This is an archive of my past updates

Updated January 26, 2010

Did you know that March 20 is WORLD STORYTELLING DAY?
All over the world, people will be gathering in large and small groups to hear and tell stories. Here in Winnipeg we will be celebrating the day with a CABBAGES AND KINGS LIVE RADIO SHOW. I will be telling stories along with 6 other great storytellers, and Patrick Keenan will be playing his own special brand of music. The cost is $10 at the door, and ALL PROCEEDS GO TO SUPPORT THE NEW MANITOB A STORYTELLING GUILD.

This week, Cabbages and Kings Radio will feature local storyteller Laurie Howard.

More news:
Prairie Voices is a trip of women who tell stories about the colourful history of Red River, the fur trade, and the Canadian West. We have presented our material at conferences , historical societies and house concerts. Contact me for more information.

Updated Dec 10, 2009

Cabbages and Kings has been running now for 2 months. If you have missed some of my shows, remember that you can hear recent programs on the CKUW archives by clicking here

Here's what you'll hear:
Nov 5th...2 haunting stories for the Halloween season...The Dream of Angus and Teigue Of Kane and the Corpse

Nov 12 Interview with Justin Jaron Lewis, and a wonderful story from the Jewish Hasidic tradition

Nov 19th interview and a story from Alan Garner's Stone Book Quarteth told by Jan Andrews, a visiting storyteller from Ottawa

Dec.10th Christmas and seasonal stories, poems and interview with Caroline McDowall

Dec 17th The story of the Happy Prince, told by Barbara Crowe

Jan 7th, 2010 First show of the new year

Updated September 30, 2009

Tune into my new radio program about storytelling!

The show is called "Cabbages and Kings"
and airs every Thursday from 12:30pm to 1pm on CKUW 95.9 FM

Its great to be back in broadcasting, even if the technology has changed. My last radio show was on the armed forces network in Germany back in the 1970's. On Cabbages and Kings, you’ll hear stories that span the ages, from ancient myths to modern urban legends, with musical breaks from my list of favourite tunes. The show is archived for 6 weeks after air time, and can be downloaded, or listened to by going to the CKUW website using the link above. I’ll also be including tales and interviews with my storytelling friends here in Winnipeg, across Canada, and abroad. I’d love to hear from you. Send me a message anytime, or tell me a story.

Updated July 11, 2009

Come and see some great storytelling at the Winnipeg Fringe Festival.

Ever wonder what lies beneath the skin?

SKIN DEEP

is about hidden identities, mixed messages, and transformations. It’s a place where wolves howl, men sell their souls, skeletons grow back their skin, women become men, and musicians play with broken wings. The place to come and see master story-weavers at work and hear spellbinding music. These people are storytellers par excellence - they will hold you in the palm of their hands and give you no quarter! All have a different storytelling style and all are equally effective. Our storytellers and musicians span the ages. Featuring Tom Roche, Kay Stone, Mary Louise Chown, Michael Cobus and Kevin Scott.

Venue 21 - Aqua Books, 274 Garry

$9, $7 for students and seniors

Check out the latest news about the Magic of One concert season on our new Magic of One website:www.magicofonestories.com

Updated June 15, 2009

Hello Finally we have some summer weather here in Winnipeg. I think we took the sun with us when Art and I went to Great Britain and we brought it back when we returned. Visiting Orkney was spectacular. Also, the storytelling folks in Sussex, especially Steve Creffield, were welcoming and very good storytellers. I was part of their regular monthly storytelling gathering. Here is a review of my Brighton Fringe Festival Performance of "Giving Birth Beside the Buffalo".

Storytelling - Giving Birth Beside the Buffalo

Reviewed by Sarah Agnew( http://broadwaybaby.com) 4 stars out of 5 for this performance.

Billed as storytelling, I didn’t actually believe that after I was sitting comfortably a story would begin. And begin it did, Mary Louise Chown dressed in moccasins and a loose fitting shirt tied with a sash stood before us and introduced her heroine, Marie-Anne Lagimodiere from Maskinonge. In quietened tones to a silent collection of listeners Chown recounted the true story of the first women to travel out west from Quebec by canoe.

The story of Marie-Anne is an incredible tale, rich in adventure where she faces danger, hardship and loneliness, overcoming every obstacle along the way. Her adventures begin when a trader Jean-Baptiste returns to her village and regales the villagers with tall tales. She quickly becomes engaged to him before he drops a bombshell that he has signed up to go west again. She has a choice, if she stays in her village then she may not see her husband again and if she does it will not be for a year or so. Her life will be mostly alone, surviving on little money, raising children or she could join her husband on his journey west and accompany him on his hunting and trading expeditions. No woman had attempted the second option before, which would mean travelling for months in a canoe, getting burnt by the sun, sleeping rough, carrying heavy loads, eating dried meats, with the prospect of being murdered by one of the first nations, eaten by grizzly bears, drowning in rough waters or facing some other danger.

