September 14: Saturday Morning Stories with Katie Knutson

SAM’s monthly children’s story program continues on September 14, 10-11am, at Badger Hill Brewing, 2805 Winners Circle Drive, Shakopee. The whole family is welcome to hear Katie Knutson’s energetic tales. There’s free refreshments for the kids and no cover charge. Adults can purchase coffee, beer, and pastries. The stories are best suited for school-aged children but all ages will enjoy them.

Katie Knutson is a professional storyteller and teaching artist who has performed and taught around the US and in Canada, Chile, Italy, and the United Arab Emirates. Her writings have been featured in Storytelling Magazine, Tomorrow's Storytellers Today, Science with Storytelling, and Storytelling Strategies for Reaching and Teaching Children with Special Needs. She is the Executive Director for Northeast Storytelling (NEST), which produces one of the highest-rated storytelling conferences in the country each March. Knutson teaches adult & teen storytelling classes and coaches speakers. This summer, she performed her Chautauqua-style one-woman show about Rachel Carson in WI, IL, and CO. Learn more about Katie and hear some of her stories at ripplingstories.com or follow her on Facebook to hear about upcoming performances.

August 10: Saturday Morning Stories with Nicholas Pawlowski

Nicholas Pawlowski, director of The Story Table Foundation, returns to Badger Hill Brewing this month with his signature style of participatory storytelling for kids.

Please join us on Saturday, August 10, 10-11am, at Badger Hill Brewing, 2805 Winners Circle Drive, Shakopee, MN. There will be free snacks and beverages for the children. Parents can purchase coffee or beer and pastries. There is no cover charge.

Nicholas has been integrating fairy tales, rhythmic movement and music into education for over 14 years. In his own words, he “tells stories in such a way that children can listen with their eyes, ears, hands, feet and hearts.” His story sessions include time to listen, dance, and draw. This program will appeal most to school-aged youth. Grown-ups are invited to join in the fun!

Saturday Morning Stories are scheduled through December on the second Saturday of each month. Mark your calendars now so you won’t miss these engaging storytellers:
September 14 - Katie Knutson
October 12 - Phuoc Tran
November 9 - to be announced
December 14 - Larry Johnson

SAM seeks Board nominations

Story Arts of Minnesota is an all-volunteer organization. As SAM grows, adding more activities and partnerships, we seek to expand and further diversify our leadership team. We depend on an active and engaged Board of Directors to lead and inspire our members.

The Board is responsible for setting SAM’s priorities and guiding us to fulfill our mission and vision. Over the years, dozens of individuals have served on the Board, each bringing their unique talents and ideas to strengthen and sustain the organization. If you’re enthusiastic about storytelling in its many forms, you may flourish in the role of SAM Board member.

Many of our current Board members can be seen on stages around the state, but performing is not a requirement. You just need to love the art of storytelling, be eager to support and promote it, and be a member of SAM. If you have experience and/or interest in areas like community outreach, fundraising, digital media, event planning, idea generation, or budgeting, that’s a plus. The board typically meets via Zoom, making it possible for people outside the Twin Cities to contribute meaningfully to SAM’s work. We especially seek Board members who can help build and solidify bridges to Minnesota’s varied ethnic communities and cultural organizations.

Please consider nominating yourself for the Board. If Board service is not an option for you, please consider nominating someone else who’ll be good on the leadership team. Click on the yellow button for a nomination form.

If you need more information about the work of the Board, please email us at storyartsmn@gmail.org.

And please, mark your calendar for the annual membership meeting and open mic, September 19, 6:30 pm at the American School of Storytelling in Minneapolis. We’ll elect the new Board members at the meeting.

Dorothy Cleveland wins Oracle Award for Distinguished National Service

Dorothy Cleveland, long-time SAM member, will receive the Oracle Award for Distinguished National Service. The award will be presented on July 13 at the conference of the National Storytelling Network (NSN) in Federal Way, Washington. The award ceremony will be viewable online by virtual conference registrants and NSN members.

Dot’s story involvement began in 1995 with the North Star Storytelling League and again when the group became Story Arts of Minnesota. She was the National Storytelling Network State Liaison Chair and served on the NSN board as secretary / treasurer. Upon retiring from her position as COO in the legal field, she became the administrator for Northlands, an organization of storytellers in the upper Midwest. She currently serves Illinois Storytelling, Inc., the National Storytelling Network, and the Healing Story Alliance organizations. She has a BA in Business and an MLS in Leadership. She is a co-author with Barbara Schutzgruber of Beyond the Sword Maiden: A Storyteller’s Introduction to the Heroine’s Journey. She may be coaxed into telling stories, too.

