Southern CA Story Swap

On Saturday April 22, 2006 Patti & James joined with 45 other storytellers and story enthusiasts’ from throughout the region for a day of story sharing and networking. This was the 23rd annual event, this one hosted by the southern Coast Storytellers guild. People drove down from areas north of Los Angeles, as far up as San Diego and over from the desert communities of Palm Springs and Palm Desert. We met at the Santa Ana Zoo (a story in itself…what do 45 storytellers do at a zoo? Tell a lot of tails…or tales?)

One of the teller’s likened this to a family reunion with the old uncles and aunts and new cousins’ alls getting together. Patti has been to 7 of these, with James attending 4. We were also glad to see a number of folks not only attending their first swap, but their first storytelling event ever. What a joy to join together with storytelling friends, gathering in small groups to share stories-in our group, people got telling stories of being a child and caught in a lie, as well as adventures and misadventures with brothers and sisters.

Then there was a concert with one representative form each of the storytelling guilds, groups or clubs in the area. This number is always a bit fluid, with some groups such as the Southern Coast Guild having a Guild house and non-profit status, to groups that may or may not be regularly meeting. All were welcome and filled with joy of stories. After lunch there was time for a “Got a Minute, Hear a Story” concerts, filled with heart-warming tales and real groaners to jokes. There was even a wee teller, a girl no more than eight who had a minute story of her own to share. James broke out a classic Ole and Lena Norwegian story, while Patti managed a version of a frog trying to get a bank loan from an employee Ms. Patricia Wack, using a statuette for collateral. The punch line “It’s a knickknack Pattywack, give the frog a loan. Ha ha.

Later, there was time to hear “the news” about what was happening in each group, what concerts and festivals are coming up and how to get more involved in storytelling. Many people encouraged the website for the National Storytellers Network www.storynet.org Anyway, next year’s family reunion will be hosted by Community Storytellers up in LA. You are invited. Watch this space for information on upcoming events. Or drop us and email and ask to be put on our email list for our periodic updates