Master Storyteller Dolores Hydock will present “Close Encounters of the Storytelling Kind” on Wednesday, August 16 at the Pell City Public Library. Photo submitted

Pell City Public Library welcomes beloved storyteller, Dolores Hydock, on Wednesday, August 16 at noon as she presents “Close Encounters of the Storytelling Kind.”  In this collection of stories, Hydock reflects on the special encounters she has had with people along her storytelling journey, including a cooking lesson with storytelling legend, Kathryn Tucker Windham, a hair-raising adventure with Dr. Ruth Westheimer and more. 

Hydock is a master storyteller.  Sometimes humorous and often poignant, she connects with her audience through her heart-warming stories that reflect every-day life.  She has been a featured storyteller at the National Storytelling Festival and served as Teller-in-Residence at the International Storytelling Center in Jonesboro, Tennessee.   Her work has been featured at concerts, festivals and special events all over the United States.   Her ten CDs of original stories have received awards from “Storytelling World Magazine” for excellence in storytelling. 

Dolores Hydock’s interest in acting began at an early age.  In fact, she won her first blue ribbon for storytelling at the age of 5 in her hometown of Reading, Pennsylvania.  Hydock completed her studies in American Folklore at Yale University and she has a Master of Arts in Story Arts/Communications from East Tennessee State University.  She has taught acting and storytelling at Birmingham Southern College.    As an actress, her performances include but are not limited to “Shirley Valentine,” “Fully Committed,” “Talking Heads,” “Nothing Sacred: An Evening with Ferrol Sams,” “Tony Curtis Speaks Italian and All I Can Say is ‘I Love You,’” and “The Woman With All the Answers.” In her spare time, Hydock enjoys gardening in Birmingham where she currently resides.    

Hydock’s presentation of “Close Encounters of the Storytelling Kind” at the Pell City Library at noon on Wednesday, August 16 is part of the library’s 2017 Adult Summer Reading Program and will serve as the finale to the summer series. 

The event at the library is free and open to the public.  Guests are encouraged to stay for light refreshments afterwards.  Readers participating in the reading segment of our Adult Summer Reading series will want to stay for the drawing to take place at the conclusion of the event. 

Prizes provided by local merchants and the Pell City Library Guild will be given away to those lucky enough to have their name drawn from a “hat” whose entries are placed following the completion of each book read throughout the program. 

For more information contact the Pell City Public Library at (205) 884-1015.