Storytelling for Families
Columbia Independent School
Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser and Auction
at the school's new location:
1801 North Stadium Blvd.
Columbia, MO 65202

Milbre Burch will present from 6:15 to 6:45 pm at the Literacy Night Celebration at Paxton-Keeley Elementary School, 201 Park de Ville, in Columbia, MO.

Milbre Burch will present a lecture-demonstration entitled “Changing Skins: Gender-bending Folktales from Around the World” at the Women's and Gender Studies Graduate Conference at Room 325 Strickland Hall on the campus of the University of Missouri from 12:00-12:45 PM.

Telling Stories, Changing Lives – With Former Child Soldier and Author Ishmael Beah, and Storyteller and Human Rights Activist Laura Simms

Four-day Community Collaborative Residency

PUBLIC EVENTS ON THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI CAMPUS

Photography Exhibit: Global Journalist, The Face of Refuge in Darfur, Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda by Gina Bramucci. Lee Hills Hall Rotunda, February 7 – March 7.

Wednesday, February 18

Ishmael Beah and Laura Simms Public Lecture, 7 PM, Jesse Auditorium. Free to students of all ages; $8.00 suggested donation for all others. Beah and Simms will read from their writings and share their stories in a presentation that captures their joint witness to the healing power of story. Box Office will open at 6 PM.

Thursday, February 19

Public Reception for Ishmael Beah and Laura Simms, 5:30 – 7:00 PM, Reynolds Journalism Institute. Free. Simms’ and Beah’s books and CDs will be available for purchase, and they will be available for signing from 6:30 – 7:00 PM.

Panel Discussion “Narrative as a Pathway to Reconciliation”, 7:30 – 9:00 PM, Waters Auditorium. Free. A presentation by Ishmael Beah and Laura Simms with respondents from MU and the community. Moderated by Gina Bramucci, an award-winning journalist, photographer and humanitarian relief worker, recently returned from Eastern Congo. Panel includes Palestinian-born poet and memoirist Ibtisam Bakarkat, Dr. Bea Gallimore who founded Step-Up! an organization for women survivors of the genocide in Rwanda and others.

The residency is being produced by Kind Crone Productions in association with the Humanities/Speech Communication Department and Unity in the Community at Columbia College, Ragtag Cinema and Columbia Public Library. Financial assistance for the project has been provided by the City of Columbia Office of Cultural Affairs, and the City of Columbia Human Rights Commission. Two days of the residency are also being featured as the National Storytelling Network 2009 Year of the Regions Conference for the South Central Region and underwritten by the National Storytelling Network with support from its Storytelling in Higher Education special interest group and the Mid-Missouri Organization of Storytelling. Additional funding for events at the University of Missouri comes from the Center for Study of Conflict, Law and the Media, the School of Journalism, the Women’s and Gender Studies Department, the Theatre Department, the Center for Arts and Humanities, the Center for Religion and the Professions, the International Center, the Chancellor’s Diversity Initiative, the Black History Month Committee, the Mid-Missouri chapter of the UN Association and the MIZZOU Alumni Association.

PUBLIC EVENTS AROUND COLUMBIA

including the National Storytelling Network Year of the Regions
2009 South Central Region Conference

Friday, February 20

Storytelling and Compassionate Action, a Conversation with Laura Simms, Launer Auditorium at Columbia College, 1001 Rogers St. Admission $5.
7:00 – 7:30 PM Laura’s books and CDs will be available for purchase and she will be available for signing.

7:30 – 9:00 PM Milbre Burch will interview this dedicated humanitarian about her international work employing both traditional and personal storytelling. With question period for the audience.(NSN South Central Region Conference event)

Saturday, February 21

Laura Simms Storytelling Workshop, 9:30 – 11:00 AM, Columbia Public Library, 100 W. Broadway. Free. A workshop aimed at teachers, librarians, storytellers, community workers, youth workers and the interested public on telling stories of peace and justice as pathways to reconciliation. Free, but registration with the library is required. Limit 40 participants. Registration begins Tuesday, February 3. Call 573.443.3161 or email Sarah Howard showard@dbrl.org. (NSN South Central Region Conference event).

“Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars” Film Screening and Community Roundtable, 1:30 – 4:00 PM, Ragtag Cinema, 10 Hitt St. Free to students of all ages; admission for others $6, sliding scale. “Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars,” is a film by Zach Niles and Banker White which documents the band’s inspiring determination to fight back against the trauma of war through music. Following the film, director Zach Niles, Beah and Simms will join community members in a round table discussion of issues including human resilience in the aftermath of war, the power of music and story, and the meaning of home and family. (NSN South Central Region Conference event).

Telling Stories, Changing Lives with Ishmael Beah, 5:30 – 7:30 PM, the Activity and Recreation Center (ARC), 1701 West Ash St. Free. Learn how the power of music can spread the message of non-violence through hip hop, rap and dance both in Africa and here in Columbia. For Teens. Sponsored by City of Columbia C.A.R.E. Program.

Making Peace, Heart Uprising, A Storytelling Concert for Adults by Laura Simms, 7:30 – 9:00 PM, Launer Auditorium at Columbia College, 1001 Rogers St. Admission $10. A solo performance of stories of peace and justice, drawing from myth and everyday lives. (NSN South Central Region Conference event.)

NSN South Central Region Conference will also include no-host lunch and dinner and post-performance get-together on Sat.

Lunch at Uprise Bakery, 10 Hitt St. 11:45 – 1:00 Join other conference attendees for delicious cafe food and conversation. Uprise is in the same building as Ragtag Cinema where the film screening will be.

Dinner at Sophia’s, 3915 S. Providence, 5:30 PM. Join other conference attendees for Southern European cuisine and conversation.

Post-show get-together at Encore at The Upper Crust, 904 Elm St., 9:30 PM. Wine and Dessert bar at popular restaurant in the District.

Milbre Burch will tell a story to open a film at the True/False Film Festival in Columbia, MO. Watch this space for dates and times.

Milbre Burch will be performing “Too Much Information,” a new autobiographical performance as part of a panel, “Murmurs and Memoir: At the Heart of Performing Selves,” at the Central States Communication Association in the Dugout/Cabana Room at the Millenium Hotel in St. Louis from 8:00-9:15 AM on Thursday, April 2, 2009.

Milbre Burch will make a presentation on “Fat Pig: Neil LaBute's re-envisioning of 'Sir Gawain and the Loathly Lady” as part of a Fairy Tale Area panel at the National Popular Culture Association/American Culture Association Conference at the New Orleans Marriot Hotel in New Orleans, LA.

5:30-8:00 PM
Sven's Kafe and Gallery
110 Orr Street
Columbia, MO

...to promote awareness about modern day slavery
...to celebrate that we are free to create, and
...to sound the call for freedom for all!

Free and Open to the Public – Families Welcome 

Featuring Music, Dance, Spoken Word, Hip Hop, Photography, Fair Trade (Slave-Free) Display, Silent Auction, Raffle and Fashion Show Case 

Sven's Brown Bag Meal will be available for purchase along with beverages and Swedish treats. 

Co-sponsored by Central Missouri Stop Human Trafficking Coalition, Stop Traffic and Mustard Seed Fair Trade  

The Coalition is celebrating its One Year Birthday! 
For more information contact Coalition co-chair Deb Hume at

deb@stoptrafficnow.org  or 573-884-3757

7:00-8:00 AM
Rotary Club of Columbia, MO
Country Club of Missouri
Forum Blvd.
Columbia, MO
Contact: Glen Erhard
gehrhardt@rewlaw.net

Holding Up the Sky – Workshop Production
7:00PM
McKee Gymnasium
University of Missouri
Hitt Street between Rollins and University
Columbia, MO

Contact: Milbre Burch
milbre@kindcrone.com
573-443-3131

6:30 PM
American Association of University Women
Boone Tavern
Broadway Ave.
Columbia, MO
Contact: Holly Burgess
hburgess@socket.net

“Hear and (k)Now: a woman's health narrative”
12:35-1:05 PM
Peachtree Banquet Center
Columbia, MO

