Story Crossroads: The Newsletter (Vol. 3, Issue 6)

Published: Sat, 01/27/18

     
Story Crossroads: The Newsletter
I have a story.  You have a story.  We all have stories.

Volume 3, Issue 6
What to Expect
Know the traditions for each newsletter.

*  Latest News of Story Crossroads
*  Cap's Off to You! (people or organization profiles who use story)
*  Story Video (created or loved by us)
*  Story
*  Story Game

Latest News
House Concert Coming Up - February 17, 2018
House Concerts images
Join Us for the Next One...
We are coming upon our 23rd House Concert as part of the Fundraising Series through Story Crossroads.  ​​​​​​​

Featured Story Artists:  Steffani Raff & Bill Wight

When: Saturday, February 17, 2018 from 7:00pm-8:30pm hosted at the Tobin Home at 2064 East 6075 South, Ogden, UT 

RSVP:  Call/text Shanna Tobin at (801) 547-5656 or email [email protected]


About Steffani Raff & Bill Wight & the Program

Join Steffani Raff and Bill Wight for an evening of stories about strong women. You’ll hear a mix of folk tales, fairy tales, personal narrative and historical stories all featuring women who made a difference. 

Steffani Raff is an award-winning author and storyteller. She loves her audiences and gives each story she tells as a gift. Whether she is telling stories from her life, folk tales or original stories, she connects with her audience through her signature style: humor with heart.

After a Business Management and Information Technology career, Bill Wight enrolled in East Tennessee State University’s storytelling program to “brush up on his stories.” Much to his surprise, he discovered he had a creative side and has told at many events.


Suggested Donation:  $15.00+/person, $25.00+/couple or family, though any amount welcomed and people can come whether or not they donate, best for ages 10 years+


Details:  Refreshments served, Books and CDs available for purchase, all payment types accepted


Let us know if you would like to host a house concert.  Email [email protected].

House Concerts - Celebrations from December and January
House Concerts images

About Steffani Raff & Bill Wight & the Program

Sam Payne jammed and jazzed with the crowd as well as tugged and pulled on our heart strings.  From personal stories to accounts from others, everyone felt ready for the holidays and every day of the year.  We thank the Mary Duke and Sylvia Milner for co-hosting and their fine neighbors for coming.  Idlewild (Dave and Carol Sharp) got us hee-hawing and yee-hawing with those Utah outlaw and scalawag stories.  We even experienced part of an Old Medicine Show and inspired us to buy some "elixir" to heal anything.  The Hedmans were delighted to host this rambunctious crowd.


Let us know if you would like to host a house concert.  Email [email protected].

Met with Program Coordinators of Salt Lake Senior Centers
Senior Center Program Coordinators
​​​​​​A couple years ago, we had the privilege to meet with 16 of the Senior Center Directors about the launch of Story Crossroads.  We made connections and collaborations come alive.  Then, last year, we had our first storytelling workshops held at three of these Salt Lake County senior centers.  On January 25, 2018, we had the delight to meet with the Program Coordinators of these 16 locations that work alongside those Senior Center Directors.  Several shared how they loved the story shared by Jim Luter from our Story Crossroads Board.  Jim even offered to be a facilitator for free at one of these centers.  We expect a few more senior centers to be part of this grassroots community movement.  We are even meeting with some of these Program Coordinators one-on-one next week to work out more possibilities.
Free Residencies to be Open to All--Latest List
Residencies image
Before our Festival in May, we always have free storytelling residencies open to the public throughout the Salt Lake County.  We also promote the free storytelling residencies offered through the Murray Storytelling Festival.  This Festival is one of many events that feed into Story Crossroads.  If you are interested in participating and/or hosting a storytelling residency, this is the time to contact us at [email protected].  We tend to have these six-hour or more residencies during January to April, though this year the first one starts in February.

The List So Far:

Adults-

Murray Heritage Senior Center (through Murray Storytelling Festival), February 26-March 30, 2018, Mondays/Fridays, 10:00am-11:30am, geared for adults

Riverton Senior Center, starting in March 2018, more details TBA, geared for adults

Taylorsville Senior Center, 4 Monday nights from 5:30pm-7:30pm, will start either mid-March or early April, more details TBA, geared for adults

Other possible Senior Centers TBA and likely to be Mt. Olympus and Kearns, details in next e-newsletter or check out website.

