Women’s Storytelling Festival: Virtuality

Posted on March 8, 2023 by Jack Scheer

Hey there! We’re back with the latest installment of posts highlighting the outstanding cast of storytellers that make up the cast of the Women’s Storytelling Festival, running March 24th through 26th, in Fairfax, VA and streaming worldwide!

The pandemic forced storytelling to go online, en masse, for the first time in history. But a surprising thing happened – we found there were benefits and advantages to virtual storytelling. So we’ve incorporated that into our tradition, and now it’s part of our festival as well! On March 24th, the festival will kick off with a virtual only showcase. All festival pass ticket holders – whether attending in-person or virtually only, will receive a link to watch the virtual showcase, as part of receiving all the links to watch live or for a one month viewing period after the festival.

This year’s show includes a contingent of tellers who will be joining us virtually from their own home bases, for the virtual showcase. And it’s a great group: Eva Abram, Rachel Ann Harding, Roopa Mohan, Anne Rutherford, and Nancy Wang!

For bios on all this year’s tellers, click here.

This called a question to mind for these tellers…

What’s something you enjoy about telling virtually?

Here’s what they said…

Eva Abram: What I like about virtual telling is that I get to see people from across the country and sometimes the world.

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Rachel Ann Harding: I am thrilled at how many storytellers I have had the pleasure of seeing perform, and perform with, virtually from around the world! Pre-virtual world, it was such a rare treat to hear some of these tellers and it has been a joy and education to hear them a little more frequently. I also enjoy the tea service! At least once or twice during a virtual show my husband will quietly open a door and bring in a cup of tea. It keeps me hydrated and my hands warm.

Roopa Mohan: I like telling virtually… It lets me invite a global audience, especially my family and friends from faraway India! My mom is my biggest cheerleader and am grateful I can share my stories virtually with her, in Chennai.

Anne Rutherford: Telling in sweatpants and slippers, of course!

Nancy Wang: One, no traveling needed! Yay! Two, after performing, I can retire to my bed, or to the kitchen for a snack, or a book I’m reading, or netflix… And three, I get to see and meet people from across the nation and around the world who I might never meet and they get to see my work and enjoy what I do and have to offer for their soul, their minds and hearts – which storytelling provides. I get to fulfill my mission of celebrating diversity to farther corners of the world.

Whether you follow these tellers’ lead and enjoy their stories from the comfort of your own home, or join the in-person audience in Fairfax, you will want to hear them!

Festival details and more here!

Posted in Storytellers, Storytelling, Virtual Events, Womens Storytelling Festival | Tagged anne rutherford, better said than done, city of fairfax, eva abram, fairfax city, nancy wang, online show, Rachel Ann Harding, roopa mohan, shows, story fest, storytellers, storytelling, storytelling show, va, virtual events, women's storytelling festival | Leave a comment

Women’s Storytelling Festival: Learning

Posted on March 5, 2023 by Jack Scheer

Continuing our blog series highlighting the fantastic tellers who will be part of the fourth annual Women’s Storytelling Festival March 24th, 25th, and 26th, both online and IRL in the City of Fairfax!

This time we’re looking at one of the most essential and transformative aspects of storytelling – what we learn from each other. And it’s a most learned group that we’ve polled: Shweta Bhatt, Jenn Kamara, Bowen Lee, Carol Moore, and Cyndi Wish!

Info on all this year’s storytellers is right here.

The question we put to this group was…

What’s something you’ve learned from other women storytellers?

Let’s see how they responded…

Shweta Bhatt: Stories are emotional, experiences are emotional, humanity is emotional. Instead of crafting narratives devoid of feeling and depth, I learned to challenge how to give texture and soul to each story, while holding my emotional responsibility as a teller.

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Jenn Kamara: Mostly being flexible and unafraid. Also feeling comfortable sharing our flaws with audience but also being comfortable with them and understanding that those things just make us who we are.

Bowen Lee: How to pull out your heart and shining soul and hold it in your hand for others to receive as a story they can take with them.

