Children's
Story Telling in the Valley
The Lehigh Valley Storytelling Guild and Godfrey Daniels
will host the Children's Sunday Series 2009, starting in January and
running the first and third Sundays through March at Godfrey Daniels, at
2:00 pm, admission $4.50 (under 5 years free). Partnering with them will
be Cops & Kids, distributing free books.
This is not a story time where books are read, but a family oriented telling
of stories, new and traditional, in one of the best listening rooms in the
Northeast. In the cold winter months of an earlier time, stories were told
around the hearth to help keep the heart of a family warm. The Guild and
Godfreys will bring back some of that heart felt warmth that can not be
achieved by central heating.
Karen Maurer will be featured first on January 3rd. Karen
loves to tell stories that make folks laugh. Karen has regaled audiences in
the Lehigh Valley for a dozen years. She has told at the Crayola Factory,
First Night Bethlehem, Mayfair, Ice House, Godfrey Daniels, Allentown Art
Museum's Creativity Day, schools, camps, churches, clubs, and organizations.
On January 17th Charles Kiernan will take great pleasure in telling
Brothers Grimm fairy tales. While most people can name a handful of Grimm
tales, there are over two hundred stories that the brothers collected. Some
real gems are not commonly heard.
Charles does tell them in their original spirit, under the
belief that the "grimness" of Grimm serves a purpose, and should not be
disneyfied. He also reaches into the English and Irish traditions, as well
as the Greek folktales (not myths) to find the stories that speak to him,
that allows him to tell these stories to others.
Mary Wright takes the stage on February 7th. A professional
storyteller and theatre artist, Mary brings an exciting and eclectic mix of
stories and songs to her performances for adults and children alike. Tales
range from the mountains of Asia to her own backyard. Folktales, fairy
tales, tall tales and true adventures all speak to the wonder of living and
the resiliency of the human spirit.
Larry Sceurman appears on February 21st. "When I tell a story
I go to 'Larryland'. This is a place where my imagination shows me pictures
in my mind and I'm free to tell the listener just what I see." Larry offers
a mix of folk tales, fairy tales, moral tales and personal stories. His
stories will make you laugh, let you learn as you long to listen!
March 7th is Kathy Pierce. Kathy presents the beauty and power
of the spoken word with exuberance and generosity. The storytelling allows
us to delight in our diversities as we experience our deeply shared
humanity. It is our most ancient and truest bond. Kathy has provided
storytelling performances and workshops for children and adults for more
than fifteen years.
To end the series on March 21st, will be Kathy Long. People of
all ages - from nursery schools to nursing homes - make up Kathy's
audiences. She believes everyone has a great capacity to learn through
storytelling and it has a dual purpose - to entertain and to educate.
She feels that as we advance technologically, we must not forget oral
tradition.
The Lehigh Valley Storytelling Guild began nine years ago as a way for a few
tellers to get together and practice their art. It has grown into a
non-profit organization whose mission is to promote this ancient art within
the Lehigh Valley. The Guild now hosts an annual Story Festival which brings
in national tellers; a monthly "story-swaps" at Godfrey Daniels; a monthly
radio program on WDIY entitled "Stories in the Valley"; an annual "Spook
Night" at Halloween; "Tellabration" in November; and the Children's Sunday
Series in the winter. The Guild has also been cooperation with The Wellness
Community, using story as a healing art with cancer survivors. Members of
the Guild have been seen at Musikfest, Mayfair, Touchstone Theatre, The
Sculpture Garden Concert Series, public libraries, schools, churches and
organizations throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
