Cryptids: Things That Go Bump in the Night
Nov. 6 | Mountainlair Gluck Theater | 6 p.m.
Storytelling is the oldest form of spoken narrative and a valued part of the Appalachian experience. Storytellers carried tales from village to village sharing wisdom, preserving history, providing entertainment, and understanding the world.
This storytelling performance will feature tales from three gifted tellers.
JO ANN DADISMAN
A long time teller and career educator, Jo Ann Dadisman found the perfect marriage
of the two in her home state of West Virginia. She taught in public schools and
higher education for more than 40 years, while continuing to develop her own
love of the tale. For 20 years, she and a partner told tandem tales under the
name of Mountain Echoes, as they worked in schools, parks, libraries and with
civic groups to promote an understanding of the mountain heritage and the importance
of preserving stories.
She retired from West Virginia University after 21 years of teaching and co-directing the National Writing Project at WVU for several years with the coveted Eberly College of Arts and Sciences Teacher of the Year Award for 2011. She has worked to promote storytelling through partnership with the Frank and Jane Gabor WV Folklife Center at Fairmont State University, and she founded and co-directed the Youth Storytelling Camp at Glenville State University for the past 3 years. She is an active member of the WV Storytelling Guild and recently was presented with the coveted National Storytelling Oracle award for Regional Service and Leadership.
JAMES FROEMEL
James Froemel is a versatile and dynamic narrator and storyteller with a passion
for bringing stories to life. He holds a BFA in Acting from West Virginia University,
and completed an acting apprenticeship with the Williamstown Theatre Festival.
As an audiobook narrator, James has studied with coach Megan Tusing and participated in the Deyan Masterclass series. Professionally, he has worked with Nefarious Press, Mythic LLC and Small Stories Studios, delivering captivating audio experiences that immerse listeners in rich, engaging worlds. His storytelling ability extends beyond audiobooks, with an upcoming performance at the National Storytelling Festival in 2025, marking a significant milestone in his storytelling career.
On the stage, James’s work includes collaborations on new works development with Playscripts Inc., West Virginia Public Theatre, and Greenbrier Valley Theatre. James is a member of the Audio Publishers Association and is listed in Audiofile Magazine.
JUDI TAROWSKY Judi Young Tarowsky is a native of Latrobe, PA, and grew up in New Castle, Pennsylvania. She received a Bachelor of Science in Journalism in 1971 at West Virginia University. She worked for newspapers in the Upper Ohio Valley for 25 years, and also spent time writing for an advertising agency. She now lives in Weirton, West Virginia.
She discovered storytelling in 2006, and after winning first place in the inaugural Strand Theater Preservation Society Storytelling Festival Liar’s Contest in Moundsville, West Virginia, began her study of the craft in earnest. She went on to earn a Graduate Certificate in Storytelling from the University of North Texas Library Sciences program.
Since then, Judi has performed at festivals, libraries, museums, and special events in West Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Maryland, Texas, and Wales. She also has produced and co-produced storytelling festivals at Prickett’s Fort in Fairmont, WV, and at Grand Vue Park in Moundsville, WV. She has been a regular storyteller during the summer at Wilson Lodge in Oglebay Resort, Wheeling, WV. Her original story, “The Heroes of the U.S.S. Shenandoah” was the keynote for both the 90th and 100th commemoration ceremony for the crash of the U.S.S. Shenandoah airship in Belle Valley, Ohio.Judi enjoys telling her original historic narratives; old folktales and fairy tales, particularly from Wales; original tall tales and stories; and West Virginia ghost stories from the collections of Dr. Patrick Gainer, Dr. James G. Jones, and Mack Samples.
Judi also presents a workshop, “The Art of the Longform Historical Narrative: Researching, Building, and Telling Historical Stories.” She is president of the West Virginia Storytelling Guild.
Free and open to the public.
Presented by