Tellabration!

About this event

Jonesborough Storytellers Guild Presents Tellabration!™ 2026

An Unforgettable Afternoon of Storytelling and Community

The Jonesborough Storytellers Guild (JSG) is thrilled to announce that it will be joining hundreds of celebrations worldwide for Tellabration!™ 2026, a storytelling concert that promises to enchant and inspire. This year’s event will take place on Nov. 15 at 2 p.m. at the McKinney Center, 103 Franklin Avenue, Jonesborough, TN .

Tellabration!™ is a global storytelling event trademarked by the National Storytelling Network, which brings together storytellers and story lovers from all walks of life. The Jonesborough Storytellers Guild, renowned for its long-standing tradition of storytelling excellence, is excited to contribute to this international celebration.

Discover the Joy of Story

Tellabration!™ 2026 features 12-time Moth Story Slam winner, Ray Christian. He is joined by Guild performing members Nancy Donoval, Cynthia Millhorn, and Jim Priesmeyer, each bringing their unique style and stories to the stage. The audience will be treated to an afternoon brimming with engaging storytelling, music and lively community connections.

Meet the Storytellers

Ray Christian escaped poverty in the 1960s and 70s by joining the U.S. Army at age 17. Following his 20 years of service, the combat-decorated veteran went back to school and earned degrees in history and a Doctorate in Education Leadership. In 2020, Ray was chosen as a Fulbright Scholar for expertise in Education and Storytelling Narrative, a prestigious and highly competitive award gifted by the US Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Christian’s stories have appeared in Readers Digest and The Bitter Southerner, and he has been featured on NPR’s Snap Judgement and the Moth Radio Hour. He is a 12-time Moth Story Slam champion, and a 2022 featured teller at the National Storytelling Festival. Ray currently resides in the mountains of Watauga County, NC where he hosts and produces the award-winning podcast, “What’s Ray Saying,” that draws on history, storytelling, and social commentary to explore the Black experience in America.

Nancy Donoval won the 2024 Moth GrandSLAM in Asheville and the 2022 GrandSLAM in the Twin Cities, MN. Featured at the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, TN in 2004, Nancy received the National Storytelling Network Circle of Excellence Oracle Award in 2019. She is co-author, with Loren Niemi, of Point of View and the Emotional Arc of Stories: A Handbook for Writers and Storytellers. After 30+ years as a freelance storyteller and consultant, Nancy is now a Professor of Practice for the Storytelling Program in the Department of Communication Studies & Storytelling at East Tennessee State University.

Cynthia Millhorn is a born storyteller. As a little girl, she never met a story she couldn’t make her own. By the age of six, she was performing for captivated audiences. She hasn’t stopped since. Cynthia honed her storytelling and writing with dual Master’s degrees in Communication and Storytelling and Liberal Studies. Cynthia’s creative work spans theatre, film, voiceover, and publishing, with three original books in production to accompany her live storytelling. In her original one-woman show Daughters, Cynthia gives the women of Grimm’s fairy tales a twist, bringing four familiar folktales into the wonderfully complicated world of real life. Cynthia has performed her one woman shows at the Atlanta and Asheville fringe Festivals to much acclaim.

Jim Priesmeyer is a retired Builder. During his career he built businesses and buildings. The companies/organizations he helped build include a professional theater company, a stage rigging company and a historic preservation organization. Now his focus is on building stories and helping to build the storytelling community. Jim enjoys telling personal stories and history stories. He highlights individuals who have been part of the making of history, frequently without recognizing their own contribution. As he puts it “We are all part of history, big or small. By spending my time listening I’m given an opportunity to later share an experience as an observer, hopefully in a humorous mild-mannered way. I also enjoy laughing at my adventures because it gives me endless material.” Hailing from Florida and North Carolina, Jim is now a resident of East Tennessee currently serving as president of the Jonesborough Storytellers Guild.

Join the Celebration

The Jonesborough Storytellers Guild has been sharing live storytelling in downtown Jonesborough for over 30 years and is the longest-running storytelling guild in the United States. JSG is also the only guild in the nation that offers a weekly public performance venue, making it a vital part of the storytelling community.

Come join the celebration of Tellabration!™ with the Jonesborough Storytellers Guild! Tickets are on sale now, priced at $15 for general admission, $12 for seniors and students, with free entry for children under 12.

For tickets or more information, visit townofjonesborough.thundertix. com.

From Jonesborough Storytellers Guild