The Apple Seed

photo © Dan Yashinsky

Above: Dan Yashinsky in a photo taken by Luigi Rignanese in Uzes, France, spring, 2011

Dan Yashinsky is a well-known Canadian storyteller, author, and community organizer. Dan has done much to encourage the renaissance of storytelling in all parts of Canada. Dan founded the Toronto Festival of Storytelling in 1979 and co-founded the Storytellers School of Toronto. He is the editor of four acclaimed collections of Canadian storytelling, and has been storyteller-in-residence at Queen's University, Toronto Public Library, The Stop Community Food Centre, Storytelling Toronto, and UNICEF Canada. He also began the longest-running open session in North America: 1,001 Friday Nights of Storytelling in 1978. He has earned accolades, honors, and acclaim across the globe for his approach to and passion for storytelling. As a part of his community, he has brought people together, given voice to the voiceless, and has worked to make safe spaces for people to share their experiences and lives with each other. In this episode, you'll hear the many sides of Dan as storyteller- the humorous, the poignant and the sublime- in an interview, a short comedic tale, and a long-form personal story entitled "Talking You in", a piece he created with composer/musician Brian Katz, which has toured to the Barbican (London), National Arts Centre (Ottawa), and festivals in Wales, Holland, and Canada.

To learn more about Dan and find more of his work, visit this website: tellery.com/dan-yashinsky

Syd Lieberman is an internationally acclaimed storyteller, an award-winning teacher, and an author who knows his way around stories. Last night, The Apple Seed team received word of his passing. This episode is a tribute to the wise and kind person Syd Lieberman was and the legacy he left behind. This episode includes one of Sam Payne's favorite conversations with Syd, and a few stories that highlight the kind of storytelling giant he was. For The Apple Seed, it was truly an honor to be able to meet and work with Syd and his stories, and our condolescences go out to Syd's family, friends, and loved ones.

Below is a photo of present and past members of The Apple Seed Team with Syd in at the 2013 Timpanogos Storytelling Festival. From left to right: Sam Bennion, Andy Bay, Syd Lieberman, Krista Collins, and Whitney Snow.

photo © Syd Lieberman

Stories included in this episode:

Willy ClaflinStory: Government Surplus and Colt 45

Teller:  Willy Claflin accompanied by Brian Claflin

Site:www.willyclaflin.com

Notes: Willy Claflin is a one-man festival. Spanning historical sagas, intergalactic yarns, Mother Moose Tales, and counter culture misadventures, he covers the full spectrum of spoken word entertainment. A prolific teller whose stories are sometimes silly and always wise, Willy tells to enthusiastic audiences all over. In this story, he is accompanied by his son, Brian Claflin.

Donald DavisStory: Uncle Frank Plays with the Jollys

Teller:  Donald Davis

Site: ddavisstoryteller.com

Notes: Often referred to as "The Dean" of storytelling, Donald Davis has an extensive repertoire of fairy tales, Jack tales, mountain lore, folk tales, and true-to-life stories of his friends and family that are rooted in time-tested traditions and heritage. For Donald Davis storytelling ",...is not what I do for a living...it is how I do all that I do while I am living."

This episode of the Apple Seed is in accordance with Mental Health Month. We encourage you to share your stories, and to listen to the stories of those around you. To find more resources about mental health, visit: www.mentalhealth.gov www.nami.org

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline can be reached at 1-800-273-TALK. 

Stories and interviews included in this episode:

Kevin Cordi

Story: Personal Story

Teller: Deidrene Crisanto

Notes: Assistant producer, Deidrene Crisanto, shares an experience and thoughts about suicide. From a young age, she has lived with anxiety, depression, and panic attacks. She and her family are on a journey together to understand their own experiences with suicide attempts and mental illnesses. She is currently a student at Brigham Young University studying Interdiscplinary Humanities and Film.

Dese'Rae L. Stage

Interview: Dese'Rae L. Stage

Website: livethroughthis.org

Notes: Dese'Rae L. Stage is a photographer, writer and suicide awareness advocate. She is the founder of the photography project Live Through This, in which she shares the stories and experiences of suicide survivors. She was diagnosed with Bipolar II Disorder in 2004. She is a survivor of nine years of self-injury and a suicide attempt catalyzed by an emotionally and physically abusive relationship. As of March 2015, she has photographed 117 suicide attempt survivors in 14 US cities.

Kevin Hines

Interview: Kevin Hines

Website: http://www.kevinhinesstory.com

Notes: Kevin Hines is a global speaker, author and mental health advocate who reaches audiences with his story of an unlikely survival and his strong will to live. Two years after he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, he attempted to take his own life by jumping from the Golden Gate Bridge. He is one of only thirty-four (less than 1%) to survive the fall and is actively spreading the message of living mentally healthy around the globe.

Stories/songs/interviews included in this episode:

Kevin Cordi

Story: A Meal to Remember

Teller:  Kevin Cordi

Site: www.kevincordi.com

Notes: during a short detour on a road trip, Kevin learns a lesson he'll never forget.

Geraldine Buckley

Story: My Dinner With Bob

Teller:  Geraldine Buckley

Site: www.geraldinebuckley.com

Notes: Geraldine tells a story about a pleasant dinner date with a surprise ending.

Alton Chung

Story: Hoichi, the Earless

Teller:  Alton Chung

Site: www.altonchung.com

Notes: An unlikely hero.

Kevin Cordi

Story: Listen to the Strings

Teller:  Kevin Cordi

Site: www.kevincordi.com

Notes: A lesson in stories and sounds.