As Marie-Anne’s story unravels we hear of how she uses her wits to save a young girl pursued by warriors, hiding her in stinking buffalo hide and of when heavily pregnant riding a mare that suddenly takes off after a buffalo herd as she clings on for dear life. After settling at the Red River her husband Jean-Baptiste agrees to walk & ride 3,000 km to Montreal on behalf of the settlers to deliver news of the violent confrontations that they were combating. After about four months he arrives safely only to be captured by North-West traders on his return journey. He is somehow released and finds his way back to his wife and children, a year after his intial setting out.

The magic of storytelling is in how Mary Louise Chown brought these thrilling stories that took place over two hundred years ago back to life. Stories that have been passed down through generations suddenly become alive once more in the telling, her struggles becoming immediate and her wonder is mirrored in our own. It was a delight to experience the art of storytelling, now a rare treat.

Updated April 3,2009

Hello! It's been a busy 3 months since my last update. I don't know about you, but I am more than ready to see some green grass, and running water. I am also worried about the future of CBC Radio, and I hope Canadians will speak up through petitions and letters to their Members of Parliament about this issue.
Check out the Magic of One website:wwwmagicofonestories.com for information on the remaining concert, which takes place on TWO dates, April 17,in the evening and 18, in the afternoon.
Kay Stone, Jane Cahill and I have been hard at work preparing some of the exciting stories that make up Homer's famous Odyssey, and Chad Cornell has been practicing his flute and drum to accompany us. Please come out and support storytelling in Winnipeg. As far as I know, Magic of One is the only concert series in Canada that consistently presents stories for adult listeners, paired with musical accompaniment.

I am travelling to Great Britain during the month of May, and will be telling stories at the Brighton Fringe Festival. Below is how my performance appears in the program.
14 May 2009
Theatre & Musicals
STORYTELLING "Giving Birth Beside the Buffalo" The daring exploits of Marie Anne Lagimodiere, the first woman to travel by Voyageur canoe to the western lands that would later be part of Canada. www.marylouisechown.com -60 minutes long.
Entrance Fee: £6.00
Time: 7:45 PM
Age suitability: All ages
The Venue: Coach House in Kemptown, 22 Walpole Rd, Sussex, Great Britain

After Brighton, my husband and I will fly up to Kirkwall in the Orkney Islands for a 2 week stay. The Orkney Folk Music Festival is on while we're there, and I may have a chance to tell a short story. Orkney has historic connections with the early days of Red River, as well as with the old Hudson Bay Fur trading company, so there will be many chances to visit museums and prowl through archives, adding to my knowledge of the early roots of the Red River Colony. Finally, we will travel up to the Lake District, where there will be another opportunity to tell stories in Grasmere, and spend time with our Morris dancing friends who billetted us when we toured England 3 years ago.The trip will guarantee to use up all of my airmiles accrued on my storytelling work here in Canada.

Let me tell you about another interesting storytelling venture happening here in Winnipeg, that I have been lucky to be part of. Since January, a small group of storytellers has been working with local Speech Pathologist Allison Baird, of Speechworks. She runs a group for adults who have difficulty speaking due to a brain injury, and she wanted to have storytellers come to her spring session program, in the hopes that they would encourage her clients to talk about everyday experiences. Anne Morton, Nancy Clendennan and I have been telling personal and family stories every other Thursday to this group. The sessions last 1&1/2 hours, beginning with one or two stories that we have prepared. Then the bulk of the time is spent listening to the others telling stories sparked by our tales. And what wonderful, humourous, deeply moving, and interesting stories they are.We three feel very fortunate to be part of Allison's project. This series ends in June, but we are hoping that we can find funding for a more permanent program after this pilot project is over.

Updated January,2009

Hello! Here is a video which I have just uploaded to You Tube. It's the first video I ever produced, along with my daughter, Joanna Quanbury, back in 1999. There are so many entertaining videos on the Internet, that I thought it was time to add "Doing Time". I hope you like it. You can view a later video called "The Skin of This Planet", by clicking on my links page.



Updated November 30,2008

Hello! Fall is over and winter is upon us, but in a kinder and more gentle way that in other years. No need for that really warm winter jacket and snow boots yet! The Fall has been filled with storytelling, here in Winnipeg, and in Elm Creek and Carman. At the Golden Prairie Art Gallery in Carman, we had an evening of stories of the turning of the year...of Samhein....with lights turned low and flashlights lighting up each listener's face. Many thanks to Brenda Kidd at the GPAC for organizing my trip to Elm Creek and Carman. My colleagues and I in BraveHeart Storytellers also had a chance to re visit Ecole Robert Browning for 3 days of storytelling. Our next BraveHeart project may be a compilation of the stories we tell for peace, empathy and conflict resolution. We have sold all of our CD's of "BraveHeart Stories to tell, Songs to Sing", but more can be made, so email me if you would like to buy a CD.