Youth-

Murray Library (through Murray Storytelling Festival), January 27 & February 3, 10, 17, 24, 2018, Saturdays, 1:00pm-3:00pm, anyone in grades 2-12 can come

Liberty Elementary School (through Murray Storytelling Festival), February 5-March 1, 2018, Tuesdays/Thursdays, 3:45pm-5:00pm, anyone in grades 2-6 can come 

Clinton Storytelling Festival becomes latest Feed-In Festival
Clinton Storytelling Festival
We have several participating festivals that feed-in to Story Crossroads.  We are delighted to announce that we will have two people selected from the 1st Annual Clinton Storytelling Festival.  They had close to 90 people of all ages, which filled most of the chairs set out.  That is a wonderful start to something that will continue to grow.  Each year, this festival will do a call out to the community--youth and adults--to see who will make it to that stage.

You can find a list of our participating festivals on our website here:


Field Trip Reservations Open for May 23, 2018
(Requests Already Coming In)
Field Trip Requests
Groups of 10 or more people can take advantage of the $1.00/person rate.  These can be people of any age.

Each year we have many students from elementary to high school who attend our annual Festival in May.  We had some schools that wished to be able to reserve as soon as school starts...and so we did!  Due to demand, we are limiting reservations to one or two sessions of the 9:00am, 10:00am, and 11:00am morning sessions with an optional interactive/hands-on session with the art at 10:00am, 11:00am, or Noon.  At least one sit-down story session is needed before doing an interactive/hands-on session, if desired.  You can submit your request through clicking here to our online form.  

Cap's Off to You
Celebrating your way of using story

Featuring:  Utah Valley University

Interpretation Services & Funder of Story Crossroads
Utah Valley University

 

From the inaugural year of Story Crossroads, we have had the connection with the Utah Valley University.  Dr. Dale H. Boam made that possible.  He is the tenured Associate Professor of Deaf Studies at UVU and attorney advocating for persons who are Deaf.  As he is a nationally certified ASL interpreter, he has graced many stages including the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival.  He is always acting on his feet.  Even preparation cannot account for what will come out of a storyteller's mouth.  He imparts this knowledge with his students in Deaf Studies.  We have been pleased that UVU, through Dr. Boam, has helped with our ASL interpretation.  Then, during our second year, UVU became a funder for Story Crossroads.

 

Find out more the impact that the Utah Valley University has had and continues to have for Story Crossroads (click below). 

 

Story Video of the Month
Many people are familiar with Ted Talks as well as Tedx Talks, and we were pleased to find one that featured Donald Davis.  He is a world-traveling storyteller and considered the patriarch of professional storytelling.
If you or someone you know has a story video that you want us to see, then let us know about it and email us a link to it.  Who knows?  Perhaps we will be inspired to invite you to one of our Story Crossroads event?   Remember that the 3rd Annual Story Crossroads Festival is on May 23, 2018 with daytime sessions at the Murray City Park (495 E. 5300 S., Murray, UT) and the evening concerts at the South Jordan Community Center (10778 S. Redwood Rd., South Jordan, UT). 
Story of the Month

The Beekeeper and the Bewitched Hare
 
Artwork by Rowan North, [email protected],
 
The Beekeeper and the Bewitched Hare, from Scotland

There lived a lad who loved the bees and the honey they gave, and thus he became a beekeeper near the moors of Scotland.  Some people said that this lad could even talk to the bees.  The lad laughed, knowing it was not true.

One night, while the lad tended to his beehives, two hounds rushed across the moor.  These hounds chased a white hare who leaped into the beekeeper's arms.  The lad tucked the hare under his jacket while the hounds circled him.  The lad picked up a stick and swung it around until the dogs gave up and left.

The lad set the hare down on the ground, but the hare refused to hop away.  Instead, the hare followed the beekeeper as he tended to his duties.  When the lad entered his cottage, still the hare followed him inside.

The lad looked about and found a carrot from his stew and fed the hare.  Then the hare jumped into the lad's lap.  For the first time, the lad noticed that the hare did not have black or pink eyes as other hares.  This one had blue eyes.

The next day, the lad introduced the hare to the bees so that they could all live together in peace.  While doing this from hive to hive, an old woman hobbled down the path.  She pointed to the hare with her cane, "Ah!  A blue-eyed hare.  What will you sell her for?"

