Tellabration 2009

Sat., Nov. 21, 2 p.m., $8-$10, Church of St. Martin, 8000 St. Martin's Lane, 215-275-9324, patchworkstorytelling.org.

by Julia West

It takes cajones to be an good storyteller. You have to impress a crowd with no props, no fancy lighting and no CGI-crafted battle scenes. Each year around the world, Tellabration is celebrated to honor these brave souls and their fans. "It's a way of detaching yourself from the video games and gnat-sized attention spans," says organizer Vernyce Dannells. Linda Goss, Ron Carter and Nashid Ali will perform at this year's event, where the theme is "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" — which Dannells calls "anachronistic and futuristic at once."

Sat., Nov. 21, 2 p.m., $8-$10, Church of St. Martin, 8000 St. Martin's Lane, 215-275-9324, patchworkstorytelling.org.