Back by popular demand, nationally acclaimed storytellers Donald Davis and Kathryn Tucker Windham will return to the stage of the Brundidge Historical Society’s 2009 Pike Piddlers Storytelling Festival on January 30 and 31.

Joining Davis and Windham will be national tellers Carmen Agra Deedy and Bil Lepp.

Tickets go on sale Friday, Jan. 2 at Rue’s Antiques in Brundidge.

“Everyone who knows anything at all about storytelling knows about Donald Davis and Kathryn Windham,” said Sandra Caldwell, a member of the Brundidge Historical Society’s storytelling committee. “This will be Donald Davis’ third appearance at the Pike Piddlers Storytelling Festival and everybody tells us, “get him back” and we will as long as he will come. And, everybody fell in love with Kathryn Windham last year. She’s can make you laugh and she can bring tears to your eyes. We are honored to have her back.”

Caldwell said Deedy and Lepp are seasoned storytellers and both are return tellers at the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, Tenn. and other major festivals around the country.

“Carmen Deedy is a female Donald Davis,” she said. “Once she steps to the microphone, she’s gone and takes you right along with her. Bil Lepp is hilarious. He’s a five-time champion of the West Virginia Biggest Liars competition. You’ll come away thinking, is he for real?”

Dinah Kelsey, also a member of the storytelling committee, said the BHS was hoping to equal last year’s lineup.

“And, there’s no doubt that we’ve done it,” she said. “You won’t go to a festival anywhere that has a lineup better than this one. We can guarantee a good time and, if you don’t get hooked on storytelling at this festival, I’d be very surprised.”

The third annual Pike Piddlers Storytelling Festival will open a 6:30 p.m. on Friday night at the We Piddle Around Theater and continue Saturday with three storytelling concerts at 10 a.m. and 2 and 6:30 p.m. at the Trojan Center Theater on the campus of Troy University.

Tickets for the concert at the We Piddle Around Theater are $25 and include a full country-style supper with dessert and the pre-show featuring the WPA Scratch Band.

Tickets for the morning and afternoon concerts are $10 each.

The evening performance is $15 and will also include a special performance by regional teller Aleta Davis of Montgomery.

Tickets for the Pike Piddlers Storytelling Festival will go on sale at 8 a.m. Friday, Jan. 2 at Rue’s Antiques in downtown Brundidge or by calling 334-735-3125.