Check out the latest news about the remaining Magic of One concert season on our new Magic of One website:www.magicofonestories.com

Also see my Manitoba Storytelling Guild page for the latest news on the guild.
I have added some recent storytelling articles for your reading pleasure on my Published Works page.



Updated September 29, 2008

Hello! Another season of storytelling begins again. My colleagues and I in BraveHeart Storytellers have just finished a week at Art city, where we presented our storytelling program "The House of Celebration".

There is news about the upcoming Magic of One season on our new Magic of One website:wwwmagicofonestories.com. Also see my Manitoba Storytelling Guild page for the latest news on the guild.
I have added some recent storytelling articles for your reading pleasure on my Published Works page.

The election is coming up on October 14th. PLEASE VOTE!

Updated July 18, 2008

Hello everyone Our Magic Of One fringe show, The Seven Deadly Sins, is going really well, and we’d love to see you there. We're at Venue 21, Aqau Books on 274 Garry St.

Here is a review from our opening night that was posted by Hannah & Chris Wigglesworth on the CBC review site. Thanks Hannah and Chris! "We went to opening night for this show and really enjoyed it. The stories held our attention from start to finish, and the music and storytelling fit really well together. There were six great stories from around the world including one from Canada about the gold rush in B.C. And there was lots of variety in the music (and musical instruments!) as well. It was even very kid-friendly (that is no sex or swearing) - but still lots of spice!!."

Spring has been very busy for me, with a storytelling workshop in Pinawa, thanks to the organizational talents of Irene Friesen and Darlene Hare. There has also been a wonderful week at Norway House with Val Clancy and Laura Cowie, my fellow BraveHeart Storytellers. While we were there, working with Grade One students, one little boy asked us how we managed to get a job that brought us to Norway House where we brought so much happiness to the children!

I will be playing my hammered dulcimer with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra at the MTS Centre April 24th for the North American Premiere of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. I have been practicing like crazy!

Coming up for me is a week's work in Killarney at the local Elementary/High School for their MADD days.We will be telling stories and making collage artworks. Also,I am lucky enough to go to Vancouver to participate in their 2008 Epic weekend. A group of storytellers will be telling the complete Ramayana, beginning Friday night, continuing all day Saturday, Saturday night, and Sunday morning.

Next comes the Winnipeg School Division's Young Author's Day, held this year at the University of Winnipeg. I am looking forward to helping a group of high schoolers bring their stories alive. International storyteller Laura Simms will be the keynote speaker at the conference.And speaking of Laura Simms,check out the Arthur Mauro Centre at St. Paul's College. They are presenting their 3rd annual storytelling festival in early May.

ALso on the horizon is a BraveHeart workshop called "All my Life's a Story",which Laura Cowie and I will be presenting in late May at the provincial Manitoba Child Care Conference.

MAGIC OF ONE AT THE FRINGE.

Between July 16-27th, 2008.

Don’t miss

The Seven Deadly Sins: Stories Told After The Fall

At a new Fringe venue Aqua Books New Store 274 Garry Street 8:30 PM July 16-19, & July 23-26th

Starring local sinners: Kay Stone & Tom Roche Mary Louise Chown

With some Wonderful Music by Michael Cobus and Kevin Scott

What’s the Las Vegas Fringe without some sinning? Gorge on the seven deadly biggies in a 75-minute show of stories old as sin itself, with music to match. We’ve got pride, envy, and a cobra! From the storytelling collective that has sated the local lust for tasty tales for over five years. These Sins are good for the soul.

watch here for news updates

Updated March 18, 2008
Storytelling is alive and well in Winnipeg, if the last few months are any indication.We have had 4 wonderful concerts presented by Magic of One Productions. So many people came to our March 14th concert that we had to bring out all the chairs from the storage room of the church hall! Check out the Magic of One page on this website for information about our Fringe Festival show coming in July and our plans for the 6th season of concerts.

In between working on my book about storytelling in hospitals, I have been busy telling stories in schools, and at the healing concerts organized by Sanctuary, which has a new home at the St. Norbert Arts Centre. The next concert takes place on March 21 at 7:00PM. This spring equinox coincides with a full moon, so it will be a wonderful night!

Music and dancing seems to be as important to me as storytelling. I have been lucky to be a member of the Fine Companions Dance band for over 20 years now, playing music for English Country Dancing, and now I have also begun to teach this wonderful dancing on Wednesday night at Harrow United Church. My teacher is Liz Goossen, who is also a good friend and fellow band member.You may have heard her play harp at the January Magic of One Concerts.

