Telling Tall Tales At Tellabration

The Cyrenius H. Booth Library, 25 Main Street, is hosting a Tellabration, Friday, November 4, at 7:30 pm, for all ages.

Tellabration is a mammoth storytelling event, 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. Tellers Les Julian, Connie Rockman, and Martha Bishop will be presenting at the November 4 program.

Les Julian is a veteran performer and has entertained thousands with his award-winning original songs that celebrate diversity in music and in life. Encouraging his audience to “color outside the lines,” Mr Julian delights audiences, young and old, with guitar, vocals, and the animated face of the storyteller. 

Connie Rockman tells traditional tales and literary stories that she has collected through 35 years of experience as a storyteller and a children’s librarian. She invites audience participation. Using an Appalachian dulcimer, Ms Rockman weaves songs and chants through story programs.

Martha Bishop has been telling stories since she was a child. 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 maintains the idea that all teachers are storytellers. She has been telling stories for local community events since retiring. On October 11 of this year, she won the 2011 Humorous Speech contest of Toastmasters International. Active with the Connecticut Storytelling Center since 2004, she also participates in local community theater productions.

Ms Bishop continues coaching young people. One or more of her student tellers will also perform during the evening.

A full listing of more than 25 Tellabration sites in Connecticut, with dates and times, can be found by logging onto www.connstorycenter.org/tellabration or by calling The Connecticut Storytelling Center at 860-439-2764. Tellabration is offered by The Connecticut Storytelling Center, based at Connecticut College in New London.

For more information, contact Margaret Brown at 203-426-4533. Registration is recommended at www.chboothlibrary.org.