Storyteller Harlynne Geisler
www.swiftsite.com/storyteller
858-569-9399 storybag@juno.com

Click here to see listing of public shows in California and Illinois by individual teller Harlynne Geisler and by Storytellers of San Diego.

Storytelling Guilds, Festivals, and Venues of Illinois

Amy Beth and Friends
303 Hoy Avenue
Woodstock, IL
Phone: (815) 338-4245 - Amy Beth
Notes: meets every 3rd Friday; Storytellers are Welcome!!

ASE: Chicago Association of Black Storytellers
Phone: (773) 722-9786 - Kucha Brownlee
Phone: (630) 851-9415 - Linda Gorham
Notes: meets every second Sunday at 3:00 PM at various homes throughout Chicago. ASE organized in December 1988. Its primary mission is to function as the Chicago affiliate of the National Association of Black Storytellers (NABS), promoting the art of storytelling and heightening the awareness of contributions of storytellers to the art. Through efforts to educate, entertain and inspire, members will assist in keeping alive the African-rooted cultures of the world through the power of the word.

Back to the Garden
16250 S. 84th AV
Tinley Park, IL 60477
Phone: (708) 532-8603 - Gene Gryniewicz
E-Mail: gene@tale-teller.com
Notes: meets every 2nd Monday of the month, at 7:30pm, at Parkview Christian Church

Bloomington/Twin City Tale Spinners
Phone: (309) 663-2223 - John Walsh
E-Mail: walsh@springnet1.com
Notes: meets every 3rd Thursday of the month from 6:45 to 8:45 pm at the Normal Library

Champaign-Urbana Storytelling Guild
Spurlock Museum
University of Illinois
600 S. Gregory
Urbana, IL
Phone: (217) 244-3355 - Kim Sheahan
E-Mail: ksheahan@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu
Notes: meets every 1st Sunday at 1pm

Chicago Jewish Storytelling Coalition
Solomon Schechter Day School
9301 GrossPointe Road
Skokie, IL
Phone: (847) 328-8159 - Susan Stone
Notes: meets irregularly in Skokie. Call for dates. Call for times. Any and all are welcome to swap a personal or traditional Jewish tale (as they say, "You don't have to be Jewish") or just listen.

Chicago Storytelling Guild
Hyde Park Union Church
5600 Woodlawn
Chicago, IL
Phone: (773) 288-7217 - Judith Heineman
E-Mail: JuHeStories@aol.com
Notes: meets every 3rd Tuesday 7:30-9:30
Directions: Lake Shore Drive South to 53rd St exit, go west for about 6 blocks to Woodlawn, turn south(left) for three blocks to 56th Street. Ample street parking. annual Tellabration. Many opportunities for those whose comfort and skill levels are up to public performances. The 57th Street Book Fair in Hyde Park is one such opportunity that is always the last weekend in September.

Chinquapin Folk Music and Storytelling Festival
Notes: 309/6868-3360

DeKalb/Sycamore Storytelling Guild
Junction Bookstore
DeKalb, IL
Phone: (815) 758-8030 - Shirley Chaney
Phone: (815) 758-3811 - Patricia Ridge
Notes: meets every 3rd Tuesday 7:30pm

Fox Valley Storytelling Guild
Bethany Lutheran Church
8 South Lincoln
Batavia, IL
Phone: (630) 851-9415 - Linda Gorham
Phone: (630) 879-6891 - Donna Dettman
Notes: meets every 4th Tuesday 7:30 at Bethany Lutheran Church, Batavia IL The guild's mission is "To encourage the telling of stories by sharing stories with listeners, fostering storytelling skills, and serving as a resource in our community." Each Labor Day weekend, the guild presents storytelling at the Fox Valley Folk Festival in Geneva, IL. The festival brings in nationally known storytellers and wonderful local tellers to perform. The guild was organized in 1988.

Heartland Story League
17101 South 71st Avenue
Tinley Park, IL 60477
Phone: (708) 799-1133 - Lee Cunningham
E-Mail: lcunni6218@aol.com
Notes: meets every 1st Friday at 6:30pm, at the Tinley Park Public Library

Illinois Storytelling Festival
P.O. Box 249
McHenry, IL 60051
Phone: (815) 344-0181 - Main Office
Fax: (815) 344-5725 - Main Office
Web Site: http://storytelling.org/festival.html
Notes: Always held the last full weekend in July.

