I'd only vaguely heard of the National Storytelling Network
in 2005 when my new friend Donna Ingham told me that there was to be a storytelling
conference in Oklahoma City,
OK. In a gesture of true mentor-ship, she offered
to share her hotel room with this weird Brit, that is, if a 6-hour drive was
do-able. I was in the middle of a successful
storytelling year with a hectic summer timetable so it wasn't easy to
re-arrange my schedule and I couldn't leave for Oklahoma until the Friday afternoon but it
was such a generous gesture and I enjoy an adventure so off I jolly well went. Oh, how glad I am that I did.
Because there in Oklahoma City,
I found out that there existed in the US a veritable tribe of
storytellers from every part of the country, from all ethnic origins, with
every kind of story. Please don't think
me arrogant when I tell you I had no idea then that the Art of Storytelling was
a real and thriving thing and that people other than me were making a living
doing it. Of course I knew I hadn't invented the business of storytelling --
I wasn't that conceited -- but I had
invented my own little version of it in Austin,
Texas, basically a music town,
self-proclaimed "Music Capital of the World." My own craft had grown organically from a love
of telling stories, my life as a theatre actress, and the need to pay my
mortgage; I'd been touring Texas schools and
libraries with my multicultural folktales for ten years when I set off for Oklahoma that July afternoon. I genuinely didn't realize that other people
were doing precisely what I was doing, and doing it skillfully, fiercely,
passionately...and traveling the country with it, indeed the world. It was stunning to unearth a wealth of
storytelling talent I didn't know existed.
There was a whole tribe for me to learn from. I was truly excited: I was not alone!
Next was the discovery that people were telling personal
stories as well as folk tales, and while
they stood at the microphone sharing their anecdotal tales with hundreds of
listeners, they sang, joked and laughed as if they were with close friends in an
English pub, always one of my favorite places to listen to and tell tales. What a revelation! You see, I'd created and performed my own personal
narratives at local fringe festivals never knowing there was any other
platform. My insular world was changing,
opening up. I drove back with plans to
revisit a long list of family stories, travel tales, personal disasters. I
was inspired!
In 2008, Donna and I, now good friends and storytelling
colleagues, KOA'ed our way to the conference in Gatlinburg, TN, memorable not
just for the wonder of that story-filled weekend and the upward trajectory of
my learning curve, but for the 24-hour stomach bug which hit moments after we
left the conference center and forced me to sleep and vomit my way to Austin in
the back of Jerry Ingham's SUV.
My lasting memories thus far were of an Elizabeth Ellis'
keynote which filled my eyes with tears, my heart with hope; a panel of Native
American tellers discussing stories from their native cultures; the
multi-teller interpretations of the old folktale, Beauty and the Beast; workshops that crammed my head with wondrous
ideas; and an array of delicious stories, the likes of which I'd never tasted before. I was in storyteller heaven.
This year, the first summer I've been theatre-free in five
years, I had the thrill of attending the NSN Conference in Richmond, VA. Still rooming with Donna Ingham, but this
time inviting a new storyteller friend, Joanie Stewart, to join in the
conference experience. I'm a bit more
knowledgeable now and wish to share what I love with others. My pleasure, I assure you!
The 2013 gathering was somewhat different from my previous
encounters. The world is changing and
the "business" of storytelling is changing along with it. This conference embraced and helped disentangle
that brave, new world: digital storytelling with Joe Lambert; photo-tales with
Oliver Uberti; stories and face-painting with Christopher Agostino. Allison Downey taught us about story-slamming
at The Moth and how to create
five-minute anecdotes of our own. Kim
Weitkamp shared her proven marketing ideas on how to get noticed in the
plugged-in world of social media.
The blessings of good, old-fashioned storytelling were there
too. Megan Hicks taught us how to
fracture fairy tales and we came up with Hansels and Gretls to make you
weep! Darci Tucker demonstrated the art
of deep character study to embellish history and keep our youth culture on
their toes. Lyn Ford used the age-old
practice of yoga to start our day; we laughed like loonies to lift our spirits! There were showcases, story swaps, and story
slams; there were fringe shows (I did one!), late night stories with wine at
the bar, and later night stories in hotel rooms.
At the end of the day (forgive me, Mum), we still focused on
the Art of Storytelling -- "the original sustainable art form" -- but
with a set of new variables thrown in for good measure. I've thought about those variables ever since
I got back to Austin
and what keeps coming to mind is Elizabeth Ellis' 70th birthday party. As everyone circled up, I studied those splendid
smiling faces, all singing and celebrating, and I thought of Dr. Seuss, "Oh,
the people you meet, the stories they'll tell.."
And I remembered what stands out most at NSN conferences: the
people, the people, the people. The
world is changing and the "business" of storytelling may have to change
with it, but change, for the most part, is a good thing. After all, one definition of insanity is
doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. But as long as we, the people, remain openhearted
and open-minded...and tell those tales every chance we get...we can make
anything work. Bring it on, dare I say, bring it on!
Once upon a time, there was a princess with a new set of variables...
