October 29th, Saturday 9pm
Rocket Room (3rd Floor of Rocket Bakery, 272 Water St.)
Ghost Stories with Dale Jarvis, Pearl- Ann Gooding, with Murder Ballads by Gerald and Tobias Pearson!
$10 at the door
Dale Jarvis tells ghost stories, legends and traditional tales from Newfoundland and beyond. Founder of the St. John's Storytelling Circle, he was Storytellers of Canada’s representative at the inaugural meeting of the Federation for European Storytelling (FEST) in Norway, 2008. Since 1997, Dale has been the host of the St. John's Haunted Hike, named “Event of the Year” by the City of St. John’s. Author of four books on Newfoundland folklore and ghost stories, Dale has also taught workshops across North America on historical storytelling. He has taught hundreds of children to tell their stories, and is a passionate supporter of the oral tradition.
Pearl-Ann Gooding is a recognized storyteller in Canada and has been telling and teaching stories nationwide since 1995. In 2007 she recorded her third CD with Children's Stories entitled AGAIN and has had her stories published in an anthology for the grade 4 curriculum in Alberta. Her love of a great tale and spine tingling anticipation has drawn her to develop a haunted hike in her home town. Intrigue, mystery and reaching into the realm beyond bring her 'October Repertoire' to you! Pearl-Ann resides in what she claims to be 'the most haunted small town on the prairies', Wainwright, Alberta.
Tobias and Gerard Pearson were born in Merasheen, Placentia Bay, to Aggie Wilson and Cecil Pearson. Their grandmother, Kate Wilson, was a powerful traditional singer who passed her songs to the boys and their mother. Tobias and Gerard also learned the old songs from their father, whose origins were in Petit Forte, Placentia Bay. The brothers have performed at various folk festivals in Newfoundland. As well, Tobias has performed at traditional music gatherings in Boston and New York. Gerard's lovely tenor voice and Tobias's sense of humour place them in high demand at folk festivals and ballad sessions.
Part of the St. John's Storytelling Festival!
Thursday 27 October 2011
Monday 24 October 2011
Tickets selling fast for "Come Into My Parlour"! Tickets remaining for:
"Come Into My Parlour: An Evening of Victorian Ghost Stories" opens tomorrow night, Tuesday, October 25th, at 8pm at the Newman Wine Vaults, 436 Water Street. Tickets are $15 per person. Seating is limited.
As of today, Monday, at 5pm, the following number of tickets remain:
Tuesday, October 25th - 20 tickets
Wednesday, October 26th - 15 tickets
Thursday, October 27th - 26 tickets
Friday, October 28th - 4 tickets!
Advance tickets (CASH SALE ONLY!) are available at Britannia Teas and Gifts, 199 Water Street, and will be on sale until 6pm before show time. If tickets are left, they will also be available at the door, but some nights may sell out in advance, so buy yours now to avoid showing up the night of the show and being disappointed.
You are welcome to come in Victorian, Gothic, or Steampunk attire!
Tuesday 18 October 2011
Come into my parlour: an evening of Victorian ghost stories
Come join me, storyteller and author Dale Jarvis, for an evening of Victorian ghost stories, perfect to get you into a suitably macabre mood for Hallowe'en!
8pm
October 25-28, 2011
Newman Wine Vaults Provincial Historic Site
436 Water Street, St. John's
Victorian, Gothic, or Steampunk Attire Welcomed (but not required)
The show will be about an hour long, by candlelight!
Tickets are now available at Britannia Teas and Gifts, 199 Water Street, St. John's.
Tickets are $15 each, first come, first served, CASH SALE ONLY!
8pm
October 25-28, 2011
Newman Wine Vaults Provincial Historic Site
436 Water Street, St. John's
Victorian, Gothic, or Steampunk Attire Welcomed (but not required)
The show will be about an hour long, by candlelight!
Tickets are now available at Britannia Teas and Gifts, 199 Water Street, St. John's.
Tickets are $15 each, first come, first served, CASH SALE ONLY!
Seating is limited!
