In September, Woodland Theater will pilot “The Understory”, a community storytelling series. We will host a night of true, personal stories recounted live by community members. Each event will feature a unifying theme, although the content of the stories may be widely varied. 

The theme for our initial event (September 10, 2021) is “The Times They Are a-Changin’: Stories of progress, growth, senescence, metamorphosis, or other marked departures from the status quo”. 

As summer comes to an end, in a year where we have collectively entered “a new normal” following many unprecedented times, these stories reflect on various moments when a person realizes that their life will never be the same. 

Our goal at this initial event is to gauge the level of interest and support for a regularly hosted series. The Understory could become a recurring opportunity for our community to give voice to their own stories, to the benefit of both the storytellers and fellow Woodland Theater patrons. 

The Understory is inspired by The Moth, a New York City-based storytelling forum and the associated The Moth Radio Hour, a weekly series featuring true stories told live on stage without scripts, notes, props, or accompaniment. 

If you are interested in telling a story at a future event,
please contact Allison Ginn at alginn@gmail.com

Storytelling Format/”Rules” for Storytellers

·  The story must be true and it must be personal to the storyteller. You are allowed to change names and places, as long as the overall content is factual and you were a main player in the story. 

·  You must tell the story without props, notes, or musical accompaniment. We recommend practicing your story multiple times before delivering at the event. 

·  The story must relate to the theme of the event. 

·  Stories are capped at 6 minutes (we give bells beginning at one minute left, 30 seconds remaining, and then we ring gently but insistently until the storyteller concludes). You do not need to fill the entire 6 minutes- sometimes the most powerful stories are succinct. 

·  The Understory celebrates the full range of the human experience. The story must be inclusive and respectful- this isn't an opportunity for proselytizing, political discourse, nor ungraciously characterizing or stereotyping people that are different from you. Free speech does come with personal responsibility, so please consider the potential impact on diverse members of the audience, regardless of intent.

Audience Etiquette

We ask that audience members arrive early enough to get comfortably settled before showtime. Please plan to be fully present to listen attentively to storytellers, including silencing your cellphone and refraining from any conversation during stories.

As an audience member, your job is to bear witness to your fellow community members as they share personal information in a public forum. Applaud everyone who attempts the stage this evening- for many, this may be their first time!