Spon sored by Sinclair School of Nursing, University of Missouri
Contact: Shirley J. Farrah, Assistant Dean
FarrahS@missouri.edu
573-882-0215

7:30-8:45 PM
Lecture Demonstration and Workshop on stories of peace and justice and reconciliation for high school students attending the Missouri Scholars Academy on the campus of the University of Missouri in Columbia.
Contact: Ted Tarkow
tarkowt@missouri.edu

10:30 AM – 2:00 PM
$35.00 per person
Bring a Bag Lunch

Memoir Writing Workshop
Unitarian Universalist Church of Columbia
Shepard Lane
Columbia, MO
Contact: Fran Reynolds
freynolds@centurytel.net

Milbre Burch and Antonio Rocha return to the Celebration Barn Theatre in South Paris, ME, for a weeklong workshop entitled: The Art of Storytelling. The Barn is located at 190 Stock Farm Road, S. Paris, ME 04281. To register, contact Amanda Huotari by calling (207) 743-8452, or emailing her at mandy@celebrationbarn.com, or by visiting www.celebrationbarn.com.

4:00 PM Lecture Demonstration and Performance

Milbre Burch and Antonio Rocha will host their professional storytelling students in a presentation for audience members. Tickets $8.00

Email: info@celebrationbarn.com

Write to:
Celebration Barn Theater
190 Stock Farm Road
South Paris, ME 04281 U.S.A.

Office: (207) 743 – 8452

The evening brings together Antonio Rocha, celebrated for his 'stories in motion,' and Milbre Burch, Grammy-nominated for her 'theater of the spoken word'. Tickets: $14 adults, $12 seniors, $8 students and kids.

Email: info@celebrationbarn.com

Write to:
Celebration Barn Theater
190 Stock Farm Road
South Paris, ME 04281 U.S.A.

Office: (207) 743 – 8452

Milbre Burch will be featured at the 24th Annual Sierra Storytelling Festival, the Queen of Festivals, July 24-26, 2009, at the North Columbia Schoolhouse Culture Center in Nevada City, CA. For details, contact:

Samantha Hinrichs
Executive Director
North Columbia Schoolhouse Cultural Center
17894 Tyler Foote Road
Nevada City, CA 95959
(530) 265-2828
ncscc@nccn.net
www.sierrastorytellingfestival.org

An annual retreat with twelve nationally known storytellers who showcase new work for feedback and critique.

National Storytelling Festival
Jonesborough, TN
http://www.storytellingcenter.com/festival/festival.htm

7:00-8:30 PM
Milbre Burch will perform two of her original “Mary Stories” as part of an evening of festivities to complement the Sacred Feminine Exhibit at the Museum of Art and Archaeology on the campus of the University of Missouri in Columbia. “Blessed Art Thou” by cfrancis blackchild and a portion of the Medieval Wakefield Annunciation play, directed by Gloria Dossett will also be featured.
Contact: Milbre Burch
milbre@kindcrone.com

Cape Girardeau, Missouri
Contact: Joel Rhodes
jrhodes@semo.edu

“Like Meat Loves Salt: Stories from the World's Table” — Breakout session for the annual conference of Mid-Missouri TAWL (Teachers Applying Whole Language). 10:55-11:45 AM.

Developed to complement the traveling exhibition of photographs from the book Hungry Planet: What the World Eats by Peter Menzel and Faith D’Aluisio,
“Like Meat Loves Salt: Stories from the World’s Table” serves up traditional tales about food, its cultivation and consumption, hospitality and food ways. This entertaining program enriches language arts and social studies curricula and links to environmental studies (think Earth Day!) and global economic issues. Bibliography available.

Mary Paxton Keeley Elementary School
Columbia, Missouri

Directions to Mary Paxton Keeley Elementary School: From I-70, take Stadium Blvd. south to West Worley. Turn right (west) on West Worley. Turn Left (south) on to Park de Ville. The school is located at 201 Park de Ville.

Lodging: If needed, many local accommodations and national hotel chains are located in Columbia. Conference participants are responsible for their own lodging.

ADA: If you have special needs as addressed by the Americans with Disabilities Act and need assistance, notify us as soon as possible. Reasonable efforts will be made to accommodate your needs.

