Alleghany Highlands Story Fest 2026

Thursday, October 29 7pm

Tickets $10 at the door .

David Novak

An animated and innovative storyteller, David has been described as “The Brothers Grimm and Carl Jung meet Monty Python.”

David is a veteran of the National Storytelling Festival, and an internationally touring storyteller and speaker. He was on the opening team of The Disney Institute as Director of Story Arts and a long time faculty member of the Storytelling Program at East Tennessee State University. David keynotes for numerous library and educational conferences, including the Sydney International Storytelling Conference, Czech Children’s Theatre Festival, and American Alliance for Theatre in Education. Novak is recipient of the Circle of Excellence for storytelling, and the Aurand Harris Memorial Playwrighting Award for excellence in professional theatre for children.

He is an A+ Fellow for the North Carolina Arts Council and a Teaching Artist for the Wolf Trap Institute. David lives in Asheville, North Carolina.

Ilene Evans

Ms. Ilene Evans, MA. is a director, writer, storyteller, actress, musician, historian and lecturer, performing nationally and internationally. She is a Chautauqua scholar, developing first person historical narratives of black women who have contributed significantly to our journey of freedom in America. In 2009, Ilene was selected by the United States Embassy to share African American culture and literature in the Middle East and South America.

As artistic Director of Voices from the Earth since 1998, Ms.Evans’ historical portrayals include Harriet Tubman, Memphis Tennessee Garrison, Coralie Franklin Cook, Ethel Waters, Bessie Coleman, Eslanda Robeson, Rose Agnes Rolls Cousins, and Elizabeth Catlett. She is a 2022 Mellon Foundation Fellow in Roots to Sky Sanctuary: Restorying the Potomac. Ms. Evans considers herself Affrilachian, living at the headwaters of the Potomac River in Preston, County, WV. A long-time member of the National Association of Black Storytellers, her second home.