Carol Moore: By watching the expertise of my fellow tellers, I’ve learned the beauty of folk tales and how impactful they can be for us adults. When I first thought of folk tales, I thought of campfire stories, sleepover traditions, or bedtime rituals. The vulnerability, intensity, and care these women storytellers continuously give to folk tales have been amazing to witness.

Cyndi Wish: Last year the festival felt like a celebration of individual voices that make up a diverse demographic.

I think we’ve all learned a thing or two here. And if you join us via live-stream or in Fairfax for the festival, you’re bound to learn a ton of truths, insights, and revelations!

All the Festival details are right here!

Posted in Storytellers, Storytelling, Virtual Events, Womens Storytelling Festival | Tagged better said than done, Bowen Lee, Carol Moore, city of fairfax, cyndi wish, fairfax city, jenn kamara, online show, shows, Shweta Bhatt, story fest, storytellers, storytelling, storytelling show, va, virtual events, women's storytelling festival | Leave a comment

Women’s Storytelling Festival: Crafting

Posted on February 28, 2023 by Jack Scheer

We’re back with the second in our series showcasing the superb tellers who will be performing in the fourth annual Women’s Storytelling Festival, running March 24th through March 26th in beautiful Fairfax, VA!

Today is a peek behind the curtain of how these magnificent women create and hone the tales they tell on stage. We’ve got a great group to give us that behind-the-scenes perspective: Laura Deal, Lyn Ford, Cindy Rivka Marshall, Misty Mator, and Mo Reynolds.

You can read about all of the 2023 festival storytellers here.

My question to each of them was…

What’s your favorite part of the story crafting process?

Let’s see how they responded…

Laura Deal: I love imagining and reimagining the story as I’m developing it, looking for details that will bring the story to life for the listener. Whether I’m changing the point of view character of a folktale, playing with setting or dialogue, or crafting a personal story, brainstorming is the most fun part of the process for me.

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Lyn Ford: I love hearing folktale variants and recognizing their connections to diverse story traditions around the world. I also love developing the heart of a personal story, that core truth that builds a relationship with and a community among listeners.

Cindy Rivka Marshall: I love the interactive nature of the storytelling process. The role of the listener and the witness is key to discovering how to best express and convey the story. I enjoy being on both sides of this process, as a teller, and as a story coach, seeing stories come alive.

Misty Mator: I love when there’s what my college professor called a “stroke of brilliance” moment for a story: when a great phrase, description, or direction emerges from working with a live audience. No matter how many times I rehearse a story, the best bits always seem to arise when I’m with the listeners. Stories really do come to life best when they are shared.

Mo Reynolds: I love the debut of a story because it is thrilling to see what comes out of the story and into the story the first time it bounces off an audience. I will hear myself add something to the story and think, “Oh, I like that! I’m definitely keeping that in there.” A story is a living thing and I love feeling it change with every outing.

Now that you know their favorite part of the process, come and see them tell the stories they’ve crafted. You can join us in Fairfax, or watch from afar via our live-stream.
Everything you need to know is right here!

Posted in Storytellers, Storytelling, Virtual Events | Tagged better said than done, cindy rivka marshall, city of fairfax, laura deal, lyn ford, Misty Mator, mo reynolds, online show, shows, storytellers, storytelling, storytelling show, virtual events, women's storytelling festival | Leave a comment

Women’s Storytelling Festival: Inspiration

Posted on February 28, 2023 by Jack Scheer

Here in the DC Metro area, we’re gearing up for the fourth annual Women’s Storytelling Festival. In a scant few weeks we’ll be welcoming twenty-six mighty tellers for a celebration of women and the spoken word. It promises to be a fantastic, fulfilling, and fascinating weekend.

To whet your appetite for this extravaganza, over the course of the next few weeks we’ll be introducing you to the fine performers that will grace our stages. You can read about all of the 2023 festival storytellers here.

And, as is our way, we’ll be making those introductions by way of questions and answers.

This first group of tellers is a storied lot. It consists of Jennifer Munro, Donna Washington, Kim Weitkamp, and Megan Wells.

We asked the following…

What’s your most consistent source of inspiration?

