Tales From the Hill 2023-24 at the Guelph Civic Museum, 

Second Thursday - November 9th. 

Doors open 6:30, stories 7- 8:15

"A great line-up of tellers awaits you this Thursday evening at the Guelph Civic Museum. Guild members Beve Matson, Michael (Rusty) Doherty, Don Conibear, Brian Holstein and host Sya VanGeest will be joined by the wonderfully talented and Guelph's own, Adwoa Badoe.

Ans knowing him, our patron, the remarkable Robert Munsch will no doubt have a story.

Doors open at 6:30 at the Museum on Cork Street for social time and refreshments, and the performance gets underway at 7:00 pm.

As always, our regular performances are free, but appropriate donations are appreciated."

Brian Holstein.  https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=brian%20holstein

  

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LAUNCH: October 12

It was agreed, a fun evening of storytelling and visiting, launching our fall/winter season indoors in the Civic Museum.  Robert Munsch started us off with one of his beloved stories.  Judy and Paul Caulfield followed.  Judy with a story shaped by history and  Paul's humerous tale writing a love song to his beloved of some forty years.  We heard the sequal. The lineup included GGS members Beve, Brian, Rusty, and Sya.  (See members list.)

WHAT is it? GGS' monthly Tales From the Hill at the Guelph Civic Museum, includes invited guests, an open mic, and Guelph Guild members. It is known as the perfect place to discover storytelling. Listen to experienced guest tellers, meet members of GGS, hear novice tellers at the open mic, or more experienced tellers testing new stories, all in a warm, welcoming, and supportive atmosphere. Part of the fun is the casual socializing around hot cider and wee goodies.

WHEN?  Second Thursday each month:  Oct to June

TIME? 6:30 pm EDT Museum doors open. The program starts at 7:00 PM.  We're open for casual socialization before and after the storytelling, with hot cider, cheese, and sweets.

GUIDELINES? Do you want a volunteer your teling voice? Link to the Open Mic page and register. Be prepared to vet your story through the friendly, supportive ear of GGS members, in person or on Zoom.  (Your choice.) 
Stories should be no more than ten minutes and may include any type of telling, but not reading.

 So if you have a ballad, a poem, a personal story, or a folk/fairytale, come and share it at the Guelph Civic Museum.  You can e-mail here to discuss a telling.

 
THEMES/ROSTER? Each month may feature a theme as suggested by the Guild at their monthly planning meeting. The guest lineup and guild tellers are organized, in addition to tellers registered through the open mic. Here's an invitation to email the Webmaster to tell: guelphstory@gmail.com, and volunteer for an open mic as time allowed.

WHERE? Guelph Civic Museum.

 Be assured of a warm welcome and a fun evening with listenig friends.

As always, with all GGS events, it is free. There is the usual hat on display for freewill donations to defray the operating costs of the Guild 

 

The evening ends with chats around hot cider, cheese and cookies.

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      Tea ‘n’ Tales 2023 - The season was a blast! 

 

A typical Friday morning of storytelling in the idlylic setting in The Guelph Enabling Garden along the shore of the Speed River.

It is magical!

 

 

 

  

 September 8: 

It was the last performance of Tea 'n' Tales for the summer of 2023.

And what a wonderful way to end the season:

First, the wonderful, inspiring music of violinist Bridget Walsh,

followed by Guelph's own tellers, Adwoa Badoe and Sya VanGeest.

 

So, for the last time this summer, over 100 came out for a wonderful Friday morning. Most arrived early to enjoy Bridget on the violin from 10 to 10:30 a.m, a delicious free Planet Beancoffee in hand with a wee muffin, prepared with a donation shared by the enabling Garden and GGS.

 

 September 1: 

Say, "Hello to September" by joining us at the Guelph Enabling Garden on Friday, Sept 1^st. The performance gets underway at 10am, with the storytelling commencing at 10:30.

This is our second-last chance to enjoy the magic of storytelling in the equally magical Guelph Enabling Garden.

Two talented, powerful tellers will be preceded by another new talented artist, Preetam. 

Prelude performer, Preetam Sengupta, is a storytelling singer-songwriter from Sarnia, but has called Guelph home for many years. His 2017 album “Patience” earned him a Folk Music Ontario Award.

 

  August 25 - 26:   Tea 'n' Tales and Under the Magic Ash weekend:

What a weekend!  

Friday was a wet morning, but that did not dampen the cheerful audience, who gathered under the green-roofed shelter to hear Brampton's Judy and Paul Caulfield and Toronto's Susan Ida Boucaud spin their tales and songs.

 Paul Caulfield  charmed us with his gentle stories and music from 10 to 10:30.

