Storytelling

Have you ever gone to a storytelling show? You know, like the Moth. People stand on stage and simply tell a story about something that happened in their life. Except it isn’t simple. Telling a story is a craft. You need all the elements that you need for a written story: beginning, middle and end but on top of that you need to tell it to strangers.

There is something about opening yourself up and being vulnerable that makes live storytelling exciting to perform but as an audience member, it can be so easy to be absorbed into the teller’s story. I began storytelling a few years ago. I’ve always loved acting so this seemed a good way to tap that but not have to commit to as many rehearsals. It helps to have a coach to help you shape the story just like an editor helps cut the chaff in a written story.

I have witnessed nervous tellers who are so lovable in their telling that you forgive their awkwardness. There are those who forget their story and begin to ramble and you pray that they can get back on track. In Austin, I have my favorite tellers who can make me cry and laugh in the same story.

I had the opportunity to coach some high school kids in the Future Farmer’s of America Texas chapter this past Spring. I didn’t know storytelling was a part of what they needed to learn but apparently when they are going through judging, they need to tell their story of how they got where they are today. I honestly didn’t expect the class to end up as fun as it was. I told the students the basics, gave them an example then asked them to tell their stories to the class. These kids blew my mind. I laughed so hard at some of their tales. One was in a goldfish swallowing contest at church and swallowed 24! She was very sick later. Once gave herself a black eye on an inflatable obstacle course in the water and one young lady won a scholarship wrestling a calf. I got thank you notes from each one some following a form letter but others were grateful and gave me feedback on what learning how to tell their story meant to them.

Tonight I am telling a story for Testify Austin. The theme is ghosts. I had a couple ideas but one was so fresh in my mind that I didn’t even feel like I needed to write it down. It isn’t scary but none of my ghost stories are. When I was about nine, I woke up in the middle of the night. I don’t know what made me wake up. As I lay in bed, I heard a man’s voice say, “I love you Nell.” I got up to see if my dad was outside the door but he wasn’t. No one was there. Who could be afraid of that?

Check out storytelling in your town. In Austin I’ve been producing The Austin Storytellers Project. We’ve done three shows so far and have one more to go in November on the 16th, “Holidays or Holidaze?” Go to Facebook if you want to know more about Austin Storytelling. Find the Austin “Bedpost Confessions” podcast. I promise it will keep you entertained for awhile.