Talk Story Festival.

• Author: Anderson, Tasha
• Position: TRAVEL

Story is one of the foundations of any society, community, and relationship," says Jeff Gere, director of the Talk Story Festival, a Hawaiian storytelling celebration. Taking place October 17 and 18 at the McCoy Pavilion at Ala Moana Beach Park, this is the festival's 27th year.

Nine seasoned story tellers are featured each night; each storyteller is given twenty minutes, "which is long enough to deliver a powerful tale--or two--but not endless," Gere explains.

The storytellers change year to year, but there are a few who return from time to time. This years' group features two mainland tellers, Kuniko Yamamoto from Japan and Charles Johnson from California. In addition, there will be nine tellers, including Gere, from Hawaii.

"I look for folks who can hold the stage, grab and hold an audience, and deliver a message, an experience--use that precious stage time well," Gere says.

The stories run from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. each night. Friday's program will consist of "Spooky" stories and Saturday's will be traditional epics, including Pele and Hi'iaka tales...