Jonesborough: Storytelling Live!

Storytelling Live Launch Celebrates 20 Seasons

(Jonesborough, Tenn.) — Spring is storytelling season in Tennessee’s oldest town. Storytelling Live,
the International Storytelling Center’s visionary performer-in-residence program, brings a new teller
to Jonesborough each week for daily matinee concerts and other service-based performances in the
wider community.

The lineup for the program’s milestone 20 th season has been announced, with storytellers offering
regular performances at the Mary B. Martin Storytelling Hall in downtown Jonesborough through the
end of October. The 26 artists represent a range of storytelling traditions, music, and more from
across the United States and all over the world.

Storytelling Live was created to showcase the country’s best talent for residents and regional tourists
who want to get a taste of one of Appalachia’s oldest folk arts. Inspired by the seasonal calendars in
adjacent performing arts like opera and ballet—or sports seasons, if you prefer—the six-month
storytelling season gives people the chance to hear a wide variety of voices in an intimate setting. The
unique format allows performers room to experiment and innovate as they spend the week getting
to know the storytelling capital of the world.

The 2023 season will begin with an entertainer who has become one of the National Storytelling
Festival’s most popular voices, South Carolina storyteller Tim Lowry. A high-energy performer who’s
inspired by show business and his love for humor, history, and holidays, Lowry will take to the stage
for daily matinees Tuesday to Saturday, May 2 – 6, at 2 p.m.

A number of evening concerts are sprinkled throughout the season, including a Father’s Day concert
by Bill Harley, Western music and cowboy poetry from Brigid Reedy, personal stories from Donald
Davis, Regi Carpenter, and Peter Chand; and a stunning Middle Eastern folk tale from Chirine El
Ansary.

In addition to live concerts, one virtual performance will be offered each week. This state-of-the-art
option works well for people who aren’t available to travel, as well as anyone who prefers to watch
from home.

“We want to make it as easy as possible for people to drop in for a show,” says Susan O’Connor, ISC’s
director of programs. “Accessibility is one of ISC’s core values, so we’ve worked hard to design an
online experience that is simple to set up and delightful to watch.”

In-person tickets for matinee concerts are $14 each for most adults, with discounts for seniors,
military, students, and children under 18; all tickets are just $7 on Saturdays. Reservations are
recommended (but not required), as many performances sell out in advance. During their weeklong
residencies, most storytellers craft a completely different performance each day to accommodate
audiences who wish to attend more than once.

All in-person performances will be staged in ISC’s on-site theater, which can accommodate up to 95
listeners. The price of virtual admission is just $15 per household, allowing people to share the
performance with anyone in their home from Friday at 2 p.m. until Monday at midnight. A limited
number of season passes are available for just $175, almost 50 percent less than the price of regular
admission.

The premier sponsor of Storytelling Live is Ballad Health. Additional program funding comes from the
National Endowment for the Arts, the Tennessee Arts Commission, Niswonger Foundation, East
Tennessee Foundation, ETSU, Carol & Bobby Frist, the Norris Family Fund, Eastman Credit Union,
Bank of Tennessee, and Trail Head Lodge. Media sponsors include the Herald & Tribune, Kingsport
Times-News, Johnson City Press, News Channel 11, WJHL 11, ABC Tri-Cities and Daytime Tri-Cities.
The International Storytelling Center is open 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday. For more
information about Storytelling Live, including the full schedule, or to purchase tickets and season
passes, visit www.storytellingcenter.net or call (800) 952-8392.