Story Crossroads: The Newsletter Volume 11, Issue 18
Welcome to a short, more direct weekly newsletter * Week 1: Story of the Month - links with membership * Week 2: Upcoming
Events * Week 3: Cap's Off to You! - people/organization profiles * Week 4: Past & Future News
|
Story Crossroads Deepens Role in Salt Lake City School
District
Story Crossroads continues to strengthen its partnership with the Salt Lake City School District through a growing connection with the district’s annual storytelling competition. This year, competition coordinator Kristi Richards reached out to invite Executive Director Rachel Hedman to serve as a judge, noting improvements to the rubric that encourage greater story flexibility and adaptability—an idea inspired by Rachel’s past feedback. Recognizing
the importance of storytelling expertise on the judging panel, Kristi aims to build a sustainable base of in-district judges while continuing to collaborate with community partners like Story Crossroads. In return, the district will feature Story Crossroads in the event’s playbill and highlight opportunities for student storytellers to perform at future Story Crossroads events. The competition takes place on November 20, marking another exciting step in nurturing storytelling talent and community connections right here in Salt Lake City.
House Concert Series Nears 100th
Celebration
Story Crossroads’ beloved House Concert Series continues to thrive—bringing people together from living rooms to libraries and
everywhere in between. On October 23, 2025, we celebrated our 95th House Concert with the delightful Laurie Allen, whose humor and heart-filled storytelling have long inspired our community. From intimate evenings in West Jordan to gatherings in Riverton, Highland, and beyond, these concerts connect storytellers and listeners across Utah, all while supporting artists through our 50/50 proceeds model. Sometimes the story artists surprise us and donate 100% back! Thank you! As we look ahead, excitement is building for a major milestone: our 100th House Concert in March 2026! Fittingly, we’ll
welcome back Julie Barnson, who graced our very first house concert in December 2015. A full circle moment nearly a decade in the making, this celebration will honor the storytellers, hosts, and audiences who have kept this series vibrant and growing—proof that stories truly find their home wherever people gather to listen.
Photo Credit: Brother Valdez Photography Strengthening Our
Foundation |
As we look toward 2026, Story Crossroads is embracing a year of restructuring—becoming more efficient and impactful even as we navigate a $16,000 reduction in federal funding. Thanks to the success of our Mid-Year Campaign, we celebrated our first recurring monthly donors, whose ongoing support joins the many one-time gifts that arrive, as Rachel says, “randomly and lovingly accepted.” Each contribution—large or small—helps us sustain programs that remain free or low-cost to the community while ensuring that our storytellers are paid their full
value. As we prepare for our Year-End Campaign, we invite you to strengthen this foundation with us. Your donation fuels a creative and compassionate storytelling community that continues to grow stronger, together.
It’s your turn to shine! Submissions are open until November 15, 2025 for Frosted Glass, the current theme of The Story Beast—but feel free to share stories, articles, or artwork on any topic! Have a tale about surviving your art through mishaps or strange encounters? A story inspired by Frosted Glass itself? Maybe a wild adventure driving icy roads to perform that went crazier than expected? Whether theme-related or completely offbeat, we can’t wait to see your creativity. Though separate from Story Crossroads, The Story Beast is a free, worldwide e-publication—an amazing way to share your
work with a global audience. Submit by November 15 and let your story sparkle! Learn more at storybeast.org.
On October 11, 2025, Paige Funk led a workshop on adding simple songs to storytelling, giving
participants practical tools and resources to incorporate music—even for those without formal music training. Attendees learned to use techniques like the Circle of Fifths, setting poetry to melodies, and creating songs that reflect story emotion. Many left inspired to add guitar, ukulele, or improvised tunes to their stories, expand their musicality, and enhance audience engagement in both existing and new
stories. Enjoy past workshops by ordering at http://storycrossroads.org/AllThingsStory. On October 23, 2025, Laurie Allen enchanted audiences at our 95th House Concert with A Gathering of Ghosts. She even performed an exclusive encore—told live but not recorded—adding a special thrill for
our virtual-live audience. From a creepy and chaotic trip with her daughter to classics like The Monkey’s Paw, Laurie delivered a chilling and unforgettable evening of storytelling. Explore streams and future concerts at http://storycrossroads.org/HouseConcerts.
As for future events, we have several coming up. We have virtual workshops with Csenge Zalka (November 1), and then Daniel Morden
(December 6). Our 96th house concert will feature Dan and Annie Eastmond as well as Scotty Larsson (November 21) while our 97th house concert will feature Ted Erekson (December 3).
|
Enjoy this hint of the next virtual presentation taught by Csenge Zalka called "Women's Epics: 26 traditional epics around the world." See more videos at our YouTube Channel.
If you or someone you know has a story video that you want us to see, then let us know by emailing info@storycrossroads.org.
|
Story Crossroads - 501(c)(3) - To foster creative and compassionate communities through the art of storytelling.
|
|
|
