Barbara's News & Events

January 12, 2010, 6:00 p.m.

2010-01-02T14:24:00.016-05:00

NEW YORK STORY EXCHANGE
Cornelia Street Cafe
29 Cornelia Street, Greenwich Village

Barbara Aliprantis, host

Storytelling occurs the second Tuesday of every month. Ring in the New Year with a gathering of gifted tellers.

Format: Open MIC (5-6 min each) There is no judging, no contest, no theme! Just great fun!

Followed by:

JUDITH HEINEMAN, storyteller, workshop leader, producer of special events, and an Illinois Humanities Council “Road Scholar”, has been a featured teller at festivals around the country. She is founder/producer of the annual Mohegan Colony Storytelling and Music Festival in Westchester County, which celebrates its 10th anniversary in August.

JOY KELLY, actress, director, musician and storyteller, performs throughout the country in theatres, cabarets, museums and libraries. She directs for the acclaimed theatre company, Theatreworks, USA, and has served as Artistic Director for the New Ensemble Actors Theatre and The Floating Hospital Theatre both based in New York. Joy’s television credits include Late Night with David Letterman, All My Children and One Life to Live.

STEPHANIE PARELLO, a born storyteller, weaves an eclectic tapestry of stories and anecdotes from here and there and everywhere! A native of New York City, Stephanie turned her life upside-down two and a half years ago by moving Down Under! Does she have new stories to tell? You bet!

Cover $7 (includes one house drink)

Tuesday, December 8, 2009 – 6 PM

2009-10-24T17:48:00.006-05:00

New York STORY Exchange (NYSE)
The Cornelia Street Cafe
29 Cornelia Street, NYC

Storytelling occurs the second Tuesday of the month

Curator/Host: Barbara Aliprantis

SPECIAL FORMAT: A night of cameos, including one by the illustrious curator/host of this long-running series, Barbara Aliprantis

This December eve gathering will feature a cornucopia of poignant, heartwarming stories, including The Christmas Truce (a WWI peace story) with a great message for modern times!

ERICA LANN-CLARK grew up listening to stories. Born on the eve of the Holocaust, baby Erica escaped with her Viennese Jewish family across an ocean and landed in Brooklyn’s cultural hotbed. Her immigrant mama and papa spun passionate tales to bring their history alive with tears and gales of laughter. Everything that happened was seed for a future story. These memories inspire Erica's powerful stories. She tells to honor the past and bless the future.

KURT GERSTMANN was smuggled out of Germany through a network of Catholic safe houses to the Holy Land prior to WWII. At the age of 14 he joined the Hagana Underground and at 16 joined the just born Israeli Army. After Medical Studies in Switzerland, he immigrated to the US where he spent his adult life as a Pathologist in the NYC area. His stories are drawn from that background and are in turn funny and poignant.

JIM HAWKINS, beloved Irish-American Storyteller/Actor/Musician and gifted teacher, charms audiences and lifts our spirits with his stories and songs, including memories of his childhood spent in the Midlands of Ireland and on the stoops and concrete sidewalks of Astoria, Queens.

ELIZABETH ROWE, storyteller/actor/writer and teacher, performs in English and French! Her repertoire includes a rich blend of family stories, world folktales, myths, legends and literary stories. Tonight she’ll tell her Scottish father's first hand account of The Christmas Truce (a WWI peace story). "'Twas Christmas in the trenches where the frost, so bitter hung.
The frozen fields of France were warmed as songs of peace were sung..." - Christmas in The Trenches, Words & Music by John McCutcheon

November 10, 2009
Featured Tellers:
Lonnie Harrington & Ruben Gonzalez
Cameo: Rivka Widerman

LONNIE HARRINGTON has been telling stories for as long as he can remember. He has also been singing, playing guitar, and hitting some kind of percussion instrument in just about every type of musical style one can think of since the 1950’s, performing around the United States including Florida, the Northeastern United States, eastern Canada and New Mexico. Born in Tallahassee, Florida of African, Seminole, Cherokee, Choctaw, and Shawnee ancestry, Lonnie has researched African-Native American relations since 1972 and is the author of Both Sides of the Water: Essays on African-Native American Interactions. Lonnie lives in the New York City area, working as an arts administrator, musician, lecturer AND storyteller!

