Concert Showcases Artist’s Filipino and American Indian Influences – Through Story

By Susan O’Halloran
847-869-4081 and 847-691-6472
susan@susanohalloran.com

Professional storyteller, Gene Tagaban will share stories, song and dance from his Tlingit/Cherokee/ Filipino background at two free Story Concerts at Dominican University Priory Campus Auditorium on Friday, April 3, 2009. The 90-minute concerts will take place at 1 pm and 7 pm at 7200 West Division Street in River Forest, Illinois. The concerts are a collaborative production of Dominican University’s Graduate School of Library and Information Science and!the JustStories Storytelling Festival – Angels Studio/SVD, a communications ministry of The Society of the Divine Word. and O’Halloran Communications.

Co-producer, Susan O’Halloran, said, “Storytelling performances are such a respectful way to learn
about other cultures. It’s learning made easy and, more importantly, fun and enjoyable. Gene Tagaban is foremost an entertainer. Gene’s story shows that his journey to becoming a noted storyteller, musician, dancer and actor moves far beyond a mere acceptance of his varied cultures to an inspiring celebration that teaches all of us more about our individuality and our deep universal connections.”

Gene Tagaban who lives in Ferndale, Washington will be premiering his new piece “I Am Indopino” (a
combination of being Indian and Filipino) which was commissioned by Angels Studio. Tagaban is the 7th
recipient of the JustStories Fellowship, which supports professional storytellers in developing, writing
and performing their own original stories based on issues of race and inclusion. Tagaban’s performance, Raven Dreaming: Embracing the Human Spirit, comes to life with animated telling plus traditional flutes, drums, rattles, dance, masks and ceremonial regalia.

The April 3rd concerts are the first collaboration between the long-running JustStories Festival
(www.racebridges.net) and Dominican University. Janice DelNegro, professor at Dominican
University, commented, “We are thrilled to provide a venue for the captivating and electrifying art form
of storytelling. Gene Tagaban’s themes of family, lineage and our relationship with the natural world
will resonate with anyone who has searched for their ‘place’ and a sense of identity and belonging.”

While the concerts are free and there is ample parking, seating is limited. E-mail for reservations
at:!gslis@dom.edu or call: 708-524-6845. The afternoon concert is at 1-2:30 pm and the evening concert from 7-8:30 pm. Dominican University Priory Campus Auditorium (7200 West Division Street River Forest, IL 60305) is just 7 blocks east of the main Dominican campus at the corner of Harlem and
Division Streets.