Southeastern NEWS

                                                       Southeastern Louisiana University
                                           Public Information Office
                                           SLU 880, Hammond, LA 70402
                                           504/549-2341/fax 504-549-2061
    Date: 3/21/96
      Contact:                           Christina Chapple  81

SLU HOSTS LOUISIANA STAWBERRY STORYTELLING FESTIVAL
     HAMMOND -- The art of storytelling, Louisiana style, will be celebrated at
Southeastern Louisiana University's annual Louisiana Strawberry Storytelling Festival,
scheduled for April 19-20 at the SLU Teacher Education Center.
     The festival, now in its fifth year, is designed to promote the message that storytelling is
not just for children, said its co-founder Andrea Laborde, coordinator of the Southeastern
Laboratory School's learning resource center. Along with the art of storytelling, the festival
provides family fun; preserves and shares heritage; celebrates cultural diversity, and makes the
connection between storytelling and literature, Laborde said.
     This year, the festival will be expanded to two full days of storytelling. On Friday, April
19, guest storytellers will makes presentations at Hammond Junior High School, Hammond
Eastside Primary and Upper Elementary, Hammond Westside Primary and Upper Elementary,
Woodland Park Early Learning Center, the SLU Laboratory School, Holy Ghost School, Trafton
Academy, University Montessori School and Oak Montessori School.
     "The festival is a service to the community itself," Laborde said, "but what is truly
exciting is that we are able to put the storytellers in most of the Hamond schools on Friday. The
children have the opportunity to meet a storyteller personally and enjoy some wonderful stories."
The Friday in-school sessions are made possible by $100 and $200 sponsors from local
businesses and organizations, Laborde said.
     At the Teacher Education Center, Friday's sessions will begin with featured storyteller J.J.
Reneaux, who blends a lively mix of story, song and humor. Reneaux, who grew up in South
Louisiana and Southeast Texas, weaves together folklore, superstition, customs and true stories
in the voices of the French, African, Spanish, Irish and American Indian lowlands peoples to
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STORYTELLING -- Add One
create a colorful tapestry of historical and contemporary life in the deep South. Her presentation
is scheduled for 8:30-9:30 a.m..
     The 10-11:30 a.m. Friday session will feature Mary LeCompte and the Oak Park
Storytellers from Lake Charles, Cajun historian Lacy A. Marcotte of Thibodaux, and African
American teller Lynette Braxton of Lake Charles.
     The 1-2:30 p.m. session will feature Gary Hawk, a Houma/Choctaw and cultural
naturalist; Rose Anne St. Romain from French-speaking Avoyelles Parish and Ann Trousdale of
Louisiana State University. Reneaux also will conduct a workshop for master storytellers.
     The first session on Saturday, April 20 session is scheduled for 10-11:30 a.m. and will
include all seven storytellers. The tellers will return for four matinee sessions from 12:30-2 p.m.
The four matinees will focus on Louisiana French, Cajun and Creole tales, Louisiana
multicultural tales, stories for children and stories for mature listeners.
     The third session, 2:15-3:30 p.m. will offer three workshops: Master Storytelling by
Reneaux; Beginning Storytelling with St. Romain and Children's Storytelling. While adults
attend the workshops, children can go to the special children's session presented by the members
of the SLU Laboratory School Storytellers Guild.
     The final festival session from 7-9 p.m. Saturday spotlights ghost stories. Attendees are
encouraged to bring pillows and blankets for the spooky session and children should be
accompanied by the adult.
     Registration for Friday's events are $8 general admission, $4 university students and
children. On Saturday, each session costs $4 for adults and $2 for children, or an all-day pass can
be purchased for $10 adults and $5 children. The pass includes the evening ghost stories.
Workshops are $7 each.
     Lunch -- gourmet hamburgers with potato or soup and salad -- can be purchased on site
and fresh strawberries will be on sale.
     For additional information about the Louisiana Strawberry Storytelling Festival, call 549-
2206.
                                 -SLU-