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Mon, 27 November 2006  Thanks to all who voted for us last round we netted a whopping 1/3 of the votes and we have made it to round two of the Pickle Tales storytelling contest. For this round we were issued 3 sound effects and told to come up with a story. So, we told the "Fiddlestick Family and the Eggs" a traditional folktale from the Ozarks that we just made up. Listen to the six stories in this round. Some of the other stories may be "PG-13" (ours is "G"). One of the stories in this round will be eliminated (we are hoping it won't be us!). Voting happens today Nov. 27th through the 30th (ends at noon Eastern) at Podcast Pickle You can also get there by going to the Podcast Pickle homepage, then looking under Forums > Podcast Discussion > Pickle Tales Round II.Thanks for your support, Dennis "Pa Fiddlesticks", Kimberly "Ma" and Zephyr the narrator and "Cousin Clem" Category: general -- posted at: 2:05 PM Comments[0] |
Thu, 23 November 2006  It's Cool to be Kind!Welcome to our ThanksGIVING episode! This week we are focusing on putting the "giving" in Thanksgiving and spreading Random Acts of Kindness. Last week we talked about the Green RV in which college students travel the country, usimg their life on the road to find their road in life. This episode expands on that as we talk about the Extreme Kindness Tour. In 2002 four young men from Canada decided to hit the road on a 3 month Extreme Kindness Tour. Find out about what they did to promote kindness and "pay it forward".
We've also got some other stories about people who have made a difference in the world by focusing on "paying it forward", including Larry Stewart of Lee's Summit, Missouri who decided at Christmas time in 1979 to take $200 out of his bank account and anonymously pass it around to those who were less fortunate than himself. He has been known only as the "Secret Santa" as he continued his giving spree throughout the years, giving more and more. He is now dyeing of cancer and has decided to reveal his identity so that others may continue his legacy. His story was in the news this week. Also find out a bit about Podcamp West; and Zephyr tells his tale about his run-in with mall security while trying to give out "Free Hugs" in Massachusetts.
The Lion and the MouseIn the spirit of giving and doing for others we bring you the Aesop fable about the unlikely acts of kindness between a lion and a mouse. A mouse promises to help the fierce lion if only the lion won't eat him. But how will the mouse repay the lion? Folklore and Philanthropy Lesson Plans
Round II of the Podcast Pickle Storytelling ContestThanks to those who voted in round I of the Pickle Tales Storytelling Contest. THANKS to you we've made it to round II and have been issued a new challenge! This time we have to tell a story incorporating 3 sound effects selected by the folks at Podcast Pickle. Come find out how we did it in the never-before-heard "folktale" from the Ozarks that we just made up. Enjoy "The Fiddlesticks Family and the Eggs" and 5 other stories and vote for your favorite November 27th-30th. Your Turn!What will YOU do to pass along kindness? We'd love to hear about it. Leave us comments and we'll share your random acts of kindness with the world. Remember, it's cool to be kind! Happy Listening, Dennis (the narrator and hunters), Kimberly the "mouse", and Zephyr the "lion" Goza Comments[0] |
Thu, 16 November 2006  Define your own road in life!Road Trip NationWe're revisiting our roots and catching up with old friends in the San Francisco Bay Area, where we stopped in at San Jose State University to attend a presentation about Roadtrip Nation, a PBS program that dispatches teams of 3 college students to travel the country for 6 weeks in a green RV exploring career options by interviewing prominent personalities in business, entertainment, law, public service, and other fields. The team of students we met today interviewed the CEO of Starbucks and leaders of other well-known businesses, as well as stand-up comic Wanda Sykes and talk show host Wendy Williams. And their experience on the road this summer has given them valuable insight into what directions their own lives should take. MuLanThis week, we present a story about someone else who had to courageously forge her own path: The Song of Mu Lan, a folk tale from China. (Which we've been performing onstage as part of our production "Daring to Dream".) It's the saga of a teenage girl who disguises herself as a man in order to join the army and fight in place of her ailing father, thus preserving family honor. And according to tradition, she served her country extremely well and even became a high-ranking officer. We don't know for certain whether The Song of Mu Lan is a true story, but it was written as a poem about 1500 years ago. The name "Mu Lan", which is translated as "Magnolia", means literally "wood flower", a very appropriate name for a person who appeared as delicate as a flower but turned out to be as durable as wood.
