The large white rocking chairs on the front porch of the historic Lakeside Inn in Mount Dora are inviting. And those rockers will soon be filled with folks listening to a wide variety of storytellers. Even before the annual Florida Storytelling Festival opens on Jan. 23 plans are to have two pre-festival porch telling events on the Sunday afternoons of Jan. 5 and 12.
Folks are invited to sample storytelling for free from 3 to 5 p.m. on those days.
Porch telling at the Florida Storytelling Festival dates back to 2016 and has become one of the popular events during the festival.
Featured on those two Sundays will be eight tellers. For the festival, we have 12 tellers lined up.
On Sunday, Jan 5:
Pete Abdalla, who lives in the Orlando area, has been a featured teller at previous Florida Storytelling Festivals and twice he has won the festival’s Liars Contest. A member of the Storytellers of Central Florida, he has spent many years volunteering as a storyteller in elementary schools.
Robin Schulte, a former high school English and Speech teacher, is full-time professional storyteller who lives in Oviedo. Robin’s solo work is a mix of personal stories, folktales, and literary adaptations. She plays the guitar and often incorporates music and songs into her stories. She has been a featured performer at several festivals, including the Florida Storytelling Festival, and she won the Story Slam at the National Storytelling Festival in 2014.
Andy Russell, who grew up in North Carolina and now lives in Ocala. Is on the board of the Florida Storytelling Association. Andy was a teller at the 2024 Georgia Mountain Storytelling Festival and at “A Taste of Storytelling” in LaGrange, GA. He was selected as a “New Voice” teller for the 2023 Stone Soup Storytelling Festival in South Carolina. Andy made his third appearance at the Florida Storytelling Festival in January of 2024.
Cheryl Ford, storyteller and motivational speaker, draws on her rich Cajun heritage to tell stories with humor. Now living in Central Florida, she is a graduate of the East Tennessee State University Storytelling Program. Her career includes over thirty years in education, publishing, coaching, public speaking and writing.
On Sunday, Jan. 12:
Ann Mancebo, a long-time member and a past president of the Florida Storytelling Association, is among FSA members who have received the FSA Lifetime Achievement Award. She is a member of the Storytellers of Central Florida.
Debra Weller, current president of the Florida Storytelling Association, is a member of the Tale Tellers of St. Augustine. She has been busy recently telling stories as Mrs. Santa, A gifted teller and story coach, she tells folktales, sings and offers classes in storytelling.
Kay Pricher, who had a long career as a speech therapist for Orange County Public Schools, is now a gifted storyteller. She has folk tales, historical and personal stories in her repertoire.
Louise O’ Leary, who serves as the Florida Storytelling Festival Coordinator, is active with the Storytellers of Central Florida and hosts a monthly storytelling swap in Mount Dora. She tells stories in schools, libraries and retirement homes, and curate multiple storytelling events in the Central Florida area.
A Showcase of Florida’s Talented Tellers
At the Florida Storytelling Festival on Friday, Jan. 24, and Saturday, Jan. 25, the porch tellers will include Louise, Pete, Andy, Robin, Cheryl and Debra, as well as the following:
Carrie Sue Avyar, who tells multicultural stories in Spanish and English, is an award-winning storyteller who came of age in Mexico and now lives in Florida. She tells traditional, international & personal tales.
Chris Kastle, an award-winning storyteller, poet, musician and an acclaimed songsmith, is an author with a number of recordings and publications to her credit. She was one of 2023 winners in the St. Johns County, Florida Haiku Contest; and she is a recipient of the Annette Bruce lifetime achievement award from the Florida Storytelling Association.
Monica Ladd, who is currently on the FSA board of directors, has worked and volunteered as an educator and entertainer in schools and libraries with children and adults for over 30 years.
Mary Lou Williams, a former featured teller at the Florida Storytelling Festival, is known for her clever and witty “Fractured Fairy Tales” as well as other stories. She also conducts seminars on storytelling for adults.
Katie Adams, who lives in Tampa, has been sharing stories with children and adults since 2000 and she also is a puppeteer who has inspired and entertained audiences throughout the country.
Maureen Belote, a long-time Florida-based storyteller who spearheads the Tampa guild, draws on her Irish roots for inspiration as she weaves folk tale and personal stories.
The Festival Porch Schedule:
Friday
Louise O’Leary 10 a.m.
Katie Green 10:30 am
Robin Schulte 11 am
Pete Abdalla 11:30
Carrie Sue Avyar Noon
Chris Kastle 12:30
Saturday
Monica Ladd 10 am
Andy Russell 10:30 am
Mary Lou Williams 11 am
Katie Adams 11:30 am
Cheryl Floyd Noon
Maureen Belote 12:30