This is what they had to say…

Jennifer Munro: My most consistent source of inspiration comes from listening to other people’s stories, which inevitably make me say, “Oh, that reminds of when . . .” More often than not, a new story eventually finds its way into existence.

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Donna Washington: This question doesn’t have a clear answer. I am inspired by everything around me. So…life? I am inspired by the things I encounter as I navigate through the tricky twists and turns that are part of life: the good, the bad, and the ugly. I am inspired by the people I love, hate, fear, and envy. I am inspired by making mistakes, little triumphs, learning, losing, winning, love, arguments, politics, history, and literature. So…all? I am inspired by everything? That’s all I’ve got.

Kim Weitkamp: As cliche as this sounds, daily life is my greatest source. I live esthetically, always looking and listening to everything around me, no matter where or who I’m with. It’s in the humdrum moments of daily life that I find the greatest pearls.

Megan Wells: Reading multiple versions of a story or about the subject. I am absolutely nerdish about finding as many variance as I can get my hands on. By reading different versions, the consistent resonances assert themselves. Also, the more I read about the culture and the context of each variant I get a richer palette of possibilities!

If the above has inspired you as much as it has us, then please join in on the fun! The festival runs from March 24th to 26th in historic downtown Fairfax, VA, and can also be enjoyed online via Zoom. Ticket prices and details can all be found here!

Posted in Storytellers, Storytelling, Virtual Events, Womens Storytelling Festival | Tagged better said than done, city of fairfax, donna washington, fairfax city, jennifer munro, kim weitkamp, megan wells, online show, shows, storytellers, storytelling, storytelling show, virtual events, women's storytelling festival, womens history month | Leave a comment

The Games We Play

Posted on February 17, 2023 by Jessica Piscitelli Robinson

I haven’t written a blog post in a while. But Jack Scheer is busy writing about The Women’s Storytelling Festival, so I thought I’d tackle this one. I’m hoping to hit it out of the park.

Our next night of storytelling is February 25, 2023, at 7:00pm in-person at The Auld Shebeen in Fairfax, VA AND streaming online. The theme of the show is Game Day: stories about sports, games, and players, with emcee Jenn Kamara and storytellers Tom Croce, Seth Hassett, Sharon Price Singer, Aimee Snow, Jude Treder-Wolff, and Gayle Turner.

This show is sure to be a slam dunk.
Get Your Tickets Here.

I wanted to get a little more insight into the night’s players, so I asked each of the storytellers to tell me their favorite game to watch or play. I have to admit to not being much of a sports fan myself. I like to play, and coach my kids’ teams, but watching just bores me. I do, however, love to play games. Settlers of Catan is one of my favorites, though we’ve recently re-discovered the joys of a classic game of D&D with the next generation in our house, so looks like I’m gonna have a lot less free time from now on.

Here’s a little more about Saturday night’s storytellers, and what games they like.

First, the night’s quarterback, our trusty emcee, Jenn Kamara.
Jenn Kamara has been storytelling in front of audiences since 2018 (probably informally a few years before that). I love watching sports and my favorite really depends on the season. During the spring, baseball is my favorite and in the fall, football takes the lead. Basketball is a strong second throughout the year. I credit my love of sports to my dad who was my first sports watching friend

Boston native Tom Croce was too busy watching all his favorite sports teams lose to respond to my email. But he’s a winner when it comes to storytelling. Come hear hit a home run at Saturday’s show.

We’re very excited to have Seth Hassett join our show for the first time. And apparently, he’s going to stick around after the show for a Catan throwdown.
Seth Hassett told his first onstage story in 2017 at Story District in Washington, DC. His stories have covered a wide array of topics including his childhood in Santa Fe, New Mexico, an unexpected event at a college class reunion, his experience with a wildfire In Berkeley, California, and the fact that country music…makes him cry.
Growing up, one of his favorite games was Risk (which he would sometimes play against himself). He now enjoys an occasional game of Catan and also loves trivia games involving music and history. His guilty pleasures include watching SF 49ers football.

