Storytellers throughout Florida are in demand this month as Halloween looms ahead and ghost stories abound.
One of the longest-running events is the Haunting Tales night on Friday, Oct. 28, at the Harry P. Leu Gardens in Orlando, featuring many of our Florida Storytelling Association members.
This marks the 29th year for this spine-tingling collection of tales produced by professional storyteller Mitchell O’Rear, who also will be a featured teller at the 2023 Florida Storytelling Festival (Jan. 26-29) at the Lakeside Inn, Mt. Dora.
Mitchell, who has been telling stories all his life and professionally since 1987, is expecting 1,000 to 1,500 listeners to be setting up lawn chairs on the garden grounds at the historic 19th century Leu House. The event often sells out.
“People like scary stories,” he says. “It is an escape. It takes us back to childhood when we could gather in the dark around the campfire to hear ghost stories.”
Among the tellers scheduled to share a goose-bump producing tale are Joel Ying (FSA President), Bobby Wesley of the Orlando Story Club, and FSA members Robin Schulte, Kay Pricher, Pete Abdalla, Ann Mancebo, Louise O’Leary as well as Terry Deer and Mitchell himself (all from The Storytellers of Central Florida).
Mitchell says he will be telling his version of a Stephen King short story, “The Boogeyman.”
To promote the event, Mitchell, who also is a professional photographer, took some creatively spooky photos of some of the tellers.
The stories begin at 7:30 p.m. with the lighter tales first. After a 15-minute intermission around 8:30 p.m., the second round of stories are darker and bit more intense.
Guests can bring a picnic and alcohol is permitted. Gates open at 6 p.m. For more information on tickets go to https://www.leugardens.org
Mitchell, who founded this ghosts-in-the-gardens event in Orlando, will be running a workshop during the Florida Storytelling Festival on how to tell effective scary tales.
Over in Tampa, on Thursday, Oct. 27, the Storytellers of Old Tampa Bay will return to the historic Tampa Theatre on Franklin Street for a night of scary campfire tales.
Long-time FSA member Ross Tarr, president of this guild, has been a part of the Theatre’s Halloween celebration for 10 years.
He has assembled 10 tellers to share spooky stories at this annual “Nightmare on Franklin Street” event which is held in the most-haunted building in downtown Tampa: the ornate theatre which opened in 1926. For more information: Tampa’s Non-Profit Movie Palace – Tampa Theatre
Halloween happenings for the Tale Tellers of St. Augustine started on Oct. 18 and continue through Sunday, Oct. 30.
The month kicked off with a “Dark and Stormy Night” on at the town’s Limelight Theatre featuring Chris Kastle and other members of the Tale Tellers.
On Saturday, Oct. 22, the Tale Tellers present “Boos Not Boo Hoos” for younger audiences. It features a costume parade, stories, songs, and treats.
Beginning Friday, Oct. 28 and continuing through Sunday, Oct. 30, members of this guild will be featured during the three-day “Ghosts of St. Augustine’s Past” festival. Go to www.artandlifein3d.com for more information.
On Friday, the 28th from 1 to 2 p.m. the Tale Tellers present “It Was A Dark and Stormy Night: Haunting Tales to Thrill You” at the Flagler Regional Library in Palm Coast. On Sunday, Oct. 30, from 2 to 3 p.m. Chris Kastle and company will be at it again with a “Frightful Family Fun Fest” at the Waterworks in St. Augustine.
Up in Monticello, “the most haunted city in Florida,” teller and FSA member Linda Schuyler Ford is busy with the city’s historic ghost tours. This year, Monticello has a “Spooky Family Fun Night’ at the annual “Halloweekend” Oct. 28, 29 and 30.
Teller Pat Nease will be sharing kid-friendly spook stories during the Friday; Oct 28 event that runs from 3:30 to 8 p.m. and includes a costume parade and a silly ghost hunt. It’s part of a three-day Halloween celebration in this North Florida city. Get more info at http://www.monticellojeffersonfl.com/home
Great event