Happy Listening, Dennis, Kimberly and Zephyr Goza Comments[0] |
Mon, 13 November 2006  Recently we entered our story "Simple Ivan" in an online contest for storytelling podcasts. It was judged on creativity, writing, and skill of production. And we are happy to announce that it has been selected as one of 12 finalists. Now listener votes will determine if it moves to the next round. Six of the twelve stories have already been released in episode "A" and were voted on Nov. 6th-10th. "Simple Ivan" is a part of the "B" group that was released today, Nov. 13th. Voting for this round will end on Nov. 16th at noon (ET). Anyone can listen and vote. Some of the stories may be "PG-13". If you would like to participate in the voting process you will need to register at http://www.podcastpickle.com (it's painless). You'll see the log in/sign up box on the top right of the page. Then go to the forum to vote for your favorite story (under "Podcast Discussion"). And so long as you are there, why not to add us http://activated.podcastpickle.com to your favorites and leave us your comments. Voting for this round ends Nov. 16th at noon (ET). The top six stories will go on to the next level. Dennis, Kimberly and Zephyr Goza Category: podcasts -- posted at: 1:39 PM Comments[0] |
Thu, 9 November 2006  It's National Geography Week and Children's Book Week, November 12-19. And we have just the tale to celebrate both occasions: Hansel and Gretel (a la Lemony Snicket meets Wizard of Oz). We are back in San Jose, having been to Sacramento to appear on the ABC-affiliated show Sac and Company and to Modesto to perform at the library this week. We'll tell you a bit about the inner workings of a live TV show. And right now Zephyr is helping pull apart Callson Manor, the haunted house he worked at last week, while we babysit the property at night. Nominated for Storytelling Podcast Award!Our story "Simple Ivan" has been selected as one of 12 finalists in the Pickle Tales "Tell Me a Story" Podcasting Competion. Now listener votes will determine if it moves to the next round. Register with Podcast Pickle so you can participate in the voting process November 13-16! And so long as you are at it be sure to add us to your favorites http://activated.podcastpickle.com and leave us your comments. Please check back for more information and links November 13th. Hansel and GretelHansel and Gretel get ditched in the woods and have to escape an evil hag who lives in a sweet house and find their way back home. In our version they meet a few other storybook characters who give them some bad directions along the way. National Geography WeekWe've been traveling full time since 1992 and have had more than our share of bad directions. Nowadays, we use GPS, computer map programs and Google Maps on our cell phone to get where we are going. But way back when we started touring, we had to rely on people to give us directions. It's amazing we got anywhere! Hardly anyone knows the name of the streets in their hometown. And we have repeatedly scratched our heads after hearing "Well, you turn left at the old Jones place and if you come to the train tracks you've gone to far!". And "Just turn right at the corn field." We'd like to point out that we are in Kansas and surrounded by cornfields but don't have the heart. So bottom line, study those maps and read those street signs so you can help someone find their way. And if you want to get anywhere, learn your geography and how to use a GPS! Or else you will have to leave some bread crumbs!
Children's Book WeekZephyr has been reading the entire "Series of Unfortunate Events" to mom and dad this month. And in this episode Dennis recounts his encounter with Daniel Handler (a.k.a. Lemony Snicket). Reading out loud is an excellent way to celebrate Children's Book Week. We hope you'll celebrate by following a map to your local library to see what special events they have planned. And while you are there, check out some childrens' books. Especially in the folktale section (Dewey Decimal 398.2). And be sure to get a copy of "Tales from Under the Crevice" or the sequel "Tales from Under the Nook" by our resident young author Zephyr Goza at your library or bookstore, or online at CreviceTales.com.