Mark Binder

Story: Monkey's Paw

Teller:  Mark Binder

Site: markbinder.com

Notes: A Mark Binder twist on a classic tale.

photo © John McCutcheon at the National Storytelling Festival 2012

John McCutcheon at the National Storytelling Festival 2012

John McCutcheon is an American folk singer who has been making music since the 1970s. His eclectic catalog of ballads, historical songs, children’s songs, love songs, topical satire, fiddle and hammer dulcimer instruments, and even symphonic works are among the broadest in American folk music. His influences include the prolific, Pete Seeger, and John has composed musical settings and projects influenced by Woody Guthrie, Pablo Neruda, and Jose Marti. John has collaborated with some of the major songwriting talents in the folk music world including Tom Paxton, Si Kahn, Holly Near, Steve Seskin, and Tom Chapin. In 2006 he released an album of collaborations entitled Mightier than the Sword, in which he co-wrote songs with some of his favorite authors, including Barbara Kingsolver, Wendell Berry, Rita Dove, Lee Smith, and Carmen Agra Deedy. Often introducing his music with a story, he has become known and respected as a storyteller, appearing multiple times at the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesboro, Tennessee, among others. John has told and sung in countless venues and has taught many workshops, including a yearly folk music camp held in Tennessee every year. On this episode, listen in on a conversation between John and host, Sam Payne, and hear stories and songs from the albums, "Passage", "Untold", "This Land: Woody Guthrie's America", "Joe Hill's Last Will."

To learn more about John and find more of his work, visit his website at www.folkmusic.com

Our team of assistant producers, Makena Bauss, Sam Bennion, Deidrene Crisanto, and audio engineer, Andre Marques, conducted an investigation of extraterrestrial life. Inspired by the stories of alien encounters, UFO sightings, and all things science fiction, the Apple Seed wanted to explore the science behind science fiction.

Brigham Young University professors Dr. David Dearden (Chemistry) and Dr. Carl Sederholm (College of Humanities) begin our conversation. Together, they teach a university course called, "Unexpected Connections," a course which brings together the disciplines of Physical Science and Global & Cultural Awareness to explore questions of extraterrestrial life from scientific and literary points of view.

We were pleased to be joined by awarding-winning & bestselling writer Rick Yancey, author The Fifth Wave series, a young adult trilogy about teenagers surviving waves of an alien invasion that have decimated the human population and knocked humankind back to the Stone Age. The sequel in the trilogy, The Infinite Sea, was recently released last year and the series will soon be adapted into film. The third book, The Last Star, will be released later this year. In our conversation, assistant producer, Sam Bennion, speaks with Rick a little bit about the conventions of alien fiction, and Rick puts in his two cents regarding the alien question. To learn more about Rick, visit his website here: www.rickyancey.com. Click here for more from our interview with Rick.

What is it about the stars that keeps us looking up? Ufologist and researcher, Dennis Balthaser, has been tackling this question since 1996 after moving to Roswell, New Mexico after having been keenly interested in the infamous Roswell Incident of 1947. A retired civil and Army engineer, Dennis has since worked as a UFO researcher/investigator of the Roswell Incident, Area 51, and conducts tours, lectures, on these and other topics related to ufology. To learn more about Dennis and his work, and to read more stories from Dennis, visit: www.truthseekeratroswell.com. For more from this interview, click here.

In the last segment of the episode, the Apple Seed Team travels to Roosevelt, Utah to investigate the paranormal activity around the popular UFO sighting area known as Skinwalker Ranch (also known as UFO Ranch). Inspired by the UFO researchers and investigators, like those we've heard from in this episode, Makena, Deidrene, Sam, and Andre investigated the accounts of UFO activity in the area and present their findings with us. Disclaimer: no extraterrestrials or citizens of earth were hurt in the process of our investigation. 

Skinwalker Ranch, commonly known as UFO Ranch

Pictured above: The entrance to Skinwalker Ranch, also known as UFO Ranch.

Stories included in this episode:

Fran Yardley

Story: The Sears Roebuck Baby

Teller: Fran Yardley

Site: creativehealingconnections.org

Notes: There's never a better time to be born than now.

Donna Ingham

Story: The Babe of the Alamo

Teller: Donna Ingham

Site: www.donnaingham.com

Notes: This little babe rubs elbows with some of the toughest folks in the West.

Kathy Collins

Story: Momotaro

Teller:  Kathy Collins

Site: www.talkstoryradio.com/tellerindex

Notes: This baby born from a peach is known around the globe.

Joel Ben Izzy

Story: A Tale From Jerusalem & Tokyo

Teller:  Joel Ben Izzy

Site: www.storypage.com

Notes: A King Solomon tale with an inimitable Joel Ben Izzy twist.

Stories included in this episode:

Heather Forest

Story: Beauty & the Beast

Teller: Heather Forest

Site: www.heatherforest.com

Notes: Heather Forest's unique minstrel style of storytelling blends original music, folk guitar, poetry, prose and the sung and spoken word and has performed throughout the United States and abroad.

Slash Coleman

Story: The Last American Gladiator

Teller: Donna Washington

Site: www.slashcoleman.com

Notes: Slash Coleman provocative and energetic style of storytelling has lent itself to performances at universities, festivals, museums, and theatres across the globe.

Stories/songs/interviews included in this episode:

Tim Lowry

Story: Spring

Teller:  Tim Lowry

Site: www.storytellertimlowry.com

Notes: A little seasonal thing about Spring.

Karl Behling

Story: The Greedy Man in the Moon

Teller:  Karl Behling

Site: kbstoryteller.webs.com

\*\*Notes:\*\* A folk tale from China.

Tim Lowry

Story: Summer

Teller:  Tim Lowry

Site: www.storytellertimlowry.com

Notes: A little something about Summer.

Tim Lowry

Story: \*\*Teachers at Ross Point Elementary School\*\*Teller: \*\* Tim Lowry

Site: www.storytellertimlowry.com

Notes:\*\* A little nostalgia for grade school.