Here at Tales & Chronicles the plan is to promote and facilitate both. People telling factual accounts of true life adventures and events. Chronicles. People telling stories of true life adventures with plenty of embellishments and hyperbole that still may contain a kernel of truth. Tales.
The overriding idea is that these stories have a beginning, middle and end. They are told as if they had never been written down so that the story is fresh each time, so it can change with each new telling and in the context of each new audience. So maybe don't write them down. Or do but don't let us know.
Step one is to organize some Storytelling Open Mics. Anyone with a story to tell can show up early and sign up for up to 7 minutes to tell one story.
To participate or to be in the audience sign up for the email list or in the facebook group to be notified when and where they will be held.
One way or another I have been telling stories in front of an audience since the day in 1972 that I first auditioned to be in a high school play. For years I was what they call a "Theater Rat". Involved with one production after another. Then a little radio, TV, improv and a Comedy Hypnosis Show of my own. In 2014 I helped host an open mic for poets, musicians and performance artists. To warm up the audience I would tell a simple story. Nothing grand, just about a thing that happened or something that occurred to me. Since that mic ended in 2015 I have been trying to show up to at least one Comedy One Mic a week and put in my 5 minutes. Don't get me wrong, well executed stand up comedy can reveal some serious truths. It's fun but on the open mic end of that art from it's a bit harsh and narrowly focused for the kinds of things I want to say and the stories I want to hear. The big time comics do whole stage shows, movies and plays. Dramas too, not just comedy for 20 and 30 somethings on a night out clubbing.
I started looking into the oral traditions of storytelling. Verbatim recounting of all human knowledge was passed down this way for millennia. A number of myths and legends developed by way of succeeding generations telling the same stories they were told with subtle changes here and there. I don't know if it developed in this way but the story of excalibur probably started with a simpler more probable events. One kind of oral storytelling that is a favorite of mine is the tall tale. I have an idea that The first time the story of Paul Bunyan was told he was only half as tall and it only took 2 storks to deliver him home as a newborn. Some 21st century historians doubt that William Tell ever existed. Not cool.
These days for storytelling; the go to podcast and radio show is called The Moth. If you are lucky you can see the stories told live in front of big welcoming audiences. There are other storytelling podcasts that record live and\or have similar objectives. Some of the biggest names in comedy are regulars on The Moth and others. Humor is just a slice of the stories told. Some are tearjerkers, joyful, fascinating glimpses into the real lives of not famous people too.
Brian Parks
P.S. So, those links to sign up to be notified are in the column to the right.
No comments:
Post a Comment