The way a story is told can make all the difference.
STORYTELLING
Connect and Reflect
Adam tells stories to adults and children, at conferences, theaters, festivals, camps, schools, libraries, and even with dancers. His performances are programs that generally run from 20 - 60 minutes, but can be longer upon request. Each performance can accommodate multiple stories.
These stories are told, not read or acted. The individual stories in Adam’s repertoire run from approximately five minutes to seventy-five minutes in length.
Below are the three types of stories Adam generally tells.
Let me tell you a story.
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Traditional Appalachian Stories
Learned from storytellers, sound archives, recordings, and Appalachians met along his travels, Adam's repertoire of traditional Appalachian stories includes wonder tales / märchen (what a lot of folks call fairy tales), tall tales (such as Tony Beaver), ghostlore, witchlore, pourquoi tales (stories that explain reasoning or existence), and regional lore that has become traditional.
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Original Personal Stories
These tales are based off of real personal events. Because Adam is a champion liar, he is often asked if the stories are true. Yes, these stories have plenty of true sections as well as truth, but most have tall sections — parts where the order of events have been recrafted to help deliver a stronger narrative. Many of the characters are conglomerates. Some of the details are made up. And the "I" character is usually just that — a character.
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Neo-Traditional Stories
These are original stories that are based on traditional tales, structures, or archetypes. If you know your traditional stories, they might have familiar elements. The new tales in the Appalachian 20th Century Series are all based on existing stories, traditional character archetypes, and regional folklore; therefore, they are neo-traditional. Other examples in Adam's output include New West Virginia Lore, such as The Broommaker and The Death Crown.