, women's ministry groups, churches, schools, professional business groups, as well as Easter and Christmas presentations and programs.

Sally is a member of Territory Tellers which is Oklahoma's premier storytelling organization.  She is also a past board member of Deaconess Hospital Health Venture Corporation.

Marilyn A. Hudson, MC and Guide on the Story Road

Marilyn A. Hudson is an author, historian, and storyteller who has been traveling the twists and turns of the "Story Road" for nearly 20 years. Her audience experience ranges from young children to senior adults and she has traveled each summer since 1999 sharing tales for public libraries during their summer reading emphasis. She presents original stories, as well as historical and folklore tales, with her own little twists.

She is also "The Ghost Teller" specializing in haunted tales of literature, history, and folklore. She frequently conducts benefit concerts at the historic Overholser Mansion in OKC, "Scary Tales and Twilight Tours." Marilyn is a member of the Territory Tellers, the Association of History Performers, and a facilitator of the Oklahoma City storytelling guild, Oklahoma Association of Storytellers.

She frequently conducts events blending both her storytelling and her writing for adult and teen audiences. Her published works include "The Bones of Summer", "Tales of Hell's Half Acre", "When Death Rode the Rails", "Murderous Marriages" and the novel, "The Mound".

For additional information on tickets, events, or interviews please email event facilitator, Marilyn A. Hudson.