‘Awesome Autumn’ spotlights stories and seasons
Storyteller Jackson Gillman performs in Mattapoisett. Photos by Grace Ann Natanawan
Audience members dance along with Gillman, becoming trees with their arms up.
Vera Przymierski, 5, of New Bedford participates in the performance.
Ruthie Przymierski, 1, of New Bedford smiles during story time.
Gillman shows the audience how an apple picking sack functions.
Vera volunteers to be safely tossed into a pile of leaves.
Storyteller Jackson Gillman performs in Mattapoisett. Photos by Grace Ann Natanawan
Audience members dance along with Gillman, becoming trees with their arms up.
Vera Przymierski, 5, of New Bedford participates in the performance.
Ruthie Przymierski, 1, of New Bedford smiles during story time.
Gillman shows the audience how an apple picking sack functions.
Vera volunteers to be safely tossed into a pile of leaves.
MATTAPOISETT — Beneath the golden autumn leaves, acclaimed storyteller Jackson Gillman warmed the hearts of children and adults with his immersive storytelling at the Oliver Wendell Holmes barn foundation in Mattapoisett.
Gillman celebrated the changing of the seasons with a four-part storytelling saga that began in February with a winter session. The storytelling sessions were hosted in collaboration with the Mattapoisett Land Trust, and were funded by the Mattapoisett and Massachusetts Cultural Councils.
He came full circle to fall on Saturday, Nov. 15 with his storytelling finale: Awesome Autumn.
“I just like connecting with people and making them happy and getting them to sing and play with me,” said Gillman.
Gillman has told stories in front of audiences for over 40 years, performing at festivals across North America. In 2020, he received the Oracle Award from the National Storytelling Network, and is now part of their Circle of Excellence.
At the Awesome Autumn event, Gillman told stories of apple picking, cranberry harvesting, turkeys and the changing of the seasons — all conveyed through song and dance.
Gillman also taught the crowd sign language for various colors, words and fruits.
“My kids learned sign language before they could talk. It makes [things] very efficient … If you give them the equipment to communicate, they can use their hands,” he explained.
Alongside Gillman, 5-year-old audience member Vera Pryzmierski of New Bedford played a starring role in moments of participation. She played with leaves, provided insights into her favorite kind of pie and informed the audience that bats only come out at night.
“One time I made a turkey out of a hand!” she exclaimed during a turkey story.
Following the performance, attendees were treated to a bonfire and apple cider and munched on cookies and cranberries provided by Gillman.
Sarah French Storer, Mattapoisett Land Trust’s operations manager, said that part of the goal of hosting events like this was to get kids and adults outside.
“This time of year is just a great time to be outside, and Jackson’s storytelling fits perfectly into the outdoors,” she said. “... It just seemed like a great way to combine storytelling and being in nature.”
Storer encouraged Tri-town residents to explore the land trust’s properties in autumn.
“We have almost 10 miles of trails on our properties and all of our properties are open to the public, and this is a great time of year to get out onto the trails.”