Happy Listening! Dennis, Kimberly and Zephyr Goza Comments[0] |
Thu, 2 November 2006  Do you know the way to San Jose? We hope so! Cuz that is where we are podcasting from this week. San Jose is home of the Rosicrucian Museum and burial site for many of the Donner party, pioneers who struck out on the Oregon trail, took a wrong turn and got stuck for the winter. Mummies, tombs, and hieroglyphics!At the Rosicrucian Museum, the curators who were decked out in full Egyptian regalia (since we visited on Halloween), led us on a tour of an ancient tomb replica. The hieroglyphs at the tomb's entrance welcome visitors who brought the deceased food. Hey, you get hungry when you're dead and have to wait 20 years before entering the afterlife! Once inside the tomb we learned that the East wall represented birth and life since the sun rises in the east. The south wall depicts scenes of hunting and fishing portraying the deceased as being very skilled. The wall to the west is where the sun sets and so upon it we see the dead meeting the gods of the afterlife. And upon the north wall is a scene of judgment including a scale with a heart weighed against the feather of truth. And on the ceiling was the goddess who eats the sun and gives birth to the moon and then eats the moon and gives birth to the sun each day. Wonder if she gets a tummy ache? The ancient Egyptians believed that whatever is depicted in hieroglyphics becomes true and therefore heiroglyphs were very sacred. And because of this power, only a few scribes were trained in the art. To become a scribe you had to be a boy and a rich one at that. Then you had to attend school, where you get to sit for eight hours copying the same text over and over. And if your teacher felt you weren't quick enough they would beat your back. If you were dedicated and studied hard enough you would become a scribe, one of the most prestigious positions in the Egyptian society. You can visit the Rusicrucian Museum online at http://www.egyptianmuseum.org and find a virtual tour and an audio tour that you can download. Better yet visit it in person whenever you are in San Jose. The Rosicrucian Museum is located in Rosicrucian Park, a picturesque facility encompassing an entire city block. It's the world headquarters of the Rosicrucian Order, a mystical society dating back to antiquity. Many notable historical figures are said to have been Rosicrucians, including Francis Bacon and Benjamin Franklin. The French impressionist composer Claude Debussy was a member of the order, and his music reflects its mystical nature. Isis and the Seven ScorpionsWhile we were at the Rosicrucian Museum we learned this story and thought we'd share it with you. Isis, accompanied by her seven scorpions, makes her way to a town in the Nile Delta. The scorpions Petet, Tjetet, and Matet led the way, Mesetet and Mesetetaf walked beside her, while Tefen and Befen brought up the rear. Upon their arrival to town a noblewoman refused to give them shelter, which angered the scorpions. Meanwhile, a peasant girl offered her humble dwelling to Isis who was seeking refuge. However, the scorpions decide to teach the noble woman a lesson by poisoning her son with their venom. Distraught, the noblewoman seeks help for her dying son. Find out what happens to the boy, what Isis does, and what becomes of the noblewoman and the peasant girl. "Isis and the Seven Scorpions" reminds us of another folktale with seven little guys who care for a maiden... And here is another Egyptian story incase you missed it back in August: Rhodopis, the Egyptian Cinderella. More Egyptian
Happy Listening, Dennis, Kimberly and Zephyr Goza Comments[1] |
Thu, 26 October 2006  We are back in our old stomping grounds, where we began our theatre careers, our film career (in Zephyr's case), our company, our family and our life on the road. This week we come to you from Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, after performing at the San Francisco Jewish Community Center. Lake Shasta CavernsWe tell of our recent trip to Lake Shasta Caverns, discovered by Charles Morton in 1878 near Mt.Shasta. The caverns are situated by Lake Shasta, the second-largest manmade lake in the country--it covers five former towns and contains sturgeon up to 30 feet long! We took the three-part tour (boat, bus and shoe leather) of the caverns and discovered some of the most graphic rock formations we've ever seen in the many caves we've toured. Learn how to tell stalactites from stalagmites. We'll give you a couple of ways to tell them apart. And find out what helictites are. (No, they're not a frozen dessert on a stick, but they look like it.)
