The Stories
“You said you’ve been coming to these events for a while… Tell us. In a world of screens and increasing distraction, what is the value of storytelling events like Tell Us Something?” The organizers are shooting a quick video to celebrate 15 years of Tell Us Something storytelling, and I’ve elected to participate. I speak from the heart to respond and say something like…
Storytelling unites us. Holding presence for another is priceless. Mirroring and seeing our own reflections in another is important. We are slowly losing the ability to be present and to tell stories, so it’s important to encourage this art in our community.
ADVENTURE ART CLUB | DAY 23 | 9.23
TELL US SOMETHING STORYTELLING EVENT
AT THE DENNISON THEATER
MISSOULA, MT
Tonight you find me at the Dennison Theater on the University of Montana campus in Missoula for an event hosted by the Tell Us Something nonprofit. Tell Us Something offers opportunities for storytellers of all ages and backgrounds to share their experiences with an audience by telling stories live and in person, without notes. They host events like these with a pre-selected theme every few months. Tonight’s theme is “The Pursuit of Happiness”.
I’ve been attending Tell Us Something’s live storytelling events at various venues for years. These intentional evenings they host leave me crying, laughing, and deeply affected. I see slivers of my own experience in every storyteller’s telling, and…isn’t that the whole point of live storytelling? Fostering empathy and connection?
Tonight’s event takes place in the Dennison Theater, a wonderful old theater that still carries a few art deco details here and there. I arrive early (to select a good seat), so early in fact that I choose to take my time walking through campus under the golden trees.
These city trees are my favorite, and I love to see their tiny leaves swishing along the pavement in a light breeze in the evenings. They pool in pockets of pavement or float on the surface of pondwater like pieces of glitter scattered for our enjoyment. Taking a seat to appreciate them more fully, I notice my cicada themed skirt seems to blend with their pattern. I like that.
After writing for a bit, I traipse across the street to join the other attendees for an evening of stories. I love the anticipation of an empty stage with a single microphone in the center…waiting for the magic of making art to begin. I could swim in the inky velvet blue light taking center stage tonight. Finding my seat (a red velvet chair at the end of a row in the center), I take a moment to draw the stage along with the crowd starting to form in seats like mine. In just a few minutes, we’ll all be connected in an experience of active listening.
Tell Us Something evenings start with a series of announcements by Marc Moss, the founder: Housekeeping. What to expect. How many storytellers there are. And More. We learn they’ve been working on their stories for weeks leading up to this event. We discuss how the theme came about and, in this instance, ponder “what is happiness?” and “how can we pursue something if we don’t know what it is?” He explains tonight’s audience participation activity - write down your own short stories on the same theme, and they will read some out on stage after the intermission. Then, just before the first storyteller takes the stage, he leads the audience in one of my very favorite experiences with a room full of strangers…
We take three breaths together, as a group. On the final exhale, we hum together. Ready?
In. Out. In. Out. In… Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm……..
The sound permeates the auditorium, and after, silence descends. Hundreds of voices joined in one instance…connects us all in a simple, profound, and embodied grounding into this place, this time. The audience is one being now, made of separate individuals. I have never experienced this instantly unifying, grounded experience at any other event I’ve attended. It puts us all in a mindset of presence, ready to listen.
The first story features a twist of fate filled with hilarity that makes us all laugh out loud.
The second brings tears to our eyes as a 70 year old woman with a walker speaks of the grief of a lonely life of undiagnosed autism and what it means to finally find love and connection through her chosen family. Her hand flutters to her heart in the telling…her tears raw and relatable.
The third is more difficult still. A woman speaks of her postpartum depression. I take note of one line from her story that conveys the immense value of being truly seen by others. At one of her lowest points, her husband took her hands in his and said to her kindly “You are not okay…”. She sought help after.
The fourth storyteller, a man, inserts humor once again as he shares a story of choosing connection over comfort… which leads to a long car ride in a stretch limo while desperately needing to go to the bathroom.
During the intermission, I notice long lines at the restroom and laugh to myself at that collective physiological response to his story. As I return to my seat for the second half, I toss the paper with my own short story into the collection basket and wonder to myself if the hosts will end up reading it...
I’m shocked and delighted when they do! To address “The Pursuit of Happiness” theme, I wrote a few lines about my mother, stating “she came to this country in pursuit of a better life. Because of her grit, resilience, and courage, I’m able to pursue a life of happiness.” The crowd erupted with applause at that sentiment, and that touched me. I’m ever grateful for the difficult choices she made on her journey…and for the immigrants of all backgrounds who make this country…..anything at all, let alone “great”.
After this portion of the evening, the final three storytellers begin.
The first shares a story of surviving a false alarm bomb threat from North Korea that was announced when his family was in Hawaii in 2018. One insight I take from his story was the question of: what would you regret if it all ended now? What needs to change? His story comes with a fair dose of humor (light and dark as one), but that thought on its own is incredibly sobering.
The next storyteller speaks to a young life of fulfilling expectations in a marriage, only to completely change course and follow a persistent drive toward happiness. Her thoughts kept whispering “this is not enough”, and, in time, she honored them.
The final speaker, an old woman in age, yet bursting with youthful energy, shares a tale of her strong and knowledgeable Aunt and their ill-fated family whitewater trip on the Truckee river which resulted in her receiving seventeen stitches and a “cool haircut”. Her humor is a fun note to end the evening on.
We offer our appreciation with a standing ovation of wholehearted applause at the end. Then, we all wander outside, taking different routes on the now darkened streets to return to our separate homes.
Slowly strolling under lush green maple trees lit by stoic street lamps, I reflect on the symbiosis and reciprocity of storytelling itself. We offer our presence and attention to the speaker. We come together in laughter and tears. In turn, they offer us their art and experiences. We leave events like these remembering one universal truth:
We are all connected.
How wonderful.
Love & Gratitude,
- Christina
