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Performance

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Doug JonesFollow

Presentation #1 Title

Jack and the Piebald Ridge Deer

Presentation #1 Abstract or Summary

The goal of this session is to ensure that the story presented, which is told in authentic dialect, will transcend the cultures of the Appalachian region – that it will resonate “outside th’ Cove.”

Stories originating under the canopy of the forests of Appalachia, particularly those told in dialect, like Jack Tales, naturally resonate with the “residents of the Cove”, yet can be confounding to outsiders. Events and experiences referenced in a story are interpreted by outsiders through a necessarily limited perspective that can render the story “shallow,” “quaint,” or “cute.” Those not conversant with the dialect or the culture often make fun of the characters and context or deem them to be naïve, simple, or uneducated. Ironically, the canopy is a two-edged sword, masking the insiders from the outsiders AND the outsiders from the insiders. The understory does not fare well out from under the canopy.

On the other hand, the story naturally connects with the insiders. The residents of the cove are privy to the backstory -- but even they don’t necessarily realize how profound their experiences might be when measured against the conventional wisdom of the outsiders. When the understory is informed by the backstory and then brought out into the light, what has become more to the story reveals that it can transcend its context. The story flourishes, its characters and its lessons become relevant, and the story is worth telling “outside the cove.”

Let the storytellin’ b’gin!

Part of the Performance: Understory, Backstory, and More to the Story.

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Jack and the Piebald Ridge Deer

The goal of this session is to ensure that the story presented, which is told in authentic dialect, will transcend the cultures of the Appalachian region – that it will resonate “outside th’ Cove.”

Stories originating under the canopy of the forests of Appalachia, particularly those told in dialect, like Jack Tales, naturally resonate with the “residents of the Cove”, yet can be confounding to outsiders. Events and experiences referenced in a story are interpreted by outsiders through a necessarily limited perspective that can render the story “shallow,” “quaint,” or “cute.” Those not conversant with the dialect or the culture often make fun of the characters and context or deem them to be naïve, simple, or uneducated. Ironically, the canopy is a two-edged sword, masking the insiders from the outsiders AND the outsiders from the insiders. The understory does not fare well out from under the canopy.

On the other hand, the story naturally connects with the insiders. The residents of the cove are privy to the backstory -- but even they don’t necessarily realize how profound their experiences might be when measured against the conventional wisdom of the outsiders. When the understory is informed by the backstory and then brought out into the light, what has become more to the story reveals that it can transcend its context. The story flourishes, its characters and its lessons become relevant, and the story is worth telling “outside the cove.”

Let the storytellin’ b’gin!

Part of the Performance: Understory, Backstory, and More to the Story.