The Dragon of KrakowThe story of "The Dragon of Krakow" (sometimes known as "The Dragon of Wawel Hill" or "Krakus and the Dragon") is a folktale from Poland. We've been touring the country with this story since May 2006. Just a few more months to see it live on the west coast, as it will be closing in December to make way for our new production.
What happens when a young boy learns to deal with the trouble he has stirred up? A shoemaker's apprentice, egged on by peer pressure, awakens a sleeping dragon, which devastates the village and terrorizes the people. When the villagers are unable to defeat him, the apprentice realizes he must correct his own mistake, which he does with imagination and resourcefulness. More Dragon Stories brought to you by Tina Hanlon of Ferrum College. Happy Listening, Dennis, Kimberly and Zephyr Comments[0] |
Thu, 19 October 2006  Oregon Shakespeare FestivalCostumes, props, sets, Shakespeare. What goes into putting together the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland? We tell you some of what we learned on the backstage tour at the Festival (a tour conducted by veteran Festival actor Rex Young), including an inside glimpse of the Elizabethan Stage (America's first Elizabethan theatre), the Angus Bowmer Theatre (named after the Festival's founder) and the New Theatre. Begun in 1935, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival runs 11 shows in three theatres from February through October every year. This year 82 actors protrayed 195 characters in close to 800 shows. Each actor plays 2 to 3 roles and understudies one to two other parts. And for every actor that you see on stage there are 4 people working backstage designing and building the costumes, sets, lights, and making the magic happen.
Zephyr Haunts Ashland and TumwaterScience Works Museum in Ashland offers hands-on educational (and fun!) exhibits for children, including the paper airplane launcher for flying airplanes they have been taught to make. A special exhibit of toys and games is coming soon, as is a Halloween haunted house which Zephyr helped design - having recently contributed his talents to a much larger attraction called Twilight's Terror in Tumwater, Washington. Romeo and Juliet(The Four Minute condensed comical version)William Shakespeare's classic tragedy about star-crossed lovers from dueling clans has roots in the Greek legend "Pyramus and Thisbe" (which he also invoked in "A Midsummer Night's Dream") and has inspired books, plays, movies and tv shows throughout the ages. Variations of this tale exist in many other cultures as well; a hit song on the radio in the Sixties called "Running Bear and Little White Dove" related a similar story involving Native Americans from warring tribes. "Romeo and Juliet" illustrates Shakespeare's extraordinary ability to transform a borrowed plot into something wholly original, and uniquely his own. And coming up for 2007 our own national tour of "Shakespeare Shazam", an introduction to the Bard's work. We act out passages from such Shakespearean masterpieces as "Romeo and Juliet", "Macbeth", and "Hamlet", in both the original version and modern English.
Happy Listening, Dennis, Kimberly and Zephyr Comments[0] |
Thu, 12 October 2006  How do you tell the difference between a Sea Lion and a Seal? The ears are a dead giveaway. Bull Sea Lions weigh up to 2400 lbs and the cows are about 1/2 that size. Learn about Sea Lions and the Sea Lion Caves north of Florence, Oregon in this episode. Sea Lion CavesThe Sea Lion Caves was voted one of the top 10 places in America to go out of your way to see by USA Weekend. It's the largest sea cave in the world, within sight of the most photographed lighthouse in the world.
