4th annual Cache Valley Storytelling Festival opens 2017 season (with video)

LOGAN — The 4<sup>th</sup> annual <a href=”http://www.cachefest.com/our-story-tellers”>Cache Valley Storytelling Festival</a> has been “changed up” a bit this year. While the event has traditionally taken place over the course of one summer weekend, the 2017 festival will be divided into <a href=”http://www.cachefest.com/festival-schedule”>four days of entertainment</a> being held during three separate months—June, October and December.

The festival opens with “Youngster Yarns” on Saturday, June 10, from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Logan Tabernacle (50 N. Main). Geared specifically toward youth ages 3-12 but fun for all ages, Youngster Yarns will feature popular puppeteer, ventriloquist and musician <a href=”http://mcgeeproductions.com/”>Randel McGee and his fuzzy friend, Groark</a>. McGee will be followed by a Pre-Show from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., showcasing “storytelling through movement” provided by the <a href=”http://www.cvcballet.org/”>Cache Valley Civic Ballet</a> and Logan balladeer Jeff Shepherd.

The evening’s Final Fables, best for audiences ages 12+, will be presented by McGee, <a href=”https://www.byuradio.org/host/b07fbb53-00c8-4f8b-96c2-9918d0bbad70/sam-payne”>Sam Payne</a> and <a href=”http://www.nannettewatts.com/Welcome.html”>Nanette Watts</a> from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. McGee will trade his puppet for a pair of scissors during his second performance, telling Hans Christian Anderson stories in costume while cutting out a paper silhouette of a scene from the story he just told.

“Some lucky person gets that,” said Wayne McKay, the festival’s founder and executive director. “I keep hoping it’s me, but it never has been.”

Payne, an educator, jazz vocalist and songwriter, is the host of “The Apple Seed: Tellers and Stories” on BYU Radio and has recorded multiple albums.  Watts is the artistic director of the <a href=”http://www.resonancestorytheatre.org/Resonance/Welcome.html”>Resonance Story Theatre</a> and director of the <a href=”http://www.nationalyouthstorytellingshowcase.org/NYSS/Welcome.html”>National Youth Storytelling Showcase</a>. McKay calls her a “sweetheart.”

“Nanette was one of those really special people that came up here the very first year,” he said. “All of our storytellers the first year came and did the festival for free. We even tried to reimburse them for transportation costs, and they wouldn’t let us do that.”

After its opening night performances on June 10, the Cache Valley Storytelling Festival will return Oct. 27-28, with “Tunnel Tales” from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. both evenings. Not for the faint of heart, these frightening stories will welcome Halloween in Logan’s Central Park Tunnels and are designed for audiences ages 12+. The festival ends Dec. 9, with “A Cache Valley Christmas” from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Logan Tabernacle.  The lively holiday entertainment will be presented by <a href=”http://uncalledfortrio.blogspot.com/”>The Uncalled For Trio</a>, a group billed as “three of the most sought after hilarious and talented professional storytellers in America today.”

“It’s all family entertainment,” McKay said. “We’ve got some amazing talent, and they’re just really wonderful people. I can’t say enough about them. I know them all now, I know them personally, and I just love them.”

More information about the Cache Valley Storytelling Festival’s <a href=”http://www.cachefest.com/our-story-tellers”>featured storytellers</a>, show times and ticketing is available at <a href=”http://www.cachefest.com/”>cachefest.com</a>. Admission on Saturday is free, with donations welcome. 

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