The lad was surprised.  "She is not for sale."

"But I have gold.  What amount of gold do you want? Why pass up this chance and hang onto such a common hare?"

The lad insisted that the hare was not for sale.

The old woman lunged for the hare, which was much too fast for someone her age.  A bee nearby gave a high hum of warning, which summoned the other bees.  The old woman ran, as the bees swarmed to attack.

She called, "You'll be sorry!"

The lad went into town and told the experience to the baker.  The baker said, "She must be a witch.  Be careful."  Other people in the marketplace agreed.  She must be a witch.

From then on, the lad locked his door and barred his windows.  He watched the hare constantly.

Summer passed and soon it became fall.  The bees retreated to their hives.  One chilly day in October, a gypsy caravan bumped along the path and a sack of grain fell out.   The lad tried to wave the caravan but it did not stop.  He grabbed the hare and placed her under his jacket and ran for an hour until he caught up to the caravan and returned the flour.  The gypsy driver was impressed.  Then the blue-eyed hare poked her head out from the jacket.  The driver called to his grandma and the grandma revealed that this was a bewitched hare.  She was really a lassie.

The lad told the whole story about the the hare and the old woman.  The grandma confirmed that the old woman was a witch.  The grandma said, "That witch is biding her time until All Hallow's Eve, this is what you must do...talk to those bees of yours."

The lad explained he did not really talk to the bees but the grandma shook her head.  "You are able to communicate.  Have the bees help you.  They will come out of the cold for you."

The grandma explained that the lad needed to tie a good strong cord around the hare's neck and keep the hare on his lap past midnight.  "The hare will not stay still as she is bewitched so hold tight!"

On All Hallow's Eve, the lad did as the grandma told him.  He "talked" to his bees despite feeling silly.  The bees seemed to hum in understanding.  Then, with that cord in place and the hare in his lap, he held on.  That hare did struggle! 

Outside, he heard the bees hum and even shriek as if chasing after someone in the night.

Then, past midnight, when the lad looked down he saw there was no longer a blue-eyed hare but a blue-eyed lassie sitting on his lap.  He undid the cord from her neck.  The bees returned to their hives for the fall and winter.  By spring, the lad and the lassie were married.
     
Artwork by Rowan North, [email protected],
 
Story Game of the Month

Story Wrestling
​​​​​​​Inspired by story "The Beekeeper and the Bewitched Hare"
Geared for Ages 8+

One person holds onto the hand of another person.  One is the "lad" while the other is the "bewitched hare."  The lad tells a story while the hare struggles to get free.  If after a minute the hare gets free, then the hare wins.  If after a minute the lad still hangs onto the hare, then the lad wins and the hare becomes human.

Funders of Story Crossroads
​​​​​​​We appreciate funding from National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), the Utah Division of Arts and Museums (UDAM), the Western States Arts Federation (WESTAF), the Nubian Storytellers of Utah Leadership (NSOUL), the Utah Humanities, the Utah Valley University, the South Jordan Arts Council, the City of Murray-Cultural Arts, Synergy One Lending-Suzanne Hudson, Rachel Hedman and many generous individuals who have made things possible.
 
Most pictures are taken by Steve Evans, our official photographer.  He is a photojournalist that travels the world.  He generously granted Story Crossroads permission to use his pictures.  You can find all of his images here:  https://www.flickr.com/photos/babasteve/
About Story Crossroads
What is Story Crossroads?
Steve Evans picture
Story Crossroads is a grassroots event that features 15 professional story artists as well as 50 community members telling for the main stage event.  Youth, community, and seniors will be taught through free storytelling residencies at libraries, schools, and other venues by certified story-teachers in preparation for this celebration.  Bilingual and cultural performers combine arts to bring the stories forward for the audience.  Enjoy stories told with ancient technique while simultaneously enjoying newfangled approaches to these traditions.  The 3rd Annual Story Crossroads Festival is on May 23, 2018 with daytime sessions at the Murray City Park (495 E. 5300 S., Murray, UT) and the evening concerts at the South Jordan Community Center (10778 S. Redwood Rd., South Jordan, UT).  Then, with an invitation extended across all borders, World Story Crossroads launches 2022.  
Utah Storytelling Guild
Until we tell again,

Story Crossroads


(801) 870-5799

PO Box 274
West Jordan, UT  84084