The Distinguished National Service Award is presented to those individuals, members or groups who contribute their time and energy in an exemplary manner on the national level to forward the work of the National Storytelling Network. The award is one of several Oracle Awards given by the NSN. For more information on the awards and lists of winners in 2024 and past years, please visit https://storynet.org/awards/oracle-awards/.

July 13: Saturday Morning Stories with Nicholas Pawlowski

SAM’s monthly children’s programming continues on Saturday, July 13, 10-11am, at Badger Hill Brewing, 2805 Winners Circle Drive, Shakopee, MN. There will be free snacks and beverages for the kids. Parents can purchase coffee or beer and pastries. No cover charge!

Our featured storyteller this month is Nicholas Pawlowski, director of The Story Table Foundation and an energetic master of participatory storytelling. In person and online, Nicholas has been integrating fairy tales, rhythmic movement and music into education for over 14 years. In his own words, he “tells stories in such a way that children can listen with their eyes, ears, hands, feet and hearts.”

Nicholas will tell “The Boy Who Went To The Sun,” a thrilling story from Eastern Europe about a boy who goes in search of the sun. With the help of the ancestors and magic creatures, the boy finally finds the sun who instills him with strength to live his life fully. Nicholas has translated this tale from the book "Das Geschenk der zwölf Monate" by Helmut Wittmann, a friend he made on his story research trip to Austria in 2021. This tale is a beautiful example of the transformative hero's journey!

Although all ages enjoy stories and are welcome, this participatory program will appeal most to school-aged youth.

Saturday Morning Stories are scheduled through December on the second Saturday of each month. Mark your calendars now so you won’t miss these engaging storytellers:
August 10 - to be announced
September 14 - Katie Knutson
October 12 - Phuoc Tran
November 9 - to be announced
December 14 - Larry Johnson

JUNE 8: Saturday Morning Stories with Larry Johnson & Elaine Wynne

SAM’s monthly children’s programming continues on Saturday, June 8, 10-11am, at Badger Hill Brewing, 2805 Winners Circle Drive, Shakopee, MN. There will be free snacks and beverages for the kids. Parents can purchase coffee or beer and pastries. No cover charge!

June’s story hour promises double the fun with the husband and wife storytelling team of Larry Johnson and Elaine Wynne. A long time ago Larry and Elaine met as storytellers and put two families together. They have told stories and made music for their children, grandchildren, and now great grandchildren. As THE KEY OF SEE STORYTELLERS, they have told stories to children of all ages in many places in the world. Larry's music played on “instruments” like HEAVY METAL RECYCLED WATER FAUCET stirs up the imagination. Elaine's calming, musical voice brings peace to the room. Tyler the Earthworm, who started the patient TV channel at Minneapolis Children's Hospital 50 years ago, will help you sing along with THE UNDERGROUND CHORUS.  

Although all ages enjoy stories and are welcome, this participatory program will appeal most to school-aged youth.

Saturday Morning Stories are scheduled through December on the second Saturday of each month. Mark your calendars now so you won’t miss these engaging storytellers:

July 13 - Nicholas Pawlowski
August 10 - Carol McCormick
September 14 - Katie Knutson
October 12 - Phuoc Tran
November 9 - to be announced
December 14 - Larry Johnson

Open Mic Mondays continue over the summer

Story Arts’ successful collaboration with the American School of Storytelling will continue during the summer with storytelling open mics on the third Mondays of each month at 7pm. Launched in October 2023, the monthly open mics are held in the School’s performance space at 1762 Hennepin Avenue South in Minneapolis. Up to 10 tellers who sign up on a first come, first served basis have the opportunity to tell a story that’s 10 minutes or shorter. All types of stories are welcome: true personal stories, family stories, folk and fairy tales, creative fiction, and more.

The monthly program attracts a range of participants, including seasoned professional storytellers, students in college-level storytelling classes, and novices who discover a friendly venue to get behind the mic for the first-time. Some folks come just to listen. There’s never a theme and there’s no judging or critique. There’s no cover charge, though donations to the School are appreciated.

If you drop by for Open Mic Monday in May or the coming months, be warned that Hennepin Avenue is under construction, and street parking may be scarce. The School does not have a parking lot. They recommend the public parking ramp by the Walker Museum, a block to the north.

