Odyssey Storytelling in Tucson - You Don’t Know Me Thursday, February 1st - 7:00 pm
Curator: Jess Kapp
The Sea of Glass Center for the Arts
330 E. 7th Street
Tickets at the door. $10 Adults, $7 Students. Doors at 6:30.
You Don't Know Me
What we do for a living. Our hobbies. The clothes we like to wear and the foods we like to eat. The stories we tell the people around us, and the profiles we create online. What does it really mean to “know” someone? For most of us, there is a spectrum of what we share and who we let in. There are those we tell our deepest secrets to, and those we keep at arm’s length. There are things we reveal to the masses, and things we save for ourselves. And sometimes what we think we know about others, and even ourselves, is just what we want to believe.
Tucson Tellers of Tales - Guild Meeting Saturday, February 3rd - 9:30 am - 11:30 am
Tellers of Tales in Tucson
Unscrewed Theater, 3244 E Speedway.
Join this vibrant group of tellers for great stories, training and community involvement!
This Month: A Workshop by Storytelling Workshop by Ethel Lee-Miller: S.P.E.A.K.
Do you have a fantastic story to tell but feel like it’s less than sparkling in the actual telling? S.P.E.A.K. unfolds 5 components for successful storytelling- each one related to a visual, verbal, physical, and mental aspect of storytelling, or any presentation. An interactive program sharing practical ideas for your story, keynote, presentation, or reading.
S - THE story and how YOU SPEAK.
P - POSTURE. Does your body language "say" what you want it to say? Eye contact is vital in Western society. Where are your eyes? Use notes and "cheat sheets" effectively.
E - Make the ENVIRONMENT work for you. Know the room- Large room, large gestures and vice versa. What's the seating? Who introduces you? Who handles the technology- mic, lights, temperature control?
A - ATTITUDE. This is my favorite. Banish fear with Fear Fighters. Make your presentation positive, professional, pleasant, purposeful. Know that you know your stuff. Enjoy!
PostSecret: The Show Tuesday - February 6th - 7:30 Piper Repertory Theatre Mesa Arts Center
Tickets - $46
This looks interesting!
PostSecret: The Show* is an immersive, poignant journey through the humor and humanity of personal stories we keep to ourselves, and on rare occasions, share with others. Images, videos, three actors and a guitarist guide the audience through crowd-sourced narratives revealing true stories behind secrets. See the secrets that brought hundreds of millions to the Post Secret blog, which became six best-selling books.
With the bravery of RENT and the surprising honesty of The Vagina Monologues, PostSecret: The Show is a breakthrough in audience sourced storytelling that reaches beyond the confines of the stage, reminding audiences that secrets can be both walls and bridges.
*This presentation may contain adult language not necessarily suitable for all ages.
Playback Theatre February 7th at 7:30PM McMillin Theater Theatre Works Peoria Center for the Performing Arts
10580 N. 83rd Drive
Peoria, AZ 85345
I HIGHLY RECCOMEND this marvelous troup.
I will be there!
You are in for a treat!
A night of participatory theatre and storytelling!
Playback Theatre is an interactive theatre performance in which audience members tell stories from their lives and then watch them be brought to artistic life through music, movement, and theatre. Together, audiences and performers reflect the diversity of human experience and celebrate our common humanity. Please join us for an evening of theatre and storytelling!
General Admission Tickets $10 (includes a $2 ticket fee)
For ADA seating please call the Box Office at (623)815-7930.
AZ Storytellers Project - Romance - or Not Thursday - February 8th - TWO SHOWS Early 6:30 pm
Late 8:30 pm Changing Hannds Phoenix
Dating in the digital age can be exhausting, exhilarating and downright crazy. Join The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com as we explore stories about dating apps, true love and everything in between.
Featured tellers:
Omotayo Talabi
Raquel Gonzales
Manuel McCormack
More TBA
Become a subscriber: All Arizona Republic and azcentral subscribers receive a complimentary, gourmet brownie from Fairytale Brownies at check-in. Click here to learn about other great subscriber perks.
