Speak Up: True Stories. Real People.

Back in January, I announced our intention to launch a local storytelling series here in Connecticut, modeled loosely after The Moth, the organization in New York City that hosts the storytelling events in which I compete on a regular basis.

We have made significant progress since January, and I thought I’d share.

First, we have a name:

We also have a Facebook page that you should “like” if you want to receive updates on our upcoming and future events.

Most important, our first event will take place on Saturday, May 4 at 7:00 PM at Real Art Ways in Hartford, CT. There is no admission cost. Real Art Ways will be selling beer, wine and food that evening if you are interested in partaking. 

Please save the date.

We have a lineup of seven fantastic storytellers who will each be telling 5-10 minute stories on the topic of Beginnings. They are Jim Bengiovanni, Ellen Dollar, Rachel Leventhal-Weiner, Okey Ndibe, Plato Karafelis, Kim Damokosh and myself.

My wife and partner in this project, Elysha, will be hosting the event that evening.

We are also looking for some assistance from anyone who is willing to volunteer their time and expertise.

Specifically, we would like to record the stories that night. I have several less-than-sophisticated ways of doing this, but if someone with greater expertise than myself could help us figure out the best way to record these stories on audio, or even better, volunteer to handle the recording that evening, we would be forever grateful.

Also, we’d love to have an official photographer for the evening. A professional or semi-professional if at all possible. If someone would like to volunteer their services, that would be wonderful, too.

More to come as we get closer to the event! We’re hoping for a standing-room-only crowd that night, so if you live in Connecticut, please consider joining us for this inaugural event!