by Courtney Burns | Mar 12, 2014 | About Storytelling, Conferences
Welcome to this year’s Timpanogos Storytelling Conference at the Provo Marriott Hotel & Conference Center. We are so pleased that you are joining us! I would like to take this opportunity to introduce you to the Conference Center located at 101 West 100 North in Provo, Utah. Please plan on parking in the Marriott parking garage; it is convenient and parking is complimentary. You will not want to park on the street where there is a two-hour parking limit.
After parking in the garage, enter the hotel, turn left and follow the signs to registration. Registration is from 8:00 to 8:30 a.m. each morning. Since the opening sessions begin at 8:30, you will want to arrive before then.
Most of our sessions will be in the classrooms in the South Lobby. This is where you will find the Amphitheater, Aspen, Birch, Cedar, Elm and Juniper meeting rooms. You will also find Fanfare in this lobby where you can buy storytelling books, CDs and DVDs.
Lunches will be served in the ballroom; that is the setting for our keynotes as well. Restrooms are conveniently located in all areas we will be using. We look forward to seeing you. If you have any questions or concerns during the conference, we would be happy to help you in the registration area.
by Courtney Burns | Nov 4, 2013 | About Storytelling, Scheduled, Timpanogos
We love our sponsors! Timpanogos Storytelling simply would not survive without them.
Today, we would like to congratulate our superstar sponsor, Kaleidoscope Pictures. They were just awarded a Regional Emmy in the category Arts/Entertainment – Program/Special for their program with BYU Broadcasting, The Song That Changed My Life: Howard Jones.
According to their website, “The Song That Changed My Life is a chance for artists to tell the story they want to tell, to reach beyond the typical gossip and “how did you pick your band name?” questions. It’s their chance to take us backstage, back home, down the creative well and into their roots.” If you haven’t yet checked out this show you really should. It is a great way to get down to the core of some great people making some great music. See more at: http://thesong.kaleidoscopepictures.com/about/#byutv
Kaleidoscope first connected with Timpanogos Storytelling in 2011 when they went out to scenic Ocracoke Island, North Carolina, to film What’s Your Story? A Donald Davis Workshop. They filmed the workshop process, the amazing participants, and of course, the storyteller. Along the way, they fell in love with storytelling, and have been a generous sponsor ever since. They have given countless hours of filming, production, and support through the past several years, always going above and beyond what we could hope to ask for.
To Adam, Russ, and all our friends at Kaleidoscope Pictures, congratulations!
by Courtney Burns | Oct 24, 2013 | Story Contest, Timpanogos
I tried to warn them, but they came anyway, all 24 contestants came and told their scary stories during the preliminary round. All seemed to be going well; no sign of danger anywhere. The stories were creative and fantastic. The judges and I agreed that time was flying by and we were entertained as was the audience. Then we heard a rushing sound coming from the north side of the room as the giant mass of red goo swept through the Storytelling Wing of the Orem Public Library like a flash flood. What was I supposed to do? I had no weapons? It’s not like I had time to call a chemist or biology teacher to find out what I could use to dissolve a giant gelatinous amoeba.
It took them, it took them all. It took all of the contestants and then smashed out the south door. I just watched helplessly as they disappeared. I should have done my homework to protect them; but now it was too late. Wait! It didn’t take them all! I could see nine contestants still standing. They were marked with red stains across their faces that said, “Scary”. That’s it! Their stories were scary enough to scare the monster away!
Ryan Bell
Steve Gashler
Ginger Parkinson
Adam Broud
Hannah Dunaway
Vance Mellen
Daniel Bishop
Teresa Gashler
David Bullock
All of these were spooky enough to ward off the ooze. I’d better follow the slime trail and see if I can tell the others the secret of how to save themselves.
(note: Adam Ashton had previously qualified for the final round but has gone missing under some very mysterious and slimy circumstances.)
If you missed it: Encounter at the Library pt. 1
by Courtney Burns | Sep 27, 2013 | About Storytelling, Scheduled
It was such a wonderful year for the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival and so it is no wonder that we are having a hard time officially saying goodbye. But, alas, all things must come to an end—and besides we have some fun things coming up in the next couple of months. As we make our final goodbye, we offer this look back in pictures at the 24th annual Timpanogos Storytelling Festival:
All photos were taken by two of our fantastic volunteers: Laren Helms and Tom Thurston.
by Courtney Burns | Sep 24, 2013 | Scheduled
It is Saturday, 6 pm at the Orem Public library and I have just picked up the last of the entry forms for our new “Hauntings” storytelling competition. The library is now closed and I head back to my car so excited for the contest next weekend I can hardly stand it. I tuck the entry forms under my arm. As I approach my car I notice it is partially engulfed in a red gelatinous mass. Thinking this is some sort of joke I approach the red-shiny goo just too touch it and it suddenly reaches out as if to grab me.
No, it doesn’t want to grab me, exactly. It is actually trying to grab the contest entry forms from my hand! I keep the papers away from the red sticky arm. I begin to back up and run to get some help, but it is too late. An icy tentacle has wrapped around my waist and rebounded me into direction of the car. I am now stuck to the car like a fly on flypaper or a rat on a glue board. I am trying to keep the registration forms away from the approaching mass of goo, but to no avail. The red goo had grown around my whole body and began to creep across my outstretched arm. I began to understand how a toddler moves when he is keeping a prized cookie away from a determined parent. I held the registration forms as far away as I could from the encroaching evil gelatin.
“Why?” I yelled. “You don’t need these! I do!” I tried to scream for help, but apparently I didn’t practice enough screaming as a child. Nobody came.
Cold began to creep over my neck, scalp, and face. With all of my strength I quickly opened the contestant envelope and memorized the names. Panic set in as the slime entered my nose and mouth. I am so claustrophobic! I had to drop the registrations.
I awoke on the ground next to my car. A library staff member was shaking me. “Are you all right?” I checked all of my limbs. Everything was in place. I glanced around and there were no registration papers, anywhere. I brushed myself off and got in the car. At least I had remembered to look at the names. My eyes caught something unusual as I put the key in the ignition. On the dashboard was a note written in red slime, “See you on Saturday.”
I just don’t know whether I need to warn the “Hauntings” contestants or not.
