Come Listen to a Tale!

Who is Granny Sue?

Susanna “ Granny Sue” Holstein is a West Virginia storyteller. She tells and sings stories in the old-time front-porch style.

From mountain tall tales to poignant family stories to ghostly tales and beautiful ballads, Granny Sue's storytelling will entertain and engage listeners of all ages, cultural backgrounds and interests.

Storytelling takes us back to a time when stories were part of the fabric of every day, when parents told children tales from their past and children shared daily adventures. Stories remind us of who we are, where we came from, and why it is important to remember our heritage. Stories share values and moral lessons, and give us a blueprint for the future.

Why storytelling?
People everywhere are rediscovering the joy of simply listening to a story and joining in on a song. It's an ageless way of connecting with others in the magic of a tale well-told.

Who likes stories?
It's not just children who enjoy a story! Adults want to hear stories of their heritage and history. Storytelling reminds us that we all share similar joys and heartaches, that we all make mistakes and learn from them, and that we need each other to survive.

What kinds of stories does Granny Sue tell?

Granny Sue's repertoire includes:

Ballads

Ghost stories

Family stories

Traditional mountain and world folktales

Tall tales and "lies"

West Virginia historical stories

Humor

Audience participation tales

What kinds of events hire a storyteller?

• 
  Granny Sue has been a featured performer at events from Bellingham, Washington to Boston, Massachusetts. She has told stories for education groups, retired teachers, daycare programs, festivals, fairs, conferences, libraries, schools, campfires and whitewater rafting groups.
  
  Publications:
  Granny’s Ghost Stories: a collection of original, traditional and local ghost stories
• Homeplace Poems from the Mountains: a collection of her poems
• Tell It Together! Participation Stories for Family Audiences: a collection of stories to tell to children
• Lives Unheralded: Poems
• Mountain Story, Mountain Song: A CD collection of Granny Sue's favorite stories and ballads.
• Beyond the Grave: Ghost Stories from the Mountains. CD collection of ghost stories from West Virginia, along with three Appalachian ballads of the supernatural.
• Telling Stories with Puppets in Telling Stories to Children by NSN Press
• Two stories in the anthology Zinnia Tales, a collection of stories about strong Appalachian women.
• Story (Yellow Roses) included in the anthology Self-Rising Flowers by Mountain Girl Press
• Online daily journal Granny Sue's News and Reviews

How can I contact Granny Sue?
Granny Sue: Stories from the Mountains and Beyond
866-643-1353 toll-free
susannaholstein@yahoo.com

2010 Performance Schedule:

May 8: Migration Celebration. Details TBA

May 1: Trillium Arts Guild Festival, Doddridge County Middle School. Storytelling for all ages. Details TBA


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2009 Performance Schedule

January 21: Columbus Speakeasy, SOCOTellers, 6-9pm. Featured teller!

February 28: Gallipolis, OH, storytelling at the theatre. Details TBA.

March 11-April 8: Puppet troupe training for Jackson County Library, Ripley, WV

April 3-5: Mountain State Storytelling Institute, Fairmont State University, Fairmont, WV; workshops on blogging for storytellers

April 25: Churchville, VA event TBA

April 29: Book discussion group at Sistersville Library, Sistersville, WV to talk about my books and CD, 11:00 am

May 1-3: OOPS Storytelling Conference, Ohio: ballad workshop

May 9: Migration Celebration. Storytelling and crafts for children. Little Beaver State Park, Beaver, WV. Details at http://www.tracwv.org/

May 23: Vandalia Festival Storytelling Tent and Performance, Charleston, WV. Details at: http://www.wvculture.org/vandalia/vansched.html

May 28: North Elementary Schoool, Elkins. Evening performance for Appalachian heritage program.

June 12-14: WV Writers Conference-fun with my friends! Cedar Lakes State Conference Center, Ripley WV. Details at www.wvwriters.org/

June 19: Summer Reading Kickoff for Jackson County (WV) libraries Ripley 10am and Ravenswood 1:00pm. Call 304-372-5343 for details.

June 20: West Virginia Folk Festival, Glenville, WV. Details TBA

June 24: WV Ghost stories, 10 am. Wood County (WV) Public Library, Parkersburg, WV

July 6: Summer Reading Program storytelling at Sistersville Library, Sistersville, WV

July 11: Tygart Lake State Park. Storytelling in the park! 7pm.

July 22: Puppet-making workshop at Wood County Public Library, Parkersburg, WV

July 23: Puppet-making workshops and storytelling at Doddridge County (WV) Library 10:30am and Center Point Library 1:00pm.

September 19: Appalachian Festival, Frostburg State University, Frostburg, Md. 1:30pm to 3:00pm. Featured performer: Jean Ritchie. Telling with Ellouise Schoettler and Katie Ross.

October 3-4: National Storytelling Festival, Jonesborough, TN to watch a good friend receive an award.

October 6: Fairview Public Library, Fairview WV; storytime for toddlers at 10:00 am. School event afternoon.

October 8: Private event, Fayetteville, WV

October 10-11: WV Book Festival, Charleston, WV http://www.wvbookfestival.org/
Storytelling concert at 12 noon featuring ghost stories by Granny Sue and WV Storytelling guild members.