(Awesome poster design by Graham Blair)
Tuesday 4 October 2011
New storytelling series: Tales of Town. Wed, Oct 5, 7pm, The Rooms
HFNL and The Rooms kick off the Tales of Town series this Wednesday night, at 7pm. I'll be sitting down with three engaging locals: businesswoman Margaret Dunn, music shop owner Gordon O'Brien, and author Lisa Moore. We'll be sharing memories and stories about growing up in St. John's, and hope you will join us!
The Rooms, Wednesday, October 5th
7pm
Tickets $5, free for members
Thursday 15 September 2011
Ghosts of Signal Hill to go out with a bang (and Hurricane Maria)
Friday, Sept 16th is our final show for Ghosts of Signal Hill, with Jed Baker closing out the season as Lt. Ranslaer Schuyler.
We also have a date with Hurricane Maria, and some of you (including Jed) are worried about what this means to our season finale. Well, have no fear! We'll go ahead rain or shine. If weather is good, we'll march you up the hill to the usual storytelling venue. If weather is bad, we'll move the show into the Parks Canada Theatre at the Signal Hill Visitor Centre, and tell stories from there.
The show starts at 8pm. Tickets are $15 at the door ($10 for kids 12 and under).
If anything changes, we will post a note here, and on the Ghosts of Signal Hill facebook page.
UPDATE - FRIDAY, 3PM
As of right now, we are still going ahead with the show at 8pm tonight. This will be a fully indoor show at the Signal Hill Visitor Centre Theatre, which is safe, warm, and cosy! If you have tickets purchased for tonight, they are non-refundable, so we hope to see you there. We will post again at 5pm.
UPDATE - 6PM
We are in the eye of the hurricane now, and everything is a go for 8pm! See you on the Hill.
Saturday 10 September 2011
Ghosts of Signal Hill - Closing Night, Friday Sept 16th
We've had a fabulous run of Ghosts of Signal Hill. We've sold out every show except two early in the run, and we've had a blast telling you stories. There is ONE last show for the 2011 season, with Jed Baker closing off the season on Friday, September 16th, at 8pm. There are tickets still available at the Signal Hill Visitor Centre, and if you want to see the show, I'd advise you to get them in advance.
Thanks to everyone at Parks Canada for all their help, support, promotion, and expended black powder!
Thursday 1 September 2011
Ghosts of Signal Hill - flashlight time!
There are only three more shows left of Ghosts of Signal Hill, concluding Friday, September 16th, 2011. We've been selling out almost every show, so if you want to catch one of the last ones, you are best to get your ticket in advance from the Signal Hill Visitor Centre on Signal Hill Road.
It is also now getting a lot darker a lot earlier. There is a walk (in the dark) from the parking lot to the show venue, so if you want to bring along a flashlight to help guide your way up and down, you are invited to do so. We just ask that you shut the light off once you come into the performance space.
And yes, I'm still 8 years old at heart, playing in the dark with a flashlight! Hope to see you on Signal Hill soon.
PS @thescopeNL is looking for the Best Late Night Walk. Give me some ghoulish love at http://t.co/k5Wx2D4 and suggest the St. John's Haunted Hike!
Wednesday 10 August 2011
Stories from down on the farm
An Evening with Century Farmers: The Rubys and Lesters
Free admission
Time: 7:30pm
Location: Lester Farms Inc, 92 Pearltown Rd., St. John’s
As part of the Seeds to Supper Festival, host Kevin Aucoin, of the Agricultural History Society of Newfoundland and Labrador, will sit down with Leonard and Lena Ruby, and Jimmy and Michelle Lester, and share stories about farming past, present, and future. Jimmy Lester represents the 6th generation Lester to continue farming in this area. Jimmy and his wife Michelle produce vegetable crops, bedding plants and flowers and operate the Lester catering facility on Pearltown Road. Leonard and Lena Ruby continue to grow vegetables on their own historic farm, where others might choose to retire and travel, reflecting their close connection to the soil. Join us, and fill your ears with some home-grown stories!
(NOTE: Lester Farms, Inc. is located at 92 Pearltown Road, not to be confused with the Lester's Market on Brookfield Road. If driving from St. John's along Brookfield Road, pass the Market, and turn left onto Pearltown Road).
