Teller in Residence

Each week from the end of April to the end of October the International Storytelling Center (ISC) hosts a different storyteller in a special program entitled the Teller in Residence program (TIR).

During each of these weeks, the Teller in Residence presents a storytelling performance in the ISC Theatre Tuesday through Saturday afternoons at 2:00 pm.  In addition there may be school groups, senior groups or other special events using the weekly teller’s talents. After that there is time for the TIR to work on new material or just get some rest from a busy schedule.

Performing in the ISC Theatre.

When this program first started many years ago, there was some discussion about not having a Teller in Residence during the week of the Festival because so much was going on and the staff was already overloaded.  I thought this was not a good idea since so many people come early for the festival and they are eager for storytelling.  I volunteered to be the TIR for the festival week with a promise that I would not take up any staff time and would take care of myself.  I am so glad I started doing this as it has grown through the years and I would not miss it for anything.

I arrive the Sunday evening before the Festival week and start out with a Monday performance.  On Tuesday the schedule adds an eleven am performance to the day.  On Wednesday we continue with these two performances and add a 7:30 pm evening event in the Library Tent.  More and more people seem to arrive by Wednesday and we have a comfortably full tent by that evening.

On Thursday there are three performances in the ISC Theatre at eleven, two, and four. Then from four to five I get to play my bass with the Jonesborough Novelty Band as the Festival Beer Garden opens for the weekend.

With the Novelty Band.

I love being the TIR for this week!  It gives me a chance to get all moved in before the Festival begins.  It gives me a chance to try out new material before springing it on the entire Festival audience.  And it gives me a chance, with the Wednesday evening time, to help ISC make a little more money to offset the expenses of the whole Festival event.  (I don’t have a lot of money to donate to the Storytelling Center,  but I can certainly donate a week of time and try to make the best of it.)

If you are coming to the Festival next year and happen to arrive early, maybe I will see you at a TIR event.