May 11: Saturday Morning Stories with Pam Schweitzer

SAM’s monthly children’s programming continues on Saturday, May 11, 10-11am, at Badger Hill Brewing, 2805 Winners Circle Drive, Shakopee, MN. There will be doughnuts and hot chocolate for the kids. Parents can purchase coffee or beer and pastries. No cover charge!

Pam Schweitzer loves a good folk tale and loves to learn about other people through the stories they tell.  She is a board member of Story Arts of Minnesota and has actively organized five different StoryFests since 2018.  Her style of storytelling is very physical and she uses physical humor to tell the story.  As a literacy intervention specialist, she knows the need that children have to cultivate their imaginations, grow their understanding of how they relate to this world and the understanding of how to navigate that world.  The wonder of story is that it does all those things, and is a blast.  Pam weaves interaction into her stories encouraging everyone to come along and enjoy the fun. 

Although all ages enjoy stories and are welcome, this participatory program will appeal most to school-aged youth.

May 4: Storytellers announced for free May 4 story concert, Signals & Signposts

The final session of StoryFest 2024, on Saturday, May 4 at the Bloomington Center for the Arts, will be a story concert for adult listeners. “Signals & Signposts” brings to the stage seven accomplished storytellers from the Twin Cities and the wider region:

Meghna Bhat
Larry Jackson
Sufian Zhemukhov
Amy Salloway
Coral Conant Gilles
Khary Jackson
Loren Niemi (also serving as host)

Find out more about each of these tellers at https://www.storyartsmn.org/storyfest-2024-adult-concert.

The evening performance is free, but donations will be deeply appreciated.

Learn about all the wonderful events during StoryFest at https://www.storyartsmn.org/storyfest2024

May 4: From the Page to the Stage, with Jim Stowell

StoryFest 2024, SAM’s all-day celebration of storytelling at the Bloomington Center for the Arts on Saturday, May 4, kicks off with a ticketed 90-minute intensive workshop, 9:30-11:00am, led by Jim Stowell.

In Jim Stowell’s work there is “love, humor, danger and hope.” Critical praise for his storytelling often focuses on his ability to “create entire worlds on stage.” In this participatory workshop, Jim will present fundamental techniques to help your own audiences develop an emotional investment in your story and its characters. When you succeed in bringing people and places to life, listeners will carry your story with them when they leave the theater. For example, both in a story itself and in the performance of it, characters make entrances, walk, stand, sit, and speak. The workshop will include exercises in character expression through movement, breath, and voice. By applying Jim’s techniques to fully imagine the details of characters and places, your stories will have greater clarity and immersive power.

Jim Stowell is an award winning professional actor, director, playwright and storyteller. He has written and directed eleven full cast plays including, two children’s plays, three book adaptations and a Spanish language play. His play Traveling Light was published by Milkweed Editions. He has written and performed eleven one man plays. His work has also been performed on National Public Radio, seen at The Sundance Film Festival, The Toronto Film Festival, The National Storytelling Festival  and 300 other venues around the USA, Canada, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and a village in the Amazon rainforest.

REGISTRATION AND PAYMENT REQUIRED FOR THIS 90-MINUTE INTENSIVE WORKSHOP.
$30 SAM member / $35 general public

April 13: Saturday Morning Stories with Pam Schweitzer and Trần Thị Minh Phước

SAM’s monthly children’s programming continues on Saturday, April 13, 10-11am, at Badger Hill Brewing, 2805 Winners Circle Drive, Shakopee, MN. There will be doughnuts and hot chocolate for the kids. Parents can purchase coffee or beer and pastries. No cover charge!

This program provides an opportunity for parents and children to listen together to stories and participate together as the stories unfold. Each storyteller brings their own unique style and repertoire to engage an intergenerational audience.

April’s storytellers are Pam Schweitzer and Trần Thị Minh Phước. They’ve invited some puppets too!

Pam Schweitzer is passionate about bringing the magic of stories to children and the chime of “tell us a story” brings a sparkle to her eye. She grows imaginations and encourages children to trust their own unique voice. She weaves movement, chants and songs throughout her stories so children can actively participate. Pam is a a licensed elementary school teacher and Reading Specialist who uses stories to enhance literacy and grow imagination. She serves as co-president of Story Arts of Minnesota.

