The Nebraska Storytelling Festival
Finding Connections Through Storytelling
Storytellers from the 2024 Nebraska Storytelling Festival. Back row from left: Alex Min, Miranda McQuillan, Joshua Berry, Nathan Lachner. Middle left to right: Margaret Berry, Jane Holt, Diane Walkowiak. Kneeling left to right: Felix Rivas-Sanchez, Evi Wusk, Mark Hartley.
Stories that make us laugh, cry, and smile. Stories that transcend borders, cultures, and time. Stories that speak a universal language that binds us together, reminding us of our shared humanity and shared community.
The fourth annual Nebraska Storytelling Festival—Thursday, October 23, at the Scottish Rite Ballroom—promises an evening of sweet, sad, funny tales from 10 distinct storytellers.
“The Nebraska Storytelling Festival looks upon storytelling as a powerful tool for connection because it taps into fundamental human experience—giving people of our state an annual stage to share their compelling stories,” says Randy Bretz, founder and one of the festival leaders.
Evi Wusk: “The festival is fun, heartfelt, and a unique experience for Lincoln. A favorite memory of mine from last year is how the whole room was held in fits of laughter over a taffeta dress story. I’ve never been in a room quite like that! It was like we were all dancing on a huge joy bubble just waiting for the next crazy detail. When it ended, we were wiping our eyes from laughing so hard.”
Jane Holt: “It was such an energizing event—being with a roomful of people who ignored their phones and just listened to each other’s stories. I loved being a part of it.”
Alex Min is a native of Myanmar who escaped a military coup and is now in the United States and a student at Nebraska Wesleyan. His story was about that escape early one morning.
Evi Wusk is a professor of Education at Peru State College. Her story is about the challenges of hiking a fourteener.
Jane Holt is a lifelong Lincoln resident, retired from teaching but not from life. Hers is a story about one of those bridesmaids dresses that people love to hate.
Joshua Berry: “The opportunity to share a personal story and life lesson in front of so many colleagues, family, and community friends was priceless. The experience of preparing and telling my story was as rewarding for me as it was for those who heard it. It is such a gift to the community.”
Mary Kay Roth, another festival leader, explained that when we share stories, we invite others into our lives: “Personal experiences, triumphs, and even struggles can resonate with someone who has walked a similar path. Stories have the remarkable ability to break down barriers, connecting individuals from diverse backgrounds and creating a sense of unity.”
She talked of past stories about maniacal bats and ranch dressing and tiny tattoos—failed attempts to climb a mountain and failed attempts to make a bunny cake—stories of bright purple swimsuits and, yes, pink taffeta dresses.
Bretz and Roth hope the stories at the Nebraska Storytelling Festival create memorable impact on lives and help connect us by “entertaining, teaching, making people giggle, bringing tears to their eyes, informing, communicating, and connecting. It celebrates the diversity and commonality of human experience.” Stories from the first three years are on YouTube @NEstorytellingfest.
Collaborating Organizations: Lincoln Public Libraries, Nebraska Public Media, and Lincoln Community Foundation.