Missed our LIVE Black Stories Matter storytelling show and regretting it? (As you should!) Well, the good news is, we recorded it. The bad news is, you only ave until July 31 to purchase a viewing ticket to watch the recording. DON’T MISS IT AGAIN!
Join host Nick Baskerville and storytellers Sheila Arnold, Calvin S. Cato, Angie Chatman, Jacoby Cochran, Geoff Jackson, Lynne Jordan, Ria Spencer, and Donna Washington for a night of stories about living Black in America.
Our July 25, 2020 “Come As You Are” live, online storytelling show is hosted by Anna Marie Trester and storytellers Vicki Lynn Bryan, Tim Ereneta, Chetter Galloway, Bonnie Gardner, Rona Leventhal, Howard Lieberman, and Erin O’Neil.
Proceeds will be divided between the storytellers.
Be sure to join Better Said Than Done on Friday, July 10th at 9 P.M. Eastern Time for Black Stories Matter. Show host and director Nick Baskerville is leading a diverse, talented, and powerful cast of storytellers who will give voice to their experiences of what it means to live Black in our country today. Buy your tickets now.
Their stories will make you laugh, make you cry, or both. Their stories will open your eyes, or make you feel heard. Their stories will move you and the show will entertain.
As Nick himself put it, “every storytelling show is a chance to give the storyteller and the story listener a chance to experience a slice of life from a different perspective. At the moment the nation is willing to listen to what people say. I wanted to help facilitate a place that took advantage of that space in a useful way.”
The outstanding cast for this show consists of Sheila Arnold, Calvin S. Cato, Angie Chatman, Jacoby Cochran, Geoff Jackson, Lynne Jordan, Ria Spencer, and Donna Washington. Each will bring their unique talents and perspectives to the evening, weaving together a tapestry of true-life tales.
All proceeds from the show benefit Black Lives Matter DC. The suggested contribution is $25, with a minimum contribution of $5. For those that are in a position to be more generous, there are options to do so.
Tickets and additional information on the show, including bios of the tellers, are right here. Please join us for what promises to be an incredible and impactful night of stories.
Our July 16, 2020 “Come As You Are” live, online storytelling show is hosted by Diana Veiga, with storytellers Catherine Calvin, Rachael Harrington, Desarray Tamar Joachim, Len Kruger, Kurt Mullen, and Kristin Pedemonti.
All proceeds will be divided between the storytellers.
The smash hit musical Hamilton poses a singular and poignant question: who lives, who dies, who tells your story? In other words, how will history see you? At Better Said Than Done, we take the initiative and tell our own stories, today. And that’s just what we’ll be doing this coming Saturday, June 27th. Get your tickets here!
This time around, we’ve gathered a mix of old friends and new to bring you stories of many types, from all around the country. Take a look at the stellar line-up that will grace our online stage!
Alton Chung shares stories and legends from Hawaii, Asian folk tales, and stories of the Japanese American Experience of WWII. Internationally, he has performed at the Congress of Asian Storytellers in Singapore, the International Gimme Story Storytelling Festival in the Cayman Islands, and venues in India, China, and Okinawa. His domestic appearances include the Talk Story Festival, the Bay Area Storytelling Festival, the Four Corners Storytelling Festival, the Oklahoma City Storytelling Festival, and the National Storytelling Festival as a New Voice Teller.
The primary author of the 2020 Virginia Democratic Party’s Resolution Declaring Racism a Public Health Crisis, Delegate Arthuretta Holmes-Martin has been an advocate for Human and Civil Rights for over 30 years. She is a professional speaker and storyteller who shares the power of personal narratives to heal, transform, and empower the listener. As a teaching artist, she presents the power of stories in public speaking to community, educational and corporate audiences.
David Lawson recently appeared on Comedy Central Originals (sketch “The Rage Restaurant”) and has been a guest on the popular storytelling shows Kevin Allison’s RISK!, Mortified, and Mara Wilson’s What Are You Afraid Of? For over six years he’s hosted The Astoria Bookshop Storytelling Show which has been featured in the New York Times.