The Gingerbread ManA stop at the Gingerbread Village restaurant in Mapleton inspired us to tell the story of the Gingerbread Man (or Boy). He's running as fast as he can. He's running from the little old lady, the little old man, some threshers, some mowers, a cow, a pig, and a fox. Will anyone catch the Gingerbread Man? And what is a thresher?? More Act!vated:Next week is Teen Reading Week! So go read a teen, if you can. Happy Listening, Dennis, Kimberly and Zephyr Goza Comments[0] |
Thu, 5 October 2006  Our last podcast from Washington until who knows when? Join us this week to rock out in Seattle at the Experience Music Project under the Space Needle. Explore the Science Fiction Museum and do a double take at the Double Take Exhibit. We enjoyed the huge Queen Alien and memorabilia from Sci-Fi movies, TV shows and books; played the keyboards, electric guitars, and drums and sang our hearts out in the jam rooms; and we learned to look at art in new ways. Visit these awesome museums at the Seattle Center The Bremen Town MusiciansA worn out donkey decides to head to town to try his luck at being a musician. Along the way he meets a hound dog, a cat and a rooster and convinces them to join the act. Find out what happens when our troubadours meet up with a band of robbers! Will they get that record contract? Happy Listening, Dennis, Kimberly and Zephyr Comments[0] |
Thu, 28 September 2006  Up, up and away! Visit the Museum of Flight, learn about Leonardo Da Vinci and his plans for a flying machine, and hear the story of "Zoro, the Flying Apprentice". This week we survived a 27 mile bike ride which took us across the floating bridge and up the hills of Seattle (both ways). Visit The Museum of FlightYes, there really is a flying car or "AeroCar". And have you heard of the X-jet? It's a personal transportation device - or what we've dubbed the "flying podium". It goes up 10,000 feet and 60 miles per hour. Take a tour of Air Force One, a Concorde jet and see the original Boeing factory where they made planes out of wood and canvas. And how about flying a plane for a month? Hey, where is our flying motorhome? The Museum of Flight has an upcoming exhibit "Leonardo Da Vinci; Man, Inventor, Genius" opening October 1st (closes January 28th, 2007). Leonardo Da Vinci was a painter, sculptor, architect, art historian, natural scientist, writer and inventor. The drawings in his notebooks included designs of flying machines. You will find the Museum of Flight in Seattle, Washington or online at www.museumofflight.org/ Zoro, the Flying ApprenticeAround 1485 Leonardo Da Vinci drew detailed plans for a human-powered ornithopter (a wing-flapping device intended to fly). And legend has it that a young apprentice named Zoroaste (egged on by the mischievous Salai) took the machine out for a spin. You'll find another version of this story in a book called "Leonardo and the Flying Boy" by Laurence Anholt. It's Banned Book Week (Sept. 23-30)You won't believe some of the books that have banned! Such as "I Am the Cheese", the Harry Potter series, and "Don Quixote" by Miguel de Cervantes. Catch the Activated Storytellers performing a live musical production of "Alias, Don Quixote" at a library. Upcoming appearances are scheduled in Oregon and California. Check the itinerary for more information. And learn more about banned books at the American Library Association site. Happy Listening! Dennis, Kimberly and Zephyr Comments[0] |
Thu, 21 September 2006  Seeking geocaches and "The Most Beautiful Thing in the World". This week the Activated Storytellers come to you from Olympia, WA with a story from China. "The Most Beautiful Thing in the World" from ChinaThis is one of the stories we use when we conduct one of our weeklong Artist-in-Residency programs in schools. We direct students in all aspects of theatrical production, including developing the script from a story, designing and building props and costumes, and acting. In this tale, a king sends his three children out into the world to find the most beautiful thing. The one that succeeds will inherit the crown. Post Your ThoughtsWhat do you suppose is the most beautiful thing in the world? Is it a smile? Is it a place? Something someone did? We'd like to hear YOUR story! You can post your thoughts here and we'll read the best ones in an upcoming podcast. Geocaching & LetterboxingSince the