A Storytelling Day

Happily tired tonight.
This has been a storytelling day.
Two sets at a retirement facility this aftenoon and then Jim and I hustled downtown where I was given an Open Mic spot at the Speakeasydc.

To celebrate Mother's Day I told stories for the retirememnt groups that somehow connected with mothers or had a central mother character. I tried out a new story with one group, and made up a new story on the spot for the second group. I think both are keepers and with some more telling and a bit of work will be really good additions to my chest of stories.

I was telling the folktale The Thrifty Tailor as a lead-in for a story about the special dresses my mother made for us when we were growing up. As I told it I kept thinking about my Uncle Dunc. I need a story about him for a program later this month. So, I told the audience I was going to try something new and out it came. It was real front porch telling. Once I started the memories rolled out and the story took a few unexpected turns. Once I have it worked out I will share it with you.

For Speakeasy I revised a personal story with some tweaks that gave it a new life. And cut a fifteen minute story to 7 minutes in the bargain. That was a challenge and I am happy with the way it worked out. Now I have two viable options for the same story.

Storyteller and coach Doug Lipman has been talking lately on his website and in his workshop offerings about the value of paring long stories to short and shorter versions. So, I had been thinking about it. That ruminating made it easier when push came to shove and I had to do it with the one story I have that fit the theme for tonight.