Returning all-star, Sharon Price Singer, had this to say about herself, and her games.
Sharon did her first live story, here, with Better Said Than Done in February 2020. She enjoyed participating in the 99 second story slams and BSTD events online during the pandemic, but is happy to be back in person! Not that’s she’s any good, but Sharon likes to play tennis. Watching is fun too, especially when you can watch great players up close.

We’re thrilled to welcome back to our stadium, the night’s pinch hitter, Aimee Snow.
Aimee has been an actress since elementary school and has enjoyed telling stories with Better Said Than Done since 2018. She loves to watch basically any sport and she loves to play trivia and board games of all kinds. She is extremely competitive but is fun to play with unless someone is cheating and then she will bring down the hammer.

Future Jeopardy champion Jude Treder-Wolff last performed with us in-person, at the 2022 Women’s Storytelling Festival.
Jude produces and hosts a monthly storytelling show on Long Island, NY called (mostly) TRUE THINGS – for the past 8 years – and is active in the NY-area storytelling scene, performing most recently on RISK! live show and podcast, PBS Stories From The Stage, and The Story Collider live show and podcast. Jude works with organizations to bring storytelling to their messaging, staff development and community-building.
My favorite games to play are improv games, because they are always new, always fun and spike my creativity. And my other favorite game is Trivia Pursuit, because it is the only way to win at being an information nerd.

Pro boxing announcer Gayle Turner will be providing running commentary on his life, once again on our stage.
Gayle Turner has been telling stories since he was a child. As Co-Founder of The Storytellers Channel he not only tells but helps leaders craft and tell stories that transform lives. He’s proud to be a lifetime member of The Virginia Storytelling Alliance. As to games, he loved playing softball, tennis, and golf, but his body’s a little worse for wear these days. He made a living playing cards, backgammon and hustling chess as a young man, but he’s also not as sharp as he used to be. So, today, you can find him playing Tetras-like games on his phone.

Join us on February 25, online or at The Auld Shebeen in Fairfax City, Va, for Game Day, where every player wins.

Tickets Here

Posted in Storytellers | Tagged Aimee Snow, better said than done, Fairfax, gayle turner, jenn kamara, jude treder-wolff, northern virginia, Seth Hassett, Sharon Price Singer, shows, storytelling, The Auld Shebeen, Tom Croce, va | Leave a comment

Game Day Stories

Posted on February 1, 2023 by Jessica Piscitelli Robinson

On February 25, 2023, join us online or at The Auld Shebeen in Fairfax City, Va, for Game Day, with emcee Jenn Kamara and storytellers Tom Croce, Seth Hassett, Sharon Price Singer, Aimee Snow, Jude Treder-Wolff, and Gayle Turner.

The Auld Shebeen is located at 3971 Chain Bridge Rd., Fairfax, VA 22030.
Better Said Than Done performs DOWNSTAIRS. The entrance is located on North St. Doors open at 6:00pm. The live show starts at 7:00pm.
A full dinner and bar menu are available.

February 25, 2023

6:00pm EST Doors Open/7:00pm EST Show Starts

$15 Per Person/$5 Minimum Virtual
Tickets are divided into virtual ONLY – for watching online – or in-person.

When you purchase a ticket, you will receive an email that will include a link to watch the live-stream, whether or not you are coming to the live show. If you purchase an “in-person” ticket, your name will be entered on the list at the door. You do not get a physical ticket.

You should receive a link to watch the streaming video shortly after purchase. If you do not see that email, please contact stories@bettersaidthandone.com BEFORE 6pm on the day of the show.

Ticket sales for the in-person show close when we sell out or when the show starts. However, you will be able to purchase the recording of the show until 11:59pm on the Sunday after. Your receipt will reflect that date.
PLEASE NOTE: We recommend you get tix in advance. If we do not sell out, we’ll have tickets available at the door for $15 per person.

In the “Buy Tickets” box, click on the amount you’d like to pay and then “add to cart.” At the top of the “Buy Tickets” box, a little box that says “Go to Cart” will appear. Click on that.
Confirm everything in your cart is correct. Click “Review Cart and Make Payment.” Then click on “Make Payment through Paypal.” That will take you to Paypal where you are given the choice to login to pay OR to pay with credit card.