theme this week is seeking treasures, we decided to focus on Geocaching, the game where you are the search engine. If you are new to Geocaching, Geocaching.com and a GPS unit will get you started. Type in your zip code, copy down the clues and get ready to do some real life treasure hunting. Be careful though and don't let the muggles spot you! Geocaching got its inspiration from letterboxing, which started about 150 years ago, and is still practiced today. But Geocaching as we know it, with the aid of a GPS device, started only about 6 years ago. We chose to focus on Geocaching because the Olympia area has quite a number of interesting caches, some of historical interest. In addition to being a lot of fun, this game offers an opportunity to learn things while challenging your detective skills. InspirationA couple of weeks ago we presented the story of "The Apple Dumpling" and pointed out how it reminded us of the guy who swapped a red paperclip on craigslist.org for something bigger and better, until he got his dream - a house. Well a family of listeners heard the story and decided to try it for themselves! This family's goal is to live on the road like we do, but first they need a bus. So they decided to trade a little red matchbox bus for a real one! You can check their progress at A Bus 4 a Bus. National TourWe are bringing our live theatrical productions to schools and libraries on the West Coast through December and then we'll be heading east. Please visit our web site for more information about school assemblies and residency programs, or to find a free show sponsored by a public library to bring your family to. If you'd like to pass on information to your school you also find a flyer that you can download, print and share on our site. Happy Listening, Dennis, Kimberly and Zephyr Goza Comments[0] |
Thu, 14 September 2006  From the End the Oregon Trail, we discuss pioneers and tell the story of Little Red Riding Hood. Also Zephyr gives a report about "Not Back to School" camp and find out a bit about roadschooling. Back in 1843 families started heading west. They heard the stories of a better life. They saved up about $900 dollars ($100,000 in todays market) and made their way to Independence or St. Joseph Missouri to hook up with a wagon train. Loading 2000 lbs of supplies into a small closet sized wagon they were off on a 4-6 month journey following the Little Blue river northwest. They left in May headed west past Chimney Rock where they stopped to sign their names and on to Independence Rock hopefully by the 4th of July, past the Rocky Mountains along the Snake River and to the Oregon Territory. By the way, the Oregon Territory at that time included not only Oregon but Washington, Idaho, and parts of Montana and Wyoming. The pioneers on the Oregon Trail were primarily well educated families who brought books with them and continued to school there kids on the treck. Books by Hans Christen Andersonand titles such as "Little Women", "Hamlet", "The Robber Kitten", "Little Red Riding Hood" could be found bouncing along with the bacon, coffee, rice and churning butter. So this week we tell the story of the little girl in the red cloak on her way to grandmother's house. Learn more:
Happy Listening! Dennis, Kimberly and Zephyr Goza Comments[0] |
Thu, 7 September 2006  Visiting Eugene, Oregon - home of University of Oregon and the jogging and bicycling capital of the country. Zephyr is away at a camp for homeschooled teens this week, while Dennis (dad) and Kimberly (mom) are visiting relatives and learning the nearly lost craft of food canning. After spending an afternoon picking apples we decided to present the English story "The Apple Dumpling". See if it reminds you of the guy who used craigslist.org to trade a red paper clip for something bigger and better and ended up with a house.
Happy Listening, Dennis and Kimberly Goza Comments[0] |
Thu, 31 August 2006  Podcasting from Redding, California enroute to Eugene, Oregon. We're just getting our feet reaccustomed to American soil having landed yesterday from our wonderful 2 week trip to Japan. We bring you greetings from our Japanese hosts and the true story of "Sadako and the 1000 Cranes" and WWII. We'll also give you a sneak peek at Tokyo DisneySea's new ride the Tower of Terror (opening Sept. 4th). "This is our cry, This is our prayer, Peace in the world".
