What's New page header

 

 
 
 

What follows here is a listing and some photos from Worcester TELLABRATIONS dating from 2008 to 1993.

Worcester TELLABRATION 2008, November 22 at the Green Rooster Coffee House benefited the Wetzel Center or Y.O.U., Inc. Libby Franck was the Master of Ceremonies. The program was as follows:

  • Unitarian Universalist Church of Worcester Youth Choir, directed by Matt Johnson. The kids sang four songs that were wonderfully appropriate for the benefit.
  • The Clockstopper Storytellers from Thomas Prince Elementary School.
            Folk tales by Allie Collin, Elizabeth Hart, Olivia Hart, Laura Lowenthal, Juma Nyakako,
            Malkia Nyakako, and Kelina Smith.
  • Bob Reiser told Leaf Hopper and The First Flute
  • Marge Purves... Ladel Rot
  • Katie Green... Hodja Tales
  • Jay Dimen and Fred Mikkelsen... Who's on First?
  • Libby Franck... Comor and Tryphyna
    • .

    		  
     


    UUC Youth Choir directed by Matt Johnson


    Clockstopper Storytelling Troupe
    Juma Nyakako, Laura Lowenthal, Elizabeth Hart, Olivia Hart, Allie Collin, Katie Green


    Blurry photo of adult tellers!
    Marge Purves, Bob Reiser, Katie Green, Libby Franck, Jay Dimen and Fred Mikkelsen

    		  
     

    Worcester TELLABRATION 2007, November 22 at the Green Rooster Coffee House proceeds purchased books for the children at the UMASS Memorial Medical Center. Len Lipner was the Master of Ceremonies. The program was as follows:

  • Walter and Valerie Crockett opened the show and the second act and also closed the program with their delightful music.
  • Clockstopper Storytellers from Thomas Prince Elementary School.
            Folktales told by Cutler Arbon, Miarissa
            Ashton, Kate Dube, Olivia Hart, Liam Kelly,
            Juma Nyakako, Malkia Nyakako,
            and Kalina Smith.
  • Katie Green told Squirrel.
  • Storytellers from Worcester Arts Magnet School... American Folktales and Legends.
  • Jackson Gillman, the stand-up chamelion, gave us a Remix of the Blues and En Garde.
  • Marge Purves... Ladle Rat Rotten Hut
  • Ellen Dolen... Owl
  • Shao Changshun, her sister, Shao Changrong, and Katie Green sang Kang Ding, a Chinese folk song.
    		•


    Chinese sisters Shao Changrong, Shao Chanshun,
    and Katie Green sing Kang Ding.

    		  
     

    Worcester TELLABRATION 2006, November 17 at the Green Rooster Coffee House benefited the Wetzel Center or Y.O.U., Inc. Glenn Morrow was the Master of Ceremonies. The program was as follows:

  • Andy Davis told The Laird of Inverae
  • Marge Purves did Wade in Sea
  • Katie Green... A Coyote Medley
  • Victor Ortez from the Wetzel Center shared a story
  • Poet and Performing Artist Carol Burnes... Snapshots
  • Andrew Le and Truong Vo shared poems
  • Jim LaChapelle... A Good Knight's Sleep
  • Jean Armstrong... The Man Who Took a Duck to City Hall
  • Lani Peterson... Dancing with the Stars.

    		•   
     

    Worcester TELLABRATION 2005, November 19 at the Green Rooster Coffee House benefited the Wetzel Center or Y.O.U., Inc. Laura Packer was the Master of Ceremonies. The program was as follows:

    Music at the beginning of both sets was by Yankee Notions, folk music with Tim Van Egmond and Jim Douglas.

  • Tim Van Egmond told The Snake and The Dreams
  • Rona Leventhal told a traditional Jewish folktale
  • Katie Green... Takin' My Breath Away
  • Dave MacPherson... A Walk in the Cities
  • Jim Douglas... Why the Tides Ebb and Flow
  • Marge Purves... Eh What?
  • Meg Gilman... The Man with No Story
  • Laura Packer... Tomatoes

    		•   
     

    Worcester TELLABRATION 2004, November 19 at the Green Rooster Coffee House benefited the Wetzel Center or Y.O.U., Inc. Glenn Morrow was the Master of Ceremonies. The program was as follows:

