FILE PHOTO Nyla Fujii-Babb answers the questions "Why Porpoise's Tail is Crosswise" during the "Kid Kind Tales" portion of the "Talk Story Festival."

Spinning spell-binding tales

Ghoulish horror lurks

Pumpkin perfection

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By Tim Ryan
tryan@starbulletin.com

Anybody can tell a story, but how many can tell a good story?

That won't be a problem at this weekend's 14th annual Talk Story Festival at Ala Moana Park's McCoy Pavilion where master story tellers like Jeff Gere, Jack Boyle and Sandra MacLees of the Big Island, Tita Kathy Collins of Maui, Kate Frankel of California, and 16 others will spend three nights keeping listeners regaled with a stream of words adding up to laughter, a big scare, or heart-pounding thrills.

According to Gere, who created the Talk Story Festival, storytelling is a close kin to acting. It's the art of using language, vocalization, and physical movement and gesture to reveal images in listeners' minds.

Central to the craft is its reliance on the audience to imagine details that complete and co-create the story.

Through this sharing of experience, tellers use stories to pass on accumulated wisdom, beliefs and values. Through stories, people explain how things are, why they are, and our role and purpose. Stories are the building blocks of knowledge, the foundation of memory and learning. Important stuff.

"We want people to turn off that TV and video and stop playing those video games and come down to hear the thrill of live narrative," Gere said.

Hawaii's Talk Story Festival is the state's largest celebration of storytelling and oral history.

This year's event is divided into three subjects: Friday is "Spoooky Stories," Saturday is geared toward "Kid Kind Tales!" and Sunday is "Legends (Old & New)."

Other storytellers include Oahu's Bradajo, Ed Chevy, Adela Chu, Brenda Freitas-Obregon, Nyla Fjii-Babb, Hawaii Opera Theatre, Sharla Ku'ualoha Kaeo, Dan Kelin, Christy Lipps, James McCarthy, Joe Miller, Milky Way, Elly Tepper and Emil Wolfgramm.

This year marks the first time in a decade that the Tusitala Award will been given.

Marie Solomon of Kohala, Hawaii is the honoree for this year's Tusitala Award for Lifetime Achievement in recognition of her achievement in the art of storytelling. "Tusitala" is the Samoan word for storyteller, a nickname given to Robert Louis Stevenson. The award recognizes achievement in storytelling. Past recipients are Glen Grant, Robert Cazimero, Karen Keawehawaii, Bob Krauss, and Bren and Lucille Breneman.

Gere will also host a free Storytelling Boot Camp from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday. The "learn by doing" workshop offers exercises and tools for telling stories in a dynamic, creative way.

Here's a list of stories to be shared:

Today

>> Brenda Freitas-Obregon: "Kawelo O Mana"

>> Kate Frankel: "The Monkey's Paw"

>> Tita Kathy Collins: Legends of Pele

>> Ed Chevy: Deaf storyteller signs "The Fall of the House of Usher." Scott Wallace will interpret.

>> Sharla Kaeo: Shares true Fo' Reals! experiences she had on the Big Island with her halau during the Merrie Monarch Festival.

>> Sandra MacLees: The Weeping Lady.

>> Bradajo: Premieres tales from his new CD "Supernatural Tales in Pidgin" based on the writings of Glen Grant.

>> James McCarthy: Presents "The Tale of the Obi" with shadow puppets and narration by Jeff Gere.

Saturday

>> Milky Way: One of Hawaii's few professional puppeteers also teaches puppeteering, parenting, and preschool education classes. She shares "The Three Little Pigs."

>> Nyla Fujii-Babb: Answers the questions of "Why Woodpecker Has A Red Head" and "Why Porpoise's Tail is Crosswise."

>> Christy Lipps: Premieres her newest classic "The Three Billy Goats Gruff"

>> Ed Chevy directs Hawaii's Sign Language Festival and co-founded the first all deaf rock 'n' roll band, Beethoven's Nightmare. He shares "My Car Won't Start." Scott Wallace interprets.

>> James McCarthy will share a few songs, and the African story of "The Magic Python" with drummer Tunji Heath

>> Tita Kathy Collins: "Maui, the Demi-god, Not da Island"

>> Dan Kelin II: "Reef Eyes" and "Why People Can't Remove Their Heads"

>> Jack Boyle: Premieres his poems, "Stories of Yawns" and "Nods: Moi Moi Time"

Sunday

>> Elly Tepper: "Legend of Kaulukea," the owl woman kupua (shape-shifter) of Molokai.

>> Sandra MacLees: Two tales of the strange Revolutionary War hero, General Molton.

>> Adela Chu: In preparing for her role in Vilsoni Hereniko's play, "Fine Dancing," at the University of Hawaii's Kennedy Lab Theater, Chu immersed herself in the Legends of Hina, and shares some here.

>> Hina Kahanu: "Ka'ahu Pahau," the shark goddess of Pearl Harbor

>> Joe Miller: "Paris and the Three Golden Apples"

>> Emil Wolfgramm: "The Tongan Tale of Maui"

14th annual Talk Story Festival When: 7 to 9:30 p.m. today through Sunday; gates open at 6 p.m. Seating is open and limited. Where: McCoy Pavilion, Ala Moana Park Admission: Free Call: 692-5751

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