Telling stories with multicultural themes

Learning to accept all cultures and their differences is the focus of "Melting Plot," a day of storytelling at Jack Adams Hall on Wednesday.

The event is a multicultural experience that will feature well-known storytellers and workshops for the amateur.

Sponsored by AS Performing Arts, La Raza student organization and the departments of theatre arts and La Raza studies, "Melting Plot" is the brainchild of Carlos Baron, professor of theatre arts.

"I teach storytelling and I have developed a great liking for it," said Baron. "I like the audience reaction because you break this invisible wall between the audience and the actor."

The event will include two workshops. "Bringing the Story Out" will emphasize ways to craft one's own experiences into a tellable tale, and "Performance Techniques" will help the participants with the presentations of their stories. Both these workshops will be conducted by professional storytellers Olga Loya and Gay Ducey. Loya is a Chicana bilingual storyteller who has performed all through the west and Ducey is a nationally known storyteller and teacher of storytelling at UC Berkeley.

After the workshops, an open mike session will be held to give those who are interested in telling their own stories a chance to tell them in front of an audience.

The evening event will feature professional storytellers Loya, Charlie Chin, Claire Yen, Luisah Teish and Georgiana Valoyce-Sanchez performing various stories about their own multicultural experiences.

"I think storytelling is important for human growth. Communication is a problem on this campus, and this event is hoped to connect people," said production manager Sara Lamnin.

SF State students helped collaborate in the production of "Melting Plot," from participating in the artwork to helping with publicity.

"I do storytelling myself and this event is a great opportunity for me to meet other storytellers," said David Fawley, production assistant and English senior.

Those involved said "Melting Plot" is important for all to experience, whether they are SF State students or the general public.

"The idea of "Melting Plot" is to promote the rediscovery of America," said Baron.

Fawley added, "The day's activities are good for people who want to become storytellers and who want to be better speakers."

It is hoped the event will bring cultures and ethnic groups together to learn about each others' differences and to respect them.

The hour-long introduction for "Melting Plot" begins at 9 a.m., with the workshops starting at 10 a.m. and running until 3 p.m. The open mike session will be from 3 to 5:30 p.m. The evening event of professional storytelling will be from 7 to 10 p.m.

Admission to the workshops and open mike is free. The evening show is $5 for the general public, $3 for students and seniors and $1 for children under 12.

[ Golden Gater Online November 14, 1995 ]

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