Sandbar Storytelling Festival: Elizabeth Ellis, Don White, Dovie Thomason, and Rev. Robert B Jones, Sr.

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About

Saturday afternoon is NOT for napping at the Sandbar Storytelling Festival. Featured storytellers for this afternoon session are Elizabeth Ellis, Don White, Dovie Thomason, and Rev. Robert B Jones, Sr.

1:00 p.m. Elizabeth Ellis – Designated an American Masterpiece Touring Artist by the NEA, Elizabeth Ellis grew up in the Appalachian Mountains hearing stories from her grandfather, a mountain minister. The “Divine Miss E” is a versatile and riveting teller of Appalachian and Texas tales and stories of heroic American women, though her personal stories are arguably her best. An award-winning author, she is a recipient of the John Henry Faulk Award from the Tejas Storytelling Association, and the National Storytelling Network ORACLE Circle of Excellence and Lifetime Achievement Awards.

2:00 p.m. Don White – Don is a storyteller-comedian-author-troubadour-folk singer-songwriter. There is no one-word description for what Don White does. He has survived and thrived for more than twenty years, bringing his audiences to laughter and tears in his live performances, studio recordings, and on the printed page. He is a walking challenge to the phrase “file under.” Best to just sort him under “Don White.” “If it were up to me – the whole world would know Don White! Oh boy do I love Don – I always have. No one can bring you to such beautiful emotional extremes more than Don. His shows are like a dirty fix and a saving grace all within a few minutes. I think watching him perform is when I decided I’d much rather affect an audience than entertain them – I knew I probably couldn’t do both – but somehow Don does. And exceptionally well.” – Lori McKenna, award winning singer/songwriter

3:00 p.m. Dovie Thomason – Dovie imagines herself as a river, fed by many streams: Lakota, Apache, and Scot Traveler ancestry, urban Chicago, rural Texas and international travels, the Internet and Indigenous elders, family teachings, kitchen table wisdom, and university classrooms — Dovie Thomason draws on those contrasts and cultures in her work. Conveying these stories respectfully and responsibly has made her one of the most respected and admired storytellers of her generation. When she adds personal stories and untold histories, the result is a contemporary narrative of Indigenous history and identity in North America told with elegance, wit, and passion. Dovie has been featured at the Kennedy Center, National Museum of the American Indian, the Smithsonian, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, and festivals around the world. She is a recipient of the National Storytelling Network’s Circle of Excellence award and the Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers’ Traditional Storyteller Award.

4:00 p.m. Rev. Robert B. Jones, Sr. – A returning storyteller from SSF22, Rev. Jones has been a professional musician and storyteller for more than forty years. The legendary blues man, Willie Dixon encouraged him to bring his music into schools over 35 years ago. In fact, the National Blues Foundation recognized his work as a leading blues educator in 2007. He has been a pastor for more than 20 years and has been a nationally recognized storyteller for more than fifteen. This experience allowed him work in a variety of ways and to apply his speaking and musical skills to educate, entertain, and inspire. At the heart of his message is the belief that our cultural diversity tells a story that we should celebrate, not just tolerate. When you couple authenticity with the talent of a truly exceptional nature: songwriting, storytelling, multi-instrumentalist, award winning educator, and an encyclopedic knowledge of the history of African American folk music, including blues, spiritual, and slave songs…its players and styles…you get the Reverend Robert B. Jones from Detroit, MI.

The Saturday afternoon session requires a ticket, Saturday Full-Day Pass, or Two-Day Festival Pass.

Tickets:

$20 General Seating

$5 for students (ages 11 – 18 and college students with a valid ID)

Saturday Full-Day Passes:

$50 General Seating

$10 Students (ages 11 – 18 and college students with a valid ID)

Two-Day Festival Passes:

$70 General Seating

$10 Students (ages 11 – 18 and college students with a valid ID)