Saturday 6 August 2011
Casting call for short horror film in St. John's
Baristo Pictures is casting a new short horror film called “Our House” that will be shooting in early October as part of NIFCO’s First Time Filmmaker program, and they are looking for volunteer actors. Yours truly, hopefully, will put in a guest appearance, in my St. John's Haunted Hike persona.
You can follow Baristo's Mike Hickey on Twitter, or check out the casting call. I'll post more as details come available.
Monday 1 August 2011
Re-imagining the Brothers Grimm
Next year, 2012, marks the 200th anniversary of the publication of the first edition of the first volume of the Brothers Grimm's remarkable Kinder-und Hausmärchen, which went on to become the most widely translated book ever produced in the German language.
About a decade ago (see archival photographic evidence above) musician Delf Maria Hohmann and I produced a show called "Under the Juniper Tree," a selection of stories and songs from and inspired by the Brothers Grimm.
In honour of the Brothers' 200th anniversary, Delf and I are going back, revisiting that wonderful material and working on a new show which we'll be touring next year. We're off tonight with the fabulous Chris Hibbs to shoot some promo photos. Keep your eyes peeled (and/or away from doves, if you know the story of Aschenputtel).
To keep you entertained in the meantime, a discussion of the Brothers Grimm, and the telling of dark, grim material, is featured in this podcast by Rachel James of radio station CIUT.
And you can listen to my version of the Grimm Brothers' rarely-told story "The Mother in Law" here.
Friday 15 July 2011
Wrigglin' Riddlin' Pickets and Palings - Newfoundland Fences
After a chat with Kim Paddon with the English Harbour Arts Centre last night at the Crow's Nest Storytelling Circle, I'm posting a few things related to traditional Newfoundland fence.
First, check out the 1977 Wrigglin' Fence video. This short film, directed by Newfoundland artist Don Wright, follows the Paddy Brothers of Port Kirwan, Newfoundland, as they build a traditional 'wrigglin' or riddle fence around their garden patch.
And, you can download our traditional fence brochure here in pdf.
First, check out the 1977 Wrigglin' Fence video. This short film, directed by Newfoundland artist Don Wright, follows the Paddy Brothers of Port Kirwan, Newfoundland, as they build a traditional 'wrigglin' or riddle fence around their garden patch.
And, you can download our traditional fence brochure here in pdf.
Saturday 9 July 2011
The Ghost of Deadman's Pond and thoughts on recitations
This video is a small excerpt from my new show "Ghosts of Signal Hill", being performed every Friday night on Signal Hill, in partnership with Parks Canada. The video shows the performance of a recitation called "The Ghost of Deadman's Pond."
The recitation is my own adaptation of a poem written by E.T Furlong in the Newfoundland Quarterly Christmas Edition, December 1939 - Vol. 39(3), p. 27. The original poem is quite long; I shortened it for performance.
In writing the script for "Ghosts of Signal Hill" I very much wanted to include a recitation as part of the show. Recitations are roughly equivalent to the English tradition of monologues. Folklorist Kenneth Goldstein defined them as "a solo, stylized, theatrically mannered oral performance from memory of a self-contained dramatic narrative in poetic or prose form." It is one of those aspects of traditional Newfoundland performance that I love, a tradition which is still living in many communities.
Recitations, while sometimes told in private settings, were, and continue to be in many Newfoundland and Labrador communities, more often part of public performances, concerts and times. In a sense recitations are more highly formalized than oral stories, following a set text prepared in advance, and often, though not necessarily, in rhyming form.
Special thanks to Trevor Kearsey, Internet and New Media Officer with the Newfoundland East Field Unit of Parks Canada for filming and editing together this piece!
Monday 27 June 2011
Daring escapes, murdered pirates, ghost ships and more
Daring escapes, murdered pirates, ghost ships, buried treasure, tragic drownings, and headless phantoms: it is all in a night’s work at Signal Hill National Historic Site in St. John’s, Newfoundland.
Or at least it is for storyteller Dale Jarvis, creator of the award-winning ghost tour, the St. John’s Haunted Hike. No stranger to strange stories from old St. John’s, Jarvis has created a new storytelling show for Newfoundland’s most historic hill.
