magic at the City Hall theatre on Saturday.

Ms Ferlatte, originally from New Orleans, comes from a family of storytellers.

She worked as a sign language interpreter with the Plum City Players, a song-and-dance group from Berkeley, California.

And, such was her popularity, she was asked to tell stories at churches, birthday parties, and other functions.

Ms Ferlatte was awarded by the mayor of Oakland for her role as co-director for the Sixth National Festival of Black Storytelling.

And she was also featured at the annual National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, Tennessee.

Over the past year she has performed in Austria, New Zealand and Australia.

Her most exciting moment came when she was asked to show off her skills at the John. F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in Washington DC in President Clinton's Inaugural Celebration for Children.

Saturday's event starts at 8 p.m., and has been organised by the Berkeley Educational Society.

Tickets cost $15 and can be obtained from the educational society's management committee or Berkeley Institute office on 292-4753.

They are also available from the City Hall box office on Thursday, Friday, between 12 noon and 2.30 p.m.

A TALE TO TELL -- Storyteller Ms Diane Ferlatte.