June•2017
Fireside Storytellers’ League of Tacoma
A service organization comprised of both men and women who are interested in the art of storytelling.
Our next meeting will be Monday, June 12th at 6:30-pm, and will be
Fireside’s Officers:
President, Earl Brydson
Vice-Pres. Larry Krack
Secretary, Penny Tennison
Treasurer, Kathleen Benoun
Service Coordinator,
Eileen Beckowitz
Editor, Penny Tennison
www.firesidestoryleague.org
Fireside is a member of
National Storytellers League
held at the University Place Branch of Pierce County Public Library,
3609 Market Place W, Suite 100, 98466. This is our annual potluck
meeting, and the last meeting until September 11th. It is an All-Tell
occasion, so bring your favorite dish and a story to share.
Storytelling at the Northwest Folklife Festival
Joy Ross and I attended Northwest Folklife Festival on Sunday of Memorial Day
weekend. We chose that day based on the scheduled storytelling events. We caught
the Sound Transit Express bus at the Tacoma Dome station at 11-am. It dropped us off
45 minutes later at 4th & Jackson in Seattle, just a half-block from the Monorail terminal.
We rode the Rail into the Center. It was a no-stress and economical way to get to the
Festival.
The first storytelling event on our list was not until 1-pm, so we toured the grounds,
listening to music and browsing the vendors’ booths until then. We made our way to the
Discovery Zone children’s stage for the first storytelling event of the afternoon and heard
two excellent tellers: Robert Rubenstein’s program was of traditional cultural folktales,
but I’ve never heard them told better; Patty Zeitlin had original stories that were
humorous, but with purposeful messages about creatures--worms and such--and the
environment that supports all creatures. She also included songs to embellish the story.
Another story she told was about a Hawaiian bird, and included the sign language of
Hawaiian dance.
Next, we attended the American Radio Theater’s recreation of a whodunit program.
There was a long gap before the major, evening program. We filled it in with food, more
music, more shopping, and people watching.
The evening of “Ghost Stories,” in Center House Theatre, produced by Seattle
Storytellers Guild, was what we came for. Sarah Comer was the first teller. (If you
attended the storytelling events at The Antique in Tacoma last autumn, you will
remember Sarah.) She presented her tales of the macabre with an elegance that is her
signature style. Norm Brecke’s choice stories were based on how the lives of ordinary
people could collide with entities of another dimension. Allison Cox told local ghost
legends. Ingrid Nixon is perhaps less well known, but that won’t last. She is
unpredictable, but hearing her tell is a treat. She has mastered the craft.
Those were the featured tellers, but Larry Holm, as a ringmaster of sort, bridged
the sessions with ironic and pithy addendums, and was the perfect accompaniment.
We were well satisfied by the feast.
Continued on page 2
Fireside Log
June 2017
Many other storytelling events were held during the
four day celebration. The people who attend Folklife are
also people who enjoy the tradition of storytelling. The
tradition of Folklife, we were told, is seriously threatened.
It is free to attend, but donations are requested. The
suggested donation is $10 per person or $20 per family.
However, only 17% of the attendees, we were told, do
contribute. It was said that “it takes 1.3 million dollars
and a village of volunteers to make Folklife happen.” The
worry is that Folklife will not be there for the community of
veterans who love the scruffy celebration of our
differences if they do not also support it.
By Editor
FSL Service Report
Penny Tennison visits Lutheran Care, and the Franke
Tobey Jones Care Center, monthly.
May 23--Frederickson Elementary: Larry Krack and
Penny each gave three thirty minute programs. Larry told
to 3-5th grade students; Penny told to the K-2nd grade
groups.
May 31--Lowell Elementary: Linda Spadoni and Penny
presented three thirty-minute programs. Linda told to a
large audience of combined second-grade classes.
Penny told to the Kindergarten, and first-grade students.
Linda Spadoni is new to Fireside--She was a guest
at the May meeting. When the request from Lowell was
announced, Linda Spadoni volunteered to tell to the
Second Graders.
Penny has been acquainted with Linda through the
Communities In Schools organization. For the last two
years, they have both worked as reading skills mentors to
elementary school students. Linda is a retired
elementary school teacher. Penny had also heard Linda
as a storyteller, at a CIS event. Because of this
knowledge, Linda’s offer to help was unhesitatingly
accepted.
Service Coordinator, Eileen Beckowitz, is taking some time off
for health reasons.
Up-coming Storytelling Events
June
Actually, perhaps due to all the graduations and
weddings, no local storytelling events were found.
July
14 & 15th-- Living History Cemetery Tour. Experience
Tacoma's history as it comes to life. The Fort Nisqually
Time Travelers, a select group of living history reenactors will portray people who played integral parts in
Tacoma's past, telling their life stories from their
gravesites in the Old Tacoma Cemetery. Tickets are just
$10 per person, advance registration required. These
tours usually sell out early. Call (253) 472-3369 after July
5. Proceeds go to the Tacoma Historical Society, Fort
Nisqually Foundation & Tacoma Cemetery. The
cemetery is located at 4801 South Tacoma Way,
Tacoma, WA
21 &-22nd—PowellsWood Garden Storytelling Festival
Paths will lead you to the venue’s three canopied
stages that are surrounded by tall firs, ferns, native
plants, and flowers. On Friday, workshops are
offered by Bill Harley, MaryGay Ducey,and Donald
Davis, and begin at 9-am. The prices & times vary-go to powellswood.org/festival to peruse the choices.