Ghosts of Signal Hill is Jarvis’s newest work: an evening of ghost stories, historical tales and strange adventures. His spooky stories are spun out for eager listeners by lamplight inside the historic Queen’s Battery Barracks, overlooking the Narrows, the entrance to St. John's Harbour.
“There are ghost tours in other historic sites across Canada,” says Jarvis. “Halifax Citadel has a ghost tour, for example, and it seems like a perfect fit for St. John’s. And you couldn’t ask for a more dramatic setting than Queen’s Battery to tell a tale.”
The last North American battle of the Seven Years' War between England and France was fought on the Hill in 1762, after St. John’s had been captured by the French. In September of that year, the British reclaimed the town, marching overland from Torbay.
“The 1762 Battle of Signal Hill provides a great backdrop for the show,” says Jarvis. He portrays a real historical character in the piece, a role he shares with local actor Jedediah Baker.
“Lieutenant Ranslaer Schuyler was a member of the British force sent to take back St. John’s,” explains Jarvis. “We’ve brought him back to life for this show, so to speak!”
Jarvis is passionate about local history and folklore, and believes storytelling is a great way to get people interested in what is often portrayed as a dry and dusty subject.
“When someone starts going on about dates and battles and generals, people tune out,” says Jarvis. “But when you tell a story about real characters, with drama and intrigue and mystery, people love to hear more. That is part of what makes this show much fun. That and the ghosts, of course!”
Ghosts of Signal Hill runs every Friday night at 8pm until September 16th. Tickets are $15 ($10 for kids 12 and under) and are cash sale only, available at the Signal Hill National Historic Site Visitor Centre. There is no performance on Canada Day, July 1st.
For more information, contact :
Dale Jarvis
www.hauntedhike.com
709-685-3444
info@hauntedhike.com
High resolution promo photos available at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dalejarvis/sets/72157626756149194
Photo credit Chris Hibbs
Thursday 23 June 2011
Name that ghost! #namethatghost
Well, the little photograph of what might (or might not) be a ghost in the historic Newman Wine Vaults in St. John's, Newfoundland is getting a lot of attention: reports on CBC radio and television, VOCM radio, the internet, and as of this morning, apparently, it has made the CNN Morning Express television program!
Read the article and see the video here.
What the ghost needs now is a suitable name, and suggestions are already starting to trickle in on twitter and facebook. So far, names include:
The Lone Tourist
Vinnie
Port-ia
Porthos (which I like!)
Swayze
Charlie
Bob
and (most obviously) Newman
Got a suggestion? Let me know!
Wednesday 1 June 2011
The St. John's Haunted Hike turns 14!
1997 was the year of the John Cabot celebrations in Newfoundland. According to legend, heresay, and the provincial tourism department, John Cabot had landed in Bonavista (and definitely NOT Cape Breton) five hundred years before. The Matthew sailed into port, tourists descended, and I started a little summer business called the St. John's Haunted Hike.
Fourteen years later, the Hike is still going strong. We've just started up our season, with people already showing up in the cold and drizzle to hear our stories. So, if you are downtown these evenings, you'll likely see myself, or one of my long-time guides Dave Walsh or Steve O'Connell, leading a group of tourists and fans of the paranormal from site to haunted site.
Hope you'll join us!
The Hike runs every Sunday to Thursday evening at 9:30 pm from the stone steps of the Anglican Cathedral on Church Hill. Tickets are $10, with no need to book in advance.
www.hauntedhike.com
Monday 30 May 2011
A busy day in the life of your friendly neighbourhood storyteller
I'm in an airport! It is hardly news to anyone who follows me on twitter that I'm writing from yet another airport, but it is true. I'm in Ottawa, having just finished a speaking engagement last night for Memorial University Alumni. It was a great turnout, with some familiar faces in the crowd, which is always a plus for me. Here is the interview done by Dean Verger at the event.
I'm off to Halifax, for another talk and storytelling session tonight at the Elephant and Castle Pub. Last night I was telling ghost stories, Jack tales and some oral history material from Newfoundland. Who knows what tonight will bring, through there will definitely be some ghostly tales, and perhaps the appearance of a sea monster or two. It has been a great mini-tour so far, and I'm delighted that Memorial University, and their sponsors Johnson Insurance and the Elephant & Castle pubs, have been so supportive. It is great to get storytelling out to new audiences, and introduce Newfoundland stories to new (and old) listeners.
