Two children’s shows are scheduled at the Grand

The Grasshopper Shoppe will sponsor two performances for children during the Ninth Annual Autumn Gold Retail Promotion.

According to Ken Schweikert, who owns the Grasshopper Shoppe on Main Street in Ellsworth, professional storyteller Gussie Vaughn will perform at the Grand Auditorium at 1 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 26. Now a Belfast resident, Vaughn grew up in the Appalachian region of Kentucky, where storytelling remains a strong tradition.

Since she developed her storytelling skills into a profession five years ago, Vaughn has performed at the New England Storytelling Festival, the Maine Festival of the Arts, and the Common Ground Fair. As part of the Autumn Gold festivities, she plans to entertain children with humorous stories, many of which reflect an Appalachian viewpoint.

At 2 p.m., the Out of Hand Puppet Theater will also perform at the Grand. Based in Belfast, this theatrical puppet troupe will present a show titled “The Trouble With Magic.”

This puppet show tells the story of Babchi and Staschu, two characters who discover what “too much of a good thing” can mean. Another presentation will tell a story about Anansi the Trickster.

“We’ve scheduled both shows so that parents can take their children to one or the other or both,” Schweikert said. “I’ve seen Gussie (Vaughn) and Out of Hand perform in Belfast; they’re very good, and I know that children will enjoy the shows.”

Free tickets for both performances are available at the Grasshopper Shoppe, located at 124 Main St.,