Told #17: Twist of Fate

Prepare for anything to happen on November 9th at 7pm. We’ll meet at Market Garden Brewery in the Harbor/Spirits room, which we will open up at 6pm before the show.

On the eve of a job interview, you set your alarm clock early to beat traffic. How could you have accounted for the nail that lodges in your tire? Then the good Samaritan who stops to help you extends her hand and says her name, which just happens to be the name of the woman interviewing you in twenty minutes. Fate capriciously toys with all, sometimes bailing us out of a jam, sometimes jamming challenges down our throats. Audience members can expect a roller-coaster of near-misses and unexpected hits on Nov 9th at Told #17: Twist of Fate.

Our featured storytellers for Told #17 are KC McKenna, Lee Chilcote, and more to come. As always, we expect to hear many stories from audience members. 

All audience members are welcome (but not required) to prepare a story on the theme and put their names in the bucket for a chance to tell their tales. Stories should be under 6 minutes, true, and have yourself as a central character. Run through your story for a friend, a pet, or a Told staff member for extra practice. Check out our page on storytelling advice for more.  Let us know if you want to toss your name in, though advanced noticed is not required.

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Summer Workshops and Shows

We have several workshops and shows around Cleveland.

June 21, 6pm – 8pm  Neighbor Up University Skill Share   Told will partner with Neighbor Up and the Cleveland Association of Black Storytellers for a workshop covering the basics of storytelling. Location: Neighborhood Connections Office at 5000 Euclid Avenue

June 28, 7pm – 9pm  Transformation with Neighbor Up   Join Neighbor Up members and hear their stories of transformation at Told CLE: Transformation, a live storytelling event. Then volunteer to tell your own. Location: Happy Dog at Euclid Tavern

July 6, 7pm – 9pm  Toldcraft: Finding and Fostering Your Story   In this workshop, participants will engage in brainstorm activities to build story ideas and then workshop their stories in a supportive environment. Storytelling Week will culminate with a storytelling showcase on Saturday, 7/9 from 6-7 pm (participants are encouraged to attend).   Location: Lake Erie Ink, 2843 Washington Blvd., Cleve. Hts.   Register here

July 9, 6pm – 7pm  Storytelling Week Showcase   This open mic event will feature participants from the week’s workshops.   Location: Grog Shop

July 27, 7:30pm   Behind the Music: Cleveland Stories   Music Box is hosting a panel of well-known Cleveland musicians who have spent many years in Cleveland’s Music Scene. They know the ins, the outs, the highs and the lows. They’ll delve into their personal history and experiences with music in Cleveland.  Attendees will hear how these artists got started, what the early years were like, and what it was like to juggle a day job while chasing their dreams of music. Admission is free, but registration is required here.

Told #16: Center Stage

Storytellers will tread the floorboards at Mahall’s with special help from friends of the Beck Center for the Arts on June 8th at 7pm with doors opening at 6pm. 

“All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women are merely storytellers,” or something like that. As players, we find ourselves the center of attention at one time or another–intentionally or not. After moments of hubris, we may realize that the attention we sought only backfired, revealing our weaknesses. During times of humility, the spotlight finds reluctant players from whom the rest of us can learn. Expect calculated, accidental, and cathartic moments in the spotlight at Told #16: Center Stage.

This show is presented in partnership with the Beck Center for the Arts. The show is open to the public, and we’re excited to welcome alumni of Beck Center programs especially. 

Our featured storytellers for Told #16 are Beck Center alumni Rachele Alpine, Nick Castele, and Rachel Spence. As always, we expect to hear many stories from audience members. Dave Sabol will host.

All audience members are welcome (but not required) to prepare a story on the theme and put their names in the bucket for a chance to tell their tales. These true stories should be under 6 minutes and feature yourself as a central character. Run through your story for a friend, a pet, or a Told staff member for extra practice. Check out our page on storytelling advice for more.  Let us know if you want to toss your name in, though advanced noticed is not required.

Hunger: A Storytelling Show

Satisfy your appetite for a good story on April 12th at 7pm. We will gather at Packy Malley’s on Waterloo in Collinwood to support the Greater Cleveland Food Bank.

Everyone has cravings. Whether they are for Girl Scout cookies or a meaningful existence, cravings represent gaps in our hearts, both tiny and huge. The least fortunate find that without basic hunger satisfied, it’s a challenge to work on the big picture, to satisfy existential cravings, to dream big. Stories about every kind of hunger—from an empty stomach to satiating the soul—will be on tap at Hunger: A Storytelling Show.

Our featured storytellers for this show are TBA.

A $10 suggested donation at the door will benefit the Greater Cleveland Food Bank’s Harvest for Hunger campaign.

All audience members are welcome (but not required) to prepare a story on the theme and put their names in the bucket for a chance to tell their tales. Stories should be under 6 minutes, true, and have yourself as a central character. Run through your story for a friend, a pet, or a Told staff member for extra practice. Check out our page on storytelling advice for more. Let us know if you want to toss your name in, though advanced noticed is not required.

ToldCast: Amanda Hicken

Amanda followed her heart through a tragic loss to find her sole mate. Recorded at Told#13 on February 10, 2016 at Market Garden Brewery.

Told #14: Transformation

Step out of your winter cocoon and into spring on March 30th at 7pm for an evening of transformative storytelling. We’ll meet around warm friends and brews at Market Garden Brewery in the Harbor/Spirits room, which we will open up at 6pm before the show.