For more conference information, visit: http://tawl.missouri.org/conference.html

Friday night: Concert from 7:00-9:00 pm Ghost Stories for Families.

Katy Depot, Frontier Park, St. Charles , MO

Admission: one canned good per person.

Saturday morning: Workshop from 9:00 am-12:00 pm

Hampton Inn, St. Charles, MO

Quick! Quick! Do Tell Me! Mastering the Art of the Short and the Short/Short Tale
and Other Ways to Build your Skill and Repertoire.

Registration: $45.00 includes workshop, handout and CD of tales.

Sponsored by MO-TELL.

For more info, contact Sue Hinkel at shinkel@mail.win.org

Making the Heart Whole Again: Stories of Peace and Justice and Reconciliation

Twenty-five minute performance for the public as part of the Moving Ahead Program celebration. 223 Townsend Hall, University of Missouri-Columbia.

For more information, contact: Nikki Polosky at ncpq5c@mail.mizzou.edu

“Holding Up the Sky” is an exciting new ensemble piece written by Milbre Burch for the mainstage season of the University of Missouri – Columbia. Directed by Clyde Ruffin. Rhynsburger Theatre, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO.

All weekday and Saturday performances begin at 8:00 pm. All Sunday performances begin at 2:00 pm.

For reservations, email: theatre.missouri.edu or call the theatre box office at 573-882-PLAY.

Infused with world music and drawing on the diverse cast’s physicality and multi-linguality, as well as the director’s vision of a sleek minimalist stage design, the production bridges the ancient and the avant-garde. “Holding Up the Sky” weaves together the mythic language of creation and the everyday urgency of conversation across cultural and gender barriers, reminding adult listeners that storytelling is not just kids’ stuff and that “once upon a time is…now.”

“Holding Up the Sky” is an exciting new ensemble piece written by Milbre Burch for the mainstage season of the University of Missouri – Columbia. Directed by Clyde Ruffin. Rhynsburger Theatre, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO.

All weekday and Saturday performances begin at 8:00 pm. All Sunday performances begin at 2:00 pm.

For reservations, email: theatre.missouri.edu or call the theatre box office at 573-882-PLAY.

Infused with world music and drawing on the diverse cast’s physicality and multi-linguality, as well as the director’s vision of a sleek minimalist stage design, the production bridges the ancient and the avant-garde. “Holding Up the Sky” weaves together the mythic language of creation and the everyday urgency of conversation across cultural and gender barriers, reminding adult listeners that storytelling is not just kids’ stuff and that “once upon a time is…now.”

A 6:30-8:00 PM workshop performance of Milbre Burch's work-in-progress. Followed by audience talkback session.

The Center
907 East Ash St.
Columbia, MO

“Holding Up the Sky,” a play by Milbre Burch, directed by Clyde Ruffin and with an original soundscape by guest artist Tori Meyer has been selected for the regional competition of the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. In preparation for the festival, there will be a free encore performance at 8 pm on Friday, January 15th at the Rhynsburger Theatre on the campus of the University of Missouri-Columbia.

“Holding Up the Sky,” a play by Milbre Burch, directed by Clyde Ruffin and with an original soundscape by guest artist Tori Meyer has been selected for the regional competition of the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, The show will be featured at 7:30 pm on Wednesday, January 20th at the Johnson County Community Colelge in Kansas City, KS.

Service begins at 10:30 AM

Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Jefferson City, MO
1021 Northeast Drive, Jefferson City, MO
(573) 636-0684‎

Fourth Annual Women's and Gender Studies Graduate Conference
University of Missouri – Columbia

Conference lasts 8 am to 3 pm.

324 and 325 Strickland Hall on the campus of the University of Missouri – Columbia.

For more details, contact: Erica Kroll at elkckd@mail.mizzou.edu

7:00-10:00 PM

Tonight's workshop features storyteller Milbre Burch sharing tips and techniques for solo and ensemble spoken word performance. Open to the public.

