BRUNSWICK — Ashley Bryan — an artist, storyteller and award-winning creator of children’s books — will be the featured presenter at a community storytelling forum from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct.4. The event will take place in the Great Hall (Union St. entrance) at St. Paul’s Church, located at 27 Pleasant St. in Brunswick

The forum is sponsored by St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and Portland’s historic Abyssinian Meeting House, whose executive board is honoring Mr. Bryan as their first inductee to the Abyssinian Hall of Fame.

Ashley will be telling African Folk Tales, reciting poetry, and sharing some of his art which he has been creating for most of his 91 years! The forum will include a presentation from Maine Inside Out, an original theatrical work-inprogress by incarcerated youth from Longcreek Correctional Facility, and African drumming by Resounding Rhythms.

For those interested in learning to tell their story, The Telling Room, a nonprofit writing center in Portland dedicated to the idea that children and young adults are natural storytellers, will be among those offering workshops. Other workshops will include puppet or mask-making, African drumming, and reading to children.

Bryan’s morning program, featuring the poems of his puppets, will be of interest to both children and adults. The workshops that follow are for all ages. For adults and youth, the afternoon will begin with Ashley’s presentation of African American poets and African folktales, followed by Maine Inside Out’s presentation and discussion with the audience.

Sandwiches will be available for purchase, and books by Ashley Bryan will be available on site through Gulf of Maine Books.

The event is free and open to the public. Reservations are encouraged, but not required. For more information, call (207) 626-0738 or visit stpaulsmaine.org.

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