Expanding storytelling audience members in the age group from 16-25

[David H. Claunch]

I am a graduate student at ETSU and we are preparing for a panel discussion for a project in one of my classes. The general topic of discussion is how to expand the audience members between the ages of 16-25. I am tasked with looking at the existence and effectiveness of clubs on high school and college campuses. I am aware of one college club at BYU, and one high school club at Elizabethton, TN. Surely there must be more. Do any of you folks know of any other clubs? Were any of you introduced to storytelling though such means?

[Pam Holcomb]

David: I'm was a speech and drama teacher for 27 years. During that time, I taught storytelling to my students. They in turn participated in the storytelling events in several speech contests. I am presently teaching at another high school and my students are really interested in storytelling, but I've not been very successful in getting them to tell themselves. I would love to know how other groups got started and what makes them tick. Thanks for starting this discussion. - Pam Holcomb

[David H. Claunch]

Pat,

Thank you for the reply. Do you see a general increase in interest in storytelling?

I know of one high school club. I just e-mailed the faculty adviser. I will share any interesting stuff I come up with.

[Tom Taylor]

David,

As a high school theatre teacher seeking new performance opportunities for my students, I created the following tour groups: (our school mascot: Kangaroos)

The Teller 'Roos (straight storytelling, no costume/props/nothing - one teller with his audience)
The Storytime Players (dramatized stories, not plays - basic props, costume pcs_
The RhymeTime Brigade (all sorts/genres of poetry)
Christmas Company (Christmas songs, stories, poems, sketches)
The TruRoo Clown Crew (clown skits/sketches, magic, pratfalls, pie-in-the-face, etc.)
(Puppets...whose 'official' group name has fled the room at the moment...I'll get back to ya)
I'll never forget the audiences looking so intently at the puppets as if they were 'real' - the youngsters
didn't even notice us, they were SO focused on the homemade puppets we used! Awesome!)

These were each tour groups. We performed for 10,000-12,000 elementary students over the course of the entire school year. Our best years were when (the high school) classes were almost 2 hrs long, so we could load up our 3-6 students (the maximum # of students I could carry in a school van), perform 1-3X at each campus, depending upon age and size of group, and be back for my students' next class. We toured within the parameters of our class period. So, I might have anywhere from 1 to 4 classes touring during a given school week.

My guys, as you can imagine, absolutely loved it. It was an unforgettable time for them, and for our audiences, as well.

I announced, via district's email system, upcoming tours, gave the schedule, set up a "first come, first served" reservation system, and we "sold out" almost every single time (90+%).

Several of "my kids" went on to major in related fields as college students and, happily, I still hear updates from some of them from time to time, and they seldom fail to mention the impact our tours had on them.

There's more, of course, but this should give you an idea.

Best,

Tom Taylor

[Tom Taylor]

Re: PUPPETS group above -

Official name: The Roo PuppeTroupe

Sorry for the delay ~

Tom Taylor

[David H. Claunch]

Tom,
It sounds like you had tremendously successful tours. Do you still teach? What are your tours like now? I am a hospital clown who has ventured out and done some clowning for other events. That is the most fun in the world!
Did you find a lot of other high school students interested in storytelling and consequently start attending storytelling festivals or the Texas Liar's Contest?

Thanks for the reply,
David

[Tom Taylor]

David,

Yes, they were gloriously fulfilling times for my students and myself, as you can imagine.

I retired last summer, but returned this semester to assist a friend (principal) who lost his theatre teacher unexpectedly around Christmas (military family, moving away) for half-days.
June 4 is final classday...sorry to admit it, but, yes, I AM counting the days....

This is taking place at a crosstown rival campus, and it's just not the same. I was teaching at my old school for almost 20 yrs.

No longer touring, primarily due to the change in schedule - we're back to 51-minute classes, and we don't have time to load-up, drive over, perform, pack-up, drive back, etc.

Do you work solo, or are you part of a clowing group? That is a great use of your talent!

The kids for whom we performed were exceedingly interested in storytelling, and I hope they find a way to pursue it in coming years. Sadly, too many high school students can't be bothered with it. Our work is cut out for us there, isn't it?

Years (and years) ago I toured w/ my one-man show on WOODY GUTHRIE (off and on for 10-11 years, all over U.S., Canada, UK, etc.) - essentially a 2-hr evening of his songs/stories/experiences, and that was what led eventually to where I am now...most of us don't really "retire," but simply change jobs, and I want(ed) to do something I love...and I am!

Please keep me posted, as you pursue this - thanks!

Tom Taylor

[Granny Sue]

You should contact Sue Black and Karen Chace. Both have had successful school storytelling clubs at the elementary level. I think both are NSN members and should be listed in the NSN Directory.

I don't have specific advice, but speaking as a librarian (putting on my glasses and getting my hair into its bun) I know that getting kids excited about reading early on will develop them into lifelong readers. When I was a branch librarian I visited the schools in my area often. I told stories as well as read to the kids, and they were always excited to see me and hear my stories. When we had storytelling programs at the library, I could always count on a good audience of children who knew how to listen, and parents. We started a puppetry troupe in 1997 that is still in operation; the original members are gone but several developed an interest in theatre and related fields.

What bothers me as a teller is that I go to a school and the kids are very excited and interested in storytelling. But it ends after I leave. There's no follow-up. I don't know how to change that--the schools would need to be more committed to storytelling as a teaching and learning tool and not view it as a supplemental activity or entertainment only.

[Tom Taylor]

Granny Sue,

You could not be more on target with your closing comment.

There IS no follow-up, as a rule; perhaps our biggest hope at the moment is the new book (discussed recently on storytell via Karen C) - STORY PROOF (correct?), which documents the significant impact of storytelling on young, or not-yet readers, in terms of leading them into reading.

[Millie Jackson]

Have you contacted Kevin Cordi? He had clubs in California before he went to graduate school. I'm not sure if he is doing anything with this age group in Ohio or not. He is on Professional Storyteller.

Millie