Are things as they always appear? If something is something, can it be another something? Do my eyes deceive me? Does the first bite give you the whole taste? Can “they” bring you down or can you rise above? Using world folktales, fables and a smattering of personal stories, our team of local and world-class storytellers gives you something to think about this World Storytelling Day, all with Spring just around the corner. Discussion with Q&A follows.
Featuring:
Sandy Oglesby
Harriet Cole
Marian Giannatti
Sean Buvala
More:
StoryRise is a 90-minute fringe-theater, house-concert style performance and discussion. Join us for this outdoor event in a working garden. Suggested donation is $8. Your donation offsets costs for storytellers and for the Boon Garden expenses. Thanks in advance.
Event is outdoors in a working garden. Bring on the sensible shoes. Dress for Arizona Spring, right?
The Grail Storytelling & Workshop with Liz Warren Friday - March 24th 7:00pm - Storytelling
Community Christian Church
The Story of the Grail has captivated people for hundreds of years. With its roots in the Celtic oral tradition of heroes and magical cauldrons, the story emerged in 12th century Europe at a time of great cultural, technological, political, and spiritual change – a time not unlike our own. The questions posed by the story are as relevant today as they were when it was written. How do we cultivate open and compassionate hearts in a perilous world? When should we speak and when should we be silent? What is the connection between human wounded-ness and the health of the earth? The story is symbolically rich and complex, yet at the same time it is simply about the wonder and grace of earning a second chance.
Saturday - March 25th - 9:00am - 12:00pm - Workshop
Community Christian Church
In mythology and many personal narrative stories, the "wound" or crisis point of the story acts as a necessary initiation which, though painful, opens the individual, the family, and the village to a life of increased learning, passion and spiritual vitality. In the "Grail Tradition", this journey toward recovery, wholeness, and transformation begins with the question, "WHAT AILS THEE?" Just the asking of this question initiates the healing of the wasteland, and the curing of the wounded king, thus bringing the questioner closer to achieving the goal of his or her quest, often with a perspective that may include humor and joy. The asking of the question out loud (telling the story) likewise promotes healing in the community (those who hear the story).
This workshop requires no previous training or expertise. Participants will use stories, constructs, symbols, and archetypes from mythology and the Grail, along with perspectives from a feminine and masculine point of view, to help participants uncover the stories and insights from their lives that have the potential to foster healing for self and the community.
Arizona Storytellers:Stylish Stories Wednesday - March 29th - 7:00pm
Phoenix Art Museum
From high-end glossies to high school outfit-of-the-day Instagram looks, fashion and beauty help us define ourselves as cultures and individuals. Join azcentral.com and The Arizona Republic for a night of stylish stories.
Tellers:
Deb Van Tassel - storytelling coach at Arizona Republic
Joanna DeShay - designer, Black Russian Label
Liz Warren - executive director, SMCC Storytelling Institute
Alexandra Evjen - stylist, AVE Styles
Janell McClelland - associate director, Arizona State University
Titus Fauntleroy - model, Agency AZ
Angela Johnson - designer, Angela Johnson Designs
Details: 6 p.m. check-in, stories 7-9 p.m. Wednesday, March 29. Phoenix Art Museum, 1625 North Central Avenue, Phoenix. $10, Students are $5. 602-444-8605, tickets.azcentral.com.
All Arizona Republic and azcentral subscribers receive a complimentary, gourmet brownie from Fairytale Brownies at check-in.
Decisions - Decisions - Decisions Storytellers are making decisions all the time. Both conscious decisions when crafting a story, and often unconscious decisions when telling a story, based on the audience reactions, the teller's mood, etc. It's important to make these choices in a conscientious way, but don't agonize over your choices when you tell a story. Whatever you decide for TODAY is OK! You'll have another chance!
Here's one of the things that I love about storytelling vs. my "old" career as an actor. Storytelling changes with every performance.
When performing in a play, especially with other actors, you are "locked in" to certain choices, over and over. It's hard to deviate from those choices lest you throw off the production. You can't shout out one phrase that you spoke softly the night before (unless you warn the other actors). You can't change the actual language of the play. The other actors will not know their cues.
On the last night of a show, in a one-week or six-month run, performers are aware that "we will never do this again." Often, they decide to do "funny" (hopefully) things on stage. These "bits and pieces" mostly become little "inside jokes" for the cast, and the audience is completely left out. Not what a storyteller wants.
In storytelling, I can change the story each time I tell it, AND I can be fairly confident that I will have another opportunity to tell that story again, in the future, when I can make different choices and see how effective each decision may be. Except for rare occasions, I never have to think, "This is the last time I will ever tell this story."
So, make good choices in your crafting and within each telling. Be confident that what you do "today" will be fine. And the next time you tell, you can make different decisions...and those will be fine too!
------------------------------------THERE'S A LOT GOING ON EACH MONTH -------------------CHECK EACH WEBSITE OR CALENDAR TO CONFIRM DATES AND TIMES ---------------------------------CALL TO MAKE SURE THE EVENT IS STILL ON
FStorytellers - Female Story Tellers - Tucson
Usually sometime during the first week of the month - but check their website) at 7 pm - TUCSON http://www.fstorytellers.com/index.html
West Side Story Tellers - Storytellers Guild First Saturday of each month - GLENDALE *NO meetings in July & August http://westsidestorytellers.weebly.com
East Valley Tellers of Tales -Storytellers Guild Second Saturday of each month - SCOTTSDALE - *NO meetings in July & August http://www.evtot.com
Storyfind Fourth Saturday of each month (usually - check calendar) - *NO meetings in June & July
SMCC Storytelling Institute
A monthly workshop designed to help storytellers build community and deepen repertoire. See the Calendar
- National Storytelling Network? You should be.
Storytellers are making decisions all the time. Both conscious decisions when crafting a story, and often unconscious decisions when telling a story, based on the audience reactions, the teller's mood, etc. It's important to make these choices in a conscientious way, but don't agonize over your choices when you tell a story. Whatever you decide for TODAY is OK! You'll have another chance!
