Storytelling Adventures, Inc.

The Rachel Response: Storytelling Adventures, Premiere Issue


Very enjoyable, but also very instructive--taught me some new
things and I've been selling for years.
--Clay Neves, Director of Seminars, UT
 
Thank you for celebrating this first issue of many free monthly
e-newsletters.
 
Enjoy the Following Sections:
*  From the Stage. . .or the Principal's Office
*  Cap's Off to You
*  Random Rachel Ideas (RRIs)
*  YouthTellerTip--3 featured
*  Game of the Month

Until we tell again,

Rachel Hedman
Professional Storyteller
Renown for Family Famine Series

P.S.  Your feedback, comments, and questions are welcomed at
info@rachelhedman.com.



From the Stage. . .or the Principal's Office
Art from Rachel's Perspective

The intercom is the new microphone. 

Some principals, counselors, or selected students share daily
anecdotes and snippets of history to promote values such as honesty
and empathy over the P.A. system.

As I held one-on-one interviews with principals last month to
discover storytelling needs, one principal sighed in reference to
the intercom stories, "It has become a necessity these days."

More parents hope that the schools instill the needed values for
their children.

Then, this same principal hefted a 3-inch binder that held the
"Wisdom Project" complete with scripts indexed by topics. This
program focused on character, confidence, and community.

A different school also had a 3-inch binder, but this program was
called "Marvin and Jessie" and about the adventures of a boy and a
girl who attempt to make good choices. Each month a new value is
highlighted.

Two of my programs came to mind: Family Famine Series and Youth
Hero Series.

What if I created a similar program for schools? Short stories
could be gathered, indexed, and placed in a binder. Once a month I
could introduce the new theme with a live performance.

With this being an intense need of schools nowadays, this may be
another role that the storyteller must play.

I am ready to play.



Cap's Off to You
Audience Spotlight

Featuring: Marie Marshall
20-year+ Loyal Listener
President & CEO of Chamber East Chamber of Commerce
Salt Lake County, UT

When the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival celebrated 20 years,
Marie Marshall attended along with 12 other family members and
friends for the trip.

She reflected, "I'm instantly transported to another world free
from everyday thoughts with an atmosphere that delights every
sense."

As her grandkids reach the age of three, she then takes them along
to the festival. Marie said, "You could say they've grown up with
the Storytelling Festival being a highlight of their entire summer."

The tradition with her grandkids seems ironic considering her first
festival experience in 1989.

She said, "Figuring it would be mostly for children I thought I'd
have to make allowance for short chairs, minor disturbances from
kids, etc."

When she looked around, she saw an equal ratio of adults to
children. She continued, "I was happy to find no short chairs."

For future festival years, Marie envisioned that the art would
"continue to evolve into stories that are owned by individual
storytellers, stories that have the authentic stamp of exceptional
performers with the likes of Donald Davis, Syd Lieberman, Bill
Harley, Carmen Deedy, and the list could go on for a few more
pages."

She delighted in the 26,000+ festival attendees and created a
Facebook fan page. Yet, she treasured the intimacy when the
festival began at the Ashton's home rather than the Mount
Timpanogos Park.

Marie said, "I do miss the appeal of a well kept secret that we
story lovers had in the beginning."

Thank you, Marie.

You are one of the many who spread news of the storytelling secret.

What are your loyal listener memories? Email your story to
info@rachelhedman.com.



Random Rachel Ideas (RRIs)
Ideas for the Art to Embrace

Storytelling Clubs will be as popular as Drama Clubs within our
schools, community groups, and universities.

Though the vision may take a few decades to come to pass, every
year there are more Story Camps across the United States while more
schools embrace storytelling festivals as a possible way to raise
money rather than the traditional carnivals. Other schools
recognize storytelling as a way to meet curriculum standards.

Youth Storytelling Clubs could be formed and maintained if each
storytelling festival adopted a school. The students would
naturally want a club as popularity for the art increased. Remember
that these youth could be preschool kids to university students.

Make room for youth on the stages and you will see more
storytelling clubs.



YouthTellerTip
3 featured from Daily YouthTellerTip from Twitter (StorytellingAdv)

1.  Give as much attention to Preschool and Kindergarten tellers as
you do to High Schoolers. Any age can grasp storytelling.

