Nice weather is slowly returning to large swaths of these United States. Vaccination rates are rising, and with that the hope we might soon start to build our new, better normal. So as we patiently wait to be together in person again, Better Said Than Done invites you to join us for another online Party of Five! We’re gathering five superb storytellers, each of them bringing a tale sure to stir your mind, heart, and spirit. The festivities kick off at 8 P.M. EDT this Thursday, April 8th. Tickets available here!
The lineup consists of Jeff Doyle, Janice Curtis Greene, Linda Schuyler Ford, Megan Wells, and Joel Ying. Let’s take a moment to find out a little bit about each of these talented and accomplished tellers…
Jeff Doyle started telling stories to kids around the campfire with his favorite tale, The Blue Ape. He soon became renowned for his scary storytelling gift. Before long, Jeff was writing and performing not just scary tales but wild, funny, and heartwarming stories as well. His ability to draw listeners into his world makes his performances both compelling and memorable.
He is a father, a dreamer, and an average guy who sometimes sees things through the eyes of a 13-year-old boy. Jeff takes great joy in finding stories and humor in everyday life and crafts stories that evoke both audience laughter and tears. Whether it’s the legend of Robin Hood or the rollicking tale of The Cadillac Enterprise, Jeff captivates listeners of all ages.
Jeff has performed throughout the country, has been a Moth story slam winner in Michigan and an Exchange Place teller at the National Storytelling Festival in 2019. He is a National Storytelling Network Oracle award winner, a member of the TBD Storytellers cohort and is the founder of the annual Scary Storytelling Festival in Howell, MI. His versatility is masterfully displayed on his CDs “Live at the Opera House”, “Cage Free” and “The Cadillac Enterprise”.
Janice Curtis Greene is an award-winning Author and Master storyteller, an American Griot, keeping the history and culture of the African Diaspora alive. She has been telling African, African American and Multicultural stories for over 30 years. She is Past President and Life Member of both of the Griots’ Circle of Maryland, Inc. and the National Association of Black Storytellers.
Janice has delighted adult and student audiences at various venues throughout the United States and abroad. She mesmerizes her audiences with folktales, original and personal stories and Bible Stories set to syncopated Rap rhythms. She has performed with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and is also known for her portrayals of historical African American females such as Harriett Tubman, Rosa Parks, Phillis Wheatley and more. Her poem “Black Women in Power” is featured in the book, “Dear Kamala: Women Write to the New Vice President”.
The ministry of her stories “Conversations with My Mother” and “Standing my Ground” about God’s restorative power after the deaths of her two oldest sons has brought healing to many grieving parents.
In 2017 Mrs. Greene was appointed by Governor Hogan to serve on the Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture and has recently been appointed to serve another term.
Linda Schuyler Ford is a native of Sleepy Hollow, NY, where she grew up on Dutch/German and Hudson Valley folktales. As you can imagine, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow shaped her childhood, and instilled her love of storytelling!
Linda’s storytelling path was further guided by her career as a therapeutic recreation director and social worker. That led her to create Five Smooth Stones©, an applied storytelling support group for people grappling with loss, and The HeArt and Soul of Storytelling, a story-based women’s retreat. As both a performer and an applied storytelling practitioner, she draws on a wide repertoire of folk and fairy tales as well as personal stories about her less than perfect family.
Linda serves on the board of Northeast Storytelling (NEST) and has been busy planning SPARKS: A Storytelling Stay-cation, taking place on devices everywhere, May 13-16, 2021. Details coming soon on Northeast Storytelling’s FB page.
Megan Wells is a respected and experienced story and theater artist. She is known for creating an intimate storytelling atmosphere, infusing her characters with living souls, and delivering the experience with delicious theatrical timing. Author and Professor Rives Collins says it best: “Megan Wells is both intimate and epic in equal measure.”
An award-winning storyteller, Megan performs in museums and symphonies, enhances education for thousands of children, entertains families in festivals and libraries, and helps executives, actors, and storytellers craft powerful stories to effect change.
With more than forty years of experience, Megan has developed an extensive story repertoire. Perhaps, her daughters describe her most accurately: “Mom’s a storytelling jukebox. Put a quarter ‘n pick your favorite!”
Megan is also among the top literary storytellers in America. As the Artistic Director of the Ray Bradbury Storytelling Festival, Megan was granted permission by Ray himself to perform his works. Additionally, she is equally comfortable in the jazzier domains of Chicago’s current spoken word explosion.
Dr. Joel Ying is a Physician-Educator-Storyteller. With eclectic folk tales and unique personal stories, his storytelling range, like his practice of medicine, bridges the traditional and the modern. Storytelling is not just a performance art, but a healing art. He performs regularly, teaches university and online workshops, produces events, and loves listening to a good story!
Your host-with-the most for this show is Jessica Robinson. Be sure to join her and the tellers above this Thursday at 8:00 P.M. EDT. Ticket sales close a few minutes before that, but you can beat the rush and grab yours now! Tickets are pay-what-you-can, with a standard suggested price of $20 and a minimum of $10 (plus a $1 handling fee). All proceeds are shared among the tellers and Better Said Than Done.
