Part Three – The Surprises
One of the most enjoyable parts of the StoryTown Radio Show is that no two shows are alike. They might have similar themes from time to time, but the stories are different, and we never have the same exact cast twice. StoryTown is also lucky to have a rotating door of musical acts, special guests, and visiting acts. We’ll talk more about the music in another blog, but right now we wanted to focus on the special guests that make StoryTown extra special.
In the early years of the Radio Show, StoryTown partnered with the International Storytelling Center to incorporate their Storytelling Live Teller in Residence into our monthly shows. This stopped in 2020 during the pandemic, but we are excited to announce that the tradition will resume in May when “new voice” Paul Strickland will join us to tell a story. Radio Show guests will get a sneak peek into his performance. You can learn more about him at his website Paul Strickland | Storyteller (ainttrue.com), and get tickets to his week long residency (May 28-June 1) at Storytelling Live – International Storytelling Ctr (storytellingcenter.net).
When possible, we love to invite other community groups and guest artists to be a part of StoryTown. In the past we’ve had the League of Women Voters, Umoja, Corazon Latino, Jonesborough Locally Grown, poet Jasmine Henderson. Friends of Jimmy Neil Smith Park, the Washington County Public Library, and Community 365 among others as guests on the show. They get a chance to talk about their organization, what they do and how people can get involved. In May we are excited to partner with the Appalachian Highlands Humane Society on a pet food drive for their Pet Pantry. The pantry is purely donation based and it helps pet owners who are going through difficult times. When you come out to the show on May 27th, bring cat food, dog food, and cat littler with you to donate and help StoryTown give back. No donation is too small. A can of food means a lot to a hungry cat or dog.
In return, StoryTown has its own giveaway this month. When we ventured out to Brights Zoo to collect stories about their menagerie, they generously donated six tickets to our show. We’ll be giving away 3 sets of 2 throughout the evening. You must have a ticket to the show and be present to win. Our final guest for the month is Off Leash Social, who are also the main sponsor for this episode. They’re a unique dog park and bar experience in Johnson City.
Come on out to the Visitors Center on May 27th at 7:00 pm for a show full of tales and tails and music from the Sweetwater Troubadours. Tickets are only $10 and are available for purchase through Jonesborough.com/tickets or by calling the Visitors Center at 423.753.1010. The StoryTown Radio Show is sponsored by the Tennessee Arts Commission, Gary and Sandee Degner, Trivia with Budds, the Silver Raven, the Wild Women of Jonesborough, and Mountain Empire Cremation and Burial Services.