Published Sunday, March 07, 2010 12:05 AM

Storytelling couple bring passion to three-day blitz

By TOM TURBIVILLE

Storytelling, Sherry Norfolk says, is the art of using words, gestures, facial expression and body language to bring a story to life in the listener's imagination.

Sherry's husband, Bobby Norfolk, has been telling stories for three decades, a profession that has placed three Emmy awards on his shelf.

Together, the Norfolks will bring their collaboration and their passion to nine venues around Bryan-College Station over the next four days, starting Sunday at 7 p.m. at StageCenter in downtown Bryan.

This project is the brainchild of Nancy Self, an assistant professor in A&M's teaching, learning and culture department. It grew out of her own fascination for storytelling and a desire to share that fascination with her students.

She made the contact, booked the Norfolks and created an ambitious four-day schedule -- events in which surely hundreds of local students and educators will be duly enriched by week's end.

Passion is the exact word Sherry uses to talk about what she calls the theater of the mind.

"Storytelling represents passion to me," she says. "A passion to listen to stories, to read stories, to share them with others and to teach others to love them and tell them, too."

The Norfolks, who are based in St. Louis, have boxes full of awards and have written and published and recorded myriad books and CDs. But what really flips their switch is what they'll bring to the Brazos Valley this week: a caravan of performances and workshops, both working together and separately in front of all ages -- little kids, college kids and those who teach our kids.

Tonight's StageCenter show has Sherry voicing her "Spine Tinglers and Spine Ticklers" program followed by Bobby's dramatic piece "In The Shadow of Lincoln."

Their Monday schedule starts early at Neal Elementary School in Bryan, where they'll entertain the students with folk tales from 8 to 10:30 a.m. The Neal appearance is being funded by a grant obtained by the Brazos Valley African American Museum.

From noon to 2 p.m. Monday, they'll be at A&M's 501 Rudder, where Bobby will conduct a performance titled "Storytelling to Enhance Cultural and Ethnic Identity" for student guests of the A&M Multicultural Services Department.

Monday wraps at 6 p.m. with both Bobby and Sherry performing "Stories and Storytelling in the Classroom" at A&M's 110 Koldus Building. It's open to everyone and is sponsored by the Association for Childhood Education International, Phi Delta Kappa and the Aggie Storytelling Association.

On Tuesday, while Bobby starts a 9 a.m. program of motivation and character education for the students and faculty at Bryan Collegiate High School, Sherry will begin her day at Pebble Creek Elementary in College Station, conducting an 8 a.m. workshop for kindergarten through second-grade teachers. After lunch, Bobby will be at Pebble Creek performing two sessions of folk tales for the students.

On Wednesday, Bobby will be at A&M's Evans Library for varied storytelling from 10 to 11 a.m. At 1 p.m., Sherry will pick that up at Evans while Bobby heads to the Juvenile Services Department in Bryan to give a special program, the result of efforts by Bryan Neighborhood and Youth Services Coordinator Ronnie Jackson and funded through his department's budget.

Bobby Norfolk started his storytelling career as a stand-up comic at the Funny Bone in St. Louis and as an actor there with The St. Louis Black Rep and Imaginary Theater Company. He won three Emmy awards as the host of the CBS TV show Gator Tales and hosted the Emmy-nominated series Children's Theater at Bobby's House.

Sherry Norfolk has been a professional storyteller since 1981 and has been recognized with national awards from the American Library Association, the Association for Library Service for Children, the National Association of Counties and the Florida Library Association. She has performed at practically every type of venue all over the world, from Singapore to Hong Kong to the beaches of Waikiki.

For more information, visit www.sherrynorfolk.com and www.bobbynorfolk.com.

Save the date

* Sunday: Brenham Unity Theatre presents Mark Twain with James Bianchi, 4 p.m. (unitybrenham.org, 979-830-8358)

* Sunday: Brazos Valley Music Teachers Association presents the "Schumann Focus Festival" auditions, 2 p.m., Bryan public library

* Sunday: The Theatre Company presents My Fair Lady, 2 p.m. (696-2787, www .theatrecompany.com)

* Sunday: Navasota Theatre Alliance presents An Evening of Culture, Faith County II: The Saga Continues, 2 p.m. (navasotatheatre.com, 936-821-3195)

* Sunday: Texas A&M Department of Performance Studies presents The Ballad of Emile Cloud, Fallout Theater Blocker Building, 2 p.m. (845-3355)

* Wednesday: Texas A&M Department of Performance Studies presents Duo Melis: Classical Guitar Duet, 7:30 p.m., Rudder Theatre (845-3355)

* Thursday: Community Chamber Concerts presents Jose Feghali on Piano, 7:30 p.m., Bush Conference Center in College Station (696-7410, www.communitychamber concerts.org)

* Friday-March 30: Brazos Valley Arts League presents its Juried Art Show, Texas Gallery, 2275 Dartmouth St., College Station, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. (acbv.org, 686-2787)

* March 18-19: Hospice Brazos Valley presents Teen Art Day, 1-4 p.m. (821-2266, hospicebrazosvalley.org)

* March 18: George Bush Presidential Library presents the president's son-in-law Bobby Koch speaking about California wines, 7 p.m. (691-4014, bushlibrary.tamu.edu)

* March 19-20: Museum of the American G.I. presents its Open House and Military Market, 8 a.m. (magicstx.org, 739-4037)

* March 19-21: The Theatre Company presents Taking Liberty by Randy Wilson, 7 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday (696-2787, www.theatrecompany.com)

* March 22-23: MSC OPAS presents 100 years of Broadway, 7:30 p.m. (mscopas.org, 845-1234)

* March 25-26: Brenham Unity Theatre presents Rob Landes in concert, 7:30 p.m. (unitybrenham.org, 979-830-8358)

* March 28: MSC OPAS Jr. presents Max and Ruby, 2 and 4 p.m., Rudder Theatre (845-1234, mscopas.org)

* All month: Children's Museum of the Brazos Valley offers various programs, including Monday Madness, from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. (779-5437, www.mymuseum.org)

* All month: Until August, the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum presents "The Culture of Wine," unraveling the mystery, magic and making of wine. (691-4000, bushlibrary.tamu.edu)

* Tom Turbiville is The Eagle's arts columnist. He's also sports director for WTAW-1620AM Radio. E-mail him at tom.turbiville@ theeagle.com.

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