A group of storytellers have been meeting regularly to flesh out the Manitoba Storytelling Guild. More about this on the MSG page of the website.

BraveHeart Storytellers are planning a return trip to Norway House, to tell stories at Helen Betty Osborne School, in April. We are also presenting a workshop called "All My Life's A Circle" at the May conference of the Manitoba Child Care Association.

Stone Soup Stories has been meeting at Aqua Books for the last 3 years, and we will move along with owner Kelly Hughes to his new store at 114 Garry St. in April. Come on down to our April 12 meeting at 7:30. The group is open and free to all interested in telling or listening to stories. It's a great way to get started in storytelling, or practice a story in front of an appreciative and supportive audience.

And finally, check out the storytelling festivl organized by the Arthur Mauro Centre at the University of Manitoba.It's coming up in early May.Here is the website: http://www.umanitoba.ca/colleges/st_pauls/mauro_centre/outreach/storytelling/index.html

Updated December 18
I hope you like my newly designed website. Please email me if you have any feedback on it.

Updated May 30, 2007

Click here to listen to Angus a Celtic Love Story

Magic of One Productions presents

Hamster in a Tea Towel: Badd late night storytelling

Tues July 24-Sat July 28 @ 9:30 pm

Aqua Books, 89 Princess Street in the Exchange

$8.00 at the door.

Happy late spring or early summer, depending on where you live!

The Magic of One Concert Series has finished its fourth season, and is preparing for the fifth season of storytelling and music concerts. But we don't want to wait until October to tell you more stories, so 6 of us are going to be performing at this year's Winnipeg Fringe Festival, so come on down and hear us.

Manitoba now has another organization to work for storytellers and all those who love to listen to stories!

THE MANITOBA STORYTELLING GUILD has been formed and registered by Kate Isaac, Laura Cowie, and Mary Louise Chown. It's mandate is to support and promote the art of oral storytelling throughout Manitoba. Its first activity was to offer a storytelling workshop in January called Bring That Story to Life: How to research and give voice to historical people and events
which was co sponsored with Magic of One Productions. The guild will only grow and develop with the help of all of you involved in some way with storytelling. Right now, it is simply a framework. Please get in touch with me if you want to help develop this further.

Earlier news and events posted January 5, 2007

Happy New Year to everyone and may you be well and happy in 2007!


The Magic of One Concert Series is halfway through it's fourth year of storytelling concerts supported by music. As I write, we are rehearsing for our 3rd concert, which takes place in January 26, 2007 here in Winnipeg. Call or email me for more details and to reserve tickets! A big thanks to all the Tellers and Musicians who shared their talents in the first 3 years of concerts and to all the volunteers who helped make it possible. And of course, thanks to all you who continue to be interested, especially as we move through a fourth season! To get information on the season line-up, click on Workshops and Performances.

I have finished my storytelling and music project in Palliative Care facilities at Riverview Health Centre and Grace Hospice, and I have begun work on a small book of stories and some poems, along with accounts of with my personal experiences and ways I have used the material in my work over the last 4 yrs. I am writing for my own satisfaction, to have something concrete to show, as storytelling and music are ephemeral activities, but so far I have received so much encouragement here in Winnipeg, that it may get published one day.Thanks to Manitoba Artists in Healthcare, and it's hard working director, Susan Johnson, I have enjoyed telling stories, listening to stories, and playing music at the bedside of patients in Palliative Care. It was a privelege to enter into the lives of those who are dying, to hear their stories and those of their families and the staff who care for them.



My trip north to Churchill in October was a wonderful experience! I was asked to work with the students in Grades 5 to 8 at the local school in Churchill, and to test run The House of Celebration , a new program designed by the three of us in BraveHeart Storytellers (Laura Cowie, Val Clancy, and myself). I also was treated to a day out to see the polar bears.

The Harvest Moon Festival on September 16-18/06 was a unique experience for me and my fellow storyteller, Wayne Drury. This is the first year that storytelling was offered. We hope i twill be a continuing tradition.

My colleagues, Laura Cowie and Val Clancy and I also be presented 2 workshops this Fall for the Manitoba Child Care Association, called Tell it from the Heart: Building Empathy and Community through Storytelling. We were honoured to be able to work with some of the youngest students at Pinkham School in Winnipeg this Fall. BraveHeart Storytellers are in the planning stage of our first CD of stories for nurturing empathy.

The House of Celebration has been accepted into the Manitoba Arts Council Artist -in-the-Schools program. We will be travelling to Norway House next April to work with students in the elementary school on the reserve. We can work with groups of any age, in schools or communities. We also have a training program designed to help adults who work with children and youth at risk. . Contact me for more information.