Mar
11
7:30 PM19:30

Speak Story Series: Colin Urwin

  • Shepherdstown Presbyterian Church (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

In-person tickets are only available the night of the event at the venue.
Click here for tickets to watch the livestream.

This program is supported by Liz Loughran and Terry Kramer, Producing Donors.
Colin Urwin from the beautiful north coast of Ireland is described as a modern-day seanchaí. He is a folk singer, songwriter, oral storyteller, workshop facilitator, recording artist and author of several collections of folktales. As well as telling hauntingly beautiful traditional stories in his rich and authentic voice, he weaves charming old folk songs and original rhyming monologues into his vibrant shows. With over forty years of performance experience, he regularly works with museums, schools, libraries, and many other community groups. He also appears on stages all over the world.

View Event →
Apr
8
7:30 PM19:30

Speak Story Series: Johnny Moses

  • Shepherdstown Presbyterian Church (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

In-person tickets are only available the night of the event at the venue.
Click here for tickets to watch the livestream.

This program is supported by an Anonymous Producing Donor.
Johnny Moses is a Tulalip Native American raised in the remote Nuu-chah-nulth village of Ohiat on the west coast of Vancouver Island, B.C., Canada. He was raised in the traditional ways by his grandparents, and sent by his elders to share their teachings with all people. Johnny is a master storyteller, oral historian, traditional healer, and respected spiritual leader.

Johnny, whose traditional name is Whis.stem.men.knee (Walking Medicine Robe), carries the Si.Si.Wiss (sacred breath, sacred life) medicine teachings and healing ceremonies of his Northwest Coast people.

Fluent in eight Native languages, he is a traveling ambassador for Northwest Coast cultures. He shares the knowledge and richness of his spiritual and cultural traditions with people across the United States and Canada through storytelling, lectures and workshops.

View Event →
May
13
7:30 PM19:30

Speak Story Series: Adam Booth

  • Shepherdstown Presbyterian Church (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

In-person tickets are only available the night of the event at the venue.
Click here for tickets to watch the livestream.

This program is supported by the Mary J. Stanley Charitable Fund, Producing Donor. Adam Booth is the 2022 West Virginia Folk Artist of the Year, awarded at the Governor’s Arts Awards. Adam blends traditional mountain folklore, music, and an awareness of contemporary Appalachia to create original, forward-thinking story artistry. Adam’s new multidisciplinary program The Heron’s Journey has been selected for the 2024-2025 Mid Atlantic Arts Touring Roster. As a nationally touring artist, his professional telling appearances include premiere storytelling events across the United States and abroad, including the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage, the International Storytelling Center, the National Storytelling Festival, the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival, and as a Spoken Word Resident at the Banff Centre (Alberta, Canada). Adam serves as the inaugural Storyteller-In-Residence at Shepherd University and is the founding artistic director of Speak Story Series, a premier destination for storytelling in concert.

View Event →
Jun
10
7:30 PM19:30

Speak Story Series: Corrine Stavish

  • Shepherdstown Presbyterian Church (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

In-person tickets are only available the night of the event at the venue.
Click here for tickets to watch the livestream.

This program is supported by Carolyn J. Rodis, Producing Donor.
Acclaimed as “mesmerizing…capturing hearts and minds,” Corinne specializes in personal, historical and biblical narratives that are witty and poignant, enhanced by powerful performances. She has been a repeated featured teller at many storytelling festivals, including the National Storytelling Festival and the Timpanogos Festival, was a Detroit Jewish Woman Artist of the Year 2001, and is a recipient of the National Storytelling Association’s Circle of Excellence  Award.

Tuesday’s program will be No Surrender: Springsteen, Dachau, and the White Rose.  A family trip to Vienna and Munich to attend Bruce Springsteen’s 2023 World Tour—Only the Strong Survive—connects the resilient lyrics of Springsteen’s music to the stories of a great-uncle who was a prisoner at Dachau and The White Rose, a small group of college students, who formed the only resistance group in Germany and spoke out against Nazism. 

