STORYTELLING PROGRAMS FOR SCHOOL AUDIENCES

FAMILY STORIES ARE HISTORY!

A presentation of stories passed down in families, showing how these contain and reveal important aspects of social and national history. Stories deal with such topics as a pioneer woman’s crucial ingenuity; an odd consequence of the introduction of automobiles into rural culture; and some unusual ways of surviving the Great Depression. (40-50 minutes; elementary/middle/high school audiences)

BURNT INTO MEMORY: THE STORY OF THE BROWNFIELD FIRE

In October of 1947, after a season of terrible drought, wildfires burned all over the state of Maine. The town of Brownfield was one of the worst areas: 80% of it, including all churches, schools, post offices, and other public buildings, was completely destroyed in the space of a few hours. Drawing on newspaper accounts, letters, and oral history interviews with survivors of the Fire, this program presents an extraordinary story of terror, courage, neighborly responsibility, recovery, and -- yes -- even humor. (50 minutes; optional discussion period afterwards)

GOOD NEIGHBORS MAKE PEACE

A program of engaging, interactive folktales about characters working together to meet the challenges of competition, fear of diverse cultures, aggression, and/or difficult tasks. (any length; elementary school audiences)

Workshops for School Audiences

Performances for Story-Loving Adults

“It’s a tremendous story for our time, a story of hope and connectedness between humans at a time when hopelessness and disconnectedness are the rampant order of the day.”
—Michael Parent, storyteller and author, speaking of “Burnt Into Memory.”