Trek for "This is the Right Place" Venue

I have yet to announce an official venue for the "Family Famine: Hunger for Love" narrative production premiere on February 9, 2009.



One thing is certain--I will perform at Brigham Young University.

Now I have set an additional date. My trek to the BYU campus will be on Tuesday, October 21st. I will already be in the area as some storytelling friends, Wendy Gourley and Nannette Watts, are performing in combination with the Utah Valley University Contemporary Dance team in Orem, UT (neighboring city to Provo).

While at BYU, I do not expect to have a place reserved though I do hope to meet the people over scheduling. Depending on the costs to reserve the place, I may need to secure sponsors.

While on campus, I will also attempt to meet with:
1. Family Science professors
2. Folklore professors, including the two who have been advisers for the BYU Storytelling Club since I jumpstarted it in 1998
3. Humanities professors
4. Education professors
5. Art professors
6. Theatre Media professors
7. Current BYU Storytelling Club President

I will likely have a follow-up day to return to the BYU campus for the professors I cannot see on Tuesday.

Though I am a proponent for the use of technology for networking, I still place the most value in meeting people face-to-face. Once I have met someone, then I feel more comfortable communicating through mail, telephone, and email.

Until we tell again,

Rachel Hedman

Professional Storyteller

Co-Chair of Youth, Educators, and Storytellers Alliance

Tel: (801) 870-5799
Email: info@rachelhedman.com

URL: http://www.rachelhedman.com

How-To Blog: http://storytellingadventures.blogspot.com

Performance Blog: http://familyfamine.blogspot.com
Other places to find me: Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Professional Storyteller

A Picture is worth 1,000 Stories

From left to right (8-year-old brother Nate, 10-year-old "big sister" Rachel, and 3-year-old sister Care).

I glanced at the bookshelf and my eyes rested on the brown Photo Album that held pictures from the first camera I owned.

Flipping through the pages brought back memories faster than reading through the journals and diaries I kept as a six-year-old, seven-year-old, and older. Perhaps reading what a six-year-old has to say is vague regardless of the topic.

Then surprise of all surprises--I took pictures out of the sleeves and discovered that each one had at least one or two handwritten lines on the back.

As a kid I was smart enough to do so, though I have not kept that habit as an adult. In fact, with all the digital pictures, rarely do I print out hard copies so notes could be kept on them.

I will be studying these pictures more over the next few days to see what stories come to mind that would work for "Family Famine: Hunger for Love".

As for the picture and my hand-written description, this is when my family picked me up after a week at Girl Scouts camp. Though part of my brother Nate's head got cut off, it is still one of my favorites. I may have been the oldest sister though they still could miss me when I was away. (And, of course, I missed them.)

Until we tell again,

Rachel Hedman

Professional Storyteller

Co-Chair of Youth, Educators, and Storytellers Alliance

Tel: (801) 870-5799
Email: info@rachelhedman.com

URL: http://www.rachelhedman.com

How-To Blog: http://storytellingadventures.blogspot.com

Performance Blog: http://familyfamine.blogspot.com
Other places to find me: Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Professional Storyteller

Volumes upon Volumes: Never-ending Programs

Eric Wolf reminded me how important it is to have volumes or series in connection to a CD, DVD, book or even a program. Already I am thinking how to apply this thought to "Family Famine: Hunger for Love".

This brainstorming was inspired while listening to the "Panel on the Future of Storytelling Online" from the 2008 National Storytelling Conference that Eric Wolf posted on his "The Art of Storytelling with Children" podcast and blog. Wolf led the panel and I was honored to be invited on it to talk about blogs. Robert Kikuchi-Yngojo focused on podcasts while Mary Margaret O’Connor shared thoughts on iTales.com and downloads. Finally, Fred Crowe revealed some of the Internet international scene. Karen Chace provided a hyperlinked handout of website resources and sites that assist storytellers.

Amongst all the wonderful advice Wolf shared, he mentioned how he has a Fairy Tales Forever storytelling set. He keeps the same name when he adds to the series with labels of "Volume 1", "Volume 2", etc.

This means the first DVD, CD, books, etc. that I put out about "Family Famine: Hunger for Love" will share that concept. People will know that I plan for more to come. As Wolf challenged, "It's time storytellers go back to Old Time Radio", which promotes that idea that the program ends with satisfaction though there is still a kind of cliffhanger to see and hear more.

My volumes could be connected with specific themes. For example, one show could focus more on orphans and adoption through family folktales while another volume could delve into child abuse through stories while another could focus on husband/wife relationships--all under the same name as "Family Famine: Hunger for Love". Geographical elements could be added such as one that had all North American stories while another had all Asian stories.

It's nice to decide this now so the first label reflects the goals of the future.

Thank you, Eric Wolf, for your genius!

Until we tell again,

Rachel Hedman

Professional Storyteller

Co-Chair of Youth, Educators, and Storytellers Alliance

Tel: (801) 870-5799
Email: info@rachelhedman.com

URL: http://www.rachelhedman.com

How-To Blog: http://storytellingadventures.blogspot.com

Performance Blog: http://familyfamine.blogspot.com
Other places to find me: Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Professional Storyteller