Seanchai Library: The Dickens Project Returns for 2022 December 8- January 3

 

Second Life – Seanchai Library is proud to announce the opening of The Dickens Project 2022 Edition. This Second Life winter holiday tradition invites guests to walk in the steps of Ebenezer Scrooge in an environment inspired, in part, by Charles Dickens’ 1843 novella “A Christmas Carol.” An invited community of Second Life groups and organizations will present a variety of music events, dance performances, as well as story presentations. Other Project features include skating, sledding, a balloon ride, a horse cart tour, and plenty of photo opportunities. The Dickens Project regions will open on Thursday, December 8th, and close at the end of the day on Tuesday, January 3rd.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The 2022 Edition features an Experience-based teleport system. Please accept the “Caledonian Studios” Experience in the Welcome Area to fully explore The Project. 

LOCATION: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/The%20Dickens%20Project/129/128/1401

"This year we challenged a lot of assumptions about how we configured the land to tell the story," said Caledonia Skytower of Seanchai Library. "So what Dickens Project fans will discover is a layout that is very different from past Projects, but still has a narrative sense. It feels like a lot ‘more’, somehow, and yet will still have the friendly familiarity that many will expect."  The Dickens Project is intentionally designed to follow, as much as possible, the narrative of Dickens’ 1843 work, allowing guests to walk through the Christmas past, present, and future of the story.

The Dickens Project also seeks to promote community - a community of Second Life individuals and organizations which come together for this annual celebration. After a hiatus in 2021, this community includes Virtual Community Radio and Innsmouth in SL. The Community Virtual Library will again provide research and information on Victorian life in the time of Dickens’ works. 

Four dance companies will present unique performances including Idle Rogue Productions, TerpsiCorps Dance, Misfit Dance and Performance Art SL, and Virtuoso Dance. Eclipse Club and Resort will contribute music sets in addition to various independent DJs and musicians.  SL Hawks Aerobatic Team will return for a single performance of their popular “Ghost Flights of Christmas” air show in the skies above Dickens Harbour, this season with wing walkers. These are all in addition to the live story reading programs for which Seanchai Library is known.  

The popular "Carol Week" returns in a revised format this year. The week will begin with The Big Read on Sunday, December 18th at Noon. The relay-style presentation involves a chorus of voices in a continuous reading of "A Christmas Carol" from beginning to end. The week will continue December 19 - 22nd with a section of Dickens' novella presented live each day in a "Story Tour" presentation to the sites in the region inspired by the story. 

Seanchai Library offers its thanks to Linden Labs and Patch Linden, our 2022 Region Sponsors.

There will be additional information available on the Seanchai Library Website, and at the Welcome Area at The Dickens Project.

This press release is available in digital form at https://irelandslstory.blogspot.com/p/the-dickens-project-press-release.html

About the Seanchai Library

Seanchai Library (pronounced Shawn-a-kee, which means "Storyteller" in Irish Gaelic.) was founded in March of 2008 in Second Life. The program remains dedicated to promoting the power of stories to transform and inspire through live voice presentations: "We bring stories of all kinds to life, in Second Life and other virtual worlds."  http://irelandslstory.blogspot.com/

All times listed are SLT/ Pacific.

Images and Project Poster can be accessed from our online image bank which can be accessed via the digital press release on our website.

 Media Contact:

Caledonia Skytower, Seanchai Library

caledoniaskytower@gmail.com

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The Dickens Project Opens Sunday December 1st!

Second Life – The Seanchai Library is proud to announce that the doors of The Dickens Project 2019 Edition will open December 1. What follows is a month of events including storytelling, music, dance, roleplay, and the return of the "Urchins in Dickens’ London" experience. Inspired by Charles Dickens, this region recreates the Victorian world of A Christmas Carol and other beloved tales, offering a wonderful opportunity to explore and discover.



