C.H. Booth Library Set To Present Tellabration

A celebration of the oral tradition Tellabration is a mammoth storytelling event, according to the Cyrenius H. Booth Library. It is a storytelling phenomenon, made up of dozens of storytelling happenings all over the world. Its purpose is to introduce adults, as well as children, to the pleasures of the oral art of storytelling. It is one of the programs offered by The Connecticut Storytelling Center, based at Connecticut College in New London.

The C.H. Booth Library, 25 Main Street, will host a Tellabration for all ages Friday, November 2, at 7:30 pm. For more information contact Margaret Brown, chbya@biblio.org, 203-426-4533. The family-friendly event is best for adults and young people ages 10 and up. People interested in attending are encouraged to sign up online, but drop-ins will also be welcome. To sign up for the event go to www.chboothlibrary.org

Three storytellers are set to display their talents during this year’s Tellebration.

Jane M. Gangi, PhD, offers storytelling and drama workshops in which she tells stories and helps participants learn to tell stories of their own. She provides stories across cultures and can share how storytelling and drama foster literacy development. She is an associate professor in the Division of Education at Mount Saint Mary College in Newburgh, N.Y., and has published several books.

Lynnea Brinkerhoff has told stories for the Unitarian Church in Westport, a local festival and has performed in some local theater productions. She was a mime and clown and has worked to serve young children and elders through the healing power of play, song, and story.

Martha Bishop has been telling stories since she was a child. She maintains that all teachers are storytellers and she has been teaching and telling stories for a long time. Ms Bishop recently retired as the media specialist at Bethel Middle School where she sponsored a storytelling club for students called the Tangled Web Tellers. She has been telling stories for local community events since retiring, and is in great demand. Ms Bishop has been active with the Connecticut Storytelling Center since 2004, and also participates in local community theater productions.

A full listing of over 25 Tellabration sites in Connecticut with dates and times can be found by visiting www.connstorycenter.org/tellabration.htm or by calling The Connecticut Storytelling Center at 860-439-2764.