The everyday world can be a tad mundane, even in such unsettled times as these. Luckily, there’s an easy cure when life turns humdrum and stale – the magic of stories! Sometimes we reach for the fantastic, losing ourselves in fanciful yarns. At other times, we seek connection to the wisdom and wonder of tales passed down through the generations.
This Thursday, August 12th, Better Said Than Done presents Faeries’ Tales: Fairy Stories and Folktales. Host Lynette Ford will be your guide for an evening of spectacular stories and deep lore. Your fabulous tellers for the night will be Cooper Braun, Kevin Cordi, Carmen Agra Deedy, Katie Green, Padraic P. Keohane, and Marilyn McPhie. Tickets are available… right here!
I asked the tellers “What fantasy setting would you most like to visit, and why?” Here’s what some of them had to say…
Cooper Braun-Enos: The fantasy setting I would most like to visit would be to be aboard The Dawn Treader during her voyage into the east. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader was one of the most important books of my childhood, and to be aboard that ship, with that crew (Reepicheep fan boy here), sailing off to seek adventure would be a grand thing indeed. To pass into the seas of myth, and see the sea filled with lilies at the very end of the world. Where the waves grow sweet…
Kevin Cordi: I would like to be in a setting where Jack would show me how to seal up the Northwest Wind, Anansi and I cold look for common sense, Brer Rabbit would share a riddle and tricksters were not politicians. Why? This would be a place for wild unpredictable play and story landscapes. It would be a place where Once Upon A Time changes every day and who would not want to live there?
Lynette Ford: I’d love to spend a year in the Fairyland Public Library. Think about it–if the librarians there use the Dewey Decimal system, are the folktales, fairytales and fables of the world shelved in the 398.2 section where we find them, or are they considered biographies and history books? Did the witch from Hansel and Gretel look for cookbooks, “Architectural Digest” or anatomy reference books? Do dragons and dwarves read about gold futures and investments? And where would I find ghost stories?
Katie Green: The fantasy setting that I would most like to visit is the fairy ring in the story that I will share on August 12th. Peggy O’Donnell runs out of the old woman’s house because she has no song or story to share. The wee folk gather around her with open, expectant faces and ask for a story and a song. Peggy O’Donnell tells stories and songs she never knew that she knew. I’ve chosen this setting because I admire storytellers who can tell beautiful tales spontaneously, and being surrounded by seasoned story-listeners is a gift.
Padraic P. Keohane: Just give me a door that opens to any time or place, real or imaginary, that I choose. Is that too much to ask for? If I had to narrow it down though, it would be a toss up between the underworld from Greek mythology or Middle Earth from J.R.R Tolkien. With the underworld, you get to see the shades, as well as Hades, Persephone, Sisyphus, and Tantalus. And as long as I don’t eat anything, sit in any chairs, or drink the water of forgetfulness, I’ll be fine. For Middle Earth…elves, wizards and hobbits…what more could you want?
Carmen Agra Deedy and Marilyn McPhie were unavailable to answer this question. We’re assuming they actually found magic portals to their favorite fantasy lands and are off exploring them. Maybe, if we’re lucky, we’ll hear about their adventures at the show!
That’s just a taste of the fun in store. Join us for the show and you’ll get so much more! The show starts at 8:00 P.M. EDT. It’s a “pay what you’d like” show, with a suggested contribution of $15 and a minimum of $6. Grab those tickets now!