Erin Benbennick’s storytelling experience ranges from folk tales around the campfire to performance improvement tales around the board room table. She has performed at several Better Said Than Done shows, as well as local and international story swaps – but she treasures her Grandma bedtime storytelling gigs above all the rest.
Called a “natural raconteur” by the Washington Post, Jamie Brickhouse is the author of Dangerous When Wet: A Memoir of Booze, Sex, and My Mother. He’s appeared on PBS’ Stories from the Stage, The Moth Podcast, Risk! Podcast, Story Collider Podcast, is a 4-time Moth StorySLAM champ and a National Storytelling Network Grand Slam champion, and has recorded voice-overs on Beavis and Butthead. A fixture on the New York City storytelling scene, he’s been on storytelling stages (live and virtual) across the globe.
Miriam Nadel is an aerospace engineer, craftswoman, blogger, and traveler. She has told stories at venues ranging from a Hollywood art gallery to the Washington Folk Festival. She is also the Virginia State Liaison for the National Storytelling Network and on the board of Voices in the Glen.
Sarah Snyder has worn many hats: newspaper columnist and reporter, writing instructor, communications manager and consultant, blogger, and author. Through the telling of her own experiences, she inspires others to examine what it means to live a meaningful life. Her memoir, Plant Trees, Carry Sheep: A Woman’s Spiritual Journey Among the Sufis of Scotland, was published in 2019. Her latest book, The Value of Your Soul: Rumi Verse for Life’s Annoying Moments, comes out in September. The 4th edition of her travel guide to her home state, Scenic Driving Montana, will be published in 2021. Sarah lives in Northern Virginia.
Sharon Price Singer is newish to the storytelling stage, as she needed an audience after repeating the same stories to friends and families too many times. Sharon is originally from New York City, spent 15 years in DC, and now lives in Reston, VA with her husband and three dogs: Rosie, Shlomo, and Babka. Her career has been working on ending homelessness and providing safe, affordable housing for households in need.
Hosting this time around is yours truly, Jack Scheer. The fabulous Nick Baskerville will be riding shotgun, keeping the tech side of things under control. The show starts at 9 P.M. EDT.
As ever, our Come As You Are shows are pay-what-you-can, with a suggested contribution of $15 per person (our standard “at the door” ticket price), with a minimum contribution of $5. Proceeds are shared among the performers and Better Said Than Done.
Ticket sales close at 7:00 P.M. EDT on the day of the show. Grab ’em now!
(And if you missed our June 12th show, you have until June 28th to check out the Video Viewing Party recording of that night. I was honored to be a part of this show. It was a truly special night of tales, heart, and connection. Give it a look – you won’t be sorry.)
Better Said Than Done’s Come As You Are online storytelling series keeps rolling along, bringing tellers from around the USA to our wonderful community via the power of the internet. The next one is Thursday, June 18th! Register here!
Most of the cast for Thursday’s show will be telling under the Better Said Than Done banner for the first time. Let’s take a moment and get to know them!
Natalie Amini is a DC area native and the DC Regional Producer for The Moth. When she is not helping DC area locals find their stories on stage, she works as a Housing Counselor in Adams Morgan, helping DC locals buy affordable homes in the District. She loves the incredibly supportive nature of storytelling audiences and the community as a whole. She believes that everyone has a story, and is passionate about creating diverse and inclusive spaces with in the storytelling world.
Calvin S. Cato has performed all across the United States and has even crossed the border into Canada. His television appearances include the Game Show Network, Netflix, Oxygen’s My Crazy Love, National Geographic’s Brain Games, and an unaired pilot for Vice Media called Emergency Black Meeting. In addition, you may have heard him overshare on many podcasts including Keith and The Girl, The Beige Philip Show, RISK!, and Tinder Tales. In 2017, Calvin was named one of Time Out New York’s Queer Comics of Color to Watch Out For. Calvin will be one of the featured storytellers joining us on July 10 for our Black Stories Matter benefit show.
