Storyteller promises to scare everyone at River Campus event

In the gathering gloom along the riverbank, families will perch on the edge of their blankets for an evening of haunting myths, spooky stories and trickster tales as the Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitors Bureau hosts a night of ghost storytelling Friday.

On the lower east lawn of Southeast Missouri State University's River Campus beneath the Old Beech Tree, nationally acclaimed storytellers Regina Carpenter and Gayle Ross will share their tales from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Light ghost stories for the whole family will be presented from 7 to 8 p.m. followed by stories of a more sinister nature.

Carpenter, who grew up on the banks of the St. Lawrence River in upper New York, said she knows the magic of life along the river's edge and exactly how a river can "turn a thousand chilling tales," as in the event's slogan. Carpenter said she has been singing since she was young and weaves singing into her tales and myths.

Carpenter has promised to "appropriately scare everyone."

"Be warm. Be prepared," she said.

A descendant of John Ross, the famous Cherokee chief during and after the Trail of Tears, Gayle Ross heard about her Native American heritage from her grandmother and travels the country passing those stories on to audiences.

"Every family has a history and family stories," Ross said. "Storytelling often inspires people to look for stories in their own families."

Ross, a native of Oklahoma, has also written five children's books.

While Cape Girardeau's annual Storytelling Festival is scheduled for April 13 to 15, Friday's event is an opportunity to get better acquainted with storytelling as an art form, according to organizers.

"The biggest struggle for storytelling is that it conjures up a variety of images," said Chuck Martin, executive director of the Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitors Bureau. "You have to come and see it and experience it in order to appreciate it."

Storytelling is an oral art that frequently combines stories with music and sometimes props.

"This mixture leads to an appreciation of the history of music," Martin said.

Carpenter and Ross will visit area high schools and independent living centers to give the community a preview of the night's performances.

Red Star Baptist Church will provide hot apple cider and kettle corn to add to the fall festivities of the evening. A sign language interpreter will be present again this year to interpret the ghost stories for the deaf and hard of hearing.

Admission is $10 per adult while children under 12 are free. Tickets can be purchased at the Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitors Bureau or by calling 335-1631. In case of bad weather, the storytelling will be moved to Rose Theatre.

Pertinent address:

518 S. Fountain St., Cape Girardeau MO