The second annual Charleston Tells Storytelling Festival will take place March 14 – 15, 2014 in Wragg Square and the adjacent Second Presbyterian Church in downtown Charleston, SC. Sponsored by the Charleston County Public Library, the festival is an innovative event that promotes the art of storytelling in the Lowcountry, encourages the sharing of cultures, supports and builds community identity, and promotes literacy. SC Humanities supported this program with a Mini Grant in December 2013.
The two-day “Charleston Tells Storytelling Festival” will feature four internationally-recognized storytellers, four regional storytellers, as well as other local talent and musicians. The four featured storytellers are: Donald Davis, who tells stories of the Southern Appalachians; Diane Ferlatte, who emphasizes African American stories and stories that touch upon our common humanity; Dovie Thomason, a Lakota/Kiowa Apache storyteller and cultural educator; and David Novak, who refers to his style of storytelling as “aerobics for the mind” and brings a background in theatre arts, clowning, playwriting, and more to his repertoire.
The “Charleston Tells Storytelling Festival” begins with the four featured storytellers performing in area schools on Friday, March 14. There will also be a concert on Friday evening featuring the storytellers; multiple concurrent sessions on Saturday, March 15; and a closing ghost story event on Saturday evening. All of the events are ticketed; children 12 and under can participate for free. The full schedule is available and tickets can be ordered on the website here: http://www.ccpl.org/charlestontells or contact charlestontells@ccpl.org.
The mission of SC Humanities is to enrich the cultural and intellectual lives of all South Carolinians. SC Humanities programs and initiatives are balanced, reflecting sensitivity to the diversity of ideas, encourage open dialogue, demonstrate integrity, and are ethical in operations.
