Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a performance cost? Stories for schools cost $2-$5 per student plus travel expenses for distant locations. For other venues, the costs for an hour program start at $250 without music, $500 with musical accompaniment. Fees are negotiable. Please contact Shoshana to discuss costs.

Where do you find your stories? Often stories find me. My favorites arrive as a few lines from a book, conversation or personal experience. Once people know I'm a storyteller, they often are keen to share their favorites. Stories that come alive as I work with them and evolve into something new are the ones I stick with for good. I also enjoy finding fully developed stories in books, tape or in person. When that happens I look for other versions of the same story and use my imagination to help the story grow. For very young children, I find nothing beats fairytales, old and new.

Do you write your original stories and songs or compose them orally? I usually compose orally and only write stories or songs down once I've told or sung them many times. Even once they are written, they continue to change and grow. If you would like an original story text (published stories by other authors must be purchased from a bookstore or borrowed from a library), please ask me to send it to you. If I haven't written it down yet, your request will make sure I do. I often hear new songs before I sing them, sometimes inside words (especially sacred texts), in response to a question or during profound experiences. I have written down song texts and musical sketches, however so far only one of my songs is fully transcribed, thanks to Robert Fraser, a trombonist with the Victoria Symphony. For children's songs, I prefer old favorites (Eensy Weensy Spider, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, If You're Happy and You Know It, etc.) or adapt old songs to new situations and places.

Can I tell or sing your stories or songs? Absolutely! Please credit the author(s) if you are telling to formal audiences. If you are telling stories to your children, no worries. In professional settings, credit to the author(s) is always best. That can be part of the story: how and from whom you found it. If you are recording or publishing the stories to sell, you must have permission from the author. Please visit the Storytellers of Canada/Raconteur du Canada website guidelines for more information.

Do I have to stick with the original text? No way! Let the story evolve. That's part of the magic of stories. Every teller has their own unique style. You will remember the story better if it is closer to who you are and the way you speak. The easiest stories to remember will be your own.

How do you remember the stories? By telling them again and again. I see, smell, feel, breathe and sometimes taste or hear the story as it unfolds. These experiences and images stimulate memory as one scene leads to another. Movement, especially walking, also helps. The more I move during the telling and while practicing the better I remember. I often practice stories and songs internally as I walk. Before performances, I usually run through the stories and songs out loud ahead of time. Forgetting, though, does happen sometimes. When it does, I take a deep breath, keep smiling and above all, keep going. God willing, I can make my recovery part of the story. If squirrels didn't forget acorns now and then, we'd have a lot fewer oak trees after all.

Can anyone become a Maggid or a Maggidah? This is a calling for Jewish people who wish to bring others closer to the Divine Source. If you are from a different faith or community, I recommend that you speak with your favorite clergy or mentor to find out the best way for you to pursue this gift within your tradition. If you would like more information about becoming a Maggid or a Maggidah, please visit www.jewishspirit.com