Vara Cooper is a storyteller, writing coach, and narrative consultant. She’s a Moth Story Slam champion and winner of the 2017 National Story Slam at the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, Tennessee. She has been featured on WGBH’s Stories from the Stage, the Risk! podcast, and stages across the country. Vara is a native New Yorker who has traveled through thirteen countries and 49 states, but has never been to the Grand Canyon or the top of the Empire State Building. Her favorite color is green. Now that dating is canceled, her hobbies include knitting, staring into space, and planking. She is owned by two Basset hounds.
Fourth-generation Affrilachian storyteller Lyn Ford is a teaching artist with the Ohio Alliance for Arts Education, a Thurber House mentor to young writers, and a great-grandma. She has provided stories in diverse venues: centers for education, correctional facilities, libraries, conferences, and storytelling conferences and festivals in the United States, Australia and Ireland. The recipient of two National Storytelling Network’s Oracle Awards, she’s also an author with two books and numerous articles to her credit, and was the first storyteller to be nominated for an Ohio Governor’s Award for the Arts.
Rhonda Hansome is an Outstanding Comedian BackStage Bistro Award winner and has appeared on TV shows including Saturday Night Live, Stand-Up Spotlight, and Showtime at the Apollo. She’s also been the opening act for Anita Baker, Diana Ross & Aretha Franklin to name a few. She developed her “provocative sense of foolery” at storied New York venues Catch A Rising Star and The Improv. You can catch her Monday nights at 11 P.M. on John Fugelsang’s SiriusXM Progress show, Tell Me Everything.
Stephanie Rogers produces a storytelling and music show in Chicago called Story Jam, which combines storytelling with original songs written for each story, played by a 10-piece band. Stephanie is mainly a musician and bandleader, and she has been an actress, a server, a tennis coach, a rocker, and a preschool teacher. She was in a funk band in the 90s called Hipbone, hence her website: hipchick.com.
Paul Strickland’s heartfelt and hilarious tall-tales and songs have been performed in virtually every imaginable environment, from Off-Broadway to elementary and middle schools, corporate events and even two prisons – where he was NOT an inmate at the time. His collections of stories have won “Best of Fest” honors 13 Times at Fringe Theatre Festivals all over the U.S. and Canada. Paul was an Exchange Place Teller at the National Storytelling Festival in 2018, and set to be a Featured Teller at the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival in 2020.
Our fearless leader, Jessica Robinson, will be your host for the evening. And yours truly, Jack Scheer, will be the man behind the curtain pulling all those Zoom levers. The festivities kick off at 9 P.M. EDT.
The Come As You Are shows are pay-what-you-can. The suggested contribution is our standard “at the door” ticket price – $15 per person – with a minimum contribution of $5. All proceeds are shared among the performers and Better Said Than Done.
Ticket sales close at 7:00 P.M. EDT on the day of the show. Get yours now!
Better Said Than Done remains committed to offering the option of watching our shows from the comfort of home. Our Come As You Are series has been a wonderful way to connect in this time of social distancing, and we’re eager to connect with you on Friday, June 12th! Register here, now!
These online shows have been a boon, in that they have given us the ability to welcome storytellers from all over the United States to our stage, as well as people making their virtual debut with us. This time around we’ve got six folks as first timers and/or from far away.
Adam Booth continues our run of storytellers from West Virginia, coming to us from Shepardstown. Adam’s original stories blend traditional mountain folklore, music, and an awareness of contemporary Appalachia. A nationally touring artist, his professional telling appearances include premiere storytelling events across the United States, including the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival, the International Storytelling Center, and the National Storytelling Festival. He is a member of the Recording Academy (GRAMMYs) and his recordings have received many national awards and recognitions.
Misty Mator captivates with timeless tales that teach history, celebrate culture, inspire creativity and promote moral values, often as her character “Starla the Storyteller” or her other character: herself! She has been performing at schools, libraries, and festivals for the better part of a decade. A member of the TELL: Pittsburgh Storytelling Series production team and co-chair for the StoryShare storytelling guild, Misty draws on her study of traditional myths and her experience as a mother-of-four to educate, encourage, and entertain.
