Change At The Tea Party

by Mary Wiggin

As many of you know, on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month, the Ottawa StoryTellers (OST) present "Stories and Tea" at the Tea Party, at 119 York Street. The Tea Party provides a wonderful venue where patrons can enjoy all sorts of stories, lively chat and yummy treats.

Kathie Kompass and Mary Wiggin are now the program coordinators for the Tea Party. We have completed programming right through to December of this year. In the fall we'll begin to put together the schedule for the first half of 2012.

This is how it works. Our, Artistic Director, Caitlyn Paxson, will send an email to all OST tellers to inform you that it's time to submit your proposals for Tea Party programs. The email will include a list of dates for you to choose from. Program proposals can be wide-ranging - from tying in with a particular occasion such as Valentine's Day or the beginning of Spring, to showcasing the work of a particular writer. If you are interested in being considered, then you will "get back" to Kathie and Mary.

We recommend that tellers work in pairs or groups of three although we are willing to consider proposals for solo tellers. The Tea Party venue provides excellent opportunities for newer tellers to perform in public in a smaller, more informal environment. It's a great idea for more- experienced tellers to team up with people who are storytelling novices. If you don't have a partner to work with, let us know and we would be happy to make some suggestions.

If you are accepted to tell at the Tea Party, this is what we'll need from you:

• The date you would like to tell (if you can be a bit flexible and identify two or three, that would be helpful - sometimes a few dates are very popular)
• The name of your partner or partners
• The title of your program
• Your commitment to tell on the date you have chosen

Before choosing a date, please ensure that you're available then. If something happens at the last minute such as personal illness or a family emergency, try to find another teller to replace you. Also contact Mary and Kathie to let us know what has happened. We may be able to help you find another teller. Ensure that you'll have sufficient time to learn the material so you won't let down your partner and the coordinators by deciding you can't be ready in time.

The Tea Party is a long-standing venue of the Ottawa StoryTellers and the tellers in each program are the public face of the organization on that occasion. "Stories and Tea" is a wonderful partnership between OST and the owners of the Tea Party. Both sides want to see the partnership continue to thrive.

If you feel you won't have time to prepare and present a program in the new year, you might prefer to volunteer to host a program. And of course, we always need and welcome listeners!

Kathie and Mary look forward to working with the tellers who have signed up for the second half of this year and we hope that more of you will consider throwing your hats into the Tea Party ring in 2012.

For more information you can contact Kathie Kompass at kompasshouse@rogers.com and Mary Wiggin at mary.wiggin@sympatico.ca