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Ray Bradbury Storytelling Festival set for Oct. 26

Waukegan Public Library presents 7th annual Ray Bradbury Storytelling Festival Oct. 26 at Genesee Theatre

Storytellers will perform celebrated Ray Bradbury stories to pay homage to his colorful, penetrating, and spooky characters and stories at the Seventh Annual Ray Bradbury Storytelling Festival.

It is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 26, at the historic Genesee Theatre in downtown Waukegan.

Professional storytellers will take the stage as Bradbury characters from well-known stories such as 1951’s “The Screaming Woman,” “Lime Vanilla Ice” from Dandelion Wine, and many more.

Hosted by the Waukegan Public Library, the award-winning festival presents two performances every year on festival day, a scary evening show for listeners age 12 and older, and a 10:30 a.m. matinee for school kids.

Tickets are $17 for the evening show and $5 for the matinee, are on sale at the Genesee box office or ticketmaster.com. Library patrons can present any library card and receive $1 off at the box office.

Megan Wells serves as the artistic director of the festival and appears each year in the persona of various nefarious characters, from Dracula to Mr. Dark.

The festival emcee, Jim May is co-founder of the Illinois Storytelling Festival.

The first storyteller to perform with the Philadelphia orchestra, Charlotte Blake Alston holds two honorary Ph.D.s and received the Circle of Excellence Award from the National Storytelling Association.

Hollywood actor and Ray Bradbury fan, Bill Oberst Jr. will make a special guest appearance and present an excerpt of his favorite Bradbury short story, “Pillar of Fire.”

Honoring Waukegan’s famous writer-offspring, the Ray Bradbury Storytelling Festival has entertained fans of storytelling and classic literature for the past six years. This year’s literary theme “October Country” celebrates the time of year Bradbury loved best and the countryside he grew up in.

“Bradbury became a household name largely because of the oral tradition of storytelling,” said Richard Lee, executive director of the Waukegan Public Library. “He first captivated his fans when his stories aired on old-time radio shows.”

Lee said the library created the festival not only as a tribute to Bradbury’s genius but also to showcase storytelling as an art form.

Winning entries to the 29th Annual Ray Bradbury Creative Contest will be on display at the Genesee Theatre on the day of the festival. Entries include short stories, poems, and fine art created to express how Bradbury has been an inspiration to the life or work of each entrant.

New this year, attendees will be invited to take a Haunted tour of the Genesee Theatre before the performance. All attendees are welcome to dress in costume as their favorite Bradbury character.

For more information or to order festival tickets, call or visit the library at waukeganpl.org or (847) 623-2041.

Bill Oberst Jr.
Storytellers stir a witchÂ’s brew during the 2011 Ray Bradbury Storytelling Festival. Courtesy of the Waukegan Public Library
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