Over 60 hours of events are planned for this year's Project. Seanchai Library has expanded the information available on its website to include: region map, calendar of events, the Urchins in London experience, the Story Path Voices audio tour, information on roleplay events, "rideables", and in-region gifts. The expanded information pages will go live on Thursday, November 28th, with access to The Dickens Project opening to all residents on Sunday, December 1st at http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/The%20Dickens%20Project/125/118/22

Special Blogger/Press Previews are scheduled for November 29th from noon to 2pm, and November 30th from 2-4pm. Members of the virtual media are invited to get a closer look at The Project before it officially opens. Team Dickens creators will be on hand to answer questions, and the music stream will include music and highlight various features in the region.

"The Dickens Project has really become a community. It stopped being a strictly Seanchai Library happening several years ago," said Caledonia Skytower of Seanchai Library. This year will again feature contributions from Ce Soir Arts, Radio Riel, and Innsmouth SL.  The Community Virtual Library will be providing the Resource Center and The Dickens Library, exploring the breadth and scope of the author's work. Idle Rogue Productions and Misfit Dance & Performance Art will be staging special productions for The Project. Fantasy Faire Radio will be joining the community this year, broadcasting music from Dickens Square on December 18th, and presenting an encore performance of its radio drama "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde". These are in addition to the live story reading programs which are Seanchai Library's hallmark.  

The popular "Carol Week" will return, with a section of Dickens' novella presented live each day in a "Story Tour" to the sites on the region inspired by the story. Saturday, December 21st features Fezziwig's Ball. The week culminates in The Big Read on Sunday, December 22nd at Noon.  The Big Read is a relay-style reading involving 9-12 voices in a continuous reading of "A Christmas Carol" from start to the end of it.



"There really is so much to see and do, it's hard to describe it all," added Skytower, "You really have to check out the website and then come and experience it for yourself."

http://irelandslstory.blogspot.com/p/the-dickens-project-sl.html


Seanchai Library offers its thanks to Linden Labs and Patch Linden, our 2019 Region Sponsors.



About the Seanchai Library
Seanchai Library (pronounced Shawn-a-kee, which means "Storyteller" in Irish Gaelic.) was founded in March of 2008 in Second Life. The program remains dedicated to promoting the power of stories to transform and inspire through live voice presentations: "We bring stories of all kinds to life, in Second Life and other virtual worlds."  http://irelandslstory.blogspot.com/



All times listed are SLT/ Pacific.

All photos courtesy of The Dickens Project. For additional photos, feel free to contact Caledonia Skytower or Aoife Lorefield.

Media Contact:

Caledonia Skytower, Seanchai Library
caledoniaskytower@gmail.com

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Arrivals & Departures: A Tale of Two Journeys *Machinima*

ARRIVALS & DEPARTURES, released on 22 July 2018, is a new machinima from CEH Productions – Caledonia Skytower of the Seanchai Library, Elrik Merlin of Radio Riel and Designing Worlds, and Honey Heart of Elite Equestrian. The 15-minute film, shot in Second Life®, is based on a short story written by Caledonia and originally recorded for Fantasy Faire Radio as part of the 10th Fantasy Faire, the annual SL-based fund-raiser for the American Cancer Society.

ARRIVALS & DEPARTURES was released on 22 July, 2018 and is available on YouTube, Vimeo, SLArtist.com and AView.TV.

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Seanchai Library's Gets Their "Spook" On!

Looking for ghost stories?  As All Hallows Eve approaches, Seanchai Library will be abroad this weekend on the Second Life grid, presenting ghostly tales of Halloween and frightful delights of literature:

SATURDAY, October 28th

TALES & TUNES OF THE HAUNTING SEASON at Noon 

A stories for H.P. Lovecraft! Are you mad?!  If you know your Lovecraft, then you know that madness might very well be involved.  What better time of year to share Lovecraft and Lovecraftian tales.  Seanchai Library and Friends bring selected works to the Innsmouth Opera House, live in voice. BYOS = Bring your own Scream. Followed at 2pm by musician Wald Schridde with "unsettling songs of death and beyond." 

Stories in voice, music on stream, at the Innsmouth Opera House

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Time Portal & Seanchai Library present VICTORIAN TALES, Live!

