Oak Ridge Today

Flatwater Tales Storytelling Festival this weekend

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Charlotte Blake Alston, Bil Lepp, and Josh Goforth will entertain this weekend at the Flatwater Tales Storytelling Festival at the Historic Grove Theater in Oak Ridge. (Submitted photo)

The Flatwater Tales Storytelling Festival kicks off Friday at the Historic Grove Theater in Oak Ridge with three nationally-known storytellers sharing tales and music that will make you laugh, sing, and learn as you listen.

The storytellers are Charlotte Blake Alston, Josh Goforth, and Bil Lepp.

“All three use the power of storytelling to entertain and educate audiences, with hilarious, exaggerated tales or with true stories that shed light on cultures and historic events,” a press release said.

At 7 p.m. Friday, Alston will tell the inspiring story of the Six-Triple-Eight, the first all-Black Women’s Army Corps battalion assigned to military duty in Europe during World War II. She received a standing ovation after telling the story at the 2022 National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough. [Read more…]

Volunteer team plans Flatwater Tales Storytelling Festival

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Members of the Flatwater Tales Storytelling Festival team gather in this year’s festival t-shirts. They are, from left, seated, Pat Postma, Matt Tucker, Liz Tucker, Becky Dodson, and Ram Uppuluri. From left, standing, are Vanessa Spratling, Martha Hobson, Kay Brookshire, Charles Crowe, Judy Wilson, Ray Smith, Sue Byrne, and Mark Watson. (Photo by Linde Mills)

Volunteers from civic, charitable, and business organizations throughout the community are planning to welcome three renowned storytellers to Oak Ridge for the June 7 and 8 Flatwater Tales Storytelling Festival at the Historic Grove Theater.

Members of the three Oak Ridge Rotary Clubs are taking lead roles in the Flatwater Tales team planning the festival, which originated in 2018 as a community project led by Emily and Charlie Jernigan, Pat Postma, and Martha and David Hobson.

This year, Sue Byrne and Martha Hobson are co-chairing the Flatwater Executive Committee. Others on the Executive Committee are Lydia Birk, treasurer; Charles Crowe, leading the revenue team; Becky Dodson, heading the promotion team; and Pat Postma, secretary who is also on the performances team with Liz Tucker and Matt Tucker.

The storytellers coming to Flatwater Tales are Charlotte Blake Alston, Josh Goforth, and Bil Lepp. [Read more…]

Flatwater Tales Storytelling Festival returns in June

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Charlotte Blake Alston (Submitted photo)

The Flatwater Tales Storytelling Festival, inspired by the International Storytelling Center in Jonesborough, Tennessee, will bring three nationally known storytellers to Oak Ridge on June 7 and 8 with performances at the Historic Grove Theater, the Oak Ridge Public Library, and the Oak Ridge Senior Center.

The storytellers are Charlotte Blake Alston, Josh Goforth, and Bil Lepp.

“Each uses the power of storytelling to entertain and educate audiences, with hilarious, exaggerated tales or with true stories that shed light on cultures and historic events,” a press release said.

All three storytellers will perform at 7 p.m. Friday, June 7, and at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, June 8, at the Grove Theater. [Read more…]