As a retired librarian, a respected storyteller, and an award-winning author, Trần Thị Minh Phước has shared her experiences, her stories and knowledge of Vietnamese culture at various cultural events, storytelling programs, libraries, universities, colleges, and schools throughout the state and beyond. In addition, she has dedicated her time to helping new immigrants transition into life in America. Her work has inspired others to also pursue their dreams and a good education. Phước Trần fled Vietnam in 1982 on a crowded boat and ended up in a Malaysian refugee camp for ten months before coming to the United States. Wanting to learn English, she spent much time at local libraries which inspired her future career path to become a librarian and serve people like herself. Her upcoming book, Vietnamese Folktales For Children: Stories of Adventure and Wonder in Vietnamese and English, will be released in October 2024.

March 23: Celebrate Women's History Month at "Hear Her Voices"

On Saturday March 23, 7:00-8:30 pm, join Mill City Museum and Story Arts of Minnesota, with host Jen Scott, for an evening of storytelling in recognition of Women's History Month.

Hear true stories–funny, poignant, and inspiring–from contemporary women inspired by history and women of the past.

Pre-sale tickets are sliding scale ($10 and up). Those sales close on March 23 at 3 pm. At-the-door price is $15.

Featuring storytellers:

• Kate Button

• Cynthia Holm

• Dralandra Larkins

• Alyssa Miller

• Akiko Ostlund

• Sue Searing  

• Amital Shaver

The Mill City Museum is located at 704 South 2nd St. Minneapolis, MN 55401. Purchase advance tickets at https://www.mnhs.org/events/1419. Seating is limited. Last year sold out, so don’t delay!

March 9: Saturday Morning Stories with Danielle Daniel

SAM’s monthly children’s programming continues on Saturday, March 9, 10-11am, at Badger Hill Brewing, 2805 Winners Circle Drive, Shakopee, MN. There will be doughnuts and hot chocolate for the kids. Parents can purchase coffee or beer and pastries. No cover charge!

Danielle Daniel is a master storyteller, speaker, actress, creative writer, director, and teaching
artist. Her vivacious style fills the stage with a swirl of characters. She works in schools, colleges, and community organizations using the art of storytelling to entertain, educate, motivate, and empower people of all ages. Her storytelling programs and touring shows have been presented in Europe and the United States. She is a recipient of the Jim Dusso Artist Award, Minnesota State Arts Board Fellowship, LIN Grant, Many Voices, and a Jerome Fellowship from the Playwright Center. Her literary work includes a children’s book, The Ghost of Old Man Willie, and three plays: Voodoo Child, Sugar and Spice a Black Woman’s Melody, and The Magic of Laughter. Danielle believes our stories are like air and water, we need them to survive.

Although all ages enjoy stories and are welcome, this participatory program will appeal most to school-aged youth.

Feb. 10: Saturday Morning Stories with Nicholas Pawlowski

After a successful launch in January, SAM’s monthly children’s programming continues on Saturday, February 10, 10-11am, at Badger Hill Brewing, 2805 Winners Circle Drive, Shakopee, MN. There will be doughnuts and hot chocolate for the kids. Parents can purchase coffee or beer.

Our featured storyteller this month is Nicholas Pawlowski, director of The Story Table Foundation and an energetic master of participatory storytelling. In person and online, Nicholas has been integrating fairy tales, rhythmic movement and music into education for over 14 years. In his own words, he “tells stories in such a way that children can listen with their eyes, ears, hands, feet and hearts.”

Although all ages enjoy stories and are welcome, this participatory program will appeal most to school-aged youth.

Feb. 16 deadline: Call for tellers for Hear Her Stories

Mill City Museum in downtown Minneapolis is hosting a live, in-person storytelling event in celebration of Women’s History Month 2024. And again this year, Story Arts is part of this effort.

We are looking for female-identifying performers to tell their true stories, inspired by history and women of the past.  

Mill City Museum is a museum focused on four main themes of Land, People, City, Food: feel free to use any one of these as an optional prompt. Perhaps one of these subjects inspires a story? (i.e. How has the land shaped you? What food is important to you or your family? Recipes? etc.)

• Stories should be no longer than seven minutes.  

• Preference for Minnesota-based stories.

• The stories can be personal, familial, or historic (if historic, we’d love to know how this history impacts you!)

• A variety of tone and content is welcome and encouraged.

• We offer an honorarium of $75 for the performance and an additional $25 for dress rehearsal (Either on Sunday March 17th, 5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m., or on Wednesday March 20th, 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.). Attendance at one of these rehearsals is expected.

• An additional benefit of this event is that StoryArts of MN will be offering optional story coaching sessions to all selected storytellers. Coaching can be useful to performers of all experience levels and we encourage you to request a coaching session if selected.

• Deadline for submission is by February 16, 2024.

