Act!vated Stories

âHans in Luckâ, a German tale from the Brothers Grimm, is as loaded with irony as its title character is loaded with material possessions that people would normally consider a blessing, but in his case prove to be burdens. His situation reminds us of our own; having left the stationary lifestyle behind years ago, we ironically feel much richer for not having so much âstuffâ to weigh us down. We present the story with the assistance of guest performers who've also discovered this. They are attendees of the annual Families on the Road (FOTR) rally. (We recorded this podcast in a laundry room at a campground jammed with excited people, which explains the ambient sound â a euphemism for background noise.) It was a very successful event, indeed the largest such gathering ever, with 21 families in attendance. For the second time, we held the rally at Jetty Park, Port Canaveral, FL. This is an excellent location not only because it's right on the beach (within site of the NASA shuttle launch site) but also because it's right beside the cruise ship terminal, so we could watch the huge cruise ships pull out, including the Disney line. Among the fun activities the campers enjoyed were a relay race on the beach, a tie-dyeing session, a gross science session, a screening of the movie âRVâ on an outdoor inflatable screen, a bonfire, and a performance by Act!vated Storytellers. Happy Listening!Dennis (Goatherd), Kimberly (Horse) Kelby Evans(Hans), Dylan DiMichiel(Narrator), Connor Evans(Peasant with cow), Jayden Dudley (Narrator), Adrian Dudley (Narrator), Sage Bove(Cow), Christian DiMichiel (Scissors Grinder), Rita DiMichiel(Narrator), Pete "Dutch" DeMichiel (Master), Courtney LaPointe (Goose Woman, Narrator), Kati Evans (Goose), Zachary Godwin (Narrator, Grindng Stone, Well) Families on the RoadFOTR

âThe Rainbow Crowâ is a Native American nature myth from the Lenni Lenape tribe of New Jersey. It's quite unusual for a nature myth in that it simultaneously explains the origins of four phenomena: fire, the rainbow, the crow's black feathers, and the crow's croaky voice. It bears striking similarities to the Zuni story that we call âCoyote and Eagleâ, as well as to the Greek myth of Prometheus. We thought it would be an appropriate offering for the winter solstice, since it also deals with the first time the animals had seen snow. That's rather hard to imagine, since they were living in the Northeast, but there's a first time for everything. We come to you from a place where we probably won't have to worry about snow this holiday season: Florida. We'll be here through the end of January, and our tour will include a performance in Miami. If you decide to fly south for the winter, or you're already down here, swing on by! Happy Listening! Dennis (Narrator, Owl, Great Spirit) and Kimberly (Crow, Coyote, Turtle and generic critter)

To mark the beginning of winter, we present âBatchaâ a dragon story from the region formerly known as Czechoslovakia (it recently split into Slovakia and The Czech Republic). A shepherd strays away from home, discovers a serpents' lair, sleeps all winter like Rip Van Reptile, suffers the consequences of breaking a vow, takes a wild ride, and still gets home in time for dinner. We come to you from Delaware, en route to Florida for the winter. And we catch you up on what's happened during the two months since our last podcast, including Halloween in Salem, Urban Interactive in Boston, and two days of adventures in New York City. In the Big Apple, we saw Bon Jovi perform during a âToday Showâ telecast, attended a taping of âLate Night with Jimmy Fallonâ, and attended a fun Broadway performance of the classic musical Finian's Rainbow a hilarious modern fable featuring a leprechaun and lots of singing and dancing. We also watched the Veterans' Day Parade (which included Hollywood legend Tony Curtis) and ran into the purveyors of Myachi, a toy for all ages. We first encountered them in Florida nearly 7 years ago! Happy Listening (and beware of dragons and leprechauns) Dennis (Batcha, Serpent King, Wizard) and Kimberly (Narrator, Wife, Dog Link to the Today Show featuring Families on the Road and a short clip from an interview with Kimberly

Especially for the arrival of the autumn equinox, alias fall, we bring you âMoonlight Over Cassia Peakâ a nature myth from China explaining the abundance of cassia trees around Lingyin Temple in the Wulin Mountains. The version we have borrowed presents the legend as a tale within a tale. We come to you from Fall River, MA, where we gear up for another haunting season in Salem. We've completed our 21st summer season, which took us from Monterey, CA to Medford, MA. Along the way, we performed for the American Library Association's annual conference on behalf of Scholastic Books (held in Chicago this year) and biked the Katy Trail in Missouri. And Dennis began writing about some of our travel adventures for examiner.com. Oh yes, and we have a guest star this time who's hardly a stranger to our podcasts or our shows: our son Zephyr, who now lives in Massachusetts and hadn't done a podcast with us since January. Happy Listening! Dennis (De Wing), Kimberly (Narrator, Queen) and Zephyr (Abbot, Wu Gang)

