Successful Itinerant Storytelling

[Jonatha Wright]

Just what will make the wandering storyteller, at a festival or a town square on a Saturday, successful? Is it outlandish clothing? Is it a huge 'megaphone' or sound system? The very best location--but what is that? Incredible audience grabbing stories--but what length? Directed at what age? What? What? What?

I want to be one, What do I do???? Jonatha

[Carolion Grailbear]

I've done a lot of itinerating myself - And I don't know about other storytellers, but the only thing that works for me is just pure love of the story (which always comes out a little different for each audience, because every audience has its own unique character and its own special soul needs, and the stories all know that). Pure love of the story, pure love of the joy of sharing hearts (performing with, not at, people) with folks, pure love of the people I'm relating to, pure love of the sparkles in their eyes...

[Jonatha Wright]

Eric Wolf, and other of the Yellow Springs Tale Spinners are going to try a bit more structure at the June Street Fair. We are choosing a "Story Tree" in a semi quiet (from the bands) location, but on the path from a main street fair parking lot. There we will tell 2 or 3 short stories each hour of the fair on the hour. Last June we just spontaneously put down a blanket on a bare spot on Short Street, and told a couple of stories now and then. It was hard to compete with the noise. Also all the people traffic to the many booths distracted people who tried to listen.
So we are hoping that establishing a "Story Tree" will define our space, and keep an audience for 10 or 15 minutes at a time.
We are open to more suggestions. Jonatha

[Brother Wolf]

That reminds me I need to talk to the Street Fair people about the story tree idea

Eric
http://www.ericwolf.org