Carol Moore is a storyteller and public speaking coach who considers it a pleasure to connect and entertain through stories. Performing throughout the DMV, she’s worked with TedxTysons, received the title of Moth StorySLAM Champion, and is a member of both Toastmasters International and the National Communication Association. When Carol is not working, she’s likely creating dance videos or curled up on her couch in a fuzzy robe watching Marvel movies.
Laura Packer, coming to us from just west of Minneapolis, knows that the best way to the truth is through a good story. Whether folktale or true, epic or flash, her stories captivate, enlighten, and amuse audiences. She is the author of From Audience to Zeal: The ABCs of Finding, Crafting, and Telling a Great Story, and has won multiple awards for her performance, coaching, and leadership. Laura has published, told, taught, ranted, raved, consulted and considered storytelling around the world.
Rick Roberts retired from various careers three years ago, and fortunately, he immediately found storytelling, which has become a favorite thing. He lives in Northern California with his second wife, Renee, and their terrier, Benny. Rick’s first wife is Renee as well, (the same one). He left home at 16 for the Haight Ashbury, and a gold mining claim far up in the Big Sur mountains. In other words, he’s got a lot of material for his stories.
Anna Marie Trester is no stranger to Better Said Than Done, but nowadays she does her thing out in Tucson, AZ. She is a linguist, story researcher, and co-founder of PIER Consulting Group, a boutique communications consultancy that uses Narrative Inquiry to help organizations build more inclusive cultures through story listening. She is the author of Bringing Linguistics to Work and is currently finishing Employing Linguistics, due out at the end of 2020. She is delighted to be back on our stage, where she was a regular from 2012-2016.
Our fearless leader, Jessica Robinson, and yours truly, Jack Scheer, round out the show. Our host with the most for the evening is Nick Baskerville. The fun begins at 9 P.M. EDT.
The Come As You Are shows are pay-what-you-can. The suggested contribution is our standard “at the door” ticket price – $15 per person – with a minimum contribution of $5. All proceeds are shared among the performers and Better Said Than Done.
Ticket sales close at 7:00 P.M. EDT on the day of the show. Get yours now!
Better Said Than Done’s latest virtual show on Thursday, May 21st was our biggest one yet! And we’re gonna keep the momentum going with our next show on Saturday, May 30th!
The virtual nature of our Come As You Are series has allowed us to break the constraints of the physical world, giving us the chance to welcome storytellers from all around the country to our online stage. This show we continue that streak with folks Zooming in from various locales throughout the U.S.A. Grab those virtual seats now!
Kim Weitkamp, coming to us from the great state of Ohio, has been described as a “pleasingly quirky mix of Garrison Keillor, Carol Burnett, and Martina McBride.” In her work as a humorist, storyteller, singer, and songwriter, she has taken home an armload of awards. She has performed at major theaters throughout the U.S. and Canada. For the last five years she has toured the country as one-third of the successful comedy group The Uncalled For Trio, featuring two tellers from our last show (available to stream now), Bil Lepp and Andy Offutt Irwin.
Simon Brooks will be telling his story from, as he puts it, “New London, New Hampshire, New England, New World.” An award-winning British storyteller, he has been entrancing audiences for over 15 years with tales that combine the intensity of solo performance with the intimacy of face-to-face conversations. Simon has performed at hundreds of schools, colleges, libraries, and festivals including the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, TN and the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival in Utah.
Rachel Ann Harding will join us from Boulder, CO. A storyteller and musician who is passionate about finding and telling the most beautiful folk, myth, and traditional tales, Rachel Ann weaves story and song together to create unique and entertaining tales that display the intrinsic power of storytelling. She believes that fairytales are not just for children and has mesmerized audiences with old tales woven into new adventures.
Ingrid Nixon wins the prize for our furthest teller yet – coming all the way from the wilds of Southeast Alaska! She’s a world-traveling storyteller whose creative approaches to story crafting help make ancient tales relevant to modern audiences. Exploration nail-biters, tall tales (dare I say “lies!”), traditional and personal stories, all told on international expeditions and at venues around the country, including the National Storytelling Festival.