Part 2 of the Dragon of Krakow - the exciting conclusion! Activatedly Yours, Dennis (the Cobbler), Kimberly (the Apprentice) and the Dragon Links: Part I <!-- document.write('< a href="javascript:;" onclick="TwitThis.pop();&q uot;><img src="http://s3.chuug.com/chuug.twitthi s.resources/twitthis_grey_72x22.gif" alt="TwitThis" style="border:none;" /></a>'); //-->      

A story about a village terrorized by a dragon. Compiled from 4 live productions. Act!vatedly Yours, Dennis (the Cobbler), Kimberly (the Apprentice) and the Dragon Links: Part II <!-- document.write('& ;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="javascript:;&amp ;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot; onclick="TwitThis.pop();&a mp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;&gt ;<img src="http://s3.chuug.com/c huug.twitthis.resources/twitthis_grey_72x22.gif&amp ;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot; alt="TwitThis& amp;amp;amp;quot; style="border:none;&am p;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot; />&l t;/a>'); //--&a mp;amp;amp;gt;      

The Grove A little oasis near Chicago, Illinois where you can explore nature and experience the past. Links: A!S Fan Page on Facebook <!-- document.write('<a href="javascript:;" onclick="TwitThis.pop();"><img src="http://s3.chuug.com/chuug.twitthis.resources/ twitthis_grey_72x22.gif" alt="TwitThis" style="border:none;" /></a>'); //-->      

We have been trying out our new video camera. Hope you enjoy these new travel videos. We'll be back to our regular podcast schedule next month, in addition to adding new travel videos in the future. A theatrical tour of Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia Visit Colonial Williamsburg Williamsburg, First City of Theater; article at Examiner.com Act!vatedly Yours, Dennis and Kimberly Links: A!S Fan Page on Facebook      

"The Brave Little Tailor" is a tale popularized by Disney, who rather appropriately cast Mickey Mouse in the title role. Disney got it from the Brothers Grimm, who got it from several European folk traditions. It's an inspiring story about how a little guy can defeat a mighty giant (or even several of them) with cunning and courage, as well as a cautionary tale about the dangers of tooting your own horn. It will be one of the stories featured in our new production "Triumphant Tales; Stories of Creative Conquest". This version is specially edited for the podcast, and features the guest voices of our nephew Joey (age 15) and our niece Jenny (age 12). We hope the end result leaves you in stitches.We also talk about our recent drive and bicycling adventure down the Pacific Coast, traveling from Seattle through Oregon and past California's own giants, the monumental redwoods.You'll hear us make a reference in the podcast to working on our set in the garage; but no, no, no that does not mean that we have a house somewhere. We're still on the road fulltime, just as we have been for the past 17 years. But we do know other people who have houses, including Kimberly's parents. And it's their garage where we typically have our marathon production week every May/June.Now we're off and running on our 21st summer season. Beginning June 11 in Monterey, CA, we literally tour from coast to coast this year, ending the season in Medford, MA. We hope to catch you somewhere along the way!Happy Listening!Dennis (Narrator, Giant), Kimberly (Tailor), Joey (King) and Jenny (Giant)Comments and folktale requests 206-426-0436. Links: A!S Fan Page on Facebook      

"Trittil, Littil and the Birds" is a story from Iceland about an adventurous young man who outwits a troll, and of course wins his good fortune. There are many trolls living under the bridges and in the caves of Nordic folklore, but in this case the troll is female. Which is entirely appropriate, since we have two female guest performers returning to join us.We were inspired by the famous troll lurking under the Aurora Bridge in the Femont District of Seattle, where we were able to spend a few days showing our guests the sights, including the Experience Music Project, Pikes Place Market, the Chittenden Locks, and Elliot Bay Book Company. None of us got eaten by a troll, but we did get almost dissolved by the rain.Happy Listening,Dennis (Narrator, King, Father), Kimberly (Mother, Trittil, Littil, Princess), Libby (Young Man), and Eddy (Oldest Brother, Troll)Comments and folktale requests 206-426-0436. Links: A!S Fan Page on Facebook      

