JONESBOROUGH REPERTORY THEATRE

Four Jonesborough organizations are exploring a new vision for the town as they prepare to join forces for the future.

The idea — presented under the umbrella of “Jonesborough: An American Front Porch” — would unite The Jonesborough Repertory Theatre, Jonesborough/Washington County Heritage Alliance, the Town of Jonesborough and the International Storytelling Center in a quest to better present Jonesborough to both residents and visitors.

“We’re the little town with the big story,” said Town Administrator Bob Browning.

But, he said, the question remains: What exactly is that story and how do you best tell it?

Those questions — and their answers — were what drew JRT, ISC, the Heritage Alliance and Town Hall together.

As a first step in the collaboration, the four have already joined in submitting a grant request to the Preserve America foundation. Jonesborough was awarded a Preserve America Community designation in November.

If awarded, Browning said, this grant could be key to providing the guidance necessary to best accomplish Jonesborough’s goals. The grant application includes a request for funds to help create a signature history film and a storytelling monologue (both to be shown and performed regularly at ISC,) develop a history-based theatrical performance that tells the stories of Tennessee’s oldest town, and hire a nationally known firm recognized for museum interpretation to help create a framework for a comprehensive, interpretive plan that will utilize all of Jonesborough’s historical assets.

Throughout it all, storytelling would be the glue that would hold the message together.

“Storytelling is the brand that has given us a national reputation,” Browning said. And “Storytelling” would be “brand name” used to identify the concept.

But it will take “all of us working together,” Browning said.

The concept becomes all the more important as Jonesborough continues to grow and market itself, Browning said.

According to ISC president Jimmy Neil Smith, also a former mayor of Jonesborough, the town has been working on the structure of the town. The first phase was the town’s restoration project, begun in the late ‘60s. Phase II was the addition of the Historic Jonesborough Visitors Center, Town Hall and tourism development.

Now the town is ready for Phase III.

“For years we have dealt with the hardware,” Smith said. “Now this is more like software.

That software is how to use the art of storytelling to better package everything the town has to offer.

“Tourism remains a key component of this,” Smith said. “Our story is a universal story. And (tourism) is the economic driver for making this program important additionally for the community.”

But it’s not the only benefit, both Smith and Browning stressed.

“Whether there is tourism or not, our community needs to know and understand itself,” Smith said. “So we’re out here trying to tell our story.”

“Kids that grow up in this area need to know more about our history and have some pride in that,” Browning added.

Whether the grant is awarded or not, Browning said, the new direction is set. Smith, JRT’s Kathleen Buttolph, the Heritage Alliance Randy Sanders and town officials are all in agreement, he said.

It’s time, they believe, for each use their strengths -- whether history, theater, storytelling or organization -- to better tell Jonesborough’s tale.

“If you were really to tell the story, it’s the celebration of who we are as a people,” Smith said -- a story of freedom, independence and volunteerism.

“That ultimately is the story you tell,” he said. And that is what they want to do.

Article courtesy of johnsoncitypress.com

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