RUBEN GONZALEZ, a remarkable classical guitarist and composer, calls himself a “cantautor” who tells stories thru music and song. Born in San Juan, Argentina, where he studied classical guitar, Ruben combines Rock en Español, bossa nova, the Latin American popular song with his own rhythmic style with novel harmonies. His lyrics touch upon social issues and current events as well as personal experiences. www.rubengonzalez.info

RIVKA WIDERMAN is a real Renaissance woman who has worn many hats, including professional storyteller, professor of law, Hebrew/Yiddish translator, workshop facilitator, and visual artist. A native of Brooklyn, now living in Manhattan, Rivka draws on her extraordinarily diverse talents, whether she’s painting a picture, telling a family story, a folktale or really big fib.

2009-09-15T13:59:00.006-05:00

September 15, 2009

Epitelos (the Greek word for finally), at long last I've managed to log on to my blog! (Sitting here in Flushing I can almost see my beloved webmaster raising his eyebrows and shaking his head...oiy!)

NEWS FLASH: The Cornelia Street Cafe's "Second Tuesday of the Month Storytelling Series" I've been curating/hosting for the past 12 years will now be known as The New York STORY Exchange (NYSE). We will continue to feature storytellers of all kinds, telling all manner of stories from personal tales to folktales and everything in between. Our format stays the same: Open MIC and/or Cameo Slots, followed by featured teller(s). Hope you can join us at our next gathering.

Tuesday, October 13 - 6:00 PM

Featured Teller: Bob Reiser * Cameo: Michael Meric

BOB REISER, a nationally acclaimed storyteller, teacher, and an award-winning author of books for children and adults, brings warmth and wit to traditional and original stories. McFarland Press listed him among the "120 best contemporary English-speaking Storytellers." This October eve Bob’s story, REACHING FOR THE MOON (dedicated to lovers and dreamers everywhere) reminds us that “They all laughed at Christopher Columbus, when he said the world was round…They all laughed when Edison recorded sound..." http://bobtales.com/

MICHAEL MERIC, Landscape Architect by day, wordsmith, storyteller and jack of all trades at night, tells a classic tale by Edgar Allan Poe, the master of mystery and the macabre.

Tonight we will end at 7:30, rather than 7:45 PM so the set can be prepared for a special presentation by the brilliant Roy Zimmerman, political satirist/songwriter.

The Cornelia Street Cafe is located at 29 Cornelia Street, NYC -see website for direction: http://www.corneliastreetcafe.com

2009-05-23T08:25:00.002-05:00

Tuesday, June 9, 2009 - 6 PM

"2nd Tuesday of the Month Storytelling Series"
The Cornelia Street Cafe
29 Cornelia Street in Greenwich Village, NYC
http://www.corneliastreetcafe.com

Barbara Aliprantis, Curator/Host/Founder

Dr. John Kallas, Founder

FEATURED TELLER: Bob Reiser telling Dangerous Stories!

FORMAT: Open Telling (5-6 minutes) followed by Featured Teller(s)

A little HiStory: Before there was the Moth, Speakeasy or Liars Show, there was STORYTELLING at the Cornelia Street Cafe. Beginning in 1997, storytellers and story listeners have been coming to The Cornelia Cafe on the 2nd Tuesday of each month for the "love of story!" We have featured more than 200 professional tellers, and countless others have stepped up to the Mic to swap a story! There is no judging, no contest, just great fun!

On this 9th of June, come early and sign up for the OPEN TELLING (Open Mic). Know that everyone's a winner.