Many say that every story marks the boundary between two states of mind in the storyteller–the one before the story’s events and the one after. In the most substantial or trivial of moments, our lives make a bend down a path that is changed forever. The birth of your child may have been a three-point turn, while your 4th birthday party was a mere lane-change, forever altering the way you look at clowns. Expect to hear about many moments turning one way or the other at Told #14: Transformation.

Our featured storytellers for Told #14 are Nick Brilla and Paige Boyer . As always, we expect to hear many stories from audience members. Dave Sabol will host.

All audience members are welcome (but not required) to prepare a story on the theme and put their names in the bucket for a chance to tell their tales. Stories should be under 6 minutes, true, and have yourself as a central character. Run through your story for a friend, a pet, or a Told staff member for extra practice. Check out our page on storytelling advice for more.  Let us know if you want to toss your name in, though advanced noticed is not required.

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ToldCast: Ellie

Ellie – I Can’t Get It Nearer to Me

This story from Ellie is produced by Jeffrey Miller. Ellie explores early memories of a lost sibling and tries to understand what place he holds in her life now and since.

2015 in Review

Happy New Year from Told! As people take a moment to reflect on the past year and plan for the next, we’d like to think that your highs and lows have and will be defined by inspiring, funny, and human stories. Hopefully you have benefitted from hearing a good tale at a Told event or on the podcast–or maybe you have benefitted from telling one!

Over 60 stories have been shared at live Told events in 2015, and about 24 have been shared over the podcast. Check out a special Best of 2015 podcast episode we posted that features some of our favorite stories from the year. If you haven’t yet, give us a review in the iTunes store–this helps tremendously with visibility.

In 2016, Told will see some exciting changes. Jill Grunenwald has been a Told storyteller both as a feature and audience volunteer. In 2016, she will come aboard as a co-producer of live events. She and Dave will alternate hosting and curating duties for all live events. They will also both curate the podcast. In addition to telling stories at Told, Keep Talking, and Story Club Cleveland, Jill is a blogger and podcaster in her own right. Jill is developing her podcast, Running with Police Escort, into a book to be published by Skyhorse Publishing in 2017.

We will continue with our live events this year, starting with Told #13 on February 10 at Market Garden Brewery. Info on the theme and featured storytellers will roll out soon. Check the Cleveland storytelling calendar for tentative dates on all our 2016 shows as well as dates for all the storytelling shows in the area.

If your organization would like to partner with Told for a special event, let us know! We have had great success hosting events in many capacities, and our format is highly customizable to your needs.

As always, we want to help you tell your story. If you have a story to tell, contact us to help you craft your story and then get it out in our live shows or podcast.

Thanks! Resolve to create some inspiring stories in 2016!

Told#12: Migration

Told will wander east once again and settle at MOCA for its 12^th evening of storytelling on Thursday, December 10 at 7:30pm. Inspired by the work of Korean-born artist Do Ho Suh, currently on view at MOCA, Told #12 uses Suh’s consideration of home, immigration, and identity as a springboard for storytelling. Doors will open at 6pm before the show.

We are constantly in motion, often looking for a better life, a better job, a better house, or even a better cup of coffee. Searching my take us to new places physically, mentally, or spiritually, but each quest shares common themes—like motion, transition, or home. Did you move for freedom? Do you wander in search of love, education, or equality? For journeys that take place on a whim or by force, out of joy or fear, in a physical sense or an emotional one, we offer Told #12: Migration.

Our featured storytellers will be announced soon. However, all audience members are invited (but not required) to prepare a story on the theme and submit their name in a bucket for a chance to tell their tale. Stories should be under 6 minutes, true, and have you as the central character. To prepare, practice your story with a friend, a pet, or a Told staff member for extra polish. Check out this page for storytelling advice, or attend our storytelling workshop one week prior to the event. Send an email to toldcleveland@gmail.com if you would like to toss your name in the bucket, though advanced notice is not required.

Cost: $9.50 (includes museum admission), free for members and December 3 Told Workshop participants

Told#11: Disaster

We haven’t had a show crash and burn yet, but we may be tempting fate with Told#11 on Thursday, October 15 at 7pm. We will return to Market Garden Brewery and head down to the Ohio City Room, which we will open up at 6 before the show.

Catastrophes hold a bizarre spot in our culture these days, thanks to a 24-hour news cycle and nearly unlimited access to reporting across multiple media. What has remained the same for millennia is that everyone faces a little adversity every now and again. Usually the story lies in how we overcome (or don’t overcome) the struggle. That birthday party for your toddler resembled a tornado scene. The job interview was going great, until…. Your cross country road trip has hit every possible worst case scenario–by mile 100. Come hear about the best laid plans from the storytellers at Told#11: Disaster.

Our featured storytellers for Told#11 are Dana Norris and Joe Toner. As always, we expect to hear many stories from audience volunteers.

All audience members are welcome (but not required) to prepare a story on the theme and put their names in the bucket for a chance to tell their tales. Stories should be under 6 minutes, true, and have yourself as the central character. Run through your story for a friend, a pet, or a Told staff member for extra practice. Check out our page on storytelling advice for more. Let us know if you want to toss your name in, though advanced noticed is not required.

Tickets will not be required for this event. 

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