I went out for breakfast this morning with Ottawa's Ruthanne Edward, who was host of the St. John's Storytelling Festival's first story slam earlier this year. It is always great to get to hang out with fellow storytellers, to talk about what is happening in the storytelling community. We talked about how it is that storytellers so often work in isolation, working individually on personal projects, without a lot of opportunities for some of us to collaborate, critique, grow and converse about our art.
I head back to St. John's in the morning, taking every chance I get along the way to run lines for Ghosts of Signal Hill which opens this Friday night at 8pm! Zounds!
I'm off to Halifax, for another talk and storytelling session tonight at the Elephant and Castle Pub. Last night I was telling ghost stories, Jack tales and some oral history material from Newfoundland. Who knows what tonight will bring, through there will definitely be some ghostly tales, and perhaps the appearance of a sea monster or two. It has been a great mini-tour so far, and I'm delighted that Memorial University, and their sponsors Johnson Insurance and the Elephant & Castle pubs, have been so supportive. It is great to get storytelling out to new audiences, and introduce Newfoundland stories to new (and old) listeners.
I went out for breakfast this morning with Ottawa's Ruthanne Edward, who was host of the St. John's Storytelling Festival's first story slam earlier this year. It is always great to get to hang out with fellow storytellers, to talk about what is happening in the storytelling community. We talked about how it is that storytellers so often work in isolation, working individually on personal projects, without a lot of opportunities for some of us to collaborate, critique, grow and converse about our art.
I head back to St. John's in the morning, taking every chance I get along the way to run lines for Ghosts of Signal Hill which opens this Friday night at 8pm! Zounds!
Tuesday 17 May 2011
Something wicked this way comes! Ghosts of Signal Hill coming soon
I've been working on an exciting new ghost story project, and its launch date is coming closer and closer! This summer, as part of the fourteenth season of the St. John's Haunted Hike, I've created a new show, in partnership with Parks Canada and Signal Hill National Historic Site: Ghosts of Signal Hill.
Daring escapes, murdered pirates, ghost ships, buried treasure, tragic drownings, and headless phantoms: it is all in a night’s work at Signal Hill National Historic Site.
Ghosts of Signal Hill will be an evening of ghost stories, historical tales and strange adventures. Join the dashing Lieutenant Ranslaer Schuyler by lamplight inside the historic Queen’s Battery, and find out what happens on Newfoundland’s most historic hill, after the lights go out.
The show will run every Friday night this summer at 8pm, from June 3rd to September 16th. Tickets will be $15, $10 for kids 12 and under, and price includes admission to Signal Hill National Historic Site Visitor Centre. The role of Lieutenant Schuyler will be played by yours truly, with Jedediah Baker performing the role on alternating nights.
Seating is limited. Tickets will be available for advance purchase at the Signal Hill Visitor Centre. Check the website, and I'll let you know when tickets go on sale!
And, of course, you can like this on Facebook!
UPDATE: here are the promo photos!
Friday 13 May 2011
Here Be Monsters! Encore Family Performance Sunday 2pm
It sold out its first show, and now the Monsters are back!
Sunday, May 15, 2 pm
Encore Family Performance
Here Be Monsters!
The Rooms, St. John's
In the ocean's depths lurk rarely seen horrors. From giant squid and whales the size of a house, to mind-reading mermaids and the most angry sea-horse you'd ever want to meet, the seas off the shores of Newfoundland and Labrador have seen it all! Join storyteller Dale Jarvis of St. John's Haunted Hike fame for tales of creatures from the deep. You may never want to dip your toe in the water again.
Tickets just $5 and free for Rooms Members.
Thursday 28 April 2011
The Menin Gate, and why you should vote #elxn11
Since I was in Belgium, I took some time off to explore some of the country's great cities, and I made certain that I visited some of the sites that have entered our consciousness as Canadians, sites with names that resonate with those of us who have never even visited Belgium, names like Passchendale, Flanders, the Ypres Salient.
At Ypres, on an appropriately grey day, I walked around the imposing Menin Gate. The gate is a memorial to those soldiers whose bodies were never found, 55,000 of them, which was erected on the spot where the soldiers left the city for the frontline, never to return. Even today, they are still digging the bodies of fallen soldiers out of the Flanders clay.
