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Milligan College, TN (Sept. 7, 2011)—Milligan College will host an evening of storytelling featuring eight members of the Jonesborough Storytellers Guild on Friday, Sept. 16, at 7 p.m. in Milligan’s Gregory Center for the Liberal Arts.
General admission is $5; student admission is $3. Proceeds will benefit the Jonesborough Storytellers Guild and Milligan’s Introduction to Storytelling Class.
The Jonesborough Storytellers Guild is comprised of 27 professional, semi-professional and hobbyist storytellers who enjoy the art of oral tradition. Their compelling and vivid stories are brimming with history, humor, personality, imagination and more.
This is the second year Milligan has hosted the storytelling event. Last year’s performance drew a crowd of approximately 250 from Milligan and the surrounding communities.
“The storytelling event will be a time of enchantment with a family-friendly environment,” said Dr. Bruce Montgomery, professor of communications at Milligan and a 2011 Guild member.
Montgomery, who teaches the storytelling class at Milligan, hopes the class and special performances such as this one will bring a greater awareness of the storytelling culture to the Milligan community. Montgomery will kick off the evening with one of his own humorous stories.
Next up on the Milligan stage are Larry Kelley and wife, Gayleen, who will perform in tandem with one another. Larry completed a master’s degree in storytelling from East Tennessee State University and currently teaches storytelling as an adjunct professor at ETSU. Gayleen is president of the Jonesborough Storyteller’s Guild. In 1999, she received second place in the National Storytelling Competition in Hillsboro, Ohio.
“Gayleen and I have been happily married for 32 years and I know why,” Larry said. “She never has expected much out of me—and I’ve never disappointed her. We will be sharing memories of those times when I took the opportunity to demonstrate why she should expect even less out of me.”
Leon Overbay, “The Bard of Boones Creek,” is a Tennessee native and Guild founding member. He is also a charter member of the Barter Storytellers. Overbay’s storytelling focuses on personal experiences of life in rural East Tennessee.
“I specialize in Southern humor and cowboy poetry, so I’ll mix a little of both and end up challenging people to look for opportunities to encourage others,” said Overbay.
Madelyn Rohrer was drawn to storytelling after relocating to Jonesborough in the mid-1990s and taking a job as a walking tour guide. She has performed all over the United States, including the International Storytelling Festival.
“Storytelling, for me, is a wonderful way to bring history to life, to strengthen faith and old-fashioned values, and to sprinkle a little humor in our lives,” says Rohrer. Rohrer will share an inspirational tale called “Tiggy Tiggy Touch Wood.”
Saundra Kelley just authored her first book, “Riding the Clouds,” an interpretive oral biography collection of Appalachian Storytellers. Kelley is a member of the Jonesborough Storytellers Guild, The National Storytelling Network, the Florida Storytelling Association and the Tennessee Writer’s Alliance.
MaryGrace Walrath completed a master’s degree in storytelling from ETSU in 2005 and plans to tell a “Jack Tale,” a genre from Southern Appalachia (primarily North Carolina) predating 1824. She previously worked as a historical interpreter at the Rocky Mount Museum in Piney Flats, Tenn. As a mental health therapist Walrath has also used the healing aspects of storytelling with individuals, groups, families and couples. With her love of history, it is no surprise that Walrath enjoys telling historical tales along with folk tales, sacred stories, fables, humorous stories, personal stories, traditional Appalachian stories and ghost stories.
Rudolf Angelmaier will serve as master of ceremonies. Angelmaier learned his presentation and leadership skills from his time as a member of Toastmasters International and has served as master of ceremonies at multiple events. He has also produced three storytelling festivals and five “Tellabrations” with his wife.
For more information about the Jonesborough Storytellers Guild, visit www.storytellersguild.org. For more information about arts events at Milligan, visit www.milligan.edu/arts.