Elizabeth Ellis

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Elizabeth Ellis (born 1943) is an American storyteller and author known for her live performances of traditional tales, literature, Texas and Appalachian history and folklore, and personal memoir.[1] She was awarded the Circle of Excellence in 1997 by the National Storytelling Network after being recognized by her peers as a master storyteller. She is a regular performer at the National Storytelling Festival. She was selected as a "Listener's Choice" at the 30th Anniversary National Storytelling Festival and a Storyteller-In-Residence at the International Storytelling Center. She was the first recipient of the John Henry Faulk Award from the Tejas Storytelling Association.

Background and early career[edit]

Born in Winchester, Kentucky, in 1943,[1] Ellis grew up in the Appalachian Mountains of Eastern Kentucky and Eastern Tennessee. Ellis credits her interest in stories to a storytelling family; she grew up hearing stories from her mother's parents and siblings.[2]

Ellis went to library school and in the fall of 1969 became a children's librarian at the Dallas Public Library.[3] When Ellis attended gigs of her musician friends, they would invite her on stage to tell stories between sets.[2]

Festivals[edit]

American Storytelling Festivals performed at include the National Storytelling Festival, the Bay Area Storytelling Festival, the Corn Island Storytelling Festival, the Flying Leap Festival, Haunting In The Hills, the L.A.U.G.H.S. Festival, the Mariposa Storytelling Festival, the Mesa Storytelling Festival, the Taos Storytelling Festival, the Southern Ohio Storytelling Festival, the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival and the Texas Storytelling Festival.

Bibliography[edit]

  • Inviting the Wolf In: Thinking About Difficult Stories, written with Loren Niemi, August House, 2006
  • From Plot to Narrative, Parkhurst Brothers Publishing, 2012
  • Every Day a Holiday: A Storyteller's Memoir, Parkhurst Brothers Publishing, 2014

Discography[edit]

[4]

  • Like Meat Loves Salt and other tales, 1984
  • I Will Not Talk in Class: Stories for Children, 1989
  • Mothers and Daughters: Recorded Live At The National Storytelling Festival, 2001
  • Meddling In Wal-Mart ®: Recorded Live At The Mariposa Storytelling Festival, 2002
  • One Size Fits Some: Recorded Live At The National Storytelling Festival, 2008
  • Wading In The Jordan: Recorded Live At The National Storytelling Festival, 2008

Awards[edit]

  • Anne Izard Storyteller's Choice Award[5]
    • 2013, From Plot to Narrative
    • 2014, Every Day a Holiday: A Storyteller's Memoir
  • Oracle Award, National Storytelling Network
    • 1997 - Circle of Excellence[6]
    • 2004 - South Central Region Service and Leadership[7]
    • 2013 - Lifetime Achievement Award[8]
  • Storytelling World Special Storytelling Resources
    • 2002: Inviting the Wolf In[9]
    • 2013: From Plot to Narrative[10]
  • Tejas Storytelling Association 1986: John Henry Faulk Award[11]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Burch, Milbre. "Trail of Blood: Celebration and Capitulation in Eve Ensler's 'The Good Body' and Elizabeth Ellis's 'One Size Fits Some'." Storytelling, Self, Society 6, no. 2 (2010): 145-63.
  2. ^ a b 1 Kelley, Saundra. (2010). Southern Appalachian Storytellers: Interviews with Sixteen Keepers of the Oral Tradition (Contributions to Southern Appalachian Studies) McFarland. Pages 93-102. ISBN 0786447516
  3. ^ Gramon, Jim. (2002) Legendary Texas Storytellers. Taylor Trade Publishing. p. 171. ISBN 1556229399.
  4. ^ [1], Speak Stories Series, Retrieved January 6, 2022
  5. ^ Anne Izard Storytellers' Choice Award, Westchester Library System, Retrieved July 11, 2017
  6. ^ National Storytelling Network, "Circle of Excellence Award Recipients". Archived from the original on May 23, 2016. Retrieved July 11, 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) Retrieved July 11, 2017
  7. ^ "Service & Leadership Award Recipients - South Central Region". National Storytelling Network. Archived from the original on July 29, 2016. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
  8. ^ National Storytelling Network, "Lifetime Achievement Award Recipients". Archived from the original on September 29, 2013. Retrieved July 11, 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) Retrieved July 11, 2017
  9. ^ Flora Joy, "The 2002 Storytelling World Award Winners and Honor Titles", Retrieved July 11, 2017
  10. ^ Flora Joy, "The 2013 Storytelling World Resource Awards", Retrieved July 11, 2017.
  11. ^ Tejas Storytelling Association, "John Henry Faulk Award" Archived March 16, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, Retrieved July 11, 2017

External links[edit]