($7 includes on drink)

"Storytelling is everyday conversation, teaching tool, survival technique and an ancient art..." - BA

2009-03-31T18:02:00.003-05:00

April 14, 2009 - 6 PM

"2nd Tuesday of the Month Storytelling Series"
The Cornelia Street Cafe
29 Cornelia Street in Greenwich Village, NYC
http://www.corneliastreetcafe.com

Barbara Aliprantis, Curator/Host

FORMAT: Open Telling (5-6 minutes) followed by Featured Tellers:

Robin Bady continues her exploration of our contemporary connection to fables. She comes to storytelling from a long line of performers, storytellers, painters, writers, and other liars, near-do-wells and thieves! She wears many hats, including writer, actor, director, educator, musician and storyteller and performs throughout the USA and Europe. Her explorations include collaborations with musicians and visual artists. She is the Director of the Storytelling Center of New York City. http://www.robinbady.com

Terri Campion: In The Saint Therese Kiss, a young girl prepares for her first kiss in the back seat of a shiny green Volkswagon bug while struggling with her life long desire to become a saint. This short piece is a trailer for Terri's full length solo play - Following the Yellow Brick Road Down the Rabbit Hole, in which she portrays eighteen different characters and explores the question: Is there a way to have a fun and happy life and still get into heaven when you die? The work evolved from a collection of memoirs laced in a veil of fiction.

Terri is an Actress, Playwright, Teaching Artist and the recipient of the 2007 Jerry Kaufman Award for Excellence in Playwriting. Her work has been published with Meriwether Publishing, Smith&Kraus and The Great Kills Press. Terri also offers solo show workshops and coaching. http://www.terricampion.com

Cover $7 (includes one house drink)

2009-02-16T17:09:00.005-05:00

2nd Tuesday of the Month Series
The Cornelia Street Cafe
29 Cornelia Street, Greenwich Village, NY
www.corneliastreetcafe.com
Tuesday, March 10, 2009 @ 6:00 PM
Curator/Emcee: Barbara Aliprantis

FORMAT: Open Telling (5-6 minutes) followed by Featured Teller

Cover $7 (includes one house drink)

Featured Teller: Jim Hawkins "Going Across America with Billy Zuckerman"

Jim Hawkins, Storyteller/Actor/Musician and gifted teacher, was born in Astoria, Queens and spent 10 years of his early childhood in the Midlands of Ireland before returning to America in 1956. He has been charming audiences with Irish stories and songs - on this side of the Atlantic - for over 20 years. Many of the programs he offers deal with aspects of Irish history, culture and tradition. Tonight Jim takes us on a "ROAD TRIP" and recounts a hilarious episode from a story he calls "Going Across America with Billy Zuckerman." You won't want to miss this.

www.barbaraaliprantis.org

Mohegan Colony Storytelling and Music Festival

2007-08-15T16:32:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone,

To let you know that I'll be one of the "emcees" on Saturday, August 11th at the Mohegan Colony Storytelling and Music Festival . If you find yourself in the "Mohegan Colony of the woods" please join me, and and an amazing group of featured tellers including:

Four Shillings Short * Linda H. Humes * Michael Parent * Roz Bresnick-Perry * Sanga * The Storycrafters * Sandi Sylver

The other "emcees" will be Storytellers Robin Bady, Bob Reiser and Mike Seliger. Don't miss a word...

FastMail.FM WARNING: URL text contains a possible JavaScript attack on your machine. URL disabled. Original URL='"javascript:DoTool('130','3')"'. For more information on phishing click here.Westchester County Saturday, August 11, 2007 1:00-10:00 pm Audience: Families and Adults
Tickets: Volunteers are free! $12 adults - $3 children under 15 day OR night, $15 adults - $5 children all day and night. Special group and family rates available.
Information: Judith Heineman 914-528-5830
Bring blankets, a bathing suit, towel, a picnic and lots of friends!
Hoping to see you soon...
Barbara
www.barbaraaliprantis.org

Clearwater's Hudson River Festival 2007

2007-06-04T09:32:00.000-05:00

Clearwater's Hudson River Festival 2007 (June 16-17)A Great Weekend On the Banks of the Hudson River (Croton Point Park) with Music, Dance, Storytelling, Waterfront Activities, Sails on Tall Ships, Juried Crafts & Environmental Education. If you are planning to come to the Festival on Saturday, June 16th, I'll see you in "The Story Grove."

