Judy Cates

"Once Upon a Time. . ."

Before there were written words, there were stories. Probably one of the earliest ways of relaying current events and preserving history, along with scratches on cave walls, was the stories people told to one another. Eventually, they became embellished, by fact or fiction, and theater was born. Although storytelling has never completely disappeared, there seems to be a recent resurgence of this art form.

Midge Miles, whose ministry of storytelling and spirituality she calls Storyshoppes Productions, says that storytelling as an early form of theater began with the Greeks and was actually liturgical drama. It began with a combination of the mythic and the spiritual which led to ritual and liturgy -- all developed through the arts and storytelling. As religion became more patriarchal, logic and theology were emphasized and the arts and symbolism minimized. Since Vatican II in the Catholic Church, there has been a renewed interest in non-rational expression, even involving movement and liturgical dance.

Midge says that her own commitment to spirituality and personal growth began in the late 70s at a conference where the presenters were storytellers, psychologists and gospel preachers. She sees herself primarily as an educator, not an actress. She uses stories as therapy as well as an expression of the arts and spirituality. The vehicle is the story and the aim is to help people tell their own stories.

Midge does 40 percent of her work for religious congregations. They commission her to create a myth working with the facts of their origin and history. She spends six months to a year doing research and meeting with their representatives. What evolves is a story of where they began, how they progressed and where they are now. She brings forth what grounded them to begin with and what issues they are grappling with currently. Then, in her portrayal, she tries to present the patterns that emerged. She uses certain props, with the understanding that symbolism is a part of the Catholic tradition. Sometimes her presentation is a monologue, one character, often in full costume, such as the habit of the order. At other times she portrays many characters. Following her performance, the goal is to engage members of the audience with each other, the interactive part of her art. She changes clothes and comes back to the group as herself to facilitate this part of the program.

Naim Abdur Rauf, a storyteller from Detroit, has a different focus: the preservation and appreciation of African culture through the arts, using stories, music and native costume. He also incorporates into his demonstrations and performances primitive African instruments, such as the m'bira (thumb piano) and the daudaphone (small lute harp). His storytelling began when as a teenager he baby-sat for the children in his family. He would make up stories and then he and the younger children would sing and act them out. His teacher was his mother.

Rauf tailors his presentations to a variety of settings and age groups. His African Drum and Dance Troupe offers colorful music and movement. His Lecture Demonstration series is on African history, encompassing ethics, values and character-building messages. He enlivens his stories with animal sounds and facial expressions and uses call and response to engage his audience. Rauf also has a Chamber Ensemble which plays African classical music.

He likes to call his work "edutainment" -- combining learning and fun. Rauf believes that education about our own and others' cultures will lead to better understanding among the races. Another Detroit storyteller, Deborah Taylor, also customizes her work. At birthday parties, the goal might be to help a child work on a particular problem. After talking with parents, she can use stories that zero in on such things as selfishness. They are told in a lighthearted, yet serious, way and are always accompanied by "just for fun" stories. Deborah, whose background is Baptist, uses biblical stories and folk tales and incorporates them into a theme for church services and retreats. Her storytelling began when she was a Sunday school teacher. Her classes were always very popular and people began to seek her out to tell her entertaining stories for special events. With a full time job to manage, and with thoughts of eventual retirement, she decided to get a little training in storytelling and turned her craft into a more serious venture. She's looking forward to retirement as a stage of life when she will have more time to pursue her art.

To reach these storytellers for your own future programs, contact Arts in Ministry, Call To Action, by phone: 773-404-0004, Ext. 65, or by fax: 773-404-1610.