Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Storytime at Bootyland: Wrap-Up


Explaining about the Terrible Animale-Podale (Father of the Trahira Fish) in "Little Crab and His Magic Eyes"

This morning, I performed songs and stories at the Bootyland consignment shop in Seattle, Washington. While I waited for the doors to open, I was gratified to see caregivers with their children coming specifically for the storytime. I had prepared enough songs and stories for 3 storytimes, so my Almira puppet got some exposure with my finger-puppets for the "Jack and the Robbers" story, but "Lazy Jack" and "Why the Tides Ebb and Flow" didn't make the cut this time. This was my first time using puppets for the story that's evocative of "The Bremen Town Musicians," and I'm thinking about changing it to a flannel-board story so that I can stack the animals more efficiently.



"If you won't wear red, Jenny Jenkins, then what will you wear?"

Here is the list of what I told and sang:

"(Almira) and the Robbers" (story)
"Little Crab and His Magic Eyes" (story)
"Little Monkey Face" (sketchbook story)
"Joseph the Tailor" (story)
"Jenny Jenkins" (song with flannel-board)
"Going to Boston" (dance song)
"I'm a Little Scallop in a Shell" (Nancy Stewart's song to the tune of "I'm a Little Teapot," accompanied by a scallop puppet)

Here's what I liked about the storytime:

1) All of the people who came to hear stories
2) The audience's willingness to participate in the stories and songs
3) Despite the array of distractions like toys and other interesting things, my stories held the attention of the majority of the audience.

Here's what I would like to have done differently:

1) I debated back and forth about bringing my small sound system. I ended up leaving it at home. However...
2) My voice wasn't in the best shape, and it creaked a bit during the songs. While I think my vocal volume was decent, my voice definitely showed strain by the end of the storytime.
3) Even if my guitar was in tune before I arrived, I still should have tuned it right before the storytime. Since the store didn't open unti 10:30, I was working to get everything set up and ready to go as quickly as possible, and I cut corners. Tuning was one of those "corners."


My next planned public performance will be a pajama storytime at Island Books on Thursday, July 12, at 7 pm.

11 comments:

Yorkshire Pudding said...

You must have been knackered!*
*Not sure if you colonists use this peculiarly English term - it means utterly tired/fatigued/bushed.

Saints and Spinners said...

YP: Since I'm such an Anglophile, I actually do know what knackered means. Thanks for letting the readers know, though. Sometimes coloquialisms can inadvertently get people into trouble. One of the more benign examples was an English friend of mine with whom I lived in a group house. The first few times she said she was "peckish," we all left the room, because we thought she was saying that she was so grouchy she felt like "pecking" someone. She was quite confused about that, and finally explained that she meant that she was "hungry around the edges." A saucier example was when a Canadian friend of mine told her new American boyfriend that she'd "knock him up in the morning." The term means "give you a phone call," but he didn't know that. He was a bit shocked!

Robin Brande said...

Alkelda, it's so cool to see you in action! It must take loads of energy to pull off something like that. I'm so impressed!

Saints and Spinners said...

Robin,
Thanks so much! It does take loads of energy. I'm an introvert, but I do get energy from the audience, too, so it's all good.

xxxxxx said...

I miss the flowers in your hair. I thought you always wore them for stories! My children and I would have loved to see you and hear your stories...

Lone Star Ma said...

Yay, you!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Saints and Spinners said...

Diana: The flowers in my hair were for my daughter's May Fair celebration (complete with May Pole). I wish I could always wear flowers in my hair! Thanks so much. I hope your children get opportunities to hear storytellers in your area. Maybe someday I'll be a traveler!

LSM: What did I ever do without you?

Lady K said...

LOVE-LOVE-LOVING it! I do believe my next vacation will be in Seattle. I've never been there, and I like coffee, but I like you more. ;-) You GO!

Saints and Spinners said...

Lady K: Come to Seattle in the summer. Chances are, you'll get a respite from the heat.

Myth said...

Wooohooo! Glad it went successfully for you :D it sounds like it was a lot of fun - especially for the audience!

xxxxxx said...

You reminded of the Flower Fairies books by Mary Cecily Barker. I love them!