It brought the reality of that conflict home to me in a way that can only be described as emotional; and what struck me most as I walked through the impeccably kept graveyards of Flanders was how young all those soldiers were.
It brought the reality of that conflict home to me in a way that can only be described as emotional; and what struck me most as I walked through the impeccably kept graveyards of Flanders was how young all those soldiers were.
I came home from Flanders to a country facing an election. In a world where young people are dying every day to for the right to have a democratic say in their own futures, I think we all too often forget about all those young men and women who died to protect our freedoms.
I've already made my vote in advance, as I'll be travelling to Hopedale, Labrador, on election day. If you haven't voted, you should. The democracy that people died for works when we all make it work, together. You can make a difference with your vote.
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
- John McCrae, 1919
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
- John McCrae, 1919
Monday 18 April 2011
Haunted Waters reviewed on CBC Radio
Laura Cameron at Flanker Press was kind enough to send me this transcript of a review aired on CBC Radio, Corner Brook this morning. Here it is! - Dale
Haunted Waters: More True Ghost Stories of Newfoundland and Labrador
I've always admired folklorist Dale Jarvis for the way he treats stories of the supernatural and unexplained. Newfoundland and Labrador, as part of its history, is rich with stories and accounts of hauntings and paranormal phenomena.
Jarvis, with his academic background and solid reputation for doing high quality research, gives this aspect of our history extra dignity and credibility. His interest in this field is quite genuine and he treats it seriously – and not just because these events make for fascinating stories.
Jarvis's latest book, “Haunted Waters: More True Ghost Stories of Newfoundland and Labrador” is a follow-up to his popular collection “Haunted Shores.” Many of these stories were published previously in Jarvis's column in the Telegram, “Newfoundland Unexplained,” and in Downhome Magazine.
Jarvis takes an organized approach; “Haunted Waters” is sorted into sections dealing with specific types of haunting or disturbance. There are haunted houses and other buildings; apparitions; phantom ships, and animal spirits; there’s also a section on faerie folklore and local legends.
There seems hardly a corner of our province where Jarvis hasn't found something otherworldly or hard to explain. Many of the things recounted here relate to places in St. John's, but most deal with other places and readers won’t be able to help being impressed by this rich assortment.
The Town of Deer Lake, incidentally, has a ghost story of its own, and Jarvis supplies it here. The section on scaring off evil spirits relates specifically to Codroy Valley.
While our folk legend having to do with the sleep disturbance, known commonly throughout Newfoundland as the Old Hag, seems to have particular power to terrify, and Jarvis covers that one in this book as well.
“Haunted Waters” is an excellent collection –highly readable and enjoyable for adults and young adults – and not just those with a fondness for creepy tales. Readers interested in the folktales, superstitions, and history of our province will find much to admire about it as well.
For Newfoundland and Labrador public libraries, I’m Darrell Squires.
CBC Radio, Corner Brook, April 18, 2010
Haunted Waters: More True Ghost Stories of Newfoundland and Labrador
I've always admired folklorist Dale Jarvis for the way he treats stories of the supernatural and unexplained. Newfoundland and Labrador, as part of its history, is rich with stories and accounts of hauntings and paranormal phenomena.
Jarvis, with his academic background and solid reputation for doing high quality research, gives this aspect of our history extra dignity and credibility. His interest in this field is quite genuine and he treats it seriously – and not just because these events make for fascinating stories.
Jarvis's latest book, “Haunted Waters: More True Ghost Stories of Newfoundland and Labrador” is a follow-up to his popular collection “Haunted Shores.” Many of these stories were published previously in Jarvis's column in the Telegram, “Newfoundland Unexplained,” and in Downhome Magazine.
Jarvis takes an organized approach; “Haunted Waters” is sorted into sections dealing with specific types of haunting or disturbance. There are haunted houses and other buildings; apparitions; phantom ships, and animal spirits; there’s also a section on faerie folklore and local legends.
There seems hardly a corner of our province where Jarvis hasn't found something otherworldly or hard to explain. Many of the things recounted here relate to places in St. John's, but most deal with other places and readers won’t be able to help being impressed by this rich assortment.
