Labx and the wonderful world of storytelling on the web

This is a photo of my storytelling colleague, Sydney-based master teller Donna Jacobs Sife, who has been a great mentor to me. Read on to find a link to a video of Donna and other inspiring tellers on a new showcase site LabX.

After I left The Drama Action Centre, where I trained full-time in drama, specialising in storytelling, I found that the most powerful way to grow as a teller was to listen to as many different tellers telling as many different tales as possible.

I read articles and listened to stories at Sean Buvala's wonderful US site Storyteller Net. There were podcasts and text stories, article and interviews. I bought a 4 CD set that is now beloved by the whole family from the US National Storytelling Network website:"A Storytelling Treasury". It features 33 tellers, all from different racial and cultural backgrounds, ages, gender and accents! I have learnt as much from the tales I adore as the ones I am not so keen on.

Then I got hooked on Eric Wolf's (Brother Wolf) The Art of Storytelling Show Fantastic!

Includes interviews and text articles with Jack Zipes, Jay O’Callahan and a wonderful cross section of US and international tellers, including an interview on ‘Australian storytelling’ with Christine Carlton (President NSW Storytelling Guild) and myself.


Jeff Gere from Hawaii has a wonderful online radio show Talk Story Radio which features many great tellers- including his prolific and dynamic self and the sublime Kathie Collins aka 'Tita'. Check it out and subscribe and the stories can be delivered FREE to your itunes account.

Another favourite site of mine is LabX where you can take pot luck (if you don't know the names) watching a mix of professional and amateur tellers in a variety of settings. It doesn't yet have a search facility, but there are a wealth of great tales and retellings. It is currently organised in the archive- (see brown arrow icon bottom right of the page) by months only. No search facility as yet, as it done as an act of voluntary service I think. (See relevant article at Eric Wolf's site if you'd like to know more.)


You'll find quite a few great Aussies there too- check out Melbourne teller Jackie Kerin (February?) telling 'Shark' and Sydney tellers in June Donna Jacobs Sife (pictured) telling 'Star basket' and Lilli Pang Rodriguez telling 'Bat' for starters. I am hoping 'Goldenheart' will be up there soon too.  


Also look for U.S. tellers Jay O'Callahan, Diane Ferlatte, Dovie Thomasen, Jeff Gere and Donna Washington.

Have fun exploring!

Storytelling and web2

Storytelling is an ancient art that has enjoyed an enormous international resurgence since the seventies. As well as performing in schools, conferences, festivals, libraries and events large and small, modern storytellers are entering the digital age energetically. They are uploading podcasts, itales, stories on itunes and You Tube clips. They are broadcasting story radio shows that stream over the internet, writing blogs and ninging each other!

I particularly recommend LabX, a collation of storytelling You Tube clips by a mixture of professional and amateur tellers; 'The Art of Storytelling' with podcasts of over 100 interviews conducted by US teller Eric or Brother Wolf. The 'Healing Story Alliance' US website is also absolutely fantastic.

Below in the links section you will find links to some of these very exciting resources.

Now Australians are also uploading You Tube clips: Jackie Kerin and Anne E Stewart of Victoria, Jesse Wind Wanderer of Perth and Lilli Pang of Sydney. Lilli has also just released a Spanish and English story CD.

I now have three CD's and I am planning on releasing a fourth in a few months with an environmental theme. But my next step is to upload stories to itunes and then create a You Tube clip or 12!