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     Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Issue # 46

Got some news or information you would like to get out to the storytelling community?
Contact Mark Goldman -x602-390-3858x - Mark@Storytellermark.com

The Clock Strikes Again!

This last weekend at The Tucson Festival of Books was an adventure, for sure! Saturday started out cold, windy and rainy. Not the best of weather for a festival, but there were still good crowds. Kudos to Glenda Bonin for another year of producing the Storytelling Tent! This venue affords tellers from Tucson and Phoenix to show their stuff alongside national headliners like Antonio Sacre, who also did workshops on Saturday & Sunday. On Saturday, Sandy Oglesby did a full set, and was later joined by Louise Laux and Esther Doestch.

On Sunday, I performed. It's not easy holding forth under a chilly tent with a small crowd of perhaps 30-45 wiggly children and their parents. Listeners would come and go during the 45 minute set. When twelve people get up and leave, you begin your next story hoping that they will be replaced by more bodies, if only to get out of the rain! Then there's the clock tower, chiming every fifteen minutes, bing-bong-bing-bong, bing-bong-bing-bong. The key is making sure you are in the right place in your story that you can incorporate the sound effects! "And so, as the clock struck, Zephir began his journey!"

Jordan Hill of Tucson told after my set and captivated the children with his energetic style! It was all great fun! I even saw a couple of friends there! I was honored to have been invited to tell!

Thanks to Elizabeth Mattson for coming down and volunteering, coming to listen and supporting me. And Thanks to Ron Lancaster for being the Emmcee and my gracious host for the weekend!


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This Week

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Lit Lounge

FRIDAY - March 22
Featuring playwright Tori Rice, Phoenix New Times Managing Editor Amy Silverman and more! Musical guest: Alex Benson and Justin Humbert of Rough Tough Dynamite. Tickest are still available!
 
Check the calendar section for details

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Coming Up

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Moms' Night Out
Tuesday - March 19th
A night of Funny Mom Stories, featuring Storyteller Kindra Hall! At the S.E.E.D. Cafe, inside The Madison Improvement Club, 3802 E. Indian School Rd., Phoenix. Doors open 6:30 PM - Stories start at 7:00 pm.

 
Check the calendar section for details

The Holy Fool at Community Christian Church
Sunday - March 24th - 7:00 pm
Community Christian Church, known to some as The Storytelling Church presents another evening of Storytelling. The Holy Fool will explore jesters, tricksters, jokers and the thin line between wisdom and foolishness.
 
Check the calendar section for details
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Sticky Notes - A Tool for Perspective

Sticky notes are the ultimate tool for getting perspective on your story. Outlines; written text or bullet points; even the traditional six-panel storyboard are all linear representations of your story. Using sticky notes enables you to play around with the sequence and elements of the story.

Write out each major section of your story on a separate sticky note, then place each of them on the wall. First, stand back and look at the sequence. Then, let yourself go! Move each note around, see what happens. Try moving what was in the middle or at the end to the beginning. How might that change the story? Move the notes into different groupings and sub-sections to see how it affects the story.

Moving one piece could change the way the entire story is viewed and told. Perhaps one or more sections need to be removed, or something should be added. How does changing one piece change the flow?

Sean Buvala used this method in a workshop and it was amazing how it helped clarify the story and flow. Read Sean’s blog about it here. Read my blog about using sticky notes to prepare a long program.

Don’t get stuck on one, chronological way to tell the story. Use sticky notes to try different options. 

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Mandy Patinkin
Living in an Imagined Reality


Mandy Patinkin talks about playing the role of Inigo Montoya in The Princess Bride. In this interview he alludes to the Willing Suspension of Disbelief ("I spend 99% of my time in an imagined reality.") and distilling the story into One Sentence. This is powerful stuff from an incredible and passionate actor. Thanks to Sean Buvala and his sister Erin for finding and passing along!
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Ongoing
Events

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Storytellers' Open Mic at Terra Java
First Sunday of each month - PHOENIX
http://www.storytellermark.com/openmic/


Yarnball Storytellers Mic
Every Wednesday at  8 pm - PHOENIX
https://www.facebook.com/lawngnomepublishing/events


Odyssey Storytelling
First Thursday of each month - TUCSON
http://www.storyartsgroup.org/odyssey/Odyssey/Welcome.html


East Valley Tellers of Tales -Storytellers Guild
Second Saturday of each month - SCOTTSDALE
http://www.evtot.com


West Side Story Tellers -Storytellers Guild
Second Saturday of each month - GLENDALE
Westsidestorytellers@yahoo.com


Lit Lounge - Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMOCA)
Fourth Friday of each month - SCOTTSDALE
http://www.scottsdaleperformingarts.org/smoca-events.php


CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL MONTHLY CALANDAR

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All Newsletter content ©Mark Goldman
Got some news or information you would like to get out to the storytelling community?

Contact Mark Goldman -x602-390-3858x - Mark@Storytellermark.com

 
     

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