View Event →
Jun
10
7:30 PM19:30

Speak Story Series: Michael D. McCarthy

  • Shepherdstown Presbyterian Church (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

In-person tickets are only available the night of the event at the venue.
Click here for tickets to watch the livestream.

Michael McCarty’s life has been “one heaven of a story”: Student activist, Black Panther, US Army martial arts instructor, acupuncturist, world traveler, spiritual seeker, construction worker, storyteller, husband, father, crazy friend. Never a dull moment!

Michael’s mother read and told him stories always. He began formally telling stories in high school in the 60’s when he discovered amazing stories of Black history and culture that weren’t taught in schools. In 1992 he discovered the world of professional storytelling, and has been telling stories and teaching storytelling around the country and around the world ever since.

Michael specializes in stories of African and African-American history and culture and multi-cultural stories. Since 2014 he has worked in California prisons as part of the Arts In Corrections program teaching inmates how to find, develop, and tell their stories.

Tuesday’s program will be in two parts. First, we will screen the documentary Belonging In The USA: The Story Of Michael D. McCarty. After a brief intermission, Michael will share a program of stories & discussion.

View Event →
Aug
12
7:30 PM19:30

Speak Story Series: Mary Hamilton

  • Shepherdstown Presbyterian Church (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

In-person tickets are only available the night of the event at the venue.
Click here for tickets to watch the livestream.

Mary Hamilton lives in Frankfort and grew up in Meade County, Kentucky. In 1983, after brief careers as a high school English teacher and a public library children's librarian, Mary embraced professional storytelling. When she takes the stage, the show unfolds in the hearts and minds of the audience. In her straightforward “just talking” style, Mary entertains audiences of adults, families, or children with Kentucky tales, world folk & fairy tales, plus a few myths, legends, true stories, and original fiction. Her work has been recognized by being listed in the Kentucky Performing Arts Directory, a juried directory of Kentucky's finest performers, and being presented by the Kentucky Humanities Council Speakers Bureau. She has also received numerous awards, including a Circle of Excellence ORACLE Award — equal to a hall of fame for storytellers — from the National Storytelling Network.

View Event →
Sep
9
7:30 PM19:30

Speak Story Series: Justin Perez

  • Shepherdstown Presbyterian Church (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

In-person tickets are only available the night of the event at the venue.
Click here for tickets to watch the livestream.

Meet Justin, a Texan with an insatiable passion that transcends borders. A proud graduate of the Texas School for the Deaf in Austin, he hails from the vibrant city of Houston. Driven by an unwavering love for American Sign Language (ASL) performance art and storytelling, he has explored the world sharing his expertise through Visual Vernacular (VV) workshops and captivating performances. His remarkable talents have graced renowned stages across the world, including the International Deaf Festival, as well as festivals such as the Clin d’Oeil Festival in France and the International Poetry Festival in the Netherlands. In 2017, Justin’s storytelling prowess was recognized when he won the ASL Elements national competition with his fan-favorite “Super Mario Kart” story. With Visual Vernacular as his specialty and favorite performance style, Justin’s ultimate ambition is to introduce his groundbreaking VV performance art to the global sign language community.

View Event →
Oct
14
7:30 PM19:30

Speak Story Series: Sheila Arnold

  • Shepherdstown Presbyterian Church (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

In-person tickets are only available the night of the event at the venue.
Click here for tickets to watch the livestream.

This program is supported by John Deupree and Sally Reynolds, Producing Donors.

Sheila Arnold has been gifted by God with performance skills; using this talent since she was eight years old. As a full-time Storyteller she travels throughout the United States sharing varying stories, as well as Historic Character Presentations.

View Event →
Nov
11
7:30 PM19:30

Speak Story Series: Commission Recipient TBA

  • Shepherdstown Presbyterian Church (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

In-person tickets are only available the night of the event at the venue.
Click here for tickets to watch the livestream.

This year’s commission is supported by Commission Donor Beth Brent, The Brick and Water Fund. Join us for a world premiere story told by the 2025 Speak Story Series Commission Recipient. This artist will be announced in late February.