  • Billy Walsh sang and played Songs that Tell Stories in both sets
  • Laura Packer told Manatee
  • Lori Simkowitz from the Wetzel Center shared a story
  • Pam MacFarlane... Uncle Frank: A Fish Tale
  • Marge Purves... Eh? Wha'd J'da Say?
  • Diane Edgecomb... Map of Mirzo
  • Kevin Brooks... Summertime Bridge and Tap

    		•   
     

    Worcester TELLABRATION 2003, November 14 at the Green Rooster Coffee House benefited the Wetzel Center or Y.O.U., Inc. Glenn Morrow was the Master of Ceremonies. The program was as follows:

  • Music in both sets with Denis Coughlin, whose songs are stories with music.
  • Susan Lenoe told Salad
  • Poet AnnaMaria Paul performed Chaos and other selected poems
  • Tina Lorenzen... The Marsh Hawk
  • Motoko... Mirror of Matsuyama and Kang Ding Love Story
  • Eshu Bumpus... Lion in Love and The 3 Pigs
  • Jay Goldspinner... Queen of Sheeba and the Bee and Moses and the Old Man
  • Marge Purves... Ladle Rat Rotten Hut
  • Angela Klinger... The Three Spinners
  • Katie Green... The Christmas Wishes

    		•   
     

    Worcester TELLABRATION 2002, November 22 at the Green Rooster Coffee House. Proceeds purchased video tapes and books for a program that video taped incarcerated mothers reading the book and sending a spoken message to their children. The book and video tape were sent to the children. I have only posters and memories of the next programs. There are no printed programs, but I will continue to share what I have.

  • Music to open both sets with Chuck and Mudd
  • Stories by student storytellers from Clark Street School:
            Aisha Crespo, Lauren Crisman, and Nathanial Root
  • Poetry by Elizabeth Lund
  • Stories told by Libby Franck, Katie Green, Len Lipner, Marge Purves, and Jennifer Traverso

    		•


    Tellabration 2002: Len Lipner, Libby Franck, Elizabeth Lund,
    Jay Engel, Marge Purves, Mary Donnely, Lori Stevenson,
    Jonathan Donnely, Katie Green, Chuck DeMers, and Mudd.

    		  
     

    From here on, the paper trail in my office is "short", but here's what is documented:

    Worcester TELLABRATION 1997, November 21 at the Green Rooster Coffee House. Proceeds contributed to LANES (The League for the Advancement of New England Storytelling) and NSA (The National Storytelling Association). Stories were told by: Jay Goldspinner, Katie Green, Tim Van Egmond, and others.

    Worcester TELLABRATION 1994, November 19 at the Holden Congregational Church. Proceeds were contributed to LANES (The League for the Advancement of New England Storytelling) and NSA (The National Storytelling Association). Stories were told by: Linda Goodman, Katie Green, Rick Huggart, Don Kirk, Barbara Lipke, and Jo-Ann Wangh. (Sorry, but I don't have a program to tell what stories were told.)

    Worcester TELLABRATION 1993, November 20 at the First Congregational Church of Worcester. Proceeds were contributed to LANES and NSA. Joan McGinn was the Master of Ceremonies.

  • Michael Punzak told two Hodja tales and made music
  • Iris McGrath told Weihnachten, 1944
  • Aili Pauul Singer... Forty-six
  • Mary Hutton... John the Man
  • Dave Hummon Bob the Trout
  • Jim Douglas told The Lion's Whisker and sang Johnny of Hazelgreen (a ballad)
    • Katie Green .. The Onion Journey.

    		  
     

    It's been fun tracing the past TELLABRATIONs that I've produced. It's interesting to think of some of the older programs and see how the event has evolved. The early TELLABRATIONS were benefits for storytelling organizations, and the more recent ones promote reading and storytelling for children. I started making a program with advertisements from supporters in 2006, and that increased the income. Adding young people as performers both enhanced the program and increased attendance. Like so many other annual events, I usually think, "Oh, this TELLABRATION was the very best." Each year has its own excitement and rewards. I love sharing the stage with my storytelling friends, and it is especially rewarding when young tellers can see how their hard work and practicing can help other kids."

    TELLABRATION has become an event that I look forward to producing each year, although there are times in mid-November that I sometimes say, "This is the last time I'll do this." By the time the thank you notes are written, and the books are purchased, I start to think about the next TELLABRATION.