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Mount Washington Valley Storytelling Festival

MWV Storytelling Festival a Big Hit!
 

The very first Mount Washington Valley Storytelling Festival was truly a grand success. Over 250 people attended! 

Our storytellers were inspiring, our audiences were engaged, and every single person who contributed—whether on stage, behind the scenes, or simply by showing up—helped make this Festival something special.

In these times, storytelling is more important than ever. Stories connect us, open our hearts, and strengthen the fabric of our community. Thank you for believing in this Festival and for helping bring people together through the simple yet powerful act of telling and listening to stories.

Later this fall we will begin planning the next Mount Washington Valley Storytelling Festival. We will carry forward the joy and lessons of this year—building on our successes and learning from our mistakes—to make it even better.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for being part of this beginning.

With gratitude,
The Whitney Community Center Team

Mount Washington Valley Storytelling Festival Storytellers

For over 30 years Charlotte Blake Alston has graced stages in venues throughout North America and abroad. Her storytelling skills were honed in childhood when her father introduced her to the work of African American poet, Paul Laurence Dunbar. She is committed to keeping traditional folklore alive. In 2021, she was named The Philadelphia Orchestra’s Official Storyteller, Narrator and Host. In 2024 she was inducted into her High School’s Cultural Hall of Fame.
Charlotte Blake Alston
Charlotte Blake Alston
Since 1991, British storyteller, humorist and author Simon Brooks has been telling to audiences from all over the world. He re-writes and tells folk and fairy tales, myths and legends for everyone who wants to listen. From children’s stories retold so even the most jaded adult enjoys the show, to performances for grown-ups which can be funny, poignant, and/or bawdy. Simon’s goal is to spread and share the art of storytelling to a wider audience and show the power of the ‘ancient stories’ of folk and fairy tales.
Simon Brooks
Simon Brooks
Motoko has enchanted audiences of every age since 1993. She trained with master mime Tony Montanaro and renowned Appalachian storyteller Elizabeth Ellis. Motoko’s repertoire includes Asian folktales, Rakugo and Zen tales, ghost stories, mime vignettes, as well as oral memoirs from her childhood in Osaka and her life as an immigrant in the U.S. She has appeared on PBS’ Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood and has been featured in festivals and theaters across North America.
Motoko
Motoko
Although he showed an early love for baseball Bill Harley began singing and telling stories in 1975, while in college. The son of a children’s writer and a law book editor, Bill is a dedicated children’s author, winning the hearts of thousands of young readers and numerous awards with picture books and novels. A two-time Grammy winner, he is vibrant, outrageous, unpredictable and genuine with songs and stories about growing up, schooling and what it is to be human.
Bill Harley
Bill Harley
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Schedule

SEP

19

Friday Evening StoryFest Opening with our Four Storytellers

Friday

7-9 pm

SEP

20

Family Show with Bill Harley and Charlotte Blake Alston -
Best for children five and older

Saturday

10-11 am

SEP

20

The Art of Storytelling Workshop for Beginners with Simon Brooks

Saturday

1-2:30 pm

SEP

20

Embody! Physical Eloquence for Storytellers Workshop with Motoko

Saturday

3-4:30 pm

SEP

20

Saturday Evening StoryFest Finale with our Four Storytellers

Saturday

7-9 pm

Doors open 30 minutes prior to the shows.

Workshops

The Art of Storytelling for Beginners with Simon Brooks. Learn the process of weaving language into a concrete narrative, with the purpose of creating rich, believable experiences. Understand the elements of storytelling, why storytelling is important, and storytelling tips and techniques that work.
Limit 20

Embody! Physical Eloquence for Storytellers with Motoko. Explore how to re-enter, deeply listen to, and engage in conscious dialogue with your body, using movement as a vehicle for insight. Through gentle hands-on experiments, you will increase your storytelling physical vocabulary, understand the connections between experience and story characters and themes, and become an embodiment of your narrative.
Limit 20

Lodging

Find your perfect comfort place by clicking Jackson Lodging

Fees & Registration

• Friday and Saturday Evening StoryFest Shows. FREE, but there will be a Donation Jar at the door. Not required, but to help us better plan Click Here to sign up.

• Saturday Morning Family Show: FREE, but there will be a Donation Jar at the door. Not required, but to help us better plan, Click Here to sign up.

• Workshops: Each Workshop is $25. Click Here to register

Click Here to Register

What You Need to Know

Phone

603-307-0639

Address

Whitney Community Center, 16 Black Mountain, Road, Jackson, NH 03846

Email

[email protected]

The Mount Washington Storytelling Festivals supports and advocates for the work being done by the New Hampshire Storytelling Alliance (NHSA) and Northeast Storytelling (NEST)