The Town of Deer Lake, incidentally, has a ghost story of its own, and Jarvis supplies it here. The section on scaring off evil spirits relates specifically to Codroy Valley.
While our folk legend having to do with the sleep disturbance, known commonly throughout Newfoundland as the Old Hag, seems to have particular power to terrify, and Jarvis covers that one in this book as well.
“Haunted Waters” is an excellent collection –highly readable and enjoyable for adults and young adults – and not just those with a fondness for creepy tales. Readers interested in the folktales, superstitions, and history of our province will find much to admire about it as well.
For Newfoundland and Labrador public libraries, I’m Darrell Squires.
CBC Radio, Corner Brook, April 18, 2010
Wednesday 2 March 2011
Two Storytelling Workshops with Clare Muireann Murphy
I want to give a plug for two workshops coming up next week with the fabulous visiting Irish storyteller Clare Muireann Murphy. How could you not love that face?
I met Clare through her work with FEST (Federation for European Storytelling) and I'm delighted that she is coming to Newfoundland. If you have an interest in storytelling, performance, spoken word, or theatre, take one of these workshops! There are two, one in Mount Pearl, one in St. John's, and they are for people with a wide range of backgrounds, or no background in storytelling at all. You can read more about Clare at http://claremurphy.org/
“Introduction to the Art of Storytelling”
Tuesday, March 8th
Admiralty House Museum,
23 Old Placentia Rd, Mount Pearl
7:00 – 9:00 PM
The Association for the Arts in Mount Pearl is pleased to present storyteller Clare Muireann Murphy offering a workshop in the fundamentals of storytelling that will teach the essential tools for creating and telling stories. Pre-register at: storytellingstjohns@gmail.com
Aimed at: Beginners
Admission: $20
"Finding Your Voice"
Saturday, March 12th
Gower Street United Church Hall
1:00 – 3:00 PM
Turn familiar stories into true treasures! Each storyteller is blessed with their own unique style. Having trouble finding yours? Treat yourself to this workshop and find your own voice! A workshop focused on how to make stories uniquely your own; how to discover and develop your own style of storytelling. Learn how to uncover your own voice, turning old or familiar stories into something beautiful and inherently yours.
Aimed at: Beginners / Intermediate storytellers
Admission: $20 Pre-register at: storytellingstjohns@gmail.com
Tuesday 15 February 2011
Fantastic sea monsters invade St. John's!
Well, I'm getting stoked. There is nothing I love better than a giant squid (with the possible exception of a cloned wooly mammoth). My new sea monster storytelling show "Here Be Monsters" is coming up quick, at The Rooms on February 27th.
The event is part of a travelling exhibit at The Rooms called "Fantastic Sea Monsters" running February 12 - June 19 on Level Two.
Here is what The Rooms website says about the exhibit:
Fantastic imaginary creatures? Amazing but real marine life? Either way, stories of ocean and lake monsters have fascinated us since the dawn of time. Seafarers were convinced that the oceans were the devil's kingdom, a place of terrifying monsters eager for shipwrecks, the home of sirens, krakens, whales, sea serpents, and giant sharks. Early naturalists were fascinated by the strange creatures of the deep. This bilingual exhibition will take you where the fantastic intertwines with reality.
The exhibition is produced by the Musée du Fjord, in partnership with The Rooms Provincial Museum Division, the Maritime Museum of British Columbia, and Océanopolis (France). I'm going to check it out this week, and will report back!
In the meantime, you can visit the exibit website at:
http://monstresmarins.ca/en/home.html
Friday 21 January 2011
The Drawer Boy - friendship, storytelling and remembrance
While learning about farming from a couple of ‘old fellas’, a young city actor stumbles upon a decades old mystery. The Drawer Boy is a funny and heart-warming play that weaves a tale of friendship, storytelling and remembrance.
This modern Canadian classic by Michael Healey is directed by award-winning director Danielle Irvine and runs in the Basement Theatre of the St. John’s Arts and Culture Centre.