Seanchai Library brings classic Victorian literature to the Time Portal's Victorian London Zone on Sunday, August 27th at 11:30 am slt, live in voice, in a 90 minute session open to all interested residents.

The Time Portal is a single region with a broad selection of time zones: from Tudor England, to 18th Century France, to the 1950-60s.  The entire region is divided into zones that gives a taste of history. It connects to creators and performers that also celebrate the historical recreation of those eras. Frau Jo Yardley is well known for her creation and nurture of the detailed, historical, and highly popular 1920s Berlin in Second Life.  Last year she, and a group of like-minded historical enthusiasts, extended this concept to create the Time Portal project. 

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Seanchai Library On The Move

Seanchai Library, one of Second Life's oldest spoken word programs -  now in its tenth year, is relocating from its current home on the Bradley University, hosted by the Community Virtual Library (CVL), to Holly Kai Park on the Blake Sea, part of the vast USS Regions and Estates.

"Both Seanchai and the CVL are currently facing crossroads in their organizational lives" said Caledonia Skytower, representing Seanchai Library, "Such transitional times involve challenging processes of review, reflection, and analysis in our best efforts to keep our presences in the virtual world relevant. Done well, it leads to healthy change."  Seanchai Library engaged in just such a review and discussion process, and decided to take advantage of an offer to join the arts programming on Holly Kai, which includes the Art Hill, music events at The Pavilion, regular DJ gatherings at Catinara Bar, and larger community events such as the recent "Filling the Cauldron" fundraiser in early April.

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POETRY OF THE PLANETS Opens on LEA 4

A new project opens on Linden Endowment for the Arts Region 4 Sunday, April 2nd.  Poetry of the Planets is a community poetry project conceived and created by Caledonia Skytower, known best for her work with Seanchai Library.  Skytower combines her decades of real world professional experience in theatrical design, with a life long involvement in both vocal and instrumental music, to conjure an installation whose intent is to inspire the writing of poetry.

No stranger to writing Skytower, who has self-published nine titles published of of fiction, poetry and reflective essays, sees this as a re-arrangement of something she has been doing for years. "This goes back to the beginning of my career, before i designed my first musicals and operettas.  I would always come up with a play list of music to have running while I worked on a show. I was weened on Disney's Fantasia, and I have a keen appreciation for how music can heighten a creative journey."

Inspired by Gustav Holst's symphonic suite The Planets, Skytower has created seven "planets"  in the air above LEA 4, each themed to a different movement:  Venus; the Bringer of Peace, Mercury: the Winged Messenger, etc. Residents can teleport from the terrain level to each location, use a URL link station to play that particular movement of Holst's symphony in their internet browser, explore the environment that has been inspired by the music, and are then invited to be inspired themselves to write poetry.

Poems can be submitted  to be the featured poem of the day on the  Poetry of the Planets project blog, which will also be shared on facebook and Google +. Writers retaining full rights to their compositions.   In May, Skytower will select poems to be featured at a live reading event.  Additionally, a poetry resource center is available at LEA 4 for those interested in cultivating their muse.

Information can be found on the project blog, and at the installation itself.  Poetry of the Planets will be open through the end of May on LEA 4.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/LEA4/130/119/30

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FILLING THE CAULDRON: ARTISTS, MUSICIANS, AND CREATORS COME TOGETHER TO SUPPORT ONE OF THEIR OWN

                                               

Residents are familiar with the large scale fundraising activities on the Second Life Grid: mustering a world-wide volunteer base on an economic virtual platform to raise thousands of dollars for such causes as the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life, Live and Learn in Kenya's "Feed a Smile," Creations Park’s work to benefit the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research. Hundreds of volunteers donate time, talent, and treasure to make these virtual activities have a real world impact. Every now and again the opportunity comes along for such efforts to be personal. Filling the Cauldron - Saturday April 1st through Sunday, April 9th - is such an opportunity.

