Atlanta Tellabration! a Wonderful Opportunity to See an Array of Storytelling Styles

Oct. 17, 2011 - PRLog -- Long, long ago, before there was “StoryCorps,” before there was “The Moth,” and before there was Atlanta’s own “Carapace,” there was Tellabration!™ a world-wide evening of adult storytelling.  
    Tellabration!™ is a wonderful opportunity to see an array of storytelling styles including funny, sad, scary, real and imagined stories loved by people around the world.  This November, as a part of Tellabration!™, storytelling enthusiasts all around the globe will share their storytelling talents in concerts held in cities and towns to celebrate the ancient art of storytelling.  Tellabration!™ brings together each area’s most celebrated storytellers, to delight, captivate, and mesmerize audiences with their tales.
    This year Atlanta's event will be held at the Carter Library and Museum on Saturday, November 19th at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10.00.  The show will feature Deborah Strahorn, Gail Hogan and Jonah McDonald.  The emcee is Ron Kemp.  The show is hosted by the Southern Order of Storytellers in conjunction with the Carter Library and Museum and produced by Shannon McNeal.
    Tellabration!™ originator J. G. Pinkerton envisioned this international event as a means of building community support for storytelling.  The first was in 1988 in Connecticut.  By 1997, there were Tellabration!™ events on every continent but Antarctica. In 1999, 333 sites, 400 producers, and 6700 production staffers spun stories to a combined audience of over 34,000.
     Growing up in Texas where storytelling is a way of life, Gail Hogan has been telling stories ever since she learned to talk.  Gail is one of the founding storytellers of the annual Northeast Georgia Ghost Walk where she delights in digging up local historical ghost stories from the Gainesville area, including the resident spirit which resides in the main branch of the library.  Besides scary tales she loves the lessons and stories which can be learned from our Native American brothers and sisters.  Some of which she may share with us at Tellabration!™.  
    Deborah Strahorn has worked as a professional storyteller since the late 1990s. Creating a story experience that engages the audience she is convinced that storytelling is the voice of literacy. She supports the youth teller movement and is committed to elevating storytelling as an educational tool to help children sharpen their oral, auditory, thinking and memory skills.
    Jonah McDonald is an adventure guide and storyteller who loves trickster tales and stories that make us laugh and think. Jonah tells traditional tales and personal stories from his childhood and from his 2000 mile hike on the Appalachian Trail. A storyteller with infectious energy, Jonah's stories keep you on the edge of your seat with a smile on your face.
    Ron Kemp, the emcee of Tellabration!™, specializes in original humorous stories from small town America.  He grew up in a family of storytellers, only they were not aware of the formal title “Storyteller”.  Ron has been actively involved in storytelling for over 15 years, and enjoys telling us about “The Way It Was.”
    Be assured, there will be something for everyone, come listen!  For more information visit http://www.southernorderofstorytellers.org

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Shannon McNeal grew up in a storytelling family. She loves to share her stories about growing up in Alabama and her adventures after moving to Atlanta. If you love southern porch stories, you will love Shannon McNeal.