Also on Friday, “Tea with the Tellers,” is hosted by
Diane Powell at 3:30. The charge, which seems
nominal for the experience, is $15.
Saturday is the prime day of storytelling. This is
a terrific opportunity to listen to an entire day of
stories from top tier storytellers: Bill Harley,
MaryGay Ducey, Donald Davis, Linda Gorham
and Antonio Sacre. Tickets are $20 per adult; $5
per child. And, you can wander the beautiful
PowellsWood Gardens. Bring your own lunch, or
purchase from a selection of sandwiches and salads
that will be available. FMI, visit powellswood.org/festival
ON-GOING EVENTS
Mondays
Fireside Story League of Tacoma meets monthly (SepJun) on the second Monday, at 6:30 pm. The location
varies between libraries in the Tacoma-Puyallup area.
For details, e-mail [email protected], or call
253-265-2113.
Tuesdays
3rd Tuesdays
The Story People of Clallam County, 7 p.m., Port
Angeles Library. Contact Alice Susong, 360-683-8630,
http://www.clallamstorypeople.org/monthly-story-swaps/
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Fireside Log
Wednesdays
2nd Wednesdays
South Sound Story Guild
Featured teller at 7 and a story swap/open mike at 8.
The Lobby of the Olympia Center, 222 N Columbia in
downtown Olympia. FMI: www.southsoundstory.org or
Billie Mazzei, [email protected]
Thursdays
1st Thursdays
Moth StorySLAM themed open mic. Doors open at 7,
stories at 8 p.m., Fremont Abbey Arts Center, Seattle, $8;
$16 premium tickets. Info: themoth.org/events
4th Thursdays
Fresh Ground Stories, 7pm
Roy Street Coffee & Tea, 700 Broadway East, Seattle,
WA 98102
FMI : http://www.meetup.com/Fresh-Ground-Stories/
Last Thursdays
Auntmama's Storytable —
Madison Ave Starbucks,, 7 PM- 8:15 PM, free
4000 E Madison Ave, Seattle, WA 98112, 206 329
3736 (between E 41st Ave & E Mcgilvra Blvd)
Contact: [email protected] Want to tell? Call 206473-9522
Fridays
First Friday Storynight at BLTC, 7-9 p.m,
Better Living Through Coffee
100 Tyler St., Port Townsend, WA 98368
Event includes featured storytellers and an open mic.
Suggested donation is $10; no one is turned away.
FMI, contact Aimée Ringle, [email protected] ,
360-531-4395, or visit
http://www.facebook.com/firstfridaystorynight.
Urban Tellers® First Fridays at The Fremont, 2393
NE Fremont, Portland, OR 97212
At Urban Tellers®, you’ll have the chance to witness the
profound, true stories of the people of Portland.
Oct.- June. FMI pdxstorytheater.org/shows/urban-tellers/
Call 503.284.2226.
June 2017
shared potluck for all participants, a chance to listen to a
wide variety of stories and story types; a safe environment to try telling a 5-7 minute story.
www.portlandstorytellers.org Sept.-May
3rd Fridays
Haller Lake Storytelling Evenings, 7:30-9:30 (Sept.June) 12579 Densmore Ave North, Seattle, WA 98133 .
Evenings perfect for story lovers - both tellers and
listeners - everywhere! Featured tellers some months,
story swaps some months, always an open mike, and a
chance to mingle. Free, snacks provided; donations
welcome.
Saturdays
1st Saturdays
Portland Storytellers Guild -- Themed Storytelling
Shows - 7:30-pm, Hipbone Studio, 1847 E. Burnside
#104, (enter building from the parking lot side) Both
parking lot and on street parking available.
Adults - $12.00; PSG Members & Students with ID $10.00. Recommended for Adults and children age 10+
FMI, Ken Iverson: [email protected] or at 503631-2167. Doors open at 7:00pm. More info at
http://www.portlandstorytellers.org
Fireside Story League of Tacoma
meets monthly, September – June, on the second
Monday, at 6:30 pm. The location varies between
libraries in the Tacoma-Puyallup area.
Our June meeting will be held on Monday, the 12th,
at the University Place Library. FMI, email
[email protected], or call 253-265-2113.
That is all there is for now folks!
First Friday Story Swaps - even months
Directions to the house of Virginia Rankin and David
Klein 1222 NE 100th Street, Seattle 98125, 206-5256436 Virginia Rankin at [email protected]
Portland Storytellers Guild Story Circle and Potluck,
6:30 p.m., free. Multnomah Arts Center, 7688 SW
Capitol Hwy, Portland, OR 97219. Room 31--A friendly
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