by Stephanie Garibaldi

This is the biggest thing successful storytellers have in common with seasoned baseball players: they understand that there is no crying while performing. Sure, you can tell a story that’s so compelling and touching that you make your audience members cry–that’s fine; in fact, more power to you, if that’s how you work it, bringing the emotionally-connective heat.

But as the teller, you have an unwritten contract with the audience to be able to get through your story without breaking down or falling to pieces–period, no exceptions. OK, yes, you might be able to pull off getting a little choked up in a single moment, provided you get past that moment–but that’s it, that’s the maximum when it comes to emotional displays in storytelling. There are no tears, no histrionics, and no time spent making the audience wait while you blow your nose and attempt to “collect yourself.” Read More

by Meredith Maslich

According to an article in Fast Company magazine, The Journal of Personality and Social Psychology recently published an article claiming that there is a connection between creativity and a flexible moral code:

At first, the authors collected data at an ad agency, where 99 employees with jobs requiring assorted levels of creativity were surveyed on how likely they’d engage in unethical behavior, such as stealing office supplies or inflating an expense report. The more creative the job, the higher the self-reported dishonesty,

Fast Company is a business magazine, so most of their comparisons are between unethical business dealings (Enron, Ponzi Schemes, etc) and the creativity it took to pull them off, but the article does reference Mike Daisey in the opening paragraph, dubbing him the “King of Creative License”. Read More

by Stephanie Garibaldi

If you come early enough to a Speakeasy, you just may spot some of it: a man in a 3-piece suit talking to himself while pacing; a woman facing a back wall gesturing wildly to no one; or someone chanting, “red leather, yellow leather” over and over, in spite of the fact that there’s no leather anywhere nearby–red, yellow, or otherwise.

You may witness these or other examples of odd behavior, because at any given Speakeasy, there are 10 people who are going to perform a true, personal story–most for the first time in their lives. So there’s no telling what they’ll do to get relaxed before stepping up on stage. Many find a dark corner to run through their story one last time; others visualize themselves killing it on stage. Some do verbal warm-ups, yoga stretches, and the beloved neck roll. Even over the murmurings of the growing crowd, you can hear the deep breathing. And of course, some soon-to-be performers grab a shot of something at the bar to take the edge off, which is fine in moderation. (Note: Most people find they need ALL their brain cells alive and functioning to perform well, which is why I  never recommend the Full Belushi approach.)

But these pre-show antics are merely finishing touches: last-hour efforts that cap a process that has lasted for weeks if not months–a final dab of icing atop the multi-layered cake of real preparation.

The real preparation takes place outside of the public eye, and begins the moment someone makes the decision to perform a story. It might be that they’ve signed up for one of our open mics, they might be auditioning for an ensemble show, or they may be doing something un-SpeakeasyDC-related (is there such a thing?)

First comes the initial story-drafting process, which varies according to individual preference. Some script out their story word-for-word; others write an outline or bullet-points, while some never write down a word, but rather practice it enough orally to tell it with complete ease. Your individual style doesn’t matter – you could throw darts at water balloons positioned over index cards containing parts of your story, if that’s how you roll – as long as you’re doing the work.

Next, you need to tell your story to someone other than you and your pets. Whether this is your first or your 101^st time performing, you must get feedback from another human being—preferably from someone who knows what they’re doing.  For those doing a SpeakeasyDC show, this step is built in as participating in the mandatory rehearsal, when all open-mic-ers perform their story for each other. Each storyteller receives feedback from me,(the open mic coach), and the group, as well as giving feedback to the other storytellers. Giving feedback is also a good way to learn what makes a good story, so the exercise is useful for everyone involved.

Now that you’ve gotten feedback, the real work begins. Based on your feedback you may be reshaping, recrafting, or refocusing; tightening, editing, or just honing your story. If a story is too long, this process can involve making brutal cuts, which some have likened to “killing off your own babies.” So no, story editing is not for the faint of heart, but it’s what you need to do to turn a good story into a great one, or a great story into a kickass one.

Depending on how much you change your story, you may want to get a second round of feedback. Most SpeakeasyDC people who make significant changes will set up a phone date with moi, the open mic coach, while others have the experience to work revisions completely independently. Either way, a lot of time and effort goes into crafting the story in advance. Once the content is nailed down, the practicing begins.

Ideally you will practice performing your story again and again, until it’s part of your muscle memory, flowing easily and naturally off your tongue. Some people practice their stories while driving, showering, riding the metro, walking the dogs, “working” in the office–whatever works – as long as by show time, you know your story well and know your story is well crafted. That way, you will step on stage in front of a packed house, with all the confidence that comes from knowing that even if you didn’t engage in chanting, deep breathing, or chakra aligning, you are well prepared indeed.

*photo credit: photographybyalexander.com

by Meredith Maslich

If you’ve taken Storytelling 101, or had any coaching from someone at SpeakeasyDC, then you’ve been told to engage as many of the five senses as possible in your storytelling. You’ve probably also been told to avoid cliches and to go for more specific, unique and detailed descriptions and metaphors.

Well, now science has finally caught up with what SpeakeasyDC teachers and coaches have always known:  words matter!

This NY Times article says that,

Brain scans are revealing what happens in our heads when we read a detailed description, an evocative metaphor or an emotional exchange between characters. Stories, this research is showing, stimulate the brain and even change how we act in life. 

Researchers have long known that the “classical” language regions, like Broca’s area and Wernicke’s area, are involved in how the brain interprets written words. What scientists have come to realize in the last few years is that narratives activate many other parts of our brains as well, suggesting why the experience of reading can feel so alive. Words like “lavender,” “cinnamon” and “soap,” for example, elicit a response not only from the language-processing areas of our brains, but also those devoted to dealing with smells.

The article applies the research to fiction, but I think its safe to say the results hold just as true for non-fiction. In fact, I, with my complete lack of scientific background in any field – let alone neurology, would argue that the effects might even be stronger when the subject (listener) knows the story is true.

And there is evidence that just as the brain responds to depictions of smells and textures and movements as if they were the real thing, so it treats the interactions among fictional characters as something like real-life social encounters…

But when the listener already knows it true, the brain doesn’t have to move from knowing it’s fiction to believing it’s real. I think this could explain why some people find personal narratives more engaging than fiction. I’m the type of person who, within minutes of starting a good novel, forgets that its not real. I cry at every emotional part, laugh out loud at every mildly amusing line and wonder what the characters are doing while I’m not reading. But not everyone gets that invested in their fiction, some people are always aware that it’s fiction. With autobiographical storytelling though, that divide is removed.

Which is what makes this art form so awesome. In my humble, SpeakeasyDC influenced opinion, that is.

It’s that same (biased) opinion that also believes this to be one of the best quotes from the article:

…there was substantial overlap in the brain networks used to understand stories and the networks used to navigate interactions with other individuals — in particular, interactions in which we’re trying to figure out the thoughts and feelings of others. Scientists call this capacity of the brain to construct a map of other people’s intentions “theory of mind.” Narratives offer a unique opportunity to engage this capacity, as we identify with characters’ longings and frustrations, guess at their hidden motives and track their encounters with friends and enemies, neighbors and lovers. It is an exercise that hones our real-life social skills…

So in other words, storytelling makes you a better person, better citizen, probably even a better lover – something else SpeakeasyDC teachers already knew and science is finally proving.