Elicio Ember is a brilliant Second Life creator and artist, known for highly imaginative plants and fantasy designs provided through his Cerridwen's Cauldron brand, and for his generous spirit and his involvement in charitable events such as Fantasy Faire. A serious stroke suffered by his father has left Elicio and his sisters with profound medical expenses. The medical situation in Mexico, where Elicio and his family reside, does not provide reasonable medical support for the care and rehabilitation that will be required. Dozens of artists, musicians, and creators who only know Elicio through his creations and generosity have banded together to fill his "Cauldron" - raising money to help Elicio and his family.

Filling the Cauldron is a week-long celebration of Elicio's work in Second Life beginning this Saturday, April 1st. The nine day jubilee will feature live performances, music, over 20 vendor stalls (including Roawenwood, Ozimals, and Fallen Gods), an Art Show with the work of supportive artists as well as Elicio's own works, and both silent and live auctions of unique items contributed to the fundraising effort by their creators.  Live events kick off at 9 am slt Saturday with musician Lazarus Doghouse.

The Holly Kai Estate is host to all these features and more.  Over half a dozen designers have created fanciful gardens using pieces from the Cerridwen's Cauldron catalogue for the Design a Garden Contest.  Visitors can vote for their favorite garden creation, as well as place their votes in the Filling the Cauldron Photo Contest. Cerridwen's Corner will provide an opportunity to purchase a sampling of Elicio's creations, and to visit his main store.

This amazing gathering of talent clearly pays tribute to Ember's contributions to Second Life as both artist and generous spirit, including pieces from his real world artworks available in the silent auction.  "So many people have been touched by Elicio's kindness, and found joy in his art," said Inara Pey, organizer, "This is such a tremendous tribute to the many lives he has touched."  "There are so many unique one-of-a-kind items to be got at this event," added Saffia Widdershins, also among the organizers, "I hope that people will take advantage of the opportunity to get some of these items and have it benefit such a wonderful person and his family when they really need the help."

Filling the Cauldron officially opens at 12:00am slt on Saturday, April 1st and continues until midnight on Sunday, April 9th.

More information on the event including schedule, and letter from Elicio himself, can be found at: https://cauldronweb.wordpress.com/

Letter from Elico: https://cauldronweb.wordpress.com/about/a-letter-from-elicio/

SLURLS

FTC Entertainment: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Holly%20Kai%20Estates/53/152/23

FTC Main Welcome Area:

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Holly%20Kai%20Estates/198/104/29

CERRIDWEN’S CORNER

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Holly%20Kai%20Estates/126/132/2002

Direct enquires should be forwarded to Inara Pey or Saffia Widdershins at the e-mail address above, or via notecard in-world.

CONTACTS:  Inara Pey (inara.pey@gmail.com)

                        Saffia Widdershins (saffia.widdershins@gmail.com)

WEBSITE:       https://cauldronweb.wordpress.com/

All images by Inara Pey

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Seanchai Library Partners With Firestorm Community Gateway for Spoken Word Venture

    

Firestorm Gateway, Social Island -photo by Caledonia Skytower 

Firestorm Social Island, Second Life – Among the longest active literary programs on the Second Life grid, Seanchai Library will be partnering with popular Third Party Viewer developer Firestorm’s Community Gateway to bring spoken word events and content to their ever-growing audience of new users.

The project will begin with the return of the popular Storytellers’ Sandbox series, which Seanchai Library recently launched, producing three sessions as part of their Crazy Eights project with a Linden Endowment for the Arts grant. The series provides a forum for new stories, new storytellers, and new ways to present them. “We have been brainstorming for a home for this event ever since we closed Crazy Eights,” said Seanchai Lead Caledonia Skytower, “It is a great forum for introducing new voices to the virtual spoken story community. It also provides more experienced voices a chance to explore the incredible possibilities for immersion in a virtual performance experience.  Sets, avatars, effects - there is excellent work being done in all these areas, both from the story-initiated creators, and by visual artists sharing the narratives of their work. The limitations are always time, prims, and the ability to draw an audience.”

