FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Stagebridge celebrates 25^th Season with annual storytelling concert, “Tellabration!” November 21

Spend an afternoon listening to some of the finest storytellers in the country weave humorous, mysterious, uplifting tales. This year’s annual “Tellabration!” storytelling concert features internationally renowned Diane Ferlatte joining other nationally and locally known tellers. Stagebridge celebrates its 25^th season as the nation’s oldest senior theatre company. “Tellabration!” is a yearly worldwide celebration of storytelling sponsored by the National Storytelling Network (NSN) the week before Thanksgiving. The concert is Sunday, November 21st, at 3:00pm, at Arts First Oakland, 2501 Harrison Street (at 27^th Street), Oakland. Tickets are $12/advance and $15/at the door and may be purchased by calling Stagebridge (510) 444-4755. There is plenty of free parking, easy access from the #51 AC Transit Bus or 19th Street BART and wheelchair access.

The concert celebrates the oral tradition, folk history and the exceptional lives of ordinary Americans. This year’s headliner is internationally renowned storyteller Diane Ferlatte. She joins Okalahoma native Steven Heneger, Berkeley dance environmental activist, Patricia Bullitt, and Stagebridge tellers Laura Combs, William Smith, Dolores del Barco, and Bertha Reilly. Emcee is Stagebridge’s new Director of Storytelling, Cathryn Wellner from Canada.

Oakland based featured storyteller Diana Ferlatte, is an award winning, dynamic performer, who has captivated audiences across the globe from Austria to New Zealand to the White House. Ferlatte, born in Louisiana, has appeared as a professional storyteller in major European countries and in every state in the U.S. Her early years were steeped in oral tradition as she sat spellbound on her grandparents’ porch with the family and neighbors swapping stories, lies and tales. Diane now makes her living as a professional storyteller drawing on these early childhood experiences and her experiences as a parent. Diane also leads workshops and is a keynote speaker at major festivals, theaters, conferences and universities locally, nationally and internationally. Her storytelling is exciting and interactive.

From Santa Ana, California, Steven Henegar, actor, director, writer and storyteller, returns to Stagebridge for the Tellabration event. Oklahoma-born Henegar formerly directed the storytelling program at Stagebridge and is a 20 year veteran performer. He is a frequent performer at the Bay Area Storytelling Festival. Henegar is known for absorbing folk detail, great comic timing, and stories that come from the everyday and the fantastic.

Patricia Bulitt of Berkeley is a local dance environmental activist, and recipient of the City of Berkeley’s “Outstanding Woman Artist Award 2003”. Bulitt has extensive experience studying the stories and dances of Alaska’s Inuit elders. She presents a yearly “Tea Party” of stories at Codornices Creek, and recently gave “A Poetic Celebration of Birds” at Lake Merritt. Bulitt tells and dances her stories, celebrating place, memory and imagination.

These guest artists join Stagebridge storytellers “Lady Laura” (aka Laura Combs) with her compelling creation of Vulture sinking his talons into the audience; Dolores del Barco brings the rhythms of Hispanic culture in America to life; Quaker activist Ruth Fraser shares tales for justice from her British upbringing; Irish born Bertha Reilly spins enchanting tales of folk history, fairies and frolics; and 82 year old William Smith evokes poignant stories of growing up African American in the Deep South. Emcee is Cathryn Wellner, the new Stagebridge storytelling director. Wellner is a nationally known storyteller and educator for over 20 years. Coming from British Columbia, she has toured storytelling festivals throughout Canada, the Northwest, Europe and UK.

“Tellabration” is co-sponsored by Arts First Oakland, a coalition of arts organizations located at the First Congregational Church. It is funded in part by grants from City of Oakland Craft and Cultural Arts and Alameda County Art Commission.

Stagebridge celebrates its 25^th anniversary season as the nation’s oldest senior theatre company. Stagebridge trains older adults in theatre and storytelling; creates original plays about aging; tours the community with workshops and performances; and runs a nationally known storytelling-literacy program in the Oakland schools. Following “Tellabration!” Stagebridge storytellers will appear on KPFA-FM December 10 and 17 at 3:00pm. In February, they will debut a storytelling concert of “Civil Rights Stories” for public audiences. March 13 and 20 will premiere the annual Family Matinee and Ice Cream Social. This year’s new play will be “The Boy Who Lost His Laugh” by Linda Spector. April 15-May 1 will premiere “Bridging the Gap” a co-production with Opera Piccola, directed by Ellen Sebastian Chang and scripted by Anne Galjour. The musical multi-media play will feature a cast of elders and high school actors. April 24 features the winners of the Grandparents Tales Writing Contest in performance at Barnes and Noble Jack London Bookstore. For more information call (510) 444-4755 or www.stagebridge.org.