View Event →

Feb
26
7:00 PM19:00

Professional Development: Coordinating School Visits

We will offer the first Professional Development workshop on Feb. 26 at 7:00 via zoom. It will help all of us to coordinate school visits and will be divided into 2 primary sections: initial contacts with schools and then what we can offer them as storytellers. We will ask for registration in advance to Judi about mid-month, so that we can be prepared. In addition to what we have to offer (and we will have a packet of info to be sent to those who attend and request it), we will also have opportunity for questions, with group answers as we work. If we have sufficient interest, we will form break out groups. So many folks have found it difficult to get beyond the 'wall' in schools, and so as former educators, we hope to help with that.

This workshop is free to current guild members. Please send your questions to Jo Ann at jdadisman@aol.com

View Event →
Oct
20
4:00 PM16:00

A Curved World: A Journey Through Storytelling, Global Sounds, and the Spirit of Music

Journey through storytelling, global sounds, and the spirit of music in this concert featuring musical instruments from all over the world including regional Celtic and Appalachian music. Located indoors at the WV Botanic Garden Terrace, the concert features internationally acclaimed musicians and master storytellers: Nina Assimakopoulos, Chris Haddox, Jamie Froemel, the Mudlarks, and more! Seats are limited and reservations via the link are required.

Seats are limited and reservations will go fast. Link to reserve: is below: https://www.wvbg.org/programs/events/

Featuring
Nina Assimakopoulos, Storytelling, Global Flutes, Theremin
Gary Gini: Didgeridoo and Synthesizer
Double Bass: Brady Myers
Percussion: Braden Lloyd, Jake Voight, Joan Adams
Sound: Jake Sandridge
The MudLarks: Ryan Kurczak, Hurdy Gurdy, Claire Sweeney, Nyckelharpa, Val Mindel, Violin, Cal Stroud, Irish Flute
Chris Haddox, Guitar and Banjo, Songs/Stories
Jamie Froemel, Tall Tales

View Event →
Oct
17
6:30 PM18:30

A Spooky FestivfAll Open Mic

Since Thursday October 17th is FestivALL and ArtWalk CWV, the Folklore Music Exchange will be hosting Open Mic back in the shop! Aannnd since it’s spooky season, we’ll be featuring a guest performance from storyteller Linda Ellen with a special story about ghosts, monsters, and things that go bump in the night!

We’ll have 10 slots available at 10 mins each with signups starting the day of. So you can email, message, call, or text to get your name on the list to perform!

It doesn’t have to be a musical performance either. If you’ve got a ghost or creepy story to share, we’d love to hear it!

So tell your friends and join us next week for a Special Spooky FestivFall Open Mic!

Folklore Music Exchange
(304) 357-9717
folkloremusicexchange@gmail.com

Event link:

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1092365926229362&set=a.180017797464184

View Event →
May
14
10:00 AM10:00

Tales on Second Tuesdays with Teri

Join Teri Lott on the second Tuesday of each month, January through May, at 10:00 a.m. ET on Facebook. Please note this is a change from her previous Tales on Tuesdays with Teri which used to air every week. Teri shares 30 minutes of fun stories for all ages. Can't watch live? You can watch later by searching for "Teri Lott videos" on Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/teri.lott.7

View Event →
Apr
19
to Apr 20

Spring Fling for WVSG

  • The Frank and Jane Gabor West Virginia Folklife Center (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Friday evening concert: 7:00 with “All Things New” theme

 Saturday:

9:00-9:30 with hospitality

9:30:10:30 Workshop (TBD)

10:45-12:00 meeting: updates, concerts, swaps, and August retreat

12:00 Clock Award

Lunch

1:15-3:00 mentoring, swapping, sharing

3:00-4:00 an additional hour of work for those who wish to stay

Contact Judi Tarowsky at storytellerjudi@gmail.com

View Event →
Apr
9
10:00 AM10:00

Tales on Second Tuesdays with Teri

Join Teri Lott on the second Tuesday of each month, January through May, at 10:00 a.m. ET on Facebook. Please note this is a change from her previous Tales on Tuesdays with Teri which used to air every week. Teri shares 30 minutes of fun stories for all ages. Can't watch live? You can watch later by searching for "Teri Lott videos" on Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/teri.lott.7

View Event →