 

Firestorm Viewer Project Logo - provided by Firestorm Project

On Sunday, August 7th at 3pm slt, the first Storytellers’ Sandbox at Firestorm Social Island will mark the launch of this new partnership with six voice performers presenting a mix of original tales and short stories in a showcase of live virtual storytelling.  Long-time voices, such as Dubhna Rhiadra and Shandon Loring, will present tales, along with the relatively newer voices of Bryn Taleweaver and Hana Hoo. “This first session is meant to accent the variety of tales and possibilities,” Skytower explained, “ so we have deliberately chosen to avoid a theme.” 

 

Seanchai Session Audience View (png) - photo by R. Crap Mariner

“Crap Mariner and Caledonia have been around forever, are so well-connected in their community, and their skills compliment each other. They are the perfect team to be leading this.” added Firestorm Founder, CEO & Project Manager Jessica Lyon. “We really want to expose new residents to the broad possibilities of what they can be involved with in Second Life: music, role play, art, and of course spoken word is a part of that.  I am really excited about what Seanchai Library, with these two coordinating this particular effort, can bring to our Gateway.”

 

Seanchai Session with Kayden Oconnell (png) - photo by R. Crap Mariner

Seanchai Library has been an active presence in Second Life since 2008, with Caledonia Skytower and Shandon Loring as its Lead Staff since 2012.  In addition to Seanchai, Caledonia also produced StoryFest Events, which presented four annual festival style live story events: StoryFest, Bard on the Virtual beach, BOOFest, and The Dickens Project.  In 2015, StoryFest Events was merged into ongoing Seanchai programming.  Skytower has worked with Fantasy Faire,Magicland Park, Avatar Repertory Theater, the University of Washington iSchool, and was the chief architect behind the recent Crazy Eights project at Linden Endowment for the Arts region 9.  She works with Shandon Loring in developing the Library’s branches on InWordz and Kitely, taking the lead on the “Explore” projects which partner with real world organizations to develop virtual learning tools for audience augmentation of performing arts experiences.

The Firestorm Community Gateway userbase poses a new challenge for the Seanchai storytellers. “Most of the audiences at our events are veteran Second Life users, who have to deal with the occasional frustrations of Voice issues in Second Life. Firestorm Community Gateway introduces hundreds of new and inexperienced users to Second Life. We’ll find ways to leverage the power of Second Life and the skill of the ever-present and patient Firestorm Support Staff to quickly diagnose and assist these users with Voice so they can enjoy these performances as part of their early Second Life experience.”

Longtime Second Life resident, spoken word veteran, and Seanchai Friend and Performer R. Crap Mariner of the 100 Word Stories Podcast joins the partnership as an organizer, planner, and all-around grunt-of-all-trades. “I heard Jessica Lyon in an interview at the 13th Second Life Birthday, and she called for performers and events at Firestorm’s Community Gateway. She even invited me to perform there, but my material doesn’t quite fit the G-rating of their regions. I turned to my friend Caledonia Skytower and suggested that we put together a greater Spoken Word Project. We both look forward to bringing workshops and other events that will introduce the new users to spoken word, and introduce spoken word communities to new audiences, members, and participants.”

 

Seanchai Library @ Bradley University (png) - photo by Derry McMahon

Plans for additional events that introduce poetry, writing, and other spoken word and literature opportunities are in development. More details will be available on this partnership over the next several months.  Seanchai Library will continue to present their weekly story sessions, Monday through Thursday at 7pm slt, and in various weekend sessions on their home parcel at the Community Virtual Library on the Bradley University sim (http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Bradley%20University/100/209/28) as well as their branch on the InWorldz grid, and on the Kitely grid on the open metaverse. R. Crap Mariner will continue to produce his daily 100 Word Stories Podcast and conduct readings inworld at his Clocktree Reading Room (http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Edloe/128/128/29)

Information on Firestorm Viewer, as well as links to their social media presence can be found online athttp://www.firestormviewer.org/

Information on Seanchai Library schedules and programs, as well as links to their social media presence can be found online at http://irelandslstory.blogspot.com/http://irelandslstory.blogspot.com/

Information on R. Crap Mariner and the 100 Word Stories Podcast, as well as links to his social media presence can be found online at http://oneadayuntilthedayidie.com/