This event, after a wonderful previous weekend of storytelling when at Friday's Tea 'n' Tales,  82 braved the cold, the wind and the rain to hear Ruth Danziger, Beve and Elizabeth Matson, along with the Royal City Ambassadors ( 25^th).

 

 August 26:  

 

Saturday 26^th, over one thousand people poured into the Garden to enjoy a special children's program:  (with Robert's permission), a puppet play that brought his story, The Paper Bag Princess, alive - created by Ellen Webb, with Linda Smith, Andy Timmerman and Sya VanGeest, folowed by beloved storytelling by Robert Munsch, in addition to gifted children's tellers Ruth and Elizabeth and musical prelude with Larry Gibbs. What a weekend!  

Now, we are excited to have another great Friday in store September 1^st.

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Earlier this month, on CBC Radio, Sunday morning, August 6^th   Beve, and Elizabeth were interviewed on "Fresh Air." 

Click here to hear them talk about storytelling  

We came to Tea 'n' Tales in Guelph's Enabling Garden on Friday morning, August 18 and heard them in person at 10:30. 

 

 SPECIAL FAMILY DAY: "UNDER THE MAGIC ASH" : AUGUST 19   

August 19 was an exciting morning!

At 10 am Larry Gibbs entertained for our third Under the Magic Tree family friendly summer 2023 event - - - singing, including singalongs.  

At 10:30 the program opened with a puppet presentation of Robert Munsch's The Paper Bag Princess.  

Thank you Robert for giving permission.

The story was narrated by Sya VanGeest with puppeteers Ellen Webb, Linda Smith and Andy Timmerman.  Four mobile backdrops, created by Ellen, set the stage and enhanced the storytelling.

Ellen Webb was given her first puppet at 8 years old from her brother for a birthday present. Now with an International collection of nearly 500 puppets of every type, Ellen has taken part in every puppeteering experience she can. 

Linda Smith first toured with a puppet troupe in 1980 called Kids on the Block. She is now a member of Puppets Elora. The years in between were filled with acting in community theatre.

Andy Timmerman, this was her first formal puppet performance, thanks Ellen for the invitation and encouragement after working with her on a school play. Andy's is thrilled to be taking part in this experience.

Robert will delighted us with two sets of storytelling!  The joyous Munsch memories of growing up with his fun stories can be seen in the smiles of listeners.

 Elizabeth Matson and Ruth Danzinger, each much beloved children's storytellers, added to the charm.

After the program, options for the children:

Lemonade prepared and served by the Enabling Garden volunteers, book signing and photo opportunties with that personal meeting with Robert,  hand painting of trees, puppets meeting children, "Tree of Life" charm necklaces (suggestion $5.00, or as able - proceeds shared by the Enabling Garden and Guild of Storytellers). 

 

 

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August 4:   Over 100 arrived early, enjoyed music from 10 until 10:30 am, and free coffee, compliments of Planet Bean. ( - - - using their own mugs and, most, their own chair.)

Followed by an enjoyable hour of stories by Cecilia Vizcaino and Maria del Carmen Ordenzo..

Next "under the Magic Ash":  Saturday August 5th - 10am music, 10:30 stories with Robert, Sarah and Sya, 11:30 lemonade and Robert book autographing.

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   Click here for a schedule of 2023 Tellers 

Guelph Guild of Storytellers (GGS) and the Enabling Garden are proud to announce the 2023 Tea 'n' Tales, a free summer-long Friday morning storytelling series of performances, held in the idyllic setting on the Speed River, The Guelph Enabling Garden in Riverside Park. There's a proud 16-year history, with a demure beginning, but currently grown in popularity, with regular audiences of 100, and exceeding 200 with Robert Munch in 2023.  

 We have an excellent sound system, (thanks to free-will donations and a grant) so that even listeners in a stopped car had their windows down and listened.

1.    13 Friday mornings from June 16 to Sept 8 from 10:30-11:30  - - Our listeners come early:  get their favourite spot, meet friends and neighbours, be welcomed by music, enjoy a complimentary coffee/ (compliments of Planet Bean), and iced tea - (bring your own mug,  - -  and your own chair. ) - Always a lovely buzz of anticipation. . . . ..

2.   THREE FAMILY-FRIENDLY EVENTS: 2:00 PM Saturday afternoons 
They promise to be a fun and interactive event for the whole family. They are followed by free lemonade.
July 15, August 5, and 19.

"The Enabling Garden is a unique venue for gathering and sharing songs and stories. The natural amphitheater is inviting. 
  ^{~ J&P C June 2022}

Tea 'n' Tales June 23, 2023

Tellers:
Brian, Norm, Connie, Bruce, Robert, Sya

  July 28:   Returning from Toronto, professioanl storyteller, Lynne Torrie along with renowed, Gueph's own, Brad Woods and Robert Munsch

     Click here for a schedule of 2023 Tellers