Thrifty's Comes Through Again !

Approval has been received from Thrifty Foods for another year of Smile Card benefits. We have from now until May 7, 2011 to raise $1000. The money must be used the "Tides & Tales III" concerts and workshop. Basically, when you load your smile card with money Thrifty's sends 5 % of that amount to the Victoria Storytellers' Guild. Details will be emailed to Guild members and to others on request. We are thankful for the continued support of Thrifty Foods.

Stories at Fern - Monday, 17 May, 2010

Another fantastic Stories at Fern. If you weren't there you missed some great storytelling. editor

Janna's Report

Shoshana hosted the May 17th gathering at Fern where the first teller, Sarah aged 9, engaged her audience with charm and aplomb in the telling of Eoin Colfer's delightful story titled "Captain Crow's Teeth". A born storyteller, we hope to have the pleasure of her company often in the coming years.

Sandra Johnson carried us into the world of a lonely child in Steve Sanfield's story of "The Girl Who wanted a Song", that told of the friendship that evolved between a Canada Goose and the girl, each giving one another a reason to sing their own song.

Elizabeth, a recent newcomer to Fern engaged us all in the telling of the African story:"The Turtle of Coca Who Listened", and got the better of those who would make him into turtle soup !

With Becky we visited the oh-so-efficient communications skills practiced in Jamaica long before the advent of cyberspace when care for the recipient of a telegram was included in the system of delivery.

Lee told Samuel Coleridge Taylor's "Kubla Khan". If you missed Lee's rendering of this poem, then I suggest you revisit it on Google and picture Lee sharing it with us.

Shoshana says of her story: "The Storyteller and the Bishop" that "it chronicles the experiences of the first professional Jewish storyteller sent by the Baal Shem Tov (Rabbi Israel ben Eliezer, a strong proponent of storytelling as a powerful way to connect with each other and the Divine) just before he died in Poland in the spring of 1760. I've added a little humor, local details and a prayer for peace."

Barbara, another newcomer, accompanied by her essential cane, took us very humorosly on a journey with her personal angel on unexpected travel adventures that took her to a place "where angels fear to tread" !! whereafter......................... 

Shoshana had us break into very small groups and tell stories to one another, and the evening ended with....................... 

Lee telling us the Jewish legend of the saving of a sick child by a Rabbi Baal Shem Tov. who worked miracles through storytelling.

 Janna

Storiography Alive and Well in Victoria

On 10 May 2010, several of the Guild's senior storytellers gathered with others at the home of award winning author and storyteller Penny Draper to explore the commonalities and difference between literary and oral stories. It's not often that Guild members have talked about story rather than tell stories. While it became clear that participants were looking at the story telling process from many different directions, a consensus began to build about the nature of story and how oral stories differ from written stories. Time passed far to quickly and it was decided to meet again to workshop some sample oral-written transitions and to further the discussion in general. 

Be Careful What You Wish For

Listeners who were lucky enough to attend master storyteller Micki Beck’s performance in Victoria on Sunday May 2 were richly rewarded; they got everything they wished for and more.

Her lilting voice carried all who filled the room into the world of story. Beck’s love of literature and Celtic heritage were in evidence as she shared the wisdom of the past which is our hope for today.

This performance was part of the Victoria Storytellers’ Guild’s annual professional development weekend. The Guild is thankful to our sponsor, Thrifty foods. Without Thrifty’s financial support and the hard work of many volunteers, it would not have happened.

Micki declares that the love of story never dies! "I don't really understand the magic of storytelling" says Micki. "I don't know how it happens. I only know how to invite it and when the magic occurs it is wonderful!"

Micki Beck's Victoria performance was a wonderful experience for everyone.

Seen and Heard at Fern Street - 19 April 2010

Hosted by our ever gracious Pat Carfra, the evening began in an "unusual" way with dimmed overhead lights and a lit candle on a table in the position of a teller.

The audience was asked to concentrate on the candle and to listen while Janna's "Poem for Six Voices", beginning and ending "We are the storytellers" was spoken by Janna, Pat, Shoshana, Sandra, Jennifer and Diane.

This was followed by Jennifer's contribution to the recent telling in Vancouver of 'the birth of Sundiata" from the Mali epic of the same name. A magical recreation of another long-ago world.

Molly Newman, who plays the character of Emily Carr at Emily Carr house, among other storytelling and musical events, accompanied herself on the ukelele as she sang her first ballad, returning later in the programme to sing Hawaiian songs connecting the Hawaiian/Kanaka people's history to early Victoria.

Jacquie Hunt's rendition of Rudyard Kipling's beloved story of "The Elephant's Child" enchanted this writer and, I suspect, every listener there.

Carol Kenway's story "The Tourist and the Traveller" opened the doorways of the mind to the idea of leaving preconceived ideas of other cultures and behaviours behind when becoming a true traveller willing to travel as opportunity presents itself, rather than within the confines of a predestined tourist package.

Lee told us "Wee Meg Barnileg and the Fairies" with delightful gusto and humour. As Lee writes: "A spoiled young girl meets the fairies and gets her comeuppance. Well, or redeems herself and changes the course of her life. Depends on how you look at it !!" 

Janna

editor's note: Janna always keeps track of the happenings at our monthly Fern St meeting. She has kindly agreed to share those reflections on our TMAS blog. If you have never been to Fern or if you have missed it a few times, do come and join in the fun. See our website calendar for details on Fern and on all of our storytelling events.

VSG Members in the Community

Our Members have been telling in the community:


Lee Porteous and Sandy Slobodian competing in the Greater Victoria Performing Arts Festival.

The Sweet Spot: An Evening of Love Stories, Saturday, February 13, 2010 at Royal Roads University with Diane Gilliland, Jennifer Ferris, Peg Hasted, Faye Mogensen, and Margo McLoughlin.

“The Art of Storytelling - a Creative Tool for Communicating” for students in the Professional Communication Degree Program at Royal Roads Universityby Faye Mogensen. Thursday Jan 14, 2010.

“Storytime” at Tall Tales Books www.talltalesbooks.ca <http://www.talltalesbooks.ca/>  in downtown Victoria, October 2009 through April 2010, with Peg Hasted on Saturdays, Shoshana Litman on Wednesdays, and guest appearances by Sandra Johnson and Pat Carfra.

Storytelling sessions at various Greater Victoria Public Library branches with Faye Mogensen this spring and Shoshana Litman this winter. The two collaborated with Sandra Taylor in “Art as Story: Artful Stories” at Saanich Municipal Hall in September 2009.

Cat Thom told stories through her work at Swan Lake Nature House in Saanich, including the Swan Lake Art Day on March 12, 2010.

Purr-fect Stories: Cat Tales for Kids and Fabulous Felines, Saturday, October 10, 2009 with Jennifer Ferris, Peg Hasted, Su Ma and Lee Porteous at the Intrepid Theatre Club. 
Lee Porteous also told stories at an Emily Carr statue fundraiser.

Greater Victoria Performing Arts Festival - Speech Arts-Apr. 20 - 28

April 20th - beginning 9 a.m. - poetry, storytelling and duologue classes

April 21st - beginning 9 a.m. - poetry and solo Shakespeare scenes 

                 - 1:30 poetry solos, religious reading and a story telling class.  

The Honours Concert is on Wednesday, April 28th at 7:30 - $8.00.  If you can only go to one session, this is the one to see/hear.

St. Matthias Church Hall (600 Richmond Ave.) and cost $5.00, other than the Honours Concert, which is $8.00.  The adjudicator is Grant Paterson from Alberta.

See WWW.GVPAF.ORG  for more details