Lincolnwood Public Library
4000 W. Pratt
Storytelling Guilds of IL
Lincolnwood, IL 60712
Phone: (847) 677-5277 - Main Office
Web Site: http://www.lincolnwoodlibrary.org
Notes: Tell a Tell: We'll Tell a Tale and You Can Too We invite storytellers to come to the Lincolnwood Library and share their stories. This is a good opportunity to try out new material. 3pm ... NOT A GUILD but a venue

Mastshouse
528 E. Calhoun Street
Woodstock, IL
Notes: Every 1st Saturday: if you would like to perform call 708/836-6278, 7pm ... this is NOT A GUILD but a venue

McHenry County Storytelling Guild
Family Alliance Center
Woodstock, IL
Phone: (847) 381-6634 - Fred Berchtold
Phone: (815) 337-0126 - Ben Rosenfield
Notes: meetes every 2nd Tuesday 7pm

Nature Center Storytelling Guild
North Park Village Nature Center
5801 N. Pulaski
Chicago, IL 60646
Phone: (847) 673-5786 - MARK KATER
E-Mail: markkater@mac.com
Notes: The Nature Center Storytelling Guild Meets the second Monday of each month ( no august meeting) at 7 PM at the North Park Village Nature Center. The Nature Center Storytelling Guild meets at a 46 acre nature center on the north side of Chicago. Come share a story, a joke, a song, a listening ear.

No Exit Cafe & Coffeehouse
6970 N. Glenwood
Chicago, IL
Phone: (773) 743-3355 - Main Office
Notes: Every other Wednesday -- Suzanne's Storytelling Open Mic ... NOT A GUILD but a venue

None of the Above Coffeehouse
2nd Unitarian Church
656 W. Barry
Chicago, IL 60658
Phone: (312) 465-7582 - main number
Notes: Every 3rd Saturday, 7:30pm ... NOT A GUILD but a venue

Northshore Storytelling Guild
Evanston, IL
Phone: (847) 729-4528 - Marie Odhner
Notes: meets every 2nd or 3rd Wednesday; meets in members' homes in Evanston and North Shore area

Oak Tree Storytelling Guild
First United Church
Storytelling Guilds of IL
Lake & Kenilworth
Oak Park, IL
Phone: (708) 488-1463 - Kim Hoag
E-Mail: krhoag@earthlink.net
Notes: meets every 2nd Thursday, 7:30 p.m.

Peoria Prairie Storytelling Guild
Peoria Public Library (Main Branch)
107 NE Monroe
Peoria, IL
Phone: (309) 691-1465 - Joe Shallbetter
Notes: meets every 3rd Wednesday, 6:30 business, 7pm stories

Pioneer Trails Storytelling Guild
LaGrange Park, IL
Phone: (708) 352-2631 - Megan Wells
E-Mail: MeganWells@juno.com
Notes: meets once a month at members' houses; schedule currently in flux; call for information

Prairie Center for the Arts
201 Schaumburg Ct.
Schaumburg, IL
Phone: (847) 895-3600 - Main Office
Notes: annual festival

Prairie Grapevine Folklore Society
Unitarian Universalist Church
745 Woodside Road
Springfield, IL
Phone: (217) 787-6833 - Main Office
Phone: (217) 585-9550 - church number
Notes: second Saturday concerts (September through May) ... NOT A GUILD but a venue
Directions: I 55 to Toronto Road Exit. West till the road comes to a T.
Right at the T. First road on the left. Unitarian Church on right about a
quarter mile. From north Toronto Rd: it is the 1st road past Springfield.

Riverbend Storytelling Guild
Butterworth Center
1105 8th
Moline, IL
Notes: meets every 3rd Tuesday 7pm

Riverwind Storytellers Company
Edwardsville, IL
Phone: (618) 692-7556 - Marilyn Kinsella
E-Mail: markinsella19@HOTMAIL.COM
Notes: meets every 2nd Wednesday -- dinner meet -- $15/yr membership w/newsletter. Sponsors Riverwind Whirlwind Weekend

Riverwind Whirlwind Weekend
Todd Hall Retreat Center
Columbia, IL
Notes: FESTIVAL ... first full weekend of March

Senior Moments
Midlothian Park District
14600 Kostner
Midlothian, IL
Phone: (708) 799-1133 - Lee Cunningham
Phone: (708) 371-9436 - Shirley Elms
E-Mail: lcunni6218@aol.com
Notes: meets every 4th Wednesday of every month (except December), 10am to 12:30pm

Storytelling at Al's Cafe
43 DuPage Court
Elgin, IL
Phone: (847) 742-1180 - Main Office
Notes: 3rd Thursday of the month for adult storytelling. The stories will begin at 7:30. The featured teller will tell for 45 minutes, then we will have an open mic for 45 minutes, then the featured teller will finish up the evening ... NOT A GUILD but a venue

Uncommon Ground Coffeehouse
1214 W. Grace
Chicago, IL
Phone: (773) 929-3680 - Main Office
Phone: (773) 271-3417 - Jim Pfitzer
E-Mail: jpfitzer@mindspring.com
Notes: Twice a month open mic storytelling, every 2nd and 4th 8pm to 10pm; signups at 7pm ... NOT A GUILD but a venue ...

SUBSCRIPTION FORM TO Story Bag
Information about The Story Bag
Back to Events Listing to get to all other events pages.(including other California events)