The program will be an in-person event on Saturday, March 23, 2024 in Mill City Museum’s Mill Commons at 7 p.m. Tickets will be available to the public.  

Submission sign up, along with additional details can be found here. https://forms.gle/4ZDzuUUkArz7Y1Dz7

Questions? Reach out to Jen Scott at octoberdandy@gmail.com

Jan. 19: New deadline for StoryFest proposals

The deadline to propose workshops or stories for StoryFest 2024 has been extended to midnight, Friday, January 19. Please visit the link below for full guidelines and links to submission forms. Questions? Please email us at storyartsmn@gmail.com.

Jan. 13: "Saturday Morning Stories" launches in Shakopee

Join us at Story Arts new monthly storytelling event for families and kids! Badger Hill Brewing invited SAM to organize Saturday morning storytimes on the second Saturday of the month at their new, expanded space at 2805 Winners Circle Drive in Shakopee, MN. Located in a fast-growing suburb of the Twin Cities, the brewery is establishing itself as a neighborhood gathering spot.

Our goal is to provide an opportunity for families and story lovers of all ages to enjoy a hot beverage and a snack while interacting with SAM members who delight in entertaining kids. Pam Schweitzer (pictured above on the left) and Sue Searing (right) will perform at the first “Saturday Morning Stories” on Saturday, January 13, 2024. Between them, Pam and Sue have a large repertoire of stories from around the world, suitable for both tandem and solo performance.

If the series takes off, we anticipate issuing a call for interest among SAM members and building a roster of interested tellers for future dates. In the meantime, please come by (and bring some kids!) to show your support, be entertained, and enjoy a great cup of coffee.

Dec. 26: Final online open mic Story Circle

               Story Arts of Minnesota’s final online storytelling open mic will take place on Tuesday, December 26, 2023, at 7pm Central US/Canada time. We hope you’ll join us to share a story or just to listen. To register for the free Story Circle, please visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sam-online-story-circle-tickets-734940636227.

               SAM launched monthly online Story Circles as an early response to COVID. Minnesota’s governor issued a “Stay at Home” executive order on March 27, 2020. SAM’s board considered how to continue supporting Minnesota storytellers during an indefinite period of isolation. We decided to create a virtual gathering and performance space where there is no competition, no theme, and everyone is welcome.  The first Story Circle was held on April 7, 2020.

               Since then, we’ve held 42 Story Circles. Nine SAM board members have taken turns hosting and/or providing Zoom support. Nearly 400 people have attended--not just Minnesotans, but story lovers from across North America and around the world. We’ve heard over 200 stories, each one delightfully unique.

               However, as lockdowns lifted, the need for SAM’s Story Circles waned. Declining attendance reflects this fact. We formerly attracted 15-30 people each month; we now have just 1-5. Therefore SAM is turning its attention to new programs with potentially greater impact. This month’s Story Circle will be the last.

               Thanks to everyone who has ever shared a story, listened raptly, or helped to publicize the Story Circles! Please join us for our final online get-together. We welcome storytellers with any level of experience to tell any type of story (traditional, personal, historical, etc.) in 7 minutes or less. There’s no theme, no judging, and no cost unless you choose to make a donation. Laura Packer will host the final Story Circle. Again, the link to register is https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sam-online-story-circle-tickets-734940636227.

Dec. 16: ASST Program to honor Beverly Cottman's memory

Minnesota and the world lost a talented, beloved storyteller and teacher when Beverly Cottman passed in March of 2023. Artists Standing Strong Together (ASST), an organization of storytellers and other artists and performers, will honor her during their December Sacred Storytelling program. The program will be held on Zoom.

As ASST describes it, the monthly program is “a time of grateful remembrance when we honor artists who are no longer with us in body, but remain in our hearts and our ears.” The second half of the program includes an Interfaith Story Circle where people from all faith traditions are encouraged to share stories based on a theme.

Register for this free program at https://www.asst.art/event-details/december-2023-sacred-storytelling

ASST (pronounced “assist”) is a nonprofit artist support organization whose mission is to connect independent artists with resources. Learn more at https://www.asst.art/our-mission

StoryFest 2024: Call for Stories and Workshops

Story Arts of Minnesota’s next all-day StoryFest will take place on Saturday, May 4th, in Bloomington, MN. We are now accepting proposals from storytellers who would like to perform and/or lead a workshop. Tellers and teachers receive payment. Submissions are due by January 8.

The guidelines and submission forms are available at https://www.storyartsmn.org/storyfest2024-call-for-submissions