Tellabration is a storytelling event made up of dozens of storytelling happenings all over the world. Its purpose is to introduce adults, as well as children, to the pleasures of the oral art of storytelling. It is one of the programs offered by the Connecticut Storytelling Center, based at Connecticut College in New London.
The Milford Public Library will host two Tellabrations on Nov. 12: one for children at 10:30 a.m. and one for adults and children over 12 (accompanied by an adult) at 2 p.m.
Glenn Harper will be performing at 10:30 a.m. Harper is an accomplished teller of folktales and stories from around the world, and is also well known for writing and telling original stories with a particular specialty in hilarious tales of misadventure. He blends humor, lively characters, and often singing into his tales.
“When a story really comes alive, it is such a special experience for everyone involved. As a teller I enjoy that moment as much as the audience does,” Harper says. “Stories are such a strong connection to our past and our heritage, and a treasure that can be passed on from generation to generation.”
Denise Page will be presenting the afternoon program. She will tell a personal story set in Milford and will then facilitate the audience in telling their own stories about Milford. Page says she believes that sharing and listening to the life stories of others has the capacity to normalize the inevitable challenges of life and deepen understanding of self and others. A Connecticut native, many of her stories stem from her experience of being a multi-generational African American New Englander. Her personal narrative spans the arc between victim and sainthood and tells stories of “simply being as well as being in the skin we’re in.”
Visit milfordlibrary.org for more information. A full listing of all the Tellabration sites in Connecticut can be found at connstorycenter.org.