Happy Listening, Dennis, Kimberly and Zephyr Goza Comments[0] |
Thu, 24 August 2006  Podcasting from Kumagaya-city where we performed our first international performance. (Our apologies for the inferior sound quality on this podcast but our sound equipment is back in the U.S.) Happy Listening, Comments[1] |
Thu, 17 August 2006 Podcasting from Kumuyaga, Japan Learn about the flight over, eating out in Japan, a haunted house (Obake Yoshiki "Ghost Mansion") for Obon (Festival of the Dead). Presenting "Follow the Buzz", one of the stories from the show "Daring to Dream" http://www.activated-storytellers.com/shows.html which has been touring the U.S.A. since May 2005. (Available on the West Coast through December 2006.) Check your library for "The Bee and the Dream".
To learn more Japanese please visit Japanese Pod 101. http://www.japanesepod101.com Happy Listening, Dennis, Kimberly and Zephyr Comments[0] |
Thu, 10 August 2006  This week, we revisited our roots in the San Francisco Bay Area, where Zephyr attended the famous (in rock music circles) venue in Berkeley where Green Day, among others, got their start. We toured the Jelly Belly factory (the Goelitz Candy Co.) in Fairfield, and found that the owners are very appreciative of Ronald Reagan for helping popularize their jelly beans, but show little acknowledgment of Harry Potter, who's helped promote its Bernie Botts Every Flavor Beans. And we returned to perform at several Sacramento Libraries. Our podcast story this week is "The Boy Who Listened to Birds", one of the "noodlehead" stories from Russia. Happy Listening, Dennis, Kimberly and Zephyr Comments[1] |
Thu, 3 August 2006  Podcasting from Ukiah, California. This week we were inspired by a drive through Redwood Forest. We hiked amoung trees that are thousands of years old and hundreds of feet tall. Some are big enough to build several houses. The trunks of others have been turned into a 20' room, two story tree houses and even a gas station. There have been several reported sightings of Bigfoot in the area. We didn't catch a glimpse of the elusive Sasquatch but being surrounded by such tall trees we decided the story of Paul Bunyan was a perfect fit. Paul Bunyan was soooo big. How big was he? Why when he was just a baby his parents had to put his cradle out to sea. Follow Paul and Babe the Blue Ox on their journey to the logging camps across America. There was the summer that was soooo hot and the winter that was soooo cold. How hot was it? How cold was it? Well you'll have to listen to find out of course. After the story the Activated Storytellers discuss the origins of Paul Bunyan stories. Paul Bunyan Activity MapDownload the official Paul Bunyan Activity Map (.pdf) and print it out.  Enjoy coloring and using the map to follow Paul's Journey. Happy Listening, Dennis, Kimberly and Zephyr Comments[0] |
Thu, 27 July 2006  Why do Wolves get such a bad rap in folktales? The Activated Storytellers visit Wolf Haven in Tenino, Washington to find out more about wolves and the role they play. What happens when wolves are erradicated? And did you know there is a joker in every wolf pack? Stories about wolves have been told for as long as we can remember as have stories about a Cinderella type of character. The Egyptian Cinderella is the oldest Cinderella story known to man. It comes from Egypt and it may even be true--at least we know that it's based on real events. The prince became the pharaoh Amasis, who ruled over Egypt for 44 years. And he really did marry a former slave girl from Greece. In this version of the story, the slave girl is named Rhodopis, and the prince must find a bride by his 21st birthday. He turns for help to his pet falcon, since falcons were revered as messengers of the sun god Horus. Wolf Pictures on our travel blog:
Visit:
Extend the story with the Cinderella Trillogy Lesson Plan from ArtsEdge Happy Listening, Dennis, Kimberly and Zephyr Goza Comments[0] |
Thu, 20 July 2006  Are Dennis, Kimberly and Zephyr really a family? Find out this week as the Activated Storytellers podcast from Ocean Park, Washington. This week's story is the Knee-High Man, an African American tale from Alabama, about the importance of recognizing one's own unique gifts. Also: a couple of little stories about bumping into one of our fans and a past cast member in some unexpected locations. And this week our Web site Activated-Storytellers.com was awarded one of the best educational resources on the web by studySphere!  Happy Listening, Dennis, Kimberly and Zephyr Comments[0] |
Thu, 13 July 2006  Coming to you from a rain forest! The Activated Storytellers bring you the great American legend "Alfred Bulltop Stormalong". What will Old Stormalong do when the pirates attack? How will he defeat the mythical sea creature the kraken? This week we attended a kite festival in Westport, Washington. We'll tell you all about the festival and the parachuting teddy bears! Thanks to the students and residents from the Quinault tribe who played the pirates and crew members in this podcast.
