Press Release 4/11/08

Strand Theatre Storytelling Festival

Strand Theatre Preservation Society is Hosting the Third Annual Storytelling Festival

Moundsville, West Virginia – Do you enjoy hearing a good tale? Have you ever wondered if the teller of that tale is exaggerating or telling the truth? If so then the Strand Theatre Storytelling Festival is exactly what you are looking for.

The Strand Theatre Preservation Society is proud to present our Third Annual Storytelling Festival. It will be held on Friday, May 30^th, and Saturday May 31st, 2008.  There are many different activities scheduled for this fun-filled weekend. In addition to the festival for the community, the storytellers will be making presentations for several Marshall County Schools.

Two different evening performances will be held both Friday and Saturday at 6:30pm at Simpson Church in Moundsville. These shows will be geared for the entire family, so bring your kids and your grannies.

Be sure to attend the evening performances or better still; take part in our very own Amateur Liar’s Competition on Saturday May 31^st at 10:00am.This will give you the chance to show everybody how well you can spin a tale! Look for entry forms in the local newspapers or just come to the competition to get a chance to tell your favorite tale. You can also see area school children participate in a youth showcase. This event is free to the public.

Bil Lepp is a five-time champion of the West Virginia Liars Contest. He tells original, hilarious, tales that will bring a smile to the face of even the most ill humored person. Bil Lepp is a nationally known storyteller with a down home feel.

Kevin Cordi is a nationally-recognized Storyteller whose parents were raised in West Virginia and good-naturedly claims, "Stories were born in West Virginia, everyone else borrows.

Kim Weitkamp is best known for her skills in laying down a whopper of tale, combining humor, original childhood stories and just a touch of fertilizer to create stories that can compete with the best of them.

The Strand Café will also be available throughout the festival for food and refreshments. Proceeds to benefit the Strand Theatre Preservation Society and their project to “Restore the Strand and Build the Arts”.

Again, the festival will be Friday May 30^th and Saturday May31st 2008 at 6:30 pm. All events will take place at Simpson United Methodist Church located in Moundsville, West Virginia. The cost will be $10.00 per day or $15.00 for a weekend pass, students 15 and under $5.00 per day or $10.00 weekend pass.

For more information please contact The Strand Theatre Preservation Society or Tiffany Turner 304-845-3431 or visit www.strandtheater.org

For tickets stop in at the Marshall County Chamber of Commerce, Home Towne Floral Shoppe and Candles on Fourth Street in Moundsville or Moundsville Pharmacy, along Rt. 2 in Moundsville. Tickets can also be purchased at the door.

Come and join us as we celebrate the art of storytelling.