October Country - The Seventh Annual Ray Bradbury Storytelling Festival

Megan Wells serves as the artistic director of the festival and appears each year in the persona of various nefarious characters, from Dracula to Mr. Dark. She holds an MFA in theater arts and numerous theater awards including the Joseph Jefferson Award for directing.

The festival emcee, Jim May is co-founder of the Illinois Storytelling Festival. He earned the Circle of Excellence Award from the National Storytelling Network in 2000 and continues to perform on stages worldwide. He’s the author of several books, including a collection of original stories named “Best Book” by the Public Library Association.

The first storyteller to perform with the Philadelphia orchestra, Charlotte Blake Alston holds two honorary PhDs and received the Circle of Excellence Award from the National Storytelling Association. Blake Alston was one of four Americans selected to perform and present at the first International Storytelling Field Conference in Ghana and was a featured artist at the Second International Festival in Cape Town, South Africa.

Hollywood actor and Ray Bradbury fan, Bill Oberst Jr. will make a special guest appearance and present an excerpt of his favorite Bradbury short story, “Pillar of Fire.” "It's a hymn to Halloween," Oberst says "I have loved it and known it by heart for 30 years. To speak Mr. Bradbury's words in his hometown in the shadow of a late October moon will be a highlight of my career and of my life." Oberst is an Emmy award winning actor for his performance in the Facebook application, “Take This Lollipop” and was labeled “an emerging horror icon” by CNN.

“Bradbury became a household name largely because of the oral tradition of storytelling,” said Richard Lee, executive director of the Waukegan Public Library. “He first captivated his fans when his stories aired on old-time radio shows.” Lee said the library created the festival not only as a tribute to Bradbury’s genius but also to showcase storytelling as an art form.

Winning entries to the 29th Annual Ray Bradbury Creative Contest will be on display at the Genesee Theatre on the day of the festival. Entries include short stories, poems, and fine art created to express how Ray Bradbury has been an inspiration to the life or work of each entrant.

New this year, attendees will be invited to take a Haunted tour of the Genesee Theatre before the performance. All attendees are welcome to dress in costume as their favorite Bradbury character.