Accessibility Note: If you require ASL Interpretation Services for this event or a future Storytellers event, or if you require accommodations related to mobility or seating, contact info@storytellersproject.com.
Stories on the Outskirts of Ableism: A Storytelling Workshop on Giving Voice to Disability Friday - February 23 - 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm Rio Salado College
FREE - LIMITED TO 60 PARTICIPANTS
Dont Miss This! - Kevin is AMAZING!
Walking a mile in anyone else’s shoes is easier said than done, especially if it is an ill fit or in any way involves sequined stilettos—and snow. Any difficulty with understanding, communication, and empathy is further compounded by the divide of disability. Those who are “temporarily able-bodied” and those who are not have very different perspectives. Storytelling, however, can help mitigate that experiential alienation. Towards that end, this workshop will deploy “tried and true” storytelling techniques—but with an emphasis on disability as source material. When telling a personal story, how do we recall the details hidden in our past? There will be an app for that.
Other components of the toolkit include creating imagery, working with humor, crafting dialogue, and such other elements that transform an experience into a story as "the invitation," where storytellers develop trust and enter into a conversation with their audiences. Professional Storyteller Kevin Kling will break down and analyze some of his own stories and then work with enrollees’ personal stories.
The first two hours of the workshop will be lecture/group exercise-based. The third hour will culminate in a showcase of selected participants’ works. (A videotape of personal “stories in progress” for enrollees who want to tell their stories will need to be sent to: keith.anderson@mesacc.edu by noon on February 16 for approval and selection. The stories should be between five and ten minutes long.) Enrollment will be limited to 60, divided equally between faculty, staff, students, and community members.
East Valley Tellers of Tales Saturday, Febrary 10th ~ 10am - Noon Join us to celebrate storytelling successes.
East Valley Tellers of Tales is a Phoenix area guild of Storytellers and Storylisteners. A truly safe place to share your story! We are an affiliate of the National Storytelling Network. Come and find out what this means, and how it benefits you!
East Valley Tellers of Tales is a group that provides a safe place to hear and tell stories, to learn about stories and storytelling, and enjoy fellowship with others. We support the personal and professional development of members, preserve and promote storytelling, and provide information about storytelling opportunities and events.
Each month, our goal is to tell stories, listen to stories and celebrate. Join us!
Lunch Note: After the meeting, many of us gather for lunch. We invite all attendees to join us at Randy's Restaurant, NW Corner of Hayden & Chapparal in the Safeway Center.
Kevin Kling in a Free Concert Friday - February 23rd - 7:00 pm - 8:15 PM FREE
Red Mountain Campus - RAP Center
7110 E McKellips Rd, Mesa, AZ 85215
Kevin is one of the funniest storytellers I know. His skill at crafting language is unparalleled! You will laugh, you will cry, you will enjoy. DON'T MISS HIM!
Kevin Kling is a well-known playwright and storyteller, and his commentaries can be heard on NPR’s All Things Considered. His plays and adaptations have been performed around the world. He lives in Minneapolis.
Kevin Kling, best known for his popular commentaries on National Public Radio’s All Things Considered and his storytelling stage shows like Tales from the Charred Underbelly of the Yule Log, delivers hilarious, often tender stories. Kling’s autobiographical tales are as enchanting as they are true to life: hopping freight trains, getting hit by lightning, performing his banned play in Czechoslovakia, growing up in Minnesota, and eating things before knowing what they are.
Kevin was born with a congenital birth defect — his left arm is about three-quarters the size of his right arm, and his left hand has no wrist or thumb In 2001 Kevin was in a motorcycle accident and suffered brachial plexus injury (BPI). The brachial plexus nerves in his right arm were pulled completely out of their sockets. Currently, he has partial use of his left arm and cannot use his right arm at all.