Storytellers’ Sandbox at Firestorm Gateway, Social Island http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Firestorm%20Social%20Island/71/127/32

MEDIA CONTACT

Caledonia Skytower, Seanchai Library
thedede@comcast.net

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Seanchai Library Opens "Crazy Eights" Celebration on LEA 9 January 31st at 1:30pm SLT

LEA 9, Second Life – Seanchai Library is kicking off its 2016 celebration of stories and spoken word on Linden Endowment for the Arts region 9, which has been granted to the Library for the winter and spring months.  The grand opening of "Crazy Eights" on LEA 9 has been announced for Sunday, January 31st at 1:30pm featuring Miguel de Cervantes "Don Quixote" and the work of Seanchai founder Derry McMahon: Don Quixote in Words and Images.

The event is open to the public and will include English-translation selections from the classic story presented by Ms. McMahon and Bear Silvershade in the Crazy Eights Eastern Meadow.  Guests will be free to sit near a tempting windmill, or wander among McMahon's photo series inspired by the great quest of Cervantes' hero.  The collection of Second Life photography was first seen as part of the Fine Arts Tour (FIAT) in 2014.  The Crazy Eights installation includes some of the original show, and additional images which were not part of the FIAT exhibition.

"Living at the intersection of reality and illusion, Don Quixote is one of the most beloved literary characters. On his eternal quest to make the world a better place, he sees the world as it should be: peasants become gentlefolk, windmills transform into evil giants and in a barmaid he sees the soul of the lady of his dream.

"Where we see darkness and despair, he sees light, hope, and always, adventure. What better character to explore Second Life, probing a world created entirely from the stuff of our imagination? Truly a stranger in a strange land, these images take Quixote on a journey from the comical through the heartrending.  Travel alongside the Don as he tangles with The Great Enchanter (windmills), and discovers SL sights that are familiar, and yet...not.”  

February will commence weekly live programming by Seanchai Library at Crazy Eights, while continuing programming at their home parcel on the Bradley University region.  All times SLT and all events in voice.  Events include: 

• The Featured Book Area will begin its first book series at 7pm on Thursday, February 4th with Chief Storyteller Shandon Loring and Tracey Garvis Graves' NYT Best-Selling "On The Island." Loring has created a 360 degree environment inspired by Graves' work, filled with links and scripted surprises.
• The popular "Tea Time at Baker Street" Sunday series will begin "The Return of Sherlock Holmes" with it's first adventure "The Empty House" on February 7th at 1:30pm. The Baker Street area of Crazy Eights will include the "Holmes & Watson Gallery", a book shop with links to Conan Doyle's canon, and references to other Holmesian locations around the grid.

Connecting the six different venue areas on Crazy Eights is the Story Forest. "It is the connective tissue that brings all of this together," said lead Seanchai staffer Caledonia Skytower." We were looking for a means to draw all the different story venues together with a visual reflection of our journey of the last eight years."  The staff created that environmental representation inspired by artworks created for books, especially the chromatic richness of N.C. Wyeth's illustrations.

A winding path of books leads explorers through a wood and meadow populated with "Story Stations." At each station are visual story elements and a link post. By clicking on the image at the top of the post, guests can be connected with either the text of the story, or information about the story online.  Skytower relates, " Some of the stories may be familiar, some may not, and some may be stories that people have forgotten that they knew. Some are folktales, and some are beloved works of literature. Its a mix of tales from around the world, and we will trade different stations in and out even after opening. So the journey will always be a little different."

Information on Seanchai Library schedules and programs, as well as links to Seanchai's social media presence can be found online at http://irelandslstory.blogspot.com/

Seanchai Library (Shanna-key, which means "Storyteller" in Irish.) was founded in March of 2008 in Second Life. Thousands of stories, and hundreds of authors later, the program remains dedicated to promoting the power of stories to transform and inspire through live voice presentations: "We bring stories of all kinds to life, in Second Life." "Crazy Eights" refers to the Library celebrating its eighth anniversary this year.

