REVISION DATE 10/29/22 FOR THE OCTOBER 2022 CHALLENGE: BLOGGING SUCCESS STORY BY @CAROL WILLIAMS, Leanne Smith AND @AURA ALEX.
Photo of Gary Whitaker, Master Storyteller, "Tales of Ancient Warriors," Beowulf story told at Texas Storytelling Festival on March 12, 2011. Photo taken by Patricia Feager on 3/12/11.
This is an update to the blog post I wrote on March 12, 2011, from attending the Tejas Storytelling Festival in Denton County, Texas. Gary Whitaker, Master Storyteller told the story about Beowulf, an Old English Poem, I read a long time ago in High School. It wasn't until I saw the live performance by Master Storyteller, Gary Whitaker that I fully grasped the concept of what my Teacher was trying to teach so long ago. Alfred Hitchcock said it best!
"Dialogue should simply be a sound among other sounds
that comes out of the mouths of people whose eyes tell
the story in visual terms" ---Alfred Hitchcock
I remember sitting up front, not knowing what to expect. This was my first professional Tejas Storytelling Festival ever attended. The audience was quite talkative before Mr. Whitaker took the stage. I didn't know a soul, but as soon as he opened his mouth, you could have heard a pin drop. The audience became silent. Gary's voice was spellbounding. Suddenly there was magic in the air. He captured my attention in his costume, but it was his piercing eyes, mannerism, and that captivating voice that held my full attention as he slowing moved into character. The part when Beowulf slays the dragon, was wounded, suffered, and died as told by this MasterStoryteller was skillfully told, surreal, it made my heart skip a beat. I couldn't sleep. That night, I came home to write a blog post on ActiveRain and received comments.
From the time I was a young girl, I loved storytelling. My parents had the complete collection of Hans Christian Andersen Fairy Tales. I read them all multiple times throughout my childhood. In silence I read. What Gary Whitaker, Master Storyteller did for me, was made the story characters in Beowulf come alive when he performed on stage. Some of the plots were scary but were so good! It was an epic tale between good and evil.
The best part about writing a blog post about Gary Whitaker, was shortly thereafter, he called me to thank me for writing this blog post and taking his pictures. I was the first person, to appreciate what he did enough to write about in in a blog! Blogging was still new to many people, including myself. I had no idea if my story would reach anyone, other than other bloggers on ActiveRain. But it did!!! That made Master Storyteller Gary Whitaker, and me very happy.
Fast forward to October 29, 2022, I would say this was my most successful blog post entry on ActiveRain. When two souls connect through one person speaking, the other one listening, followed by great storytelling, then documenting the event via writing, and illustrating the character in photos, the events becomes an everlasting memory.|
"With me poetry has not been a purpose, but a passion"
---Edgar Allan Poe
Other blog posts that may interest you for October 2022 include:
Halloween and Things To Come
Spook-Tacular Savings!
Are Pumpkins Fruits or Vegetables?
Heavenly Bliss
Would You Be Spooked If You Lived By A Cemetery?
BOO! WHAT DOES YOUR HOUSE SAY TO YOU???
Stepping Back In Limestone Time
Fallen In Love With The Lone Ranger All Over Again
The Smells of Autumn are Delicious!
Rise & Fall Method in Leveling
Does Your Fence Need A Fall Make-Over?
Autumn Breeze and Delicious Cheese
Fall Meditation for October 16, 2022
It's Fall - Today is National Mushroom Day!
It Is Fall - Don't Let Anything Fall Through the Cracks
Haunted Houses - Do You Believe in Ghosts?
Looking for a Night Out this Week in October?
Favorite Fall Movies and What Buyers & Sellers Need to Know
Fall Is The Time to Sow Your Seeds To Succeed
Fall Is The Time To Build Up Resiliency
Can't Help Falling In Love With TX Longhorns
Fall in Line & Do Your Part for Breast Cancer Awareness - Part 3
Why Schedule A Mammogram This Fall? Part 2
OCTOBER IS BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH
Don't Fall Into Fall With A Fall
October Is Time For Work - Can You Dig It?
Why Fall in Love with Cats in October or Any Time?
Spice Up Your Life by Falling in Love with Fall
It's Time To Fall In Love
October Thrills! R U Looking for a Fun Place to Live?
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