Happy New Year, my friends,
I am excited about 2024 and all that it will bring. There will be new stories and new storytellers and new opportunities to share the stories.
2023 was phenomenal for MO-TELL. We brought storytellers to Missouri State Parks and Historic Sites. Four online concerts were produced. Kick off for Tellabration included a concert with Bil Lepp and our in person Tellabration concert included some great tellers in the St. Louis area. There was a liars contest, an auction and a quilt raffle. We produced a monthly newsletter to keep you all informed.
Come to our annual membership meeting to get the full scoop on MO-TELL’s year of 2023. The annual meeting is on January 23.
I thank all the board members of MO-TELL for making this year a wonderful success. Our newsletter is the creation of Ken Wolfe who takes my info and turns it into a work of art.
I thank all of you, the members of MO-TELL because you believe in the power of storytelling.
Thank you.
Love to you all and keep telling your stories,
Joyce Slater
President of MO-TELL
‘The future belongs to a different kind of person with a different kind of mind: artists, inventors, storytellers- creative and holistic ‘right-brain’ thinkers.”
-Daniel Pink
Some basic things to think about when telling a story may not be about the story itself but about physical appearance and more.
Here are three things to consider.
1. CLOTHING:
Yes, wear some, that is the first thing! Choose something that isn’t more interesting than your story. For example: Don’t wear a sweater that has12 ribbons hanging down the front with a jiggle bell on the end of each ribbon. The bells will make a jiggling sound even if the clapper is taken out of each bell; the metal bells
will still clang against each other and can be annoying. That lesson was learned the hard way.
2. JEWELRY OR CHANGE IN A POCKET:
Jewelry, such as bracelets and necklaces can be annoying and noisy when they clang against each other while performing. Coins in the pockets will do the same thing. These noises often interfere with what the sound system picks up.
3. PAUSES:
Tell the story with some appropriate pauses, which
This is the registration link for the Nov 18 RAPS Tellabration event.
will give your audience a chance to laugh, catch up with the story, or to realize a point in your story.
There was once a chief who decided that he wanted to give a party for his entire kingdom. Everyone was invited. He would provide all the food and entertainment. The only thing he asked was that each family brings a gourd of wine. This would be poured into a huge pot from which all would be served. All the villages were buzzing with excitement. People were deciding what to wear and wondering what dances and stories would be performed. It promised to be a fabulous party.
One farmer was talking with his wife as they were getting ready on the day of the party and said, "Why should we spend good money on a gourd full of wine for the king's party? Isn't this party supposed to be free?"
"But dear," said his wife, "All the king is asking for is one gourd of wine. Is that really asking so much?"
But the stingy farmer, thinking himself very clever replied, "Who will notice one gourd of water in a big pot full of wine?"
So the farmer filled his gourd with water instead of wine. When the people were all gathered waiting for the party to begin, the king called everyone together for a toast.
"Let every cup be filled," he shouted, "That we may drink to the future of our land! May this party be as fine as the wine we are about to drink!"
Everyone raised their cups in a cheer before they drank. The farmer then took a sip of his wine. But when he tasted it, he threw his cup down and shouted, "This is only water!"
All the others had the same complaint. It seems that the farmer was not the only one who had the idea to put water instead of wine into his gourd. They had all done it. So it was that all they had to drink at the party was water. The king was so disappointed, that he ended the party early.