How DO the Pros Do It? Want to learn how the PROS do it? How do they craft their stories? How to they get their gigs? How long did it take them to be a real "Pro"? Want the answers to these...and more questions? Here's a tip:
Just ask them! And here's a great way to do that:
Some of you may remember the NSN Storytelling Conference that was held here in the Valley a few years ago. I had made arrangements with many of the local tellers to pick up the Presenters/Tellers at the airport and shuttle them to the hotel in Mesa. The ride was about 30 minutes. What a great time (with a captive audience) to ask the questions you really wanted to know! Now, what do you do if you don't have someone like me to organize that kind of thing? DO IT YOURSELF!
Got a seasoned performer coming to your town? Contact the organizer and offer your services as that performer's "chauffeur/concierge". Tell them you want to shuttle them from the airport, to and from the hotel to the venue, or anywhere else they may need to go. Make it your role to be their "guide" and confident while in town.
OR... contact the teller yourself! Several years ago, I read that Donna Washington was coming to town to do a series for the Mesa School District. I had never actually met her, but she was the first professional storyteller I had seen when she had visited and performed at South Mountain College some years earlier. I immediately sent her an e-mail (several) and said I wanted to meet her and take her to dinner while she was here. We had the best time (she is as giving as she is funny). I learned a lot during those few hours we spent together. And now, we are also good friends!
Make yourself available to a seasoned Teller. They will love it!
Most tellers I have met and come to know are the warmest and most generous people in the world. Look at my "Experts" page HERE. These are all people I approached at conferences or festivals and merely "asked" if I could get a video of them speaking about storytelling. To date, NO ONE has ever refused me!
Put yourself out there. Sow some storytelling seeds. You will be surprised at what you will reap!
Laura Packer - Coach...and More Laura Packer recently wrote a blog about Personal Stories in the Workplace. (Note: Highlighting is mine for emphasis.)
When I conduct storytelling trainings in organizations, I often encounter initial resistance to the idea that sharing a personal story is valid. I may ask participants to share a time when their work had a positive impact, something they are proud of.
For instance, I recently worked with a team in the biomedical industry. I broke them into small groups and asked them to tell a story that illustrated why their work was important to them. One woman was adamant that the only personally meaningful part of her work was the paycheck. She did her job because she was paid to do it. This is, of course, a valid reason, so I encouraged her to talk about some specific ways her paycheck mattered and why she was willing to do work she didn't seem to find meaningful. Many of us face this exact same dilemma every single day, so I think it's a useful thing to consider, and may give us more reason to do the work well when we remember why we do it and who we do it for...
This is a great example of great coaching. Laura didn't push back with the client and push to get her to "try harder". She entered into her reality, joined her there and encouraged her to move forward. Brilliant! And I told her so in a comment.
Mark GoldmanI just want to say that there are two (at least) parts to your brilliance. First, you accepted her position that the work only mattered for a paycheck, rather than dismissing it and attempting to force her into something she wasn't willing to look at. Then, you merely asked her to follow HER OWN thread of the paycheck and what it meant...which brought her back to her feelings. This is the sign of a brilliant coach, who trusts the process and follows the client, and merely asks questions that lead them to THEIR ANSWERS. - #Facilitators, #Coaches, #Teachers, #Leaders - TAKE NOTE!
GCC Students: Tell me a story about something you did at work, at school, or anywhere that you are proud of. Write at least two paragraphs in a word document and e-mail it to me before 2 pm tomorrow, Tuesday, Jan 30. Possible total of 10 extra credit points.
------------------------------------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
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.
NSN National Storytelling Summit
Thursday, February 1st - 7:00 pm
Saturday, February 3rd - 9:30 am - 11:30 am
Tuesday - February 6th - 7:30
February 7th at 7:30PM 
Thursday - February 8th - TWO SHOWS
Rio Salado College
Saturday, Febrary 10th ~ 10am - Noon
Friday - February 23rd - 7:00 pm - 8:15 PM 
Want to learn how the PROS do it? How do they craft their stories? How to they get their gigs? How long did it take them to be a real "Pro"? Want the answers to these...and more questions? Here's a tip:
Laura Packer recently wrote a blog about Personal Stories in the Workplace. (Note: Highlighting is mine for emphasis.)