âWhen April Went to Visit Marchâ is a story from the Ukraine about the seasons, or rather about one season, and how it can be unseasonable, especially in a chilly climate like the Ukraine. The months of spring are appropriately personified to reflect the weather that typically accompanies them: harsh March, airy April and mellow May. Except sometimes May may show the traits of March, so this tale offers a fanciful explanation. We come to you from Sacramento, California, where we are doing a series of library performances for National Library Week. And we're doing stories especially appropriate for Earth Day, which the Sacramento County Library System is commemorating with a green theme. And speaking of spring, we recount our recent visit to Saratoga, WY, which has a hot mineral spring that anyone can bathe in free at any time, year-round. But while we were there, we encountered some snowy weather, as we did during the entire month of March, which seemed to be anticipating the venting of a great deal of wrath toward May. Happy Listening! Dennis (March, Narrator) and Kimberly (April, May, Wind) Comments and folktale requests 206-426-0436. Links: Bead Fanatic Beads by Jen PrinkA!S Fan Page on Facebook National Library Week      

âThe Boo Brothersâ is a story of sibling rivalry, virtue triumphant, and unorthodox horticulture from Korea. It parallels many stories, including one from the Appalachian region of the U.S. sometimes known as âGol Golly Geeâ, involving one or more individuals who refuse to help someone in need and then meet their downfall, as contrasted with a more noble person who takes the time to be of help, and is rewarded with riches and having a folktale named after them.We come to you from Colorado City (in Colorado, natch), after having driven from Florida in a very short time. Along the way, we stopped in Mobile, AL to attend part of the Mardi Gras festivities. Many people don't realize it, but Mardi Gras has been celebrated in Mobile even longer than it has in New Orleans. The festival in Mobile dates back as far as 1703, and the tradition of a parade dates back to about 1830 when one particular merry fellow got one going spontaneously, and the other folks in the community decided it was too much fun not to repeat. This year's celebration actually got underway last year, with events held back in November. But the party began in earnest in January, a month before Mardi Gras itself. And during that month, there were no fewer than FORTY-TWO parades. We missed forty of them.We also spent some time in Taos, NM, in the heart of ski country. The town of Taos is rich in history, being among other things the home of legendary scout Christopher âKitâ Carsonâthe house he lived in is now open for tours. But even more historic is the home of an entire tribe of Native Americans: the Taos Pueblo, which was built at least 600 hundred years ago, and quite possibly 1000 years ago. It's still home today to about 150 tribal residents who still live, as their ancestors did, without electricity or running water. Like the Pueblo, the entire town of Taos is constructed of adobe buildings. It was a fascinating place to spend a weekend, but we're relieved to be out of the snow.Happy Listening!Dennis (Narrator, HungBoo, Monsters) and Kimberly (Narrator, NolBoo, Wife, Bird, Monsters)Comments and folktale requests 206-426-0436. Links: A!S Fan Page on Facebook National Library Week Prosperity Podcast

Long before Marvel Comics created Spiderman, a spiderman was created by the Ashanti tribe of western Africa. The frequent trickster (and sometimes victim of other animals' tricks) has appeared in many aliases, and in many other parts of the world, including the Caribbean, Central America and the U.S. Sometimes he appears as a spider, sometimes a man, and sometimes both. In the Southern U.S., âheâ sometimes turned into Aunt Nancy. In our story for this month, he retains his original name and gender, even though he has been transplanted to Jamaica, mon. And alas, it's another one of those cases (like âAnansi Goes Fishingâ, which we're currently performing on tour) where he ends up on the short end of the storytellers' stick. We thought an Anansi story would be particularly appropriate for Black History Month, otherwise known as February. (In Great Britain, it's celebrated in October.) The month, which was originally just a week, traces its roots back to 1926, when prominent historian Dr. Carter Woodson began crusading to remedy the way his fellow African-Americans had been neglected in the history books. February is also the anniversary of the Fifteenth Amendment granting African-Americans the right to vote, and the swearing in of Hiram Revels as the first African-American member of the U.S. Senate. And February contains the birthday of the early civil rights leader W.E.B. DuBois, who along with Dr. Woodson, helped found the NAACP in 1909âduring, would you believe it, the month of February. And you thought this month was just for presidents, groundhogs and chocolate. We come to you from Western Florida, a state in which we've been sojourning for the past couple of months. But we're on our way north and gradually back to the West Coast, to the region where we started. We hope you do your share of reading during Read Across America Week, the first week in March. Happy Listening!Dennis (Narrator, Hog, Monkey) and Kimberly (Anansi, Goat) Links Mentioned in this Podcast Kall8.com for voice mail service - use our # for reference if you sign up: 800.429-6576 Details for Share the Love of Reading are at Myownbook.net Read Across America Week Library Lover's Month On Twitter we are @activated The Program Room by Monty Harper - podcast for Youth Services Librarians A!S Flier for 2009-10 touring productions to share with your favorite school or library. (PDF format)      

