In the News

“Beaver Tales” – A Unique Storytelling Event for Children and Families in Beaver on Sept. 25-26, 2009

BEAVER, PA – August 2009 – Unique historical entertainment is coming to Beaver on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 25-26, when the community is invited to take part in “Beaver Tales – a Storytelling Event”. Thanks to the Blanche Shaw Memorial Fund, the Beaver Area Heritage Foundation has created a remarkable event involving six different internationally known tellers who will share their craft and delight audiences.

Tales will vary from tall tales and stories of days gone-by to Native American stories and age old legends.

Some tellers, as the story unfolds, use only the spoken word while others incorporate unusual musical instruments or drawing. The audience will find they are asked to join in the fun with hands-on experiences.
Friday’s activities will focus on children and youth. Storytellers will visit several preschools, all Beaver Area School District third grade classrooms, Middle School Language Arts classes and Senior High Drama students.

Friday evening families will gather in the historic Beaver Cemetery to listen to "Ghost Stories." A special box lunch storytelling opportunity for adults will be held at noon on Saturday in the Beaver Area Memorial Library. The Saturday hosts, The Friends of the Library, will take reservations. All events are free to the public.

On Saturday morning the grounds of the Beaver Area Heritage Museum will come alive with storytelling sessions under tents as well as in the restored log house. Stories are targeted to all ages. A special “Make It, Take It” table will offer crafts for children. Dulcimer music will fill the air between sessions. The event will close in late afternoon with a concert where all tellers participate.

Heritage Foundation officials are certain this family-centered event will prove to be an outstanding opportunity for not only Beaver Area residents but residents young and old from throughout Beaver County.

For more information on the storytellers, contact Sue Kaufman at luciensnanny@verizon.com.

Storyteller Background

Lyn Ford - A fourth generation storyteller, Lyn shares tales rooted in her family’s multicultural African American storytelling traditions. Her programs are enhanced with rhythm and rhyme, history and mystery as well as humor and heart. An Ohio teaching artist who calls her stories “Home Fried Tales” honors her father, who was a terrible cook (the only thing he made consistently good was home fried potatoes) and the best storyteller she ever heard. Her interactive style offers unique narrative experiences for all types of listeners and learners.

Alan Irvine - His entrance into storytelling began many years ago as a camp counselor when in an effort to occupy his charges he told ghost stories and humorous tales around the campfire. The kids liked it and clamored for more. In time his repertoire of stories grew to include folktales and legends as well as his own fantasy tales. A popular Western Pennsylvania performer for all ages, Alan also teaches workshops and classes on storytelling. In 2006 he chaired the National Storytellers Conference in Nashville, Tennessee.

Dan Keding - A storyteller of national acclaim, Dan is well known for his telling of traditional world folk tales, personal narratives of his boyhood in Chicago, ghost stories and dark tales and superbly crafted original pieces. As a child he learned the traditional stories that his grandmother brought to this country from Croatia. A well respected ballad singer, he accompanies himself on guitar, banjo and spoons. This combination of dynamic storytelling and powerful ballad singing has made him a festival favorite throughout the US, Britain and Ireland endearing him to audiences of all ages.

Bil Lepp - He is five time champion of the West Virginia Liars contest. His original, hilarious, tales will bring a smile to the face of even the most ill-humored person. Several times Bil has been a Featured Teller at both the National Storytelling Festival and The Smithsonian Folklife Festival. He is the author of three books of tales, four audio collections and has had stories published in national magazines. For over fifteen years Bil has been telling tales. Using tight insightful narrative he elaborates on poor decisions he has made and stupid things he has done. His original tales are written by himself and his brother.

Mary Morgan Smith - A professional storyteller for over 30 years, Mary takes her listeners around the world and back in time. In between traditional tales that bring a warm glow or a surprised guffaw, she often shares family stories. Born and raised in Western Pennsylvania Mary grew up listening to her grandfather’s “guaranteed true” stories of his exploits. Mary is manager of the Children’s/Young Adult Services at Northland Public Library, executive director/co-founder of the Three Rivers Storytelling Festival, and teaches storytelling at the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Information Sciences.

Joe Wos - For the past 14 years Joe has been sharing his talents as a freelance cartoonist and storyteller with audiences across the nation. His one man show,”Once Upon a Toon” combines his passion for storytelling and drawing cartoons. His quick wit and lightening speed drawings of original stories, classic fables, and folk tales never fails to amaze and entertain. A single presentation yields an average of 20 original drawings which are given to the audience at the end of the show. His rapid drawing skills have earned him the reputation of “Fastest Draw in the East and West."

Storytelling Timeline/Schedule - Fri., Sept. 25 and Sat., Sept. 26, 2009

Friday, September 25 – School Visits & Ghost Stories

Dutch Ridge - Third Grades (seven 3rd grades – 3 storytellers) – Dan Keding, Joe Wos, Lyn Ford

9:00 a.m. Arrive/set up
9:05 – 9:45 First classroom session (2 storytellers visit 2 classrooms)
9:45 – 10:25 Second Classroom session (2 storytellers visit 2 classrooms)
10:25 – 11:05 Third Classroom session (3 storyteller visits 3 classrooms)
Lunch Break
12:30 – 1:15 Concert All Third Grades Together – all 3 Storytellers
1:30 Depart

Middle School/High School – Bil Lepp
One story teller rotating through Middle School Language Arts Classes & Senior Drama:

8:30 a.m. Arrive Middle School/High School
9:00 -9:30 – First Middle School Language Arts Classroom
9:45 – 10:15 – Second “ "
Break/Lunch
11:10 – 11:40 Third Middle School Classroom Language Arts Classroom
12:00 – 12:50 High School Drama Class

Sts. Peter & Paul – One teller who then moves to Dutch Ridge – Lyn Ford

9:00 a.m. Arrive
9:10 – 10:00 One Storyteller – 3rd Grade
10:00 – Travel to Dutch Ridge
10:15 – Arrive Dutch Ridge

Pre School Visits – One teller – Mary Morgan Smith

Rotating visits (20 minutes – half hour) to local pre-schools beginning at 9:00 continuing as needed through mid afternoon
Suggested sites: First Presby, Park Presby, Methodist, Montessori, Fort Mc Day Care, Life Steps, Kiddy Corner, Four Mile

Friday Evening

Cemetery – Ghost Stories 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. - Dan Keding, Bil Lepp, Lyn Ford, Alan Alvine

Saturday, Sept. 26

All events to be held on the grounds of museum except Adults’ Lunch at Library

Library Schedule - Lunch, Listen, Laugh - Teller – Dan Keding

11:20 a.m. – Arrive at Library
11:30 – Lunch
12:30 p.m. – 1:30 -Storytelling Session

Museum Grounds Schedule - Stories, Stories, and More Stories - Tellers - Dan Keding, Joe Wos, Bil Lepp, Lyn Ford, Alan Irvine

10:00 – 10:40 a.m. First Session
10:55 – 11:25 – Second Session
11:40 - 12:25 – Third Session
12:40 – 1:20 – Fourth Session
1:35 – 2:05 – Fifth Session
2:15 – 3:00 – Sixth Session
3:00 – 4:45 – Concert – All Storytellers
4:50 – 5:30 – Docent Training
5:30 – Staff Picnic/Evaluation/Fun Time - Not open to public

Everything is free except the Adult Lunch at the library.