From the Stage. . .
or the Guild
Art from Rachel's Perspective
During the 2010 Timpanogos Storytelling Conference, I officially transitioned as the 16th president of the 19-year-old Utah Storytelling Guild.
I am in awe at how this organization has thrived. Interestingly, the four founding members--Nancy Alder, Syd Riggs, Keith Rogers, and Marsha Broadway--are rarely seen at guild events anymore.
Other commitments or life-changes could be the reasons for the absence, though I still wonder at the moments and the experiences they must have shared together in 1991.
I can imagine much of what they must have experienced--the writing of charters and by-laws, recruiting of members, crossing fingers or praying that things would work out. In 1997 I founded the Brigham Young University Storytelling Club and had to go forth alone. . .until others joined me.
If I had a chance to go back in history of the BYU Storytelling Club, I would have created some sort of video documentary rather than being limited by scrapbook pages. At least I have something.
For the Utah Storytelling Guild, there are old Taleswapper newsletters archived online for due-paying members. The early years--from 1993 to 2000--seem to be missing.
So what can the 16th president of a 19-year-old organization do?
Prepare for the 20th anniversary.
I called Marsha Broadway, who was my Honors thesis advisor during BYU days, and mentioned that I would love to gather the founding members and videotape while they chat about their memories. She was enthusiastic and gave me some clues as to how to reach the others.
Besides playing the role of guild president, I am also storyteller chair for the Weber State University Storytelling Festival. My desire to document has carried into that position. For the first time in fourteen years, we have over nine hours of footage so that we could create 3-5 minute promo pieces to educate the public about the festival while also preserving memories.
I am thankful to the youth tellers, parents, Utah tellers, and national tellers who so generously gave permission for such a project to go forth.
Now it is time to look to the guild.
 Cap's Off to You
Featuring: Carrie Groneman
Loyal Listener & Mother
Layton, UT
When Orson Welles' "War of the Worlds" was aired on the radio in 1938, many people believed that aliens were invading earth and people panicked. Reflecting on this moment in history, Carrie Groneman recognized that storytelling could be powerful, so much so that people might decide whether to live or die by this art.
Then, when Rachel Hedman first moved into the neighborhood, Carrie heard someone say of Rachel, "Oh, she's a storyteller." "A what?" Carrie responded.
During a church Christmas party, Carrie heard Rachel tell for the first time. Carrie also attended a storytelling performance by Rishi Richardson that she learned about through Rachel. Carrie suddenly recognized the art had a place beyond conversations and radio programs.
"Rishi and Rachel. . ,made it seem so seamless." She continued, "When you get caught up in a story to where you forget where you are, that impresses me."
Besides hearing the stories on stage, Carrie heard stories of food as a sixteen-year-old from her Grandma Oakeson, a survivor of the Depression who knew how to combine ingredients in delicious ways.
Grandma shared a "killer" pancake recipe that was requested every time Carrie's boys went to Scout camp. The "assignment" was constant. Grandma's divinity candy, made of mostly pure sugar and egg whites with a lot of vanilla, was also well known.
Erin admitted, "I try to get every story I can! I am truly addicted."
There were also the "gaggy" recipes when Grandma's Depression tricks used common ingredients in uncommon ways like Bisquick mixed with ground beef and tomato soup. The dough would be rolled like a cinnamon roll and then doused with gravy!
Even now, those food stories continue to give pleasure to Carrie, her mother and her aunt.
Carrie is open to hear stories within and without the home. She is relatively new to organized storytelling events, though someday she wishes to attend a story slam and other evolving trends in the art.
Thank you, Carrie.
You are one of the many who discovers and celebrates the new adventures in the art of storytelling.
What are your loyal listener memories? Email your story to
info@rachelhedman.com.
Random Rachel Ideas (RRIs)
Ideas for the Art to Embrace
Youth teller reunions will become a tradition for festivals and events across the nation.
Although not every event invites youth to tell stories along with the professionals, there are plenty of events that do.
When it comes to socializing with fellow tellers, adults have opportunities to gather each year at regional or national level storytelling conferences. These events are often compared to reunions. High school reunions are also common for adults, but what is there for youth today?
The Weber State University Storytelling Festival will have its first youth teller reunion the end of June. One parent or adult would accompany each child. Other family members would be welcome to join the festivities, too. This reunion will transform into an annual tradition geared for any youth teller who has ever told for the festival in its 14-year history. The kids will be inducted into the youth storytelling family and grow the art within the community for many generations to come.
