Storyteller Adam Booth to Appear at Mountain City Traditional Arts

Frostburg State University’s Mountain City Traditional Arts will host storyteller Adam Booth for an enthralling evening of Appalachian Tales on Wednesday, Oct. 16, at 7 p.m. at 25 E. Main St. in Frostburg. The live entertainment is open to the public through general admission with a suggested donation of $15.

Recognized in 2022 as West Virginia Folk Artist of the Year, Booth blends traditional mountain folklore, music and an awareness of contemporary Appalachia to create story artistry. His cinematic style, both humorous and touching, is influenced by generations of diverse storytellers from West Virginia.

Booth’s new multidisciplinary program, “The Heron’s Journey,” has been selected for the 2024-2025 Mid Atlantic Arts Touring Roster. As a nationally touring artist, his professional telling appearances include premiere storytelling events across the United States, including the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage, the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival, the National Storytelling Festival and Teller-in-Residence at the International Storytelling Center (four times), as well as resident at the Banff Spoken Word program in Alberta, Canada, multiple storytelling and music events in 30 states, and collaborations with the West Virginia Dance Company, Goose Route Dance Company, Frederick Chorale, Hagerstown Choral Arts Society and Winchester Musica Viva.

Equally at home as a teller and educator, his research fellowships and presentations have included the Berea Appalachian Sound Archives Fellowship, Ghost Ranch, the National Storytelling Conference, the Appalachian Studies Association Conference, the National Endowment for the Humanities Voices from the Misty Mountains summer seminars and institute and a commission from the National Academy of Medicine.

He is a member of the Recording Academy (GRAMMYs), and his stories and recordings have been honored with many national awards, including a Parents’ Choice Gold Award, two Parents’ Choice Silver Honors, five Storytelling World Awards and Honors, the National Storytelling Network’s J.J. Reneaux Mentorship Grant and four West Virginia Liars’ Contest wins. Booth serves as the inaugural Storyteller-in-Residence at Shepherd University and is the founding artistic director of the Speak Story Series, now in its 12th season. Booth is most at home sharing stories and music with the next generation of listeners and tellers throughout Appalachia.

MCTA is a program of FSU and the Maryland Traditions Program of the State Arts Council.

For more information, call 301-687-8040.