From the Stage. . .
or the Telephone
Art from Rachel's Perspective
The calendar in my head declared, "In the year 2011, you will film the second volume to the Family Famine Series. And every other year will come out another volume."
Then I received a telephone call on October 1st that changed my timetable.
Marjorie Shaefer, storytelling friend in Tennessee, said that my name was drawn for one of twelve fringe slots at the 2010 National Storytelling Conference in Los Angeles. There were 101 slips, and yet my name got pulled.
The cranks and cogs in my head turned and seemed to make a whirring sound.
A sponsor would be needed to cover costs so that singer Holly Robison, guitarist Joshua Payne, and upright bass player Geoffrey Rayback could perform in Los Angeles with me. I would want another three-camera shoot with American Sign Language interpretation plus other features not yet experienced on storytelling DVDs before.
Why all the attention to details?
This Family Famine Series would be part of my legacy due to the results to:
* Increase positive communication with family
* Discover your role and how best to magnify it
* Build sense of worth as individuals and as unit
* Cultivate positive behaviors in the home
* Appreciate your loved ones. . .and, if needed, gain courage to seek help for a stronger home
Sean Buvala, another storytelling friend, mentioned that any of us tellers could have (or do have) "Oprah-worthy" material. He felt that my Family Famine Series had that potential.
By now fumes of joyous thoughts drifted from my head.
What if I could partner such a program with other family
organizations and foundations that shared similar philosophies?
What organizations do YOU know that support these aspects?
Please share these ideas with me at info@rachelhedman.com.
With your support, this Family Famine Series could be a worldwide program.
  Cap's Off to You
Featuring: Ronda Woolston
Loyal Listener & Event Organizer
Director/Curator of The Gale Center of History and Culture in South Jordan, UT
For over two years, The Gale Center of History and Culture has been
dubbed a "pro-storytelling place" thanks to Ronda Woolston, museum
director and curator. Of the twelve monthly Terrific Tuesdays
provided for the community there, at least four of them are dedicated to the art to include professional storytelling, youth tall tale contests, and National Youth Storytelling Showcase
auditions.
Although Ronda has not seen much change in how she enjoys the art,
she noted, "What has changed it that now I have the chance to help
others experience storytelling for themselves and carry on that
tradition in my own community."
She remembered the stories her grandmother shared, though she could
not recall when the first experience occurred. She decided, "So really storytelling is one of my earliest memories."
When it was time to visit grandma, Ronda said, "It was always a
special time because us kids always knew we would get one of her
stories."
Now Ronda continues that tradition within the walls of the museum.
She exclaimed, "We have had Rachel Hedman and Lori Wenerstrom tell
and they have both been very popular with audiences and are known
to our participants as performers who are always entertaining and fun."
As for the youth telling at the Gale Center, their talents have
impressed Ronda. For the future of the art, she stated, "It could be that younger tellers will become interested in getting involved but I believe that whatever age people decide to share their stories with others, they will continue to tell about what interests them, thereby passing that excitement on to others."
Thank you, Ronda.
You are one of the many who spread excitement for the art.
What are your loyal listener memories? Email your story to
info@rachelhedman.com.
Random Rachel Ideas (RRIs)
Ideas for the Art to Embrace
Boy Scouts of America will have a storytelling merit badge that will be so successful in its initial year that the Advancement Committee will wonder why they did not adopt it sooner.
In the past 10 years, there have been three main attempts to formally approach the BSA in regards to having a storytelling merit badge. While there have been positive reactions from Scout leaders, boys, and storytellers, the National Advancement Committee have not seen the distinctive traits of the art, especially as they confuse it with communications or theatre.
Though, it is only a matter of time, as more proposals are submitted, that the badge will be created.
I am receiving contacts of people associated with the National BSA Jamboree in Virginia. Over 43,000 leaders and boys attend. Perhaps by 2012 we will have a storytelling concert there with six youth tellers representing different regions of the United States. Then we would have a national teller to accompany them. There would be no denying the art then. The audience would demand the storytelling badge.
This will happen.
 YouthTellerTip
3 featured from Daily YouthTellerTip from Twitter (StorytellingAdv)
1. Play storytelling games to build skills. Adults need to play along with the youth. No "I'm too old for this" business.
The adults who do not play in the storytelling games are in the same category as the adults who stand or sit in the back while the little ones are in front to hear the storyteller. The choice to distance oneself from the experience is so powerful that it may influence other youth to do likewise. The youth may question your presence or even your intentions. This could lead to distrust and fuel negative views towards adults in general. Besides, once you play the games, you will have fun. Who said adults should stop having fun once they reach a certain age?
2. Inspire tellers early through bedtime stories. Even college students and adults love storytelling before sleep.
Dreams are ultimate places to express creativity. Intensify the imagination subconsciously by having youth hear stories before their eyes close. By the next morning, this act could energize the story recipient to make a difference in the world. After telling bedtime stories, jot down the outline or the entire story before going to bed yourself as these stories may be your best ones. Generations may want to treasure and continue to tell them with their descendants.
3. Give youth the power to choose the stories they share. Otherwise, it could be considered "forced" storytelling. Go for fun.
Too often I have seen lifeless eyes of youth who tell stories that they do not love. Usually, this is because a coach or a parent chose the story. Suddenly, storytelling turns into an assignment rather than a joyous experience. Yes, adults could still guide the teller in story types that may suit the youth's personality, but the final decision must come from the youth. This also gives the youth the impression that the first story they read may not be the one for them. It may take several or even hundreds of tries. The adventure is as much the finding of the tale as it is in telling the tale.
Game of the Month:
The Computer
Shared by Rachel Hedman, creator
Audience: youth to adults
Level: intermediate
Items Needed: 1 chair, an imaginary computer/laptop
Number of Players: 4-8
Roles: Typist, Story Characters, Props and Settings as the Typist describes them
Ave. Playing Time: 5 min. to 1 hr.
One-Liner: resembles story theatre that starts with one person directing the tale until all have control and must react to the additions
Instructions:
Clear a space of at least 5' by 10', though more room could allow more creativity. Place the chair to the back and to the side of this space. Determine who will be the Typist. That person sits in the chair. The rest of the people stand in a line at the back of the area to be ready to step forward as potential Story Characters or possibly some Props or Settings.
The Typist pretends to type on an imaginary computer and shares story thoughts aloud so all can hear. For example, the Typist may say something like, "Deep in the jungle, there was a girl who. . .". Since "girl" is a story character, one of the other players--whoever steps forward first-- becomes the "girl" and could add dialogue without help from the Typist. At this point, the Typist realizes he is not alone in his thoughts and adjusts his story depending on the personality of the Story Character.
For people waiting to be Story Characters, they could intensify the action by becoming Props or Settings in the story. If there is a storm as part of the narrative, people could wave their arms to represent the wind or rain.
These same people could become Story Characters later on as shared by the Typist.
Since Story Characters could add dialogue at any time, the Typist must be willing to narrate the story as well as to respond to what he hears.
When the story comes to a climax and an ending, then the game could be repeated with a new Typist.
History of this Game:
Rachel Hedman brainstormed how to teach improvisational skills to
fellow members of the Brigham Young University Storytelling Club in
1998. Despite never using a typewriter before, she imagined
someone typing on it and characters coming to life from the page.
She converted this image into the game. The game has since been
called "The Computer" to keep up with technological times, though
perhaps it should be called "The Laptop" or "The Blackberry" today.
If you enjoyed this e-newsletter, then please spread the word with
others.
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