Location:

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/LEA9/129/94/31

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SEANCHAI LIBRARY CELEBRATES SEVEN YEARS AND THE POWER OF WORDS TO ENGAGE AND INSPIRE

Seanchai Library in Second Life at the Community Virtual Library - Imagination Island

Second Life, Imagination Island – Seven years ago this month, on the former West of Ireland Charity Estate in Second Life, a story was presented by Shandon Loring, and the Seanchai Library was born.  Sunday, March 22^nd at Noon SLT, staff and guests will celebrate with 90 minutes of stories, live in voice, followed by dancing to Celtic music with DJ Aoife Lorefield.  The event is free to all SL residents. http://slurl.com/secondlife/Imagination%20Island/46/210/28

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StoryFest Events Announces Sunset with Fezziwig’s Ball- December 21, 2014 11am-4pm SLT

Imagination Island, Second Life – StoryFest Events, which began with a single story-based weekend in March 2010, will be closing the cover on event production with one final live literature event: Fezziwig’s Ball. Storytellers will gather on Sunday, December 21^st beginning at 11am SLT to present the entire text of Charles Dickens’ classic holiday ghost story, A Christmas Carol, followed by a dance party with tips benefiting the Community Virtual Library.  http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Imagination%20Island/189/154/22

“It has been a fascinating ride and we have had many tremendously successful events.” explained Caledonia Skytower, StoryFest Events Director, “Not everything lasts forever, especially in the virtual world, or can continue in the same form.  We’ve gotten to the point where it has been clear we needed to evaluate where we were going, and what we needed to become.  It’s all good news, actually.  These sorts of celebration events will continue. It is simply that StoryFest Events as a production entity is no longer necessary.”

StoryFest Events has produced StoryFest, Bard on the Beach, and BOOFest for the last four years, and in 2012 added The Dickens Project. Fezziwig’s Ball is a condensation of the previous Dickens events, featuring many of the voice performers that have been a popular part of StoryFests over the years: Dubhna Rhiadra, Corwyn Allen, Kayden Oconnell, Aoife Lorefield, Shandon Loring, Freda Frostbite and Bhelanna Blaze as well as Skytower herself. As a sign that this is a transition and not a finale, John Morland will be introduced as a new voice among the cast of readers.  “I am really excited about John joining us for this.  He has a nice style and tambour that is a good compliment to the other folks we have,” Ms. Skytower added.

A Christmas Carol will begin at 11am with “Stave One: Marley’s Ghost” presented by Loring and Skytower, and will proceed with a new section of the text each hour, as performers pass the baton from one reader to the next, as Dickens’ ghostly story of Christmas and the redemption of a soul unfolds. Following the conclusion of the story, Dubhna Rhiadra will be spinning some wonderfully appropriate holiday music as storytellers and story lovers dance in celebration of four years of great, storied events.

For details on the presentation schedule, visit http://storyfestsl2011.blogspot.com/

All story presentations will be live in voice.  All the performers are volunteers and the sessions are free to all Second Life residents. 

StoryFest Events thanks The Community Virtual Library for providing the venue for the event, and for their support of the debut of The Dickens Project in 2012. Many thanks also everyone who has been so incredibly supportive of StoryFest Events over the past four years, including: Crap Mariner, Inara Pey, Branwen Arts, Lizzo Dreamscape, Equinox Pinion & Denis Lagan, and Thinkerer Melville PLUS all the great storytellers, readers and performers who have been a part of Storyfest, Bard On the Beach, BOOFest, and The Dickens Project-- It's been a fabulous time!

MEDIA CONTACTS
Caledonia Skytower, StoryFest Events
thedede@comcast.net

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Branwen Arts Presents “Bilbo Baggin’s Birthday” to Benefit Creations for Parkinson’s in SL

Bran, Second Life – The famous literary journeys The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings Trilogy both began with the character Bilbo Baggins, and parties: one an unexpected dinner party with dwarves, and the second an intentional birthday bash to punctuate Bilbo’s dramatic exit from the Shire.  Virtual Storyteller’s Dubhna Rhiadra and Caledonia Skytower have organized a celebration of “special magnificence” by Shire standards, and invited some of their storytelling friends to join them in raising funds and awareness for the work of Creations for Parkinson’s in Second Life.

