Today we’d like to introduce you to Tony Toledo.
Tony, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
In the fall of 1987, I had moved out to Massachusetts from Ohio after I decided Law School was not for me. I love folk music so I was listening to the Coffeehouse on 88.9 FM out of Emerson College. Storyteller Judith Black was on the show. She was telling stories at Lesley University later that month. She sounded so appealing on the radio that I went to see her.
I was staying with my cousin in Malden. I invited him to come too. He was less than convinced it would be worth his time. He asked, “So we are going to pay $10 to hear somebody tell stories?” I said, “Yep, that’s why we moved out of Ohio, to get some culture.”
From the moment she said her first word I was hooked. Judith Black’s stories were my introduction to storytelling in New England. Through Judith I found out about Sharing the Fire Storytelling Conference. (It’ll be March 23, 24, and 25, 2018 in Plymouth, MA. All the details are at www.lanes.org), The Tuesday Night Story Space gathering held in Cambridge, the Boston Storytelling Potlucks and the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesboro TN.
I have paid my rent since 1990 by telling stories to young listeners at elementary schools, libraries, birthday parties and Cub Scout meetings. I have presented many workshops at Sharing the Fire. F Every Wednesday for seven years I hosted Speak Up Spoken Word Open Mic in Lynn, Massachusetts. I also EMCEEed at the Mass Poetry Festival each May in Salem, MA.
In 1998, I bought a massive one tenth of an acre estate with my storytelling. It has just room enough for my books and my basil. Each August I host the Annual Corn Party- it’s a block party dressed up in yellow with tons of games, delicious potluck dinner and of course a bushel of corn on the cob, cooked to perfection.
In our digital world, many people are not listened to well, and some are not listened to at all. When folks hear a story they are drawn into the tale. They are often inspired to share a story of their own. That is the greatest compliment you can give a storyteller- to share their tale or be inspired create one yourself.
Has it been a smooth road?
As a freelance artist I do not turn down a nickel in the hopes of finding a dime. If I can, I accept every gig that comes my way. When the Great Recession hit in 2008 the number of gigs I had dried up considerably. To help pay the electric bill I took a job at a middle school as a signing one to one paraprofessional. As part of my interview I said I still love my storytelling and have gigs on the horizon that I can let you know about a month in advance that I will need to be off to do. They agreed I could do that. As is the case with many artists sometimes we have to take one step sideways taking other employment in order to keep the lights on. Always though front and center in my mind is the desire to return to full time storytelling. I did that three years later, and have continued to this day.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Tony Toledo, Storyteller story. Tell us more about the business.
Crow, Clap and Yell: Participatory Tales for Kindergarten, First and Second Graders is my most requested school program. Students get to join in with the little Rooster when he says, “Cockadoodle Doo! Give me back my diamond Button!” They get to jump when I scream at the Scary Hand! The students think they are just having fun. They are also learning about how to be good audience members. They are learning when to join in and when to listen. They are learning new vocabulary words without even realizing it.
Years ago, I was telling stories to kindergarten kids in Raynham, MA. For the last story I asked for volunteers to act it out as I tell. One little boy was waving his hand like mad. I picked him. He was supposed to be an old man and say, “I saw what you did, Cat!” It came out more, “Oh suw hut do dit, Cat!” He was doing a fine job. He was also bouncing all over the place. That’s par for the course for a kindergartener. After the program was done that boy’s teacher came up to me. She had tears in her eyes. She told me that boy that was playing the old man was autistic. Today was the first time that he had ever raised his hand. Nobody had ever heard him talk before. The teacher was in tears. So was I. I can bring this same joy to your students.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
In the next five years, I believe we will see a resurgence of storytelling in the schools in direct response to so many students spending so much time on line. We yearn for the human connection, that face to face communication that is so vital between storyteller and audience.
I would love to see a Spoken Word Open Mic in every community in Boston where neighbors gather to tell stories, listen to each other and learn that we have much more in common than in difference.
It is my strong belief that storytelling can help heal our broken world. When we really listen to each other we make space in our hearts for folks who might be different from us. The stories connect us be they personal stories of when Uncle John got his mean goat, or folk tales like The Fox With a Ton of Brains that have been around for hundreds of years. There’s a reason they are still being told. They met that need for laughter, and community, connection and caring. A little tiny story can do all that and more.
Pricing:
- Crow, Clap and Yell: Participatory Stories for Kindergarten, First and Second Graders, up to 200 students in a school assembly, $495 for 45 minutes of great stories.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.TonyToledo.com,
- Phone: 978-921GOAT(4628)
- Email: ToledoGoat@aol.com
Getting in touch: BostonVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