After purchase, you will receive 2 emails. One will be your receipt, the other will have the link to watch the show.

If you don’t see the link to watch the show – check your junk folder. If you still don’t see it, email stories@bettersaidthandone.com BEFORE the show starts. We cannot respond to emails during the show.

Posted in Storytellers, Storytelling | Tagged Aimee Snow, better said than done, dc, fairfax city, gayle turner, jenn kamara, jude treder-wolff, live events, live show, Seth Hassett, Sharon Price Singer, The Auld Shebeen, Tom Croce, va, Virginia | 1 Comment

Hope and Change: Stories to Believe In

Posted on January 16, 2023 by Jack Scheer

The world is often a difficult place. Modern life can throw a lot of curveballs and obstacles in our way. And in the face of trouble and turmoil, sometimes the thing we need most is a reason to carry on so we can make the world a better place.

This Saturday, January 21st at the Auld Shebeen in Fairfax, VA and online via Zoom, Better Said Than Done will offer you six stories that’ll help us face those difficulties with Hope and Change: Stories to Believe In. Nick Baskerville is our master of ceremonies for the night, and he’ll be ushering up onto our stage storytellers Silvana Clark, Bonnie Gardner, Katie Green, Jennifer Hine, Sarah Snyder, and yours truly, Jack Scheer! Doors open at 6 P.M. Eastern, the show gets rolling at 7 o’clock.

In-person and online tickets are available here!

I asked our tellers (and myself) a question so we could all get an idea of their outlook on this show’s subject…

What’s one small thing that gives you hope or inspiration?

Here now are our answers…

Silvana Clark: Our first grandchild is two months old. I get hope from seeing the way her parents are raising her that she will be a kind and caring person. They’ll teach her to be a strong person that stands up for causes she believes in. I’m hoping she’ll be a positive influence in the world!

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Bonnie Gardner: One thing that gives me hope is teenagers. I live with one, and yeah, teens can be total pills sometimes, but mostly she and her friends inspire me. They embrace and celebrate diversity with an ease that my generation never could have mustered. Their passion for justice energizes me and gets me off the couch. They see a world of endless possibilities and solvable problems. I truly believe the future is in good hands.

Jennifer Hine: One thing that gives me hope is the kindness of strangers, even in challenging situation such as getting sick on vacation. Recently, I spent about 6 hours on a cold, windy day queuing up outside and inside a health clinic near Ottawa. While the thirty or more patients waited, we talked, shared chairs and standing spots in the crowded waiting room. A refugee from Iran told me his life story and gave advice to other patients.The overworked staff and doctor took time to treat us with compassion. I left with a warm feeling and some meds.

Jack Scheer: This may be obvious and perhaps even a tad corny, but I draw hope and inspiration from stories. And that’s been true since long before storytelling became my vocation. Whether it’s the kind of tales we tell at the Auld Shebeen, sweeping narratives in novels, epic filmed entertainment, fantastic superhero comic books, or even hearing about someone’s day, nothing in the world rouses me as much as a good story well told.

Sarah Snyder: What gives me inspiration is the beauty of our natural world. What gives me hope is the resilience of Mother Nature and of the human spirit. Although we’ve done a pretty good job of messing up the planet—and ourselves—I have hope that we can regain a positive connection to one another and to nature, both which we depend on for our very existence. Ever the optimist, me.

(We haven’t heard back from Katie Green as of press time. We look forward to finding out her hope and change tale on Saturday night!)

Now that we’ve given you some appetizers on the subject, come join us Saturday night at 7:00 Eastern for six full portions of hopeful goodness! Tickets start at $15 per person both in-person and online (with a $5 minimum option for the online show).

Get your tickets now!

Posted in Storytellers, Storytelling, Virtual Events | Tagged Auld Shebeen, better said than done, Bonnie Gardner, Jack Scheer, Jennifer Hine, katie green, nick baskerville, online show, sarah snyder, shows, Silvana Clark, storytellers, storytelling, storytelling show, virtual events | Leave a comment

Fractured Fairytales

Posted on January 14, 2023 by Jessica Piscitelli Robinson

The recording is now available to watch emcee Andrea Young and storytellers Tim Ereneta, Erin Mahone, Miriam Nadel, Laura Packer, Mike Perry, and Holly Robison for “Fractured: a different take on traditional tales.”