The Coyote is a prominent recurring anthropomorphic character in the folklore of many Native American tribes, particularly in the Southwest. He is generally portrayed as a trickster, a semicomic hero who gets the better of some of the other critters. (He didn't get his comeuppance until the Twentieth Century, thanks to the Roadrunner.) Our current stage production, âCreepy Crawly Critter Talesâ, features a yarn about how the Coyote and the Eagle attempt to rescue the sun from a band of kachinas (spirits) who have stolen it. But in our podcast story for this month, it is the Coyoteâaided and abetted by a few animal sidekicksâwho steal something: namely, fire. This tale, although it involves animals, has strong parallels in the myths of many other cultures about the heroic figures who first brought fire to humankind: Prometheus among the Greeks, Maui among the Polynesians and Loki among the Norse, for instance. We come to you this month from Orlando, Florida, where we've assembled quite a cast of guest stars. We're joined by our son Zephyr, his girlfriend Cassia from Massachusetts, and their friends Amylynn from Chicago, Lani from Denver and Emily from Michigan. And as long as they were coming to Orlando long enough to do the podcast, we decided to dig up something fun for them to do. The best we could come up with was seven days at the Disney theme parks. Sorry, guys.Happy Listening! Dennis (Frog, Villager), Kimberly (Squirrel, Villager), Zephyr (Coyote, Villager), Cassia (Narrator), AmyLynn (Fire Being), Emily (Fire Being), and Lani (Chipmunk, Fire Being) Links: The Grove, in Glenview, IL - where Amylynn works as an interpretive guide Kim Possible Adventure at Epcot      

âThe Elves and the Envious Neighborâ is a story from Japan that we bring in especially for the holidays. Not that it's a holiday story, mind you. But it does feature elves, and indeed elves who give a gift... by taking something away! It also features a Scrooge-like character driven by greed and envy. In some respects, it's similar to âAli Baba and the Forty Thievesâ. We come to you from Tallahassee, Florida, where we don't exactly expect to have a white Christmas. But it still looks very like that season around here, because we're surrounded by Fraser Firs, Canaan Firs, Scotch Pines and White Pines, oh my. We're babysitting a Christmas tree lot at the Tallahassee Mall, where we have the unheard-of opportunity to remain parked in one spot for more than a monthâwith free electricity thrown in to bootâas we start making preparations for next summer's tour. Yes, we've been away from the podcast universe for a whileâsince August, to be exact. And we bring you up to date on what's been happening in the meantime, including our fun, fascinating, productive October in Salem, where we met up with the LOUD Family, the subjects of the TV miniseries âSix for the Roadâ. And we answer that burning question on everyone's mind: where in the world is Zephyr? By the way, did you know that you can track the progress of Santa's sleigh online on Christmas Eve? We've been doing it for years. Amazing what they can do with radar these days. To all of you from all two of us, we wish you the happiest of holiday seasons, and a fantastic 2009. Happy Listening! Dennis (Man, Neighbor and Elves) and Kimberly (Narrator, King and other elves) Comments and folktale requests 206-426-0436. Links: Santa's Letter to RV kids (online through December) BLOCKBUSTER Total Access click to activate coupon for $10 off your first month. SkypeOut Free calls online LOUD Family Track Santa's sleigh Direct download: ElvesAndNeighbor.mp3   <!-- document .write('<a href="javascript:;" onclick="TwitThis.pop();"><img src="http://s3.chuug.com/chuug.twitthis.resources/ twitthis_grey_72x22.gif" alt="TwitThis" style="border:none;" /></a>'); //-->