I know people who only offer the storytelling festival
opportunities to their 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders. Some people see
high school tellers with potential. Yet, the amount of confidence
we have in our youth determines what will happen in the art.
Kindergartners could have more poise, passion, and stage presence
than adults.

2.  The shyest kid may be the most dynamic teller. Assume nothing
in storytelling. Offer the chance to all.

These kids might be quiet to give a chance for ideas to flow
through their minds. Then, when it comes time to perform, they
explode with energy. Storyteller can be introverts. I have
witnessed these shy ones become instant stars before their
classmates. Rather than complimenting on bravery, praise instead
their abilities to connect with their audiences.

3.  Consider each teller to have a youth and an adult mentor in
storytelling. Wisdom is gained from all ages.

When I competed in storytelling as a high school sophomore, there
were other youth in the same category. We hung out and rooted for
each other. I also met with an adult coach weekly to develop
skills. Often a youth teller nowadays has an adult mentor, though
they lack in peers to cheer them on.



Game of the Month:  Tell-Off
Shared by permission of Rixon Lane, creator 
(http://www.rixonlanestorytelling.com)

Audience: youth to adults
Level: advanced
Items Needed: timer, masking tape
Number of Players: 7-25
Roles: Judge, Jury (2-6 people), Prosecution (2-6 people), Defense
(2-6 people), Other normal court roles like Bailiff as you see fit
Ave. Playing Time: 45 min. to hrs.

One-Liner: resembles storytelling court mixed with tag-team word
wrestling

Instructions:
Determine the boundaries such as a 5' by 3' rectangle out of
masking tape on the floor. Have a timer that can countdown one
minute.

Someone plays the Judge, who gives penalties at any time during the
game, even if telling is perfect. For example, if someone steps out
of bounds, the offender could receive a "punishment" of pretending
to be a duck while singing "Mary had a Little Lamb". The Judge
always consults with the Jury for penalties. The Jury decides what
six things must be mentioned in the stories to be told to the two
tag-teams (Prosecution and Defense).

The first person on the Prosecution has one minute to tell a crazy
story using all six items within the floor boundaries. If any item
is missed or said wrong (like saying purple-spotted platypus vs.
polka-dotted platypus), the Judge and Jury issue penalties.

Then, the first person on the Defense has one minute to tell a
crazy story with the same six items but with a different plot.
Afterward, the Jury comes up with six more items to be used by the
second person of the Prosecution. This person continues the story
that their partner already started. Likewise, the second person of
the Defense continues their partner's story.

Repeat until all people from both tag-teams have time to tell.

Finally, the Judge gives the verdict by sharing positive attributes
of both teams so no one goes home "guilty".

***The punishments are as important as the stories throughout the
game. Any of the accused could argue their way out of punishment,
thus improving persuasion skills. All rules are flexible.

History of the Game:
Rixon Lane, a youth teller from South Carolina, created Tell-Off
while participating in the National Youth Storytelling Showcase in
Pigeon Forge, Tennessee of February 2006.

People Who Played the 1st Game:
Rixon Lane, Chloe Clunis, Trent Howard, Tyler Smith, Eduardo
Estrella, Maggie Lowe, and Rachel Hedman.



If you enjoyed this e-newsletter, then the best way to say "thank
you" is to spread the word.

People can sign-up at http://www.rachelhedman.com.




About Rachel:
Rachel explores family relationships in folklore and what that
means for us today. Sometimes she adopts musicians, singers,
dancers or tellers for collaborative efforts much like a reunion of
artists.

You are welcome to join the adventures.

Follow Rachel on--
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/rachelfans
Twitter (StorytellingAdv): http://www.twitter.com/StorytellingAdv
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/StorytellerRachelH
Professional Storyteller: 
http://professionalstoryteller.ning.com/profile/RachelHedman

How-To Blog: http://www.storytellingadventures.blogspot.com
Performance Blog:  http://www.familyfamine.com

Order your 2-DVD set of "Family Famine: Hunger for Love" at:

http://www.familyfamine.com

http://www.storytellingadventures.blogspot.com

http://www.amazon.com





Storytelling Adventures, Inc.
PO Box 160631
Layton, UT  84016