Friday, April 12th, 2013
Our first ever Tour de Telling - our virtual bike race fundraiser - kicked off with much fan fare and fun at April’s Second Tuesday show at Town. In addition to a bake sale to support the teams, each team gave a 60 second pitch for support. There were costumes, there were props, there was even flying candy.
The efforts of the teams paid off – in less than 48 hours the teams have raised a combined total of more than $1600! And as a result, they have unlocked the first prize hidden in the course. This prize was a drawing from among all of the donors to date AND all of the members of each team, to recognize everyone’s role in getting this event off to a great start. Read More
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Wednesday, December 26th, 2012
by Meredith Maslich
I give to SpeakeasyDC because of Amy Saidman.
In case you don’t know, Amy is the Executive/Artistic Director of SpeakeasyDC. She’s also often a stage manager, a catering manager, a director, an administrative coordinator, an emcee, a grant writer, a teacher, a volunteer coordinator, a mediator, a (somewhat reluctant) blogger, and a general pick-up-the-slack-er.
She’s a bundle of enthusiasm and energy with a clear and unshakable vision for this organization, a passion for first person storytelling and an unwavering commitment to high production standards and valuing her artists. Read More
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Tuesday, December 18th, 2012
By Rachel Wilcox
I give for the love of three things that SpeakeasyDC has and perpetuates: authenticity, diversity, and community.
I give because I value the authenticity that SpeakeasyDC brings to entertainment. Because the storytellers get up and tell their own stories – funny stories, poignant stories, weird stories, true stories. I value that truth, unvarnished, frankly because it is rare. And I so admire the guts of the tellers to get up and share their truth.
I give because I value the diversity of the tellers and the audiences. So many of the tellers’ stories resonate with me, Read More
Posted in Announcements, Everyday Stories, In The Community, Tales From The Field, Why I Give | 1 Comment »
Tuesday, December 11th, 2012
by Katie Kelly
I believe Speakeasy is successful because of its vibrant community. This community includes the talented tellers, hard-working staff and instructors, willing volunteers and an appreciative audience.
When I first started coming to Speakeasy 4 years ago, I was impressed by this sense of community and well, I wanted to join it! At first, I was just an audience member and then I built up the confidence to perform. Read More
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Tuesday, December 4th, 2012
By Nick Newlin
Why do I give? SpeakeasyDC asked me to write a few words about why I give to them. There is more than one way to give to an organization.
We can write a check. All non-profits need donations. But we can’t give to all of them, so we have to choose who to give to, and how much money to donate. In the case of SpeakeasyDC, I give money not only because they do valuable work for the Read More
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Tuesday, November 27th, 2012
by Renata Lana
Why do I give to Speakeasy DC?
Because I can’t imagine being without Speakeasy DC in my life. Because when I buy tickets for a Speakeasy DC show, I know I’m going to be seeing some of the best storytelling anywhere in the country. And because this organization has done more than any other to invite you and me to dare—yes, to dare!—to make great art out of our lives.
Ok, so I’m a little in love with Speakeasy DC, but why not? It’s like the boyfriend I wish I had Read More
Posted in Announcements, Everyday Stories, In The Community, Why I Give | 1 Comment »
Tuesday, May 15th, 2012
How did you get involved in SEDC and how has your association with SpeakeasyDC impacted your business and/or your life?
At the invitation of friends, I attended a SpeakeasyDC Open Mic in early 2007 and became an instant fan. I’d just moved back to DC after spending seven years in Knoxville, TN, and I’d never seen anything like it. I was impressed by the stories and the performances, but it was the audience that blew me away the most. There just seemed to be so much love, warmth and empathy for every storyteller. I knew that I wanted to get up on that stage someday, and I immediately signed up for a Storytelling 101 Boot Camp. Four months later, I told my first story at an Open Mic, and since then, I’ve performed with SpeakeasyDC three more times. Growing up in the South, some of my favorite memories are of holiday dinners, listening to my grandmother, my mother and my aunts tell stories about their childhoods. When I saw that first Read More
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Friday, May 4th, 2012
How did you get involved in SEDC and how has your association with SpeakeasyDC impacted your business and/or your life?
I worked with Amy on a short-term project with the US Peace Corps in the summer of 2011. She told me about her plans to revamp the Speakeasy Storycast, and I offered to help in her any way I could. I love meeting all the story tellers, and finding out how sharing their personal stories has changed the course of their life. Each interview is different and facinating, and I’m thrilled to be sitting in the room as Amy interviews them. We always have a good time.
If you could have any job in the world, other than your own, what would it be?
I would like to be a documentary cinematographer. If you’ve seen Frozen Planet…I want to be the person who is lowered into ice caves beneath a volcano in Antartica. I want to be the person filming polar bear cubs take their first plunge into the sea. I suppose it’s because I spend so much time editing audio… my dream job is the total opposite!
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever gotten? Read More
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