February 9, 2023

8:00pm Eastern/5:00pm Pacific

$15 Suggested/$5 Minimum
All Proceeds Split Between Producer and Storytellers

You will receive a link to watch the show moments after registering. If you do NOT see that email, first check your junk mail folder. If you still cannot find it, contact stories@bettersaidthandone.com.

As people can watch the recording for up to one month after, ticket sales close on February 12th.

Check your shopping cart before purchase.

You should receive an email with the link within minutes of purchase. Please check your email to confirm.

If you do NOT see your login email, first check your Junk/SPAM folder. If still no email, contact stories (at) bettersaidthandone (dot) com

Make sure you have the link before the show. We will do our best to assist you, but once the show begins, we are no longer able to help.

PLEASE NOTE the times on all our events are Eastern Time Zone (EDT or EST).

Posted in Events, Storytellers, Storytelling, Virtual Events | Tagged better said than done, Erin Mahone, fairytales, folktales, fractured fairytales, Holly Robison, Laura Packer, Mike Perry, storytelling, Tim Ereneta | Leave a comment

Starter Kit: Stories of Beginning

Posted on January 8, 2023 by Jack Scheer

The days are getting longer and the new year is getting underway. We have a full calendar year ahead of us, and the future is a fresh clean canvas.

In that spirit of renewal, Better Said Than Done brings you our first show of 2023! Join us online at 8:00 P.M. EST this Thursday, January 12th for Starter Kit: Stories of Beginning. The wonderful Bonnie Gardner is your host for the evening, and she’ll be bringing you an outstanding slate of storytellers: Sheila Arnold, J. Carroll, Chetter Galloway, Nina Lesiga, Ingrid Nixon, Sam Payne, and Greg Weiss!

Tickets are right here!

Let’s take a moment to meet the whole crew…

Sheila Arnold has been called a Professional Imaginator, and, since she loved that title, she gladly embraces it and hopes her works show that title to be true. Sheila resides in Hampton, VA and is in her 20th year as a Professional Storyteller and Performer. Watch her this year as she celebrates 20 with an updated website, a new logo and soon 2 new CD’s. She is glad to have been home for four weeks and has enjoyed being with her grandsons and the rest of the family, as well as do some catch up work in the role of Artistic Director for the non-profit organization she helped co-found, Artists Standing Strong Together. Starting the last week of January she hits the road again, so check her calendar and see if she is coming near you.
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J. Carroll (StarLitWriter) is an author whose writing is published in 50+ books, but her real claim to fame is that her childhood failures have been broadcast widely on TV and in theaters. As a true storyteller, she’s been featured everywhere from dive bars in Mexico to L.A. hotspots to posh theaters in Toronto (she thinks…she performed virtually, so who really knows). She’s also a spoken word poet who’ll be the feature in an upcoming show on Zoom. Join her on Patreon.

Chetter Galloway grew up hearing his father tell stories on Sunday Road trips. One of his favorite stories was The Talking Skull, a West African cautionary tale where a man loses his head! Chetter graduated from East Tennessee State University with a Master of Arts degree in Storytelling and often includes African drumming with his performances. In his spare time, Chetter is an avid runner who enjoys creating stories while he’s running!

Bonnie Gardner made her storytelling for the stage debut in 2020. A former journalist who changed careers to work in IT, Bonnie never lost her love for a good story. She has performed in the Women’s Storytelling Festival, is a Six Feet Apart monthly story slam winner, and was a New Voice at the 2021 Stone Soup Storytelling Festival. She can next be seen January 21 at Better Said Than Done’s first in-person show of the year, Stories of Hope and Change. She’s based in Virginia.