Opening Wednesday, February 2nd, The Drawer Boy starring veteran actors Bruce Brenton (The Tempest and Sound of Music) and Steve O’Connell (Republic of Doyle and Woman in Black) and up and coming young actor Brad Bonnell (Diary of Anne Frank and Troilus and Cressida).
Show time is 8pm Wednesday through Saturday and closes with a Sunday matinee at 2:00pm. Tickets are $22.00 and $10.00 for students.
Feb 2-6, 2011
Basement Theatre
St. John's Arts and Culture Centre
Sunday 16 January 2011
Haunted Shores now available as Kobo ebook
Haunted Shores: True Ghost Stories of Newfoundland and Labrador by Dale Jarvis is now available as an ebook through Kobo and chapters.indigo.
From the northern shores of Labrador to the south coast of Newfoundland, there are as many ghost stories as there are bays and inlets. The province of Newfoundland and Labrador is rich with tales of ghost ships, mysterious lights, sinister spectres, tokens of impending death, headless pirates, and murdered loves. From legends of phantom loggers to stories of possessed teapots, Haunted Shores: True Ghost Stories of Newfoundland and Labrador is an eerie exploration of the phantom-filled nooks and crannies of the province. Why does a mournful lady ghost return to Arnold's Cove every November? Do ghostly submarines still sail the waters of Trinity Bay? What is the most haunted street in St. John's? Drawn from both archival sources and first-hand accounts, the stories herein weave together anecdote, oral tradition, history and folklore to form a rich tapestry depicting a rarely explored side of Newfoundland and Labrador. Read the ebook, if you dare…
From the northern shores of Labrador to the south coast of Newfoundland, there are as many ghost stories as there are bays and inlets. The province of Newfoundland and Labrador is rich with tales of ghost ships, mysterious lights, sinister spectres, tokens of impending death, headless pirates, and murdered loves. From legends of phantom loggers to stories of possessed teapots, Haunted Shores: True Ghost Stories of Newfoundland and Labrador is an eerie exploration of the phantom-filled nooks and crannies of the province. Why does a mournful lady ghost return to Arnold's Cove every November? Do ghostly submarines still sail the waters of Trinity Bay? What is the most haunted street in St. John's? Drawn from both archival sources and first-hand accounts, the stories herein weave together anecdote, oral tradition, history and folklore to form a rich tapestry depicting a rarely explored side of Newfoundland and Labrador. Read the ebook, if you dare…
Friday 7 January 2011
Storytelling Circle Events for 2011
Happy New Year! A new season of storytelling is upon us, and we've got most of our hosts lined up for the 2011 Storytelling Circles at the Crow's Nest. We've got some old favourites, and some new ones, including a special visit in July from Massachusetts storyteller Karen Chace. We're also talking with the Folk Arts Society about co-hosting a Story Slam in March, so stay tuned.
Our first night in January is a bit later than usual. We've had to shift the date to January 20th, so mark that on your calendars.
Our first host of the year, Crystal Martin, is a multimedia graduate who grew up in a tiny fishing village and enjoyed many Newfoundland traditions including storytelling. Today Crystal's hobbies includes gathering information on her family history, and preserving the memories of home with interviews, film, and restoring old photographs of relatives. She has also performed in numerous drama productions including the play "No Man is an Island", and has taught the piano during most of her teenage years. Crystal has been telling stories at the storytelling circle since fall of 2009.
You can see who will be hosting for the rest of the year at http://www.storytellingstjohns.ca/circle.html. We'll be adding other hosts as they are confirmed.
See you at the Crow's Nest on the 20th!
Our first night in January is a bit later than usual. We've had to shift the date to January 20th, so mark that on your calendars.
Our first host of the year, Crystal Martin, is a multimedia graduate who grew up in a tiny fishing village and enjoyed many Newfoundland traditions including storytelling. Today Crystal's hobbies includes gathering information on her family history, and preserving the memories of home with interviews, film, and restoring old photographs of relatives. She has also performed in numerous drama productions including the play "No Man is an Island", and has taught the piano during most of her teenage years. Crystal has been telling stories at the storytelling circle since fall of 2009.
You can see who will be hosting for the rest of the year at http://www.storytellingstjohns.ca/circle.html. We'll be adding other hosts as they are confirmed.
See you at the Crow's Nest on the 20th!
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