Storytelling Fundraiser for Emergent Arts Set for Mix Studio Theater This Weekend

The Sounds of Story will fill The Mix Studio Theater as a group of well-known area storytellers, including La'Ron Williams, Steve Daut, Jane Fink, Laura Lee Hayes, Lyn Davidge, Jeff Doyle, Satori Shakoor, and Mark Sweetman, come together to perform two benefit concerts for Emergent Arts at The Mix Studio Theater. Performances are tonight, May 15 at 8pm, and Sunday May 17 at 2pm at The Mix Studio Theater, 8 N. Washington, Ypsilanti, MI 48197. All seats are $15, available at www.emergentarts.com.

On Friday May 15 at 8, the storytellers will be Jane Fink, La'Ron Williams, Laura Lee Hayes, Steve Daut and Lyn Davidge, who will emcee.

On Saturday May 17 at 2pm, the storytellers will be Lyn Davidge, Jeff Doyle, Jane Fink, Satori Shakoor, and Mark Sweetman, who will emcee.

The ancient art of storytelling is alive and well in southeastern Michigan! Stories have power. They inspire and intrigue. They entertain, enlighten and encourage. They bring joy and sorrow, laughter and tears. They delight and define, connecting us to each other and revealing surprises along the way. We may not all live at the same time or in the same place or circumstances, but through the universality of story our hearts are opened and our common humanity revealed. Grown-up audiences will be treated to a range of story types and performance styles.

La'Ron Williams is nationally recognized both for stirring traditional tales, music, and his original stories. His work reflects the values of peace, justice, diversity and respect that he feels "are important to us as a society in the 21st century." He recently appeared at Lawrence Technical University as a part of their International Day Festival, and, together with Connecticut's Carol Birch, will be one of the Featured Storytellers at the 28th annual Jackson Storyfest on May 2nd and 3rd.

Steve Daut, a veteran comedian and magician, adds storytelling to his extensive spoken word performance repertoire, having recently told for Story Night at Crazy Wisdom Tea Room in Ann Arbor. A Second City graduate in improvisational comedy, Steve has performed at Comedy Showcase in Ann Arbor and Joey's Comedy Club in Livonia, and has worked his magic at the Cascades in Jackson.

Lyn Davidge connects with audiences through original tales of everyday, ordinary experiences, events and people. In the telling, her stories become extraordinary as they touch both hearts and funny bones. Lyn has performed at the Northlands (WI) Storytelling Conference, The Ark Storytelling Festival in Ann Arbor, and Tim Henning's UFO show at The Mix Studio Theatre.

Jane Fink (and friends Jeff Doyle and Gertrude Warkentin) recently wowed a full-house audience at The Encore Musical Theatre in Dexter. Jane tells regularly at Story Night at Crazy Wisdom in Ann Arbor. She has also performed at The Ark Storytelling Festival, was featured teller at the 2014 Frogtown Tellabration in Toledo, and has been a guest teller at the Howell Opera House. She calls her stories "slices of life."

Laura Lee Hayes lived every kid's dream when she ran away to join the circus. By listening to the clowns and elephants, to the tales told by nature and the universe, to legend and myth, and folding in her own perspective and experience, she finds stories that are "longing to be told." Laura Lee has performed at The Ark Storytelling Festival, is organizer and regular teller at Crazy Wisdom Story Night and produces the Ann Arbor Storytellers' Guild's annual Tellabration

Satori Shakoor is the Executive Director for The Society for the Re-Institutionalization of Storytelling, a Michigan 501(c)3 Nonprofit Organization. She is creator, curator, producer and host of The Secret Society of Twisted Storytellers, a production of TSRS and a 2013 Knight Arts Challenge winner and a Knight Foundation grantee. Ms. Shakoor is an artist, a social entrepreneur and a veteran of live performance. She is a Moth main stage storyteller and host, and hosts The Moth Story Slam in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Her story "Gatherings and Ungatherings" has aired on The Moth Radio Hour and on The Moth Podcast globally. Ms. Shakoor is a published writer, produced playwright, an award-winning actor, singer and standup comedienne. She received a 2007 NAACP Theater Award for "Best Ensemble Cast" for her role as Ms. Enid in Da Kink In My Hair.

Jeff Doyle started telling stories to his elementary age kids at family campouts. His first story, The Blue Ape, was so popular with them, they demanded more and Jeff complied, becoming the hit of campfire time.

He joined the Ann Arbor Storytellers' Guild in 2005 and his passion for this art form has only intensified with each performance. Jeff enjoys all types of tales, but specializes in funny stories and those that range from the somewhat scary to the truly terrifying. Jeff organized the first annual Scary Story Festival at the Howell Opera House in 2006. The 1925 Opera House theater is reputedly haunted, the perfect venue for the scariest stories.

Jeff's dedication to satisfying his audience with fun entertainment makes him a premier storyteller.

Mark Sweetman is one of the gems that have come out of the rich comedy pool of talent from Detroit. Having spent many years in Los Angeles as a writer for many different shows and comedians, a few years ago he turned back to the stage to perform - this is what he loves to do. His super dry wit and delivery has made him a favorite at clubs and colleges all over the country.

Based in Detroit and Los Angeles, Mark has recently begun branching into the storytelling circuit and is developing television pilots for broadcast and webcast.