Memories are Made of This - And, of course, they’re always true

Kathie Kompass and Mary Wiggin with Memories are Made of This - And, of course, they’re always true

Sunday, November 17, 2024, 2:00 pm ET | Blackbox Studio, Arts Court and On Demand

Join storytellers Kathie Kompass and Mary Wiggin as the warp of fact crosses with the weft of fantasy to create the weave of fabric. Their stories may be less than completely true, but, at the same time, entirely possible. Kathie and Mary recall how family members came to Canada, found work, celebrated holidays and coped with the ups and downs of family life.

These tales of determination, love, trickery, generosity, misunderstanding and perseverance take us to Ukraine, the boreal forest of Ontario, the wilds of Etobicoke, Hamilton, Ottawa and more.

About the Storytellers:

Even though Kathie Kompass dipped her toes into Ottawa StoryTellers’ (OST) activities in the early years of the organization, it wasn’t until 2002, when she moved to Ottawa, that she became more involved. She told stories at the November festivals and volunteered twice as co-chair of the organizing committee. For several years, Kathie has been a facilitator of OST’s Introductory Storytelling workshops (adult and children’s versions). Kathie has hosted, organized and told tales at OST’s Story Café series, and the Signature Series at Arts Court. She has also shared stories in Ottawa museums, art galleries, school libraries and with MASC. With Mary, she participated in storytelling festivals in Ottawa, Toronto, and Sharon, Ontario. Further afield, Kathie has told tales in Edmonton, Hastings County, in Ontario, as a Storyteller in the Schools, and in Nova Scotia as a storyteller for the Canadian Children’s Book Week.

This year, Kathie was chosen to record two CDs of stories for StorySave, a project of Storytellers of Canada - Conteurs du Canada. She is delighted to share some of those stories tonight. The CD will be available to purchase after the show.

For over 20 years, Mary Wiggin has delighted audiences with her storytelling. Renowned for her exquisite sense of language, Mary is a subtle master of the literary tale. She loves to share folktales and fairy tales with strong heroines and sound plots, but listeners should be ready for some surprises. Mary has been a frequent featured teller at the Ottawa StoryTellers’ (OST) series at the National Arts Centre and Arts Court, at the Children’s Storytelling Festival and at Story Café. She also tells at a variety of community settings such as seniors’ programs, museums, house concerts and fundraising events.

Mary and Kathie Kompass have told stories together on many occasions including three trips to British Columbia with The Game’s Afoot: Stories from Sherlock Holmes, in 2016; Oatcakes and Heartaches: Scottish Tales Carried Over the Ocean, in 2018; and in 2019, Winter Tales to Warm the Heart.

Mary has co-coordinated two Ottawa StoryTellers' series, Stories & Tea at The Tea Party, and Tellers at the Well, and, with Kathie, has been one of the facilitators of the Introductory Storytelling Workshop for OST.

Kathie admits that the truthfulness of her family tales is questionable. Mary thinks the truth is stretchy like a new rubber band and that listeners can choose to believe whatever they wish!

On Demand Ticket Holders
The show is not live-streamed. Memories are Made of This will be recorded and made available on YouTube starting Monday, November 18. Ticket holders will be able to enjoy the performance for one week. This allows you to watch (or re-watch) the event at your leisure! A link to the recording will be sent to on demand ticket holders on Monday, November 18.