October 17: Hundred Library, Hundred, WV: Ghost Stories by the Campfire, 7pm.

October 20-21: WV Storytelling Festival; details TBA

October 24: Tygart Lake State Park, Grafton, WV: Scary Stories after Dark. Contact: Tygart Lake State Park , 304-265-6144

October 30: Athens (Alabama) Storytelling Festival Ghost Stories Concert featured teller. See website for updates: http://www.athensstorytellingfestival.com/

November 14: Tellabration! WVU Mountaineer Week, Morgantown, WV. Details TBA.

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2008 Performance History

January 16: SOCO Speakeasy, Columbus OH

February 27: Long Drain Elementary School, Hundred WV. (I'm the reward for good attendance)

March 21: Heritage Day, Scott Teays Elementary, Winfield, WV (private event)

April 4-6: Storytelling Institute, Fairmont State University, Fairmont, WV. Presenting a session on Appalachian Ballads.

April 18: Baldwin Elementary, Manassas, VA. School program

April 19: Shepherdstown Library, Shepherdstown, WV 10:30am.

April 21: The Country Day School, Kearneysville, WV. School program.

April 22: Greenbrier Elementary, Lewisburg, WV. School program.

April 26: Appalachian Wordsmiths Writing Workshop, Ripley, WV: presenting a workshop on writing poetry

May 4: History in Review, Rowlesburg, WV. Public program.

May 10: Migration Celebration, Little Beaver State Park, Beckley, WV

May 16-17: My Family Reunion at Lost River State Park--fun!

May 19: Elderhostel, Cedar Lakes Conference Center, Ripley, WV

June 9-10: Storytelling for 4-H Camps in Hampshire, Pocahontas, and Pendleton counties in WV

June 13-15: WV Writers Conference, Ripley, WV. Just attending, not performing.

June 19-21: WV Folk Festival, Glenville, WV, emceeing and performing at the Oral Traditions tent and the singing tent.

June 22-27: Allegheny Echoes Workshops, Marlinton, WV

June 28: Tygart Lake State Park, Grafton, WV

June 30: Paden City and Middlebourne (WV) Library programs for Summer Reading

July 15: Sistersville Public Library, Sistersville, WV for summer reading program

July 23: Stories at the River's Edge. Featured teller for this year's festival. 10am at Middleport, OH and 1:30pm at Mason, WV. Call me for more information.

August 5: Summer Fun Camp. WV Rehabilitation Services, Camp Virgil Tate, WV. Private event.

August 7-10: National Storytelling Conference, Gatlinburg, TN--just attending, not presenting!

August 26: Elderhostel storytelling performance at Cedar Lakes, Ripley, WV

September 4-6: Southern Ohio Storytelling Festival, Chillicothe, OH, as a featured teller

September 13: Marion County Library, VA: Sherwood Anderson writing contest speaker; private event.

October 6: West Virginia University at Parkersburg Heritage Day storytelling presentation, Parkersburg, WV.

October 11-12: WV Book Festival, storytelling concert for children and panel discussion on storytelling for children.

October 11: Ghost Stories At the Alpine Theatre, Ripley, WV. Storytelling and music --what a great combination. 8pm. Tickets $5 children, students and seniors, $10 adults.

October 13: Elderhostel, Cedar Lakes conference Center, Ripley, WV. Storytelling for Elderhostel guests.

October 17: Storytelling at Slanesville and Augusta Elementary schools, Hampshire County, WV.

October 18: Capon Bridge Founders Day Celebration, Capon Bridge, WV. 11:00am--storytelling and finger puppet craft for children. Open to the public.

October 27: Ripley Public Library, Ripley WV.. Ghost stories for public program, 6pm.

October 27: Elderhostel, Cedar Lakes Conference Center, Ripley, WV. Storytelling for Elderhostel guests.

November 15: WVU Family Fun Day in Morgantown, WV.

November 15: Tellabration! in Morgantown, WV. 7pm, Mountainlair, WVU.

November 21-23: Tygart Lake State Park, attending a writing workshop with Colleen Anderson.

December 5: Storytelling for private school, Kearneysville, WV

January 21: Columbus Speakeasy, SOCOTellers, 6-9pm. Featured teller!

Some of Granny Sue's Past Performances 2007-2008:
September 8: Ripley, WV: Family Storytelling with Adele Browne at the Alpine Theatre
October 3-4: Weston, WV: West Virginia State Storytelling Festival, Jackson's Mill Conference Center
October 12: Charleston, WV: WV Reading Association Conference performance
October 13: WV Poetry Society Conference speaker
October 13-14: Charleston, WV: WV Book Festival
October 21: private event in Martinsburg, WV
November 3: Mountaineer Week Family Fun Day, Morgantown, WV
November 17: Fauquier County Public Library, John Barton Payne Building, 10:30am (rescheduled July program)
November 17: Bealeton Library, Bealeton, VA
March 21: Scott Teays Elementary School , private event
April 4-6: WV Storytelling Institute, Fairmont State College, Fairmont WV
May 10: Migration Celebration at Little Beaver State Park, Beckley, WV. All day event