A virtual bike race through DC where teams of riders are propelled through the course via donations.

This event is our Spring Fundraiser and our goal is to not only raise at least $6,000 but also to create a fun and sustainable fundraising event that engages all corners of our communities. The teams of tellers will race on a “virtual” course around DC. As teams advance along the course, they will pass water stations which represent some of Speakeasy’s favorite landmarks such as: locations where SEDC has built partnerships, pushed creative boundaries, offered trainings, classes or performances. Track the teams progress on this course map! Find out more on the Tour de Telling official blog.

Online pre-sale closed. Tickets available at door – CASH ONLY

A night of true tales told live

May 14, 2013
Doors open at 6:30pm, Show starts at 8pm
at Town Danceboutique
2009 8th St, NW,Washington, DC, 20009 (near corner of U Street)
$15 cash at door

• Must be 21 and must have ID.
• Bring-your-own-food. When possible, we will arrange a food truck and let you know on Facebook and Twitter.
• Full bar – credit or cash
• There is an ATM on the premises.
• Wheelchair accessible

Driving: Parking on the street or paid lot next door for $15.

Metro: Take Green or Yellow line to U St/Cardozo and exit on 10th Street side. Walk two blocks east and turn left at 8th St. It’s the second building on the right.

Thanks to Alexander Morozov for photographing our shows.

Line-up

Angela Proudfoot
Shaun Flynn
Darren Smith
Gillian Brockell
Mike Kane
Adam Ruben
Anne Thomas
Daniel Sullivan
Adelle Archer

An intimate four-session series with one teacher and 4-6 students. Each week, students bring in stories you want to develop. Kevin will assess the needs of each student, and give individualized feedback and homework to best hone skills to become a stronger storyteller, in both content and performance. This is meant to be student directed – that is, you come into it with an idea or your goals and we help you reach them.

REGISTER HERE

Wednesdays, May 8, 15, 22, 29 – $200
St. Stephen’s Church, 1525 Newton St, NW
near Columbia Heights Metro
If there are 4 students, class will be 2 hours from 7:00 – 9:00 PM
If there are 6, then class will be 3 hours from 7:00 – 10:00 PM

Class is full, but email info@speakeasydc.org if you’d like to be added to the waitlist or register for class starting June 5.

Wednesdays May 8, 15, 22, 29, June 5, 2013 from 6.45-9.45pm. First four classes will take place at Mount Vernon Place Methodist Church at 900 Massachusetts Ave. Closest metros to class are Gallery Place/Chinatown or Convention Center. Fifth class, which is the final showcase, will take place at Chief Ike’s at 725 Columbia Rd NW.  Limit 12 for 6:1 ratio. More info at www.speakeasydc.org

About

Turn your life stories into performance. Learn the art of storytelling in SpeakeasyDC’s acclaimed 5-week class which will take your through the storytelling process from beginning to end, culminating in a public performance for your friends and family.  Students who join the class come from varied backgrounds and have different goals and applications. Some hope to perform on a SpeakeasyDC stage, others have found storytelling useful in the work they do, and others just enjoy the creative process and the community.  Your expert instructors have years of experience, coaching people through the storytelling process.

Detail

Week 1 – Wed May 8 – Class– Finding story material + understanding story structure

Week 2 – Tu, May 14  – Comp to SpeakeasyDC’s monthly show (See Event Listings)

Week 2 – Wed, May 15 – Class – Crafting your story + developing characters

Week 3 – Wed, May 22 – Class – Editing + polishing

Week 4 – Wed, May 29 – Class – Practicing your story + Reviewing performance technique

Week 5 – Wed, Jun 5 – FINAL SHOWCASE - This is your chance to try your story out on a friendly invite-only audience of friends and family. Location TBD

Refund Policy

SpeakeasyDC does not give refunds (full or partial) for voluntary withdrawal from the class. There are limited slots in the class so that we may give sufficient attention to each student. Because of this, we typically have to turn people away. Should you choose to withdraw, we will have a vacancy that we can no longer fill.

Comments from alumni of SpeakeasyDC classes

I’ve had the great opportunity to participate in a class, an open mic, and a performance workshop with Speak Easy DC and in each event I took away a whole difference set of skills and “tricks of the trade”. I would highly recommend the experience to anyone wanting to learn how to craft an engaging story and/or learn to perform your work on stage. Not only is the crafting processes enjoyable, but you will never find a more embracing and accepting audience to present your work than those that attend the Speak Easy shows. I truly believe that Speak Easy DC is an exceptional NGO that affords novices and practiced storytellers alike with the opportunity to share their stories and grow as artists. — posted by jarkarta1

I’m about to take my second class with Speakeasy and I’m very excited. I learned so much on the first go around and many of my fellow classmates ended up telling their fantastic stories at open mic. What an entertaining evening…I laughed, I cheered, I cried and I can’t wait to go back again! — posted by ter

Thursday, May 2, 2013 at 8pm at Patagonia store in Georgetown located at 1048 Wisconsin Avenue, NW, Washington, DC

Join Patagonia DC, SpeakeasyDC, and the Rock Creek Conservancy for the first ever INTO THE WILD themed storytelling night! Enjoy true stories of outdoor adventure while munching on snacks provided by Sprinkles cupcakes, Baked and Wired and Whole Foods. Suggested donation of $10-$20 will go to support the great work of Rock Creek Conservancy.  This event is free for all attendees, but please register.   Also consider making a donation to Rock Creek Conservancy. Reserve ahead or take your chanced at the door.  Facebook Event page

$165 thru midnight on Sunday Apr 14 thereafter it will be $185
18 students max with three instructors. Insturctors: Meredith Maslich, Amy Couchoud and Kevin Boggs

                                       REGISTER ONLINE

TO PAY BY CHECK: Send a check payable to SpeakeasyDC to 1525 Newton St, NW, Washington, DC 20010. Pleeeeez include an address, email, and phone number on the check, plus write “Boot Camp – April 20, 2013″ in memo. Thanks!

REFUND POLICY: SpeakeasyDC does not give refunds (full or partial) for voluntary withdrawal from the class. There are limited slots in the class so that we may give sufficient attention to each student. Because of this, we typically have to turn people away. Should you choose to withdraw, we will have a vacancy that we can no longer fill.

Interested in telling your personal stories but can’t commit to our four-week Storytelling 101 course? Storytelling Boot Camp is the perfect one-day kick-in-the-ass to get you started telling stories. In this class you will leave with:

• Several story ideas for future development
• An understanding of story structure and the qualities of a good story
• An idea of different ways to go about developing your story
• Multiple ideas from your peers and the instructors about how to strengthen your story
• Experience using character in your stories
• One story that you have practiced three times and begun to shape
• A better ear for storyNew friends and creative network

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.

The prize: A free copy of SpeakeasyDC’s first book Sucker for Love. Available as either a paper back or a free download.

The winner: Drawn at random from participants