Nina Lesiga from Stratford, CT is the host of the Bridgeport Art Trail Storytelling Exchange, a free monthly meeting to workshop stories on Zoom . Nina is one of the producers of PechaKucha Night Bridgeport, where personal stories are told with twenty images projected for twenty seconds each. Besides storytelling, Nina teaches ukulele and leads ukulele pop up events. She bring loaner ukuleles into public spaces and gets strangers to strum and sing along with her.

Ingrid Nixon is an award-winning, world-traveling storyteller who whisks listeners away on journeys of the imagination. Exploration nail-biters, tall tales, traditional and personal stories—she tells them all on international expeditions, and at venues around the country, including the National Storytelling Festival. She is a champion liar many times over and – no lie – holds a Masters in Storytelling from East Tennessee State University. She hails from Alaska.

Sam Payne hosts The Apple Seed, the long-lived storytelling radio show and podcast produced by BYUradio. He serves as the Weber State University Storytelling Fellow, and was part of the Peabody-nominated team that created the serial podcast Treasure Island 2020, based on Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic novel. Sam has brought live stories and songs to halls and stages in Canada, Bulgaria, Tokyo, and from coast to coast in the United States. He has been featured at festivals large and small, including the National Storytelling Festival and the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival.

For over three decades, storyteller, writer and teacher, Greg Weiss directed and produced theatre and storytelling events. His story work has brought him to schools, theaters, libraries, community centers, and other venues throughout Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin. Greg has performed his highly acclaimed, one man show of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol for the last twenty years. He has presented panels, workshops, performances, and emceed concerts for Northlands and NSN. In 2002, Greg’s work earned him the Studs Terkel Humanities Service Award from the Illinois Humanities Council.

That’s one tremendous group of tellers, and this promises to be a superb night of tales! The show is on Zoom at 8:00 Eastern, and tickets start at $5 for a minimum contribution, with a standard price of $15.

Grab your tickets now!

Posted in Storytellers, Storytelling, Virtual Events | Tagged better said than done, Bonnie Gardner, Chetter Galloway, Greg Weiss, Ingrid Nixon, J. Carroll, nina lesiga, online show, Sam Payne, sheila arnold, shows, storytellers, storytelling, storytelling show, virtual events | Leave a comment

2022 – So Many Stories Told

Posted on December 27, 2022 by Jessica Piscitelli Robinson

I wish I could think of a better single word for it, but 2022 was just weird. We were coming out of the pandemic, but haven’t really made it out. The economy was getting better, but my bank account is not reflecting that. Audiences are returning to in-person events, but our in-person audiences have been rather, er, cozy. And worse, our online audiences have also grown more, er, intimate.

And yet, we’ve put on some of the best shows we’ve ever produced, worked with more storytellers for the first time than ever before, and also brought back many fan favorites. Our 2022 Women’s Storytelling Festival was the best attended so far and we hope to break new records in 2023.

There are too many things to say about the shows we produced in 2022. There were 18 regular shows, split between in-person and online, 2 spotlight shows (one with Andy Offutt Irwin and one with Sarah Brady), Ghost Stories at the DC Public Library, and the Women’s Storytelling Festival. So, 22 events – not counting workshops and presentations.

I’m exhausted just thinking about it, let alone trying to tell you about it. Fortunately, we have video of almost all of our events. And you can watch this wonderful recap video instead of reading my essay on the subject.

Click on the image above to watch, or follow this link:
https://youtu.be/jGs23r5Cpdw

Overall, 2022 was a tough year for me – financially, health wise, time and energy wise – but I had a great year of storytelling. Better Said Than Done had a great year of storytelling. And I would not take a second of that back.

So yeah – weird. Here’s hoping 2023 inspires a more positive and less vague adjective, for all of us. And hey – don’t be a stranger. We’ll be here. We hope you will too.

-Jessica Robinson

Check Out our Upcoming Storytelling Shows Here

Read about and buy tickets to The 2023 Women’s Storytelling Festival Here

And find out more about what I have coming up here.

Posted in News, Storytellers, Storytelling | Tagged better said than done, dc, dmv, Fairfax, live events, northern virginia, storyteller, storytellers, storytelling, storytelling show, The Auld Shebeen, va | Leave a comment

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