Here's my schedule:
11:00-12:30 - Open Olio Set (10 minutes each)“Once Upon A Time...” Barbara Aliprantis, Carol Birch, David Gonzalez,
Bill Gordh, Motoko, Kay Olan, Storycrafters, Keith Wann
2:15-3:30 - Barbara and Motoko share a set: “A Daughter of the Aegean’s Storytelling Odyssey”
Barbara Aliprantis “Tales of Now and Zen”
Motoko 5:00-6:00 (15 - 17 minutes each)
Creepy Ghoulish and Gross: Ghost and Monster Stories
Carol Birch, Barbara Aliprantis, Storycrafters
6:30-Done Saturday Farewell
Barbara Aliprantis, Carol Birch, David Gonzalez,
Bill Gordh, Motoko, Kay Olan, Storycrafters, Keith Wann WOW! Take a look at the other tellers who are scheduled to tell throughout the day.Are they sensational or what? I can't wait to hear their stories! Let me know if you are planning to join us and we'll be on the look out for you! Barbara
www.barbaraaliprantis.org
For Clearwater Festival information/directions: http://www.clearwater.org/festival.html

For your information

2007-04-13T19:26:00.001-05:00

For your information:
Storyteller Barbara Aliprantis participates in: Immigrant History Week, a city-wide celebration that honors the experiences and contributions of immigrants in New York City. Established by Mayor Michael Bloomberg in 2004 and coordinated by the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, this week-long celebration is aimed at cross-cultural understanding between diverse New Yorkers.
Barbara will be telling at Queens Library @ Broadway: 40-20 Broadway, LIC
MONDAY, April 16, at 3:30 P.M.
Coming to America: My Story, Your Story, Our Stories
Storyteller Barbara Aliprantis shares stories of her Greek-American immigrant experience played out on the concrete sidewalks and stoops of Brooklyn up to her adult life in the borough of Queens, the undisputed multilingual, multiethnic capital of the world. This interactive presentation, celebrating universal themes and family gatherings, will be followed by a dialogue during which audience members will be invited to share their stories. www.barbaraaliprantis.org
Preregistration required: 718.721-2462
Spread the word...

Our 5th grandchild

2007-04-08T12:09:00.000-05:00

Hi Everyone...

John and are delighted to share the news about the arrival of our 5th grandchild:

Felitcia Sophie Aliprantis was born this morning about 1:30 A.M. – BEFORE THE CRACK OF DAWN - at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. Her tiny self - feeling just fine - weighed in at 5 lbs. 4 ounces, measuring almost 19 inches long.

Mother Kim and baby are doing fine! As for Dr. Antonios, he sounded as happy as a lark, very tired (not as tired as Kim) but, when he called to tell us the news he was holding Felitcia and tried to get her to say something into the telephone. Hmmm...I think she said, “Hey I think I’m going to like this talking on the telephone business.”

We’re off to Boston in a few hours to meet and greet her and see how the new parents are doing. Our other granddaughters, Alexa (13), Marisa (10) and Ariana (7) are thrilled about their “first” first cousin, while John Peter (6) is happy and reveling in the fact that he is the only BOY!

I may not be able to access my email for a few days, so....I'll be in touch soon.

