Talk of the Town

The Rev. Robert B. Jones, Sr. headlines Talk of the Town on Saturday, April 17, at the Frank & Katrina Basile Theater in the Eugene & Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center. It's the biggest fundraiser of the year for Storytelling Arts of Indiana, the organization that's been running since 1988 with a mission to enrich, connect and entertain through the art of storytelling.

Jones is a nationally acclaimed storyteller, musician and historian who's played the National Storytelling Festival and the Timpanogos, Ojai, Cave Run and St. Louis storytelling festivals. He doesn't just stick to the main stage, either. He takes interactive programs into area schools, including the story of Oak Ridge, Tennessee's peaceful school desegregation in 1955, student sit-ins at Fisk University in 1960 and numerous stories drawn from the Underground Railroad of the early 1800s. He believes few stories cannot be enhanced with imagination and music.

Storytelling Arts of Indiana keeps a steady presence in the city. Their Signature Series runs from September through April at the Basile Theater, and they host monthly story slams, with the Indy Story Slam being one of their most beloved programs. Talk of the Town is the big annual fundraiser that supports that work.

The show runs from 7 PM to 9 PM, with complimentary beer, wine and appetizers served starting at 6 PM. Tickets are $25, and the theater is at 450 W Ohio St.