Graveyard Tales

Real? Imagined? Who knows? Creepy tales unfold from stories passed down, legends and myths, and things that go screech in the night with the Jonesborough Storytellers Guild on Aug. 30 for two special concerts at the McKinney Center.

The Jonesborough Guild is the oldest continuing group of storytellers in the nation. Graveyard Tales will include spooky stories of local legends, creepy creatures, and bone-chilling lore. The 5 p.m. show is an all-ages event, while the 7 p.m. show is intended for children over the age of 12.

Featured storytellers include:

Travis Wolven
Travis was raised in a house filled with unexplained phenomena from small creaks and door cracks to full-on apparitions noted by family and neighbors alike. Having taken ghost hunting classes in Massachusetts and enjoying the experience of living and storytelling in a multidimensional world of spirits, he especially enjoys dusting off myths and legends of old. Travis is a recent graduate from the ETSU Communication and Storytelling Master’s Program, as well as a new Performing Member with the Jonesborough Storytellers Guild.

Vianna Isbister
Vianna is a dynamic multi-hyphenate performer and academic with a B.A. in Theatre and an M.A. in Communication and Storytelling Studies. Her work bridges the gap between the spoken and the unspoken, blending performance art with academic insights to craft narratives. Her work has recently been featured at the 2025 National Storytelling Network Conference and as an author of a book chapter in Memorial Art in Rhetorical Discourse in 2026. She has performed with Night Owl Circus Arts, ETSU, Jonesborough Storytellers Guild, and online with Artists Standing Strong Together, to name a few.

Judy “Butterfly” Farlow
As a Performing Member of Jonesborough Storytellers Guild for more than 20 years, and with storytelling training from both ETSU and Callenwald in Atlanta, Judy has told stories from backyard BBQ’s to the White House. She grew up in a family rich with story traditions and has a repertoire of characters, including Mrs. Santa, Spooky Witch, Fairy Godmother, as well as beloved Butterfly the Clown.  Her stories of goulies and ghosties, long-legged beasties, and things that go bump in the night will have you still shivering long after the show.

Emily Katt
Emily has had a range of career hats she’s worn, all of them involving communication: educator, former magazine editor, academic researcher, veterinary professional, and a writer of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. In 2022, she completed the M.A. degree in Communication and Storytelling Studies at ETSU and now works as Program Assistant at the International Storytelling Center, as a storytelling instructor at ETSU, and as a Performing Member with the Jonesborough Storytellers Guild. You can find out more about her or contact her at emilyskatt.com.

Info and Tickets
Graveyard Tales will take place on Aug. 30 with two special concerts at 5 and 7 p.m. at the McKinney Center, located at 103 Franklin Ave in Jonesborough. Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for students and seniors, and $5 for children. Tickets can be purchased by calling 423-753-1010 or visiting jonesborough.com.

For additional information about the Jonesborough Storytellers Guild, visit storytellersguild.org.