Happy Listening! Dennis, Kimberly and Zephyr Goza Comments[2] |
Thu, 6 July 2006  You won't believe the stories that Davy Crockett has to tell about wrestling a bear, marrying Sally-Ann-Thunder-Ann-Whirlwind Crockett and journeying to the North Pole to save the earth. But he was indeed a real person, a congressman who lived from 1736 - 1836. You can even see his gun "Ol Betsy" at the Alamo in Texas. Read the story and play with the "animuls" at Davy Crockett This week we are podcasting from a campground in Rochester, Washington. We recorded on the 4th of July and reminisce about our past few years when we spent the Fourth of July in "America's favorite hometown" Hannibal, Missouri. We'll give you some background information and insider tips about the National Fence Painting contest which takes place yearly in Mark Twain's Boyhood home and the setting for his books "Tom Sawyer" and "Huckleberry Finn". You'll find pictures and more information about Hannibal, Mo on these pages:
Read about our most recent trip to the Alamo Happy Listening! Dennis, Kimberly and Zephyr Comments[2] |
Tue, 4 July 2006 We've been getting a lot of congratulatory emails this week about the new podcast and one comment we are continually getting goes something like: "That's great. Wish I could listen but, I don't have an iPod." Well, here is the good news: You don't need an iPod ... (or PDA or any other type of device) to tune in to an Activated Story. All you have to do is click on the POD image or the direct download link and the audio file should open in your prefered media player. It may take a few moments to download (depends on the speed of your internet connection). Just turn the sound on your computer and happy listening. The Gozas Category: general -- posted at: 9:42 PM Comments[0] |
Thu, 29 June 2006  We are back with the second episode. And this time we are podcasting from Lewis and Clarks' final stop, Fort Clatsop. This is where they spent the winter of 1805-06, 200 years ago. This week we bring you Han's Christian Anderson's story "The Emperor's New Clothes". Hear the story adapted from the touring theatrical production and listen to tales about Lewis and Clark, the fort and the fire. You will find pictures of Fort Clatsop (scroll down to 6/26) and "The Emperor's New Clothes", the stage production on our web site http://www.activated-storytellers.com Comments[2] |
Thu, 22 June 2006  Premiere Podcast The Activated Storytellers bring you the story of "The Coyote and The Eagle", a Zuni legend of how the sun and moon came to be in the sky. Listen to the story and hear about the Goza's recent visit to the cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde National Park. Visit our website to see pictures from our trip to Mesa Verde.
Read a story, catch a live performance or bring us to your school or library. For more information please visit the Activated Storytellers web site Comments[2] |
Tue, 20 June 2006  What has six legs and eight wheels, and wanders all over the country leaving a trail of laughter? Answer: the Goza Family, better known as Act!vated Storytellers, who have entertained, informed and inspired audiences of all ages in 44 states (and counting) plus Washington, D.C. The "six legs" belong to the three performers: Dennis Goza, his wife Kimberly, and their 15-year-old son Zephyr. The "eight wheels", of course, are their "home" on the road; they log an average of nearly 4000 miles per month bringing educational entertainment to schools, libraries, museums and other venues to audiences ages 2 to 102. And starting this Thursday, June 22, 2006 they'll be bringing "Activated Stories" to your computer! Category: general -- posted at: 6:46 PM Comments[0] |
