The Cleveland Storytelling Guild will present its 22nd annual Ocoee Story Fest with featured storyteller Stephen Hollen on Friday, Feb. 3. Stories start at 7 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church, 433 North Ocoee St. in downtown Cleveland, Tenn.
Hollen is an award-winning humorist, storyteller, performer, writer, poet and impressionist, whose personas include snake oil salesman Doc Hollen, folk hero Buffalo Bill Cody and humorist Mark Twain. He honed his storytelling skills and Southern humor growing up in the hills of Eastern Kentucky, sitting on the front porch listening to folks tell tall tales, Jack tales and just plain gossip about the neighbors, he says.
He would go on to earn a communications degree in oral interpretation, though he had to explain why it was necessary for his daddy's hard-earned money to teach him to "tell stories and talk in front of folks." His daddy, he says, didn't think folks needed to go to college for that.
He had become a bit of a "Twainiac" after reading Twain's books and recognizing the irony and wit Twain employed as an author and lecturer. Then more than a few people began to tell him he looked like the humorist, leading him to begin an impersonation.
Hollen's skills were recognized with a Heritage Award at the Appalachian Festival in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 2015. His storytelling blog, http://www.mountainstories.net has a large following of readers.
During his visit to Cleveland, Hollen also is visiting several local schools to share stories of Twain.
Admission to Ocoee Story Fest is $5, with a family maximum of $15. For more information, contact Judy Baker at 423-479-7887 ortellone@bellsouth.net. Or go to www.tennesseetellers.org.