Perhaps the idea of a reunion seems like an expensive and demanding venture. However, this event could be offered in a "free" way if each youth teller brought some sort of potluck dish. Suddenly, food costs would not be an issue. People could also be told to bring their own plates, cups, and utensils. Though, these items could be assigned to a specific number of people.
As for activities, youth tellers are often excited to play storytelling games. Many of these games do not even have to use props. The "grand finale" of the reunion could be a concert open to the public featuring a certain number of youth tellers possibly chosen through a drawing for fairness.
So could youth teller reunions become the next trend in storytelling?
These could happen.
 YouthTellerTip
3 featured from YouthTellerTip from Twitter (StorytellingAdv)
1. We learn to talk before we learn to write. Have this be the order in storytelling by youth.
Many times teachers or coaches want youth to write stories first. As the written word is more prevalent in curriculum standards for the classroom, sometimes the more natural order is forgotten. Yet, when we were infants, our senses soaked in our environment until we formed sounds and noises that eventually turned to speech. It was not until four to five years later that we learned how to hold a pencil and make symbols on a piece of paper. If you learn about writing assignments from teachers, try to encourage teachers to have the students tell the stories, transcribe them, and then work out the grammar and sentence structure.
2. Support from fathers is as important as mothers when it comes to youth storytelling. Sometimes kids watch them even more.
A child tends to hear the most advice from their mother. However, the child may be more intrigued by what is not said by the father. Whether or not a father is reserved does not matter to a child. Parents who sit in on more than one practice at home or who attend the grand performance will be remembered fondly in the eyes of their children. Besides being present at events, parents could show their children that they respect the art by sharing bedtime stories or sharing moments around the kitchen table.
3. Food and contests attract youth in the beginning. After the experience, they come for the fun of storytelling.
There are adults who feel uncomfortable whenever there is competition or the "bribery" of food. Even some events have opted to use the word "showcase" instead of "contest" to diminish the idea of competition. Nevertheless, youth compete every day in sports, debate, and other activities. . .and food tends to be part of these extracurriculars. Who can resist food? There does not have to be food at each gathering. Choose times for food that would make the most sense such as the first meeting of a youth storytelling club or the occasional party to celebrate storytelling success.
Game of the Month:
What? What? Oh!
Shared by Rachel Hedman, creator
Audience: youth (due to running)
Level: intermediate
Items Needed: None
Number of Players: 10-30
Roles: "It" and the Talkers
Ave. Playing Time: 10 min. to however long you want to play
One-Liner: resembles "Duck, Duck, Goose" of which the time running around the circle gives time for the one being chased to tell a part of a story using the last word shouted by the person who is "It"
Instructions:
Everyone stands facing each other as part of one huge circle about the width of 30'. Make sure that when people spread their arms that they cannot touch the person next to them. Then one person steps away from the circle and becomes "It". The rest left around the circle are potential Talkers.
"It" says aloud one to three sentences of a story. Then "It" walks around the outside of the circle and pats each person on the head while saying "What? What? Oh!" similar to when people say "Duck, Duck, Goose". The phrase of "What? What? Oh!" is repeated as "It" walks around until "It" chooses to change "Oh!" to some other word.
For example, "It" may announce, "A long time ago there was a time when no one could taste anything. Nothing was bland or sour or sweet because there was no taste. Then one day a. . .What? What? Oh! What? What? Oh! What? What? Goat!"
Whatever the word that took the place of "Oh!" is the word that the chosen person, the Talker, must then continue in the story. So from the previous example, the Talker might say, "Goat roamed the countryside and came upon a red hot substance that he had never seen before."
While using the word and completing the sentence so everyone in the circle could hear and understand, the Talker chases "It", who runs around the circle three times. Meanwhile, the Talker only needs to complete the circle once so to give more attention to the story and share the sentence in a not-so-rushed manner.
If the Talker reaches "It" before "It" can take the Talker's empty spot in the circle, then "It" shares another sentence to add to the story already started.
If "It" reaches the Talker's empty spot in the circle, then the Talker becomes "It" and adds another sentence to the story and says "What? What? Oh!" and on and on.
In some ways, this gives the Teller a "break" to think of ideas for the story. As soon as the Teller restarts the story from the moment the Teller left off, the pause and "forbidden" word rules apply.
Repeat for as many rounds as desired to expand the story. Eventually, one person would provide the ending sentence. Then a whole new game of "What? What? Oh!" could commence for another story.
Feel free to tweak the number of times to run around the circle to match the skills of your storytellers.
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