These far-flung heavy hitters will be joined by a stellar line-up of hometown heroes – Jeri Mae Rowley, Barbara Fornoff, Alison Hughes, and our fearless leader, Jessica Robinson. The whole shebang will be hosted by yours truly, Jack Scheer.
The Come As You Are shows are pay-what-you-can. The suggested contribution is our usual “in real life” ticket price – $15 per person – with a minimum contribution of $5. All proceeds are shared between the show’s performers and Better Said Than Done.
Be sure to get your tickets as soon as possible. Ticket sales close at 5:00 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time on the day of the show or when we sell out, whichever comes first. Grab those virtual seats now!
Better Said Than Done’s online shows have been smash hits, and we’re not slowing down anytime soon! Our next lineup of fantastic storytellers is set to stream out to our beloved community on Thursday, May 21st at 8:00 P.M. Eastern Time.
This go-round we’re bringing in some renowned ‘tellers from all around the country, including one who’s gracing our stage (albeit virtually) for the first time!
Bil Lepp will be joining us from his home in Charleston, WV. We’re thrilled to welcome this storied tall tale teller. A five-time winner of the West Virginia Liars Contest, the Charleston Gazette has called Bil “a cross between Dr. Seuss and…film noir….”
Coming to our cyber stage from Covington, GA, Andy Offutt Irwin joins us for a return engagement. Among many accolades he’s earned for his storytelling, Andy is the recipient of a Special Congressional Recognition – For outstanding and invaluable service to the community – from Representative John Lewis.
Beaming in from their home in Portland, OR, will be Anne Rutherford and Norm Brecke. Anne’s accomplishments include the 2015 Storytelling World Award for Recording for her CD, The Habit of Joy, and she’s a five-time winner of the Northwest Folklife Festival Liars Contest. Norm augments his engaging storytelling style with music, often accompanying himself on guitar, ukulele, banjo, or mouth harp.
These far-flung performers will be joined by our own group of hometown superstars: Kristin Pedemonti, Diana Veiga, Sandra Hull, and our fearless leader and host for the evening, Jessica Piscitelli Robinson!
The Come As You Are shows are on a pay-what-you-can ticket plan. Contributions of our usual ticket price – $15 per person – are suggested, with a minimum contribution of $5. The proceeds will be shared between the show’s performers and Better Said Than Done.
Ticket sales close at 5:00 P.M. on the day of the show or when we sell out, whichever comes first. Get your tickets ASAP!
Missed our last LIVE storytelling show or can’t make it to the next one? You do not have to fear missing out anymore! We have a solution.
Starting with our April 25, 2020 Storytelling Show – we will now be posting videos of all our LIVE shows approximately one week later, for a video viewing party lasting for 5 days. Video Viewing Parties Here
This gives YOU a chance to see all the shows, even if you couldn’t tune in live, and also gives the storytellers one last chance to make a little money off their performances.
With the videos, as with the live shows, we are charging on a sliding scale. We want as many people as possible to be able to see our shows. However, we are also helping to support our storytellers with the money we raise with the shows and the videos. So, if you can give more than the minimum $5 contribution, please do so.
Currently, the video of our April 25th show with Noa Baum, Alton Chung, Dustin Fisher, Bonnie Gardner, Megan Hicks, Len Kruger, Desarray-Tamar Joachim, and Cyndi Wish will be available to watch until May 14, 2020, at 11:59PM PST.
Details on our Video Viewing Party Here.
On May 15, 2020, we will make the May 8, 2020 Come As You Are Storytelling Show – with storytellers Rachael Harrington, Miriam Nadel, Beth Ohlsson, Mo Reynolds, Jessica Robinson, Antonio Rocha, Margarita Rozenfeld, and Sufian Zhemukhov – available.
Pay what you can, BYOB and come as you are – to our LIVE storytelling shows or our Viewing Parties!