Hope you are all enjoying the holidays - be it Easter or Passover - we send you lots of good wishes and love,

Barbara and John

"The Best of New York: Storytelling at The Cornelia Street Café"

2007-04-03T20:15:00.000-05:00

Tuesday, April 10, 2007
"The Best of New York: Storytelling at The Cornelia Street Café" - Daily News
6:00 P.M.
The longest running storytelling series in New York City

The Cornelia Street Cafe
29 Cornelia Street, Greenwich Village, NYC
www.corneliastreetcafe.com
Barbara Aliprantis, Curator/Host ($6 includes one drink)FORMAT: Featured Teller(s)/Open Mic/Swap: 6 - 7 minute limit

($6 includes one drink)FORMAT: Featured Teller(s)/Open Mic/Swap: 6 - 7 minute limit

FEATURED TELLERS: JOY KELLY * TOM LISENBEE
JOY KELLY, actress, director and storyteller, performs throughout the country in theatres, museums and libraries. Her television credits include Late Night with David Letterman, All My Children and One Life to Live and storytelling segments televised on Manhatttan Cable. Joy has served as Artistic Director for the New Ensemble Actors Theatre and The Floating Hospital Theatre both based in New York and performed in many one-woman shows and cabarets in various venues. She also directs for the acclaimed theatre company, Theatreworks, USA which tours nationwide. Using theatre, storytelling and music Her professional development and children's workshops using theatre, music and storytelling, are much in demand and we welcome Joy to our stage with open arm.
TOM LISENBEE...In November of 2001, after a forty-year career as a musician (trumpet), Tom said goodbye to the pit of the New York City Opera Company, put his trumpets in his basement, and went upstairs to write poetry and prose. Because of the years spent performing symphonic music in the studios and concert halls in NYC, it is only natural that he writes stories and poetry with "performance in mind." He has appeared in various spoken word venues in the New York metropolitan area, including The Cornelia Street Cafe. Tom's fiction has been published on-line at Wilmingtonblues.com and Carve.com, and in print, in the Taj Mahal Review.
This April evening Tom, a published poet, returns to our stage to answer the question posed by Edna St. Vincent Millay, "To what purpose, April, do you return again?" Answer: "For National Poetry Month, of course!"

Cornelia Cafe March 13

2007-04-01T18:09:00.001-05:00

"The Best of New York: Storytelling at The Cornelia Street Café" - Daily News
The Cornelia Street Cafe
29 Cornelia Street, Greenwich Village, NYC
www.corneliastreetcafe.com
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
STORYTELLING: 6:00 P.M.
The longest running storytelling series in New York City

Barbara Aliprantis, Curator/Host www.barbaraaliprantis.org
($6 includes one drink)FORMAT: Featured Teller(s)/Open Mic/Swap: 6 - 7 minute limit

FEATURED TELLERS: Rose Fontanella * Steve Northeast

What do you get when you pair a high-energy septuagenarian storyteller, comedian, and political activist from Hackensack, NJ, with a young gifted musician/songwriter from Australia? An outstanding evening of storytelling and music!

To make us laugh and shed a tear or two, at the human condition, Rose Fontanella draws on family stories of growing up as an Italian-American daughter. Rose has been one of the mainstays of the Cornelia Street Cafe Storytelling Series from the beginning. She is a perennial favorite who will have you rolling in the aisles in no time.

Steve Northeast rocks the house as he tells his tales, sings his songs and plays his guitar! He arrived in NYC in 2002 armed with a gift for telling stories through music. Steve immediately began drawing inspiration from the landscape and people of our fair city, and his songs now embrace NYC's wide-ranging emotions and "attitude."

FEBRUARY BULLETIN: Steve Northeast has been selected as a "Finalist" in the February 2006 round of the Song of the Year song and lyric competition. Song of the Year receives entries from all over the world and only the top five entries achieve "Finalist" status. For more information about Steve Northeast please visit www.stevenortheast.com
Story teller/listeners, as always, are invited to bring a favorite 6 - 7 minute anecdote/story on any topic that strikes her/his fancy...
Hope you can join as on March 13th as we celebrate Rose Fontanella's birthday! Talking about birthdays, as the years roll by, here are two of my favorite quotes on the topic...Barbara
"All my life, I always wanted to be somebody. Now I see that I should have been more specific."
- Jane Wagner, Distinguished playwright

"You are only young once, but you can stay immature indefinitely."
- Ogden Nash, American Humorous Poet