The party starts at 11:30 am SLT this Saturday, September 20^th at Rhiadra’s Hobbit Home on Bran, and will feature selections from the adventures of J.R.R. Tolkien’s hobbit hero, presented live in voice. (http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Bran/27/56/24)

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STORYFEST Celebrates Fourth Anniversary – Sunday!

Today, Sunday, March 23^rd marks the fourth anniversary of StoryFest, the annual gathering of story tellers, presenters, and great stories to celebrate the power of stories to inspire us, and help us understand and delight in our world.  StoryFest 2014 begins at 11:00 am SLT and is free, with donations going to benefit War Child North America.  It is presented in a partnership between Branwen Arts, Stories Unlimited! and Seanchai Library.  A detailed schedule and content are available at http://storyfestsl2011.blogspot.com/.

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The Dickens Project Returns for a Second Year

It was just a year ago that StoryFest Events SL created The Dickens Project in celebration of the Bicentennial of Charles Dickens’ birth.  For 13 days in December of 2012 over 30 hours of live voice performances from the works of Charles Dickens were presented.  The performances focused on A Christmas Carol, but including other works from the author’s vast canon as well. The Project featured an interactive streetscape environment which served as a frame work for the performances.  “It is still really about the words,” said producer Caledonia Skytower.  The Project was a success, drawing audiences of all sizes and from all around the grid for the various presentations.

On Friday, December 13^th The Dickens Project will open for a second year, this time on Cookie courtesy of Thinkerer Melville.  Opening weekend performances will feature the Avatar Repertory Theater, Klannex Northmead, and Ms. Skytower herself.  As the Project moves into its first week it will follow the successful model of last year, presenting one section of A Christmas Carol each day, live in voice, featuring the talents of Kayden Oconnell, Ixmal Supermarine, Dubhna Rhiadra, and Corwyn Allen among others.  Residents of Second Life can enjoy the text of Dickens’ classic Christmas Ghost Story in part, or in full, at any number of convenient times. http://slurl.com/secondlife/Cookie/64/36/32 

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The Words of Martin Luther King Jr. Read by Caledonia Skytower- January 21, 2013 @ 5:30 pm SLT

Caledonia Skytower will read from the writings of Martin Luther King JR. today to remember and observe his teachings. This reading will be held at UUtopia's Peace Center and will be followed by a moment of silent meditation for peace.

 Please join Caledonia Skytower and Host Freda Fostbite as they observe this special day and remember Martin Luther King, Jr.

 Remembering the past while reaching for a brighter tomorrow.

Teleport Now
http://slurl.com/secondlife/UUtopia/0/0/15

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StoryFest Events Announces "The Dickens Project"

StoryFest Events, producers of the annual events StoryFest, BOOFest, and Bard On the Virtual Beach, have announced their newest production: The Dickens Project.  This new project is the most ambitious event yet, celebrating the Dickens Bicentenary Year 2012, will be produced as a beta project this year with the possibility of an expanded project in 2013.  

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ARTS and LITERATURE: Let The "Bard" Times Roll!

There is nothing quite like an outdoor festival, even a virtual one!  Saturday and Sunday, August 18^th and 19^th will see the sandy shores of Mango in the Fruit Islands once again host Shakespeare and Shakespeare-inspired performances on the BARD ON THE VIRTUAL BEACH outdoor Festival Stage.  (Don't forget to wave at "Ismael" the whale, and bring something to feed "Yorrick" the pesky peacock). 
  Each day features different performances, with Saturday’s event beginning at 3:00pm and Sunday’s at Noon.  Each session is approximately 90 minutes in length, but it is a Festival and anything could happen!  Last year’s BARD drew more residents to the Fruit Islands than virtual ABBA did, so it could be adviseable to get there a little early and scope out your seat.  As always with live performances in the virtual world, your enjoyment and everyone else’s will be enhanced if you remove as many huds, mysti-tool, bling, scripted clothing, and primmy hair as possible: keep it simple, and don’t be naked!

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