TELL: Pittsburgh Storytelling Series is the transformation of the Three Rivers Storytelling Festival that was held in Pittsburgh, PA, for 16 years. Rather than sponsoring a once-a-year event, TELL now features multiple performances featuring one teller per evening per month.
These stories for adults include comedic issues, current events, and compelling plots that you won't get to hear at a family festival or in a five-minute format. Each teller will be among the top national and regional storytelling performers in the United States.
Our 2019 inaugural season was held at the Falk Laboratory School theatre in the Oakland area of Pittsburgh, and began with award-winning teller Judith Black. Each performance was 60-90 minutes long, and always on a Thursday evening.
Our dedicated staff endeavored to make our 2020 season possible, despite the many challenges of that year. TELL continued to present stellar professional storytellers for live virtual concerts on the 2nd Thursday of each month, September through December, and our first virtual season was a resounding success. People came from the Greater Pittsburgh Region and from all around the country to enjoy these concerts!
We held our first ever Folktale Fight: Contest for Emergent TELLers was a resounding success on May 20, 2021 where Tim Ereneta was crowned the Folktale Fight Champion! As the winner of our Folktale Fight, he performed in our Winter Olio, which closed out our third season online.
We are looking forward to our fourth season in 2022! Tickets will go on sale May 5, 2022. We will be virtual again this year, and will be continue to be on the third Thursday of the month. Please check back here on our website, facebook, or instagram for updates. Friends on our mailing list get to hear updates early, you can join our mailing list by emailing us at tellpittsburgh@gmail.com.
We hope you will join us and spread the word for TELL:Pittsburgh Storytelling Series!
TELL Production Team
Producer
Kate McConnell is the Producer of TELL: Pittsburgh Storytelling Series. She received her BA in Theatre in 1976, studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London, co-founded SALTWORKS Theatre Company and served as its Artistic Director from 1980 - 1989, and produced the 2015 and 2016 seasons of the Three Rivers Storytelling Festival. She has performed folk tales, personal narratives, histories and tall tales for 20 years, and is a two-time winner of Pittsburgh's Liars Contest. She is currently completing her MFA in Creative Writing at Carlow University.
Public Relations
Kathy Maron-Wood is a librarian at Carnegie Library main, and was voted as one of five "early childhood educators who can change your family's life." She is a former instructor of storytelling at the University of Pittsburgh, and a not-so-hidden gem in the Pittsburgh community.
Chief Financial Officer
Janice Smith holds a masters degree from Robert Morris University, accountant extraordinaire, and long time storytelling enthusiast and supporter.