November 20, 2026

Upstream Classical Presents

Tara McGowan & the Art of Japanese Paper Theatre

Join us on November 20th for an hour of stories for children and adults as interpreted by master storyteller and artist, Tara McGowan. Based in Lyndon, Tara is an expert practitioner in the Kamishibai storytelling tradition, a century-old form of Japanese street theatre that uses illustrated paper pages to accompany the tales.

Tara will be sharing four traditional folk tales, including two from Japan and her own adaptation of one of her mother’s favorite Norwegian fables. The November performance aligns with the Japanese festival of the moon and a celebration of harvest time, represented in these tales weaving together themes of nature, the forest and magical elements.

Tara will be joined by Donna Nicol, a crystal healing and sound therapy practitioner based in Sutton who will create acoustic soundscapes using crystal bowls, chimes and percussion. While typically experienced in a healing context, the quartz bowls are works of art in and of themselves, both visually and sonically.

Enjoy the magic of live storytelling complemented by blissful harmonic resonances as stories and sounds merge.

All Ages ~ Students & kids are free

Tara McGowan, storyteller
Donna Nicol, crystal bowls and percussion
Rachael Elliott, auxiliary percussion