Folklife Center Hosts WV Storytelling Guild Story Concert

The West Virginia Storytelling Guild, in conjunction with the Frank and Jane Gabor West Virginia Folklife Center, is presenting the concert, “What Tales to Tell!” with national storyteller Lynette Ford at 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 29, at the Folklife Center on the campus of Fairmont State University.

Lynette (Lyn) Ford is a nationally recognized, fourth-generation Affrilachian storyteller; a teaching artist for the Ohio Alliance for Arts Education and the Kennedy Center’s Ohio State-Based Collaborative Initiative, with more than 20 years of achievement in the A-i-S directories; a published author and recorded speaker whose work has appeared on television and radio in Ohio, West Virginia and several other states; a mentor to young writers at the Thurber House in Columbus, Ohio; a Certified Laughter Yoga Leader; and a Certified Level I Breath Mechanic.

Three members of the West Virginia Storytelling Guild also will be performing in the concert. They are Mikalena Zuckett of Charleston, Stas Ziolkowski of Pittsburgh and James Froemel of Morgantown. 

Admission for the concert is $10 for adults and $5 for children. Those younger than 5 years old will be admitted for free. Students with a student ID will be admitted for free. Credit cards cannot be accepted. 

At 9 a.m. Saturday, April 30, Lynette Ford will present a workshop, “TELL IT!  Developing Language Arts Skills through Interactive Wordplay and Storytelling Experiences.” The workshop will be held at the Frank and Jane Gabor West Virginia Folklife Center. Teachers in Monongalia, Preston and Marion counties should contact their appropriate central office administrator for paperwork enabling them to receive CEUs for the workshop.

A synopsis for the workshop states, “Storytelling, as oral communication in a social narrative format, is the foundation for skills in and appreciation of language arts; these skills are essential across curricular studies, as well as for success in lifelong learning and career pursuits.  Through interactive story models, group interactions and wordplay, reflection and discussion (as time permits), we will play with the work of nurturing, reinforcing and creative utilizing effective language arts skills in the classroom.”

West Virginia Storytelling Guild member Mikalena Zuckett also will give a presentation on the Youth, Educators and Storytellers workshop she attended at the 2015 National Storytelling Network Conference.

The fee for the workshop is $50. Those planning to attend the workshop are asked to send a check made out to the West Virginia Storytelling Guild and mail it to: Thomas Tarowsky, Treasurer; West Virginia Storytelling Guild; 39 Oak Drive, St. Clairsville, OH 43950. Students may attend the workshop with an ID and $10 paid at the door.

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