Site to be announced. On the campus of the University of Missouri-Columbia

Milbre will present a portion of “Changing Skins” as Graduate Plenary Speaker at The Body Project: Forms, Motion, Essence – an interdisciplinary research conference at the University of Missouri.

Memorial Union 1 to 2 pm

Milbre Burch will tell an excerpt from her work-in-progress, Changing Skins, as part of the annual Queer Monologues festival. Show starts at 2:00 PM

Allen Auditorium on the campus of the University of MIssouri-Columbia

9:00-10:00 AM
An excerpt of Milbre's one-woman show will be featured in the Adult Forum of the
Unitarian Universalist Church of Columbia
2615 Shepard Boulevard, Columbia, MO 65201
573-442-5764

Premiere performance of the piece Milbre Burch has been workshopping for the last two years incorporating global folktales, cultural studies, personal narrative to explore gender and identity construction.

“Changing Skins” looks at the wealth and persistence of gender-bending images in oral tradition stories all over the world in the face of identity issues coming to the fore today.

Directed by Emily Rollie.

Co-sponsored by the Independent Actor's Theatre of Columbia, MO.

Talk back with audience directly following the show on Friday.

Reception directly following the show on Saturay.

Curtain is at 7:30 pm at Launer Auditorium on the Columbia College campus in Columbia, MO.

All tickets $5.00 cash only at the door.

Tickets are also available at http://iatheatre.org

Milbre Burch will present “Changing Skins” in concert in the sanctuary of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta, 1911 Cliff Valley Way, Atlanta, GA.

Directions to the church can be found at its website:
http://www.uuca.org/newcomers/directions-to-uuca

The show explores the wealth and persistence of gender-bending folktales and folk traditions around the world in the context of present-day thinking about gender identity and expression.

Sponsored by Interweave and the Southern Order of Storytellers, the show will start at 8 pm with a talkback following. Tickets are $10.00 in advance and $15.00 at the door. Tickets: 404-634-5134 × 216.

Additional information:
Mary Anne Chew: 404-355-4377
fchew@mindspring.com

On Saturday, June 19th, nationally known storyteller Milbre Burch will tell stories and offer a work at the Cartersville Civic Center in Cartersville, GA, from 1-4:30 pm. Events are free and open to the public.

She will perform at 1:00 pm and 2:00 pm stories from her 2007 Grammy nominated spoken word album, “Making the Heart Whole Again: Stories for a Wounded World.” These stories of tolerance, conflict resolution, justice and reconciliation speak to all age with a message of hope and healing in our hearts, homes, and communities. Following the performances, she will conduct a storytelling workshop for teens 12 and older. Hands-on visual arts activities iwll be provided for younger children.

Funded by the Gassroots Arts Program and hosted by Bartow Collaborative Family Connection. For more info, contact: 770-773- 7342. www.gafcp.org.

Milbre Burch will give the Keynote address at Story: A Path to Wholeness, a conference focusing on Storytelling as a Healing Art at St. Edward's University in Austin, TX. Sponsored by the Tejas Storytelling Association.

She will also showcase “Changing Skins: Folktales about Gender, Identity and Humanity” that weekend at the conference.

World-class storytellers Milbre Burch and Antonio Rocha will present a workshop in honing the storytelling artist’s instruments of voice, body, heart, memory, and imagination. Milbre and Antonio represent contemporary storytelling at its highest level of theatrical craft. Their five-day intensive has been shaped by several years of teaching at the late mime master Tony Montanaro’s Celebration Barn Theatre, and they are excited to bring it to the 2010 ETSU Summer Institutes. Each day will begin with stretches for the body, mind and voice. These exercises will be adaptable to various levels of ability. There will be instruction in mime illusions, theatre games and techniques, solo and group improvisations, and character work. Afternoons will be devoted to one-on-one coaching with each of the instructors. Evenings will feature solo performances and group critiques. Students will write or rehearse material on their own or with a partner, and intensively explore the story-making process. The workshop will culminate with a public performance of work developed and honed within the class. Registration will be limited, so make reservations early.

For more information, visit: http://www.etsu.edu/stories/Summ10sched.htm

To register, go to: http://www.etsu.edu/stories/instreg.htm