Here:Say storytellers will be entertaining people of all ages at Hull Park in Traverse City on August 17th from 7 to 9 p.m. Read on to discover the history and background of Here:Say.

Read this Traverse Magazine feature about Here:Say Storytelling!


Artist

Here:Say storytellers

How it started

Karen Stein loves hearing people tell stories about their lives. Upon moving to Traverse City from Chicago, she looked for such events, and to her chagrin found none. “I’d been thinking how much I’d like to attend a storytelling event for about a year. I finally decided to start it myself rather than wait for someone else to,” she said. The monthly shows take place at Inside Out Gallery from October to June before halting for summer. “It feels nearly criminal to ask people to stay inside in Traverse City in the summer,” she said. “Now it (an outdoor event in the summer) is the best of both worlds.”

Style

Spoken word

Influences and Inspirations

Storytelling through the ages

Additional Background

“It seems as though people feel a lot of pressure to keep their ‘use’ of others’ time to a minimum,” said Stein. “I can’t tell you how many times I hear people apologize in casual conversation for feeling like they’re taking too long to tell their story. At Here:Say, one person is on the microphone, and the audience is there to listen. At that moment, the story being told on the stage is the only thing that matters.” The theme for the August event is “Off the Rails.” It may be taken literally or figuratively by the performers, a mix of veteran storytellers and those who will be telling a story through the series for the first time. “You have five to eight performers telling stories that all relate to the theme but are so very different in what is being told and how it’s being told,” Stein said. She wants people to know that new storytellers are always welcome. “We always welcome new people to tell their stories. It’s a lot of fun.” Stein said this show would be a more family-friendly event than they tend to be at Inside Out, where the venue and later start time lead to a more adult-themed evening.

Quotes

“The stories shared at Here:Say were sad, happy, heartfelt, tragic, touching, laugh-out-loud hilarious … and above all, fantastic.” – Traverse City Young Professionals blog

“It’s not an open mic. The performers are scheduled in advance to make sure it’s not too long or too short and relate to the theme.” – HereSay founder Karen Stein

Venue

Hull Park, Traverse City (behind the Traverse Area District Library)

Date & Time

Aug. 17, 7-9 p.m.

Ticket information

The event is free of charge!

For more

HereSayStorytelling.com


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