A narrative impression
Southfield junior Brandon Davis went through a whole new experience this weekend.
Davis, along with several other students, attended various performances, lectures and workshops from professionals in the career field of storytelling, as the fourth-annual Michigan Story Festival came to Mount Pleasant, beginning Thursday and concluding Saturday.
“I really enjoyed it,” Davis said. “It was a great opportunity to expand my horizons and I’m glad that I did.”
Darcy Orlik, coordinator of special events for the College of Communications and Fine Arts, said the festival was assembled as a civil engagement project among CMU, the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe and the City of Mount Pleasant.
Many of the events were scattered throughout the community as well as on campus.
Bill White, a former Mount Pleasant pastor and writer, told stories of courage, truth skills and character development Saturday in Moore Hall’s Townsend Kiva.
“It was very entertaining,” said Battle Creek senior Lisa Rex. “I like how there was a moral for each of the stories.”
A slew of other events took place throughout the campus and community Saturday. Some included performances by Carolyn Dunn, Tim Tingle, Rob Reider and Bobby Norfolk.
Those who didn’t attend the festival this weekend still can see some of the exhibits.
Tom Woodruff’s art will be displayed until Tuesday in Charles V. Park Library’s third-floor exhibit area. Also, “Woodland Contemporary Traditions: Selections from the Olga Denison Collection of Native American Art” will be available until Nov. 27 and “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot: Word from Iraq” until Nov. 30.
On Friday, Judy Sima hosted a workshop titled “Six Quick Steps to Storytelling,” which was followed by a lecture and book signing by John Grogan, CMU alumnus whose book, “Marley and Me,” has appeared at No. 1 on the New York Times best-seller list for 22 weeks.
Award-winning American-Indian artist Carolyn Dunn and mural artist Tom Woodruff also gave lectures Friday.
The festival officially opened at 6 p.m. Friday when the Mountaintown Moonshiners opened up for the Chapin Family, who performed at
7 p.m. in the Music Building’s Staples Family Concert Hall.
The Chapin Family’s style appealed to Lansing junior Bianca Jones, who wasn’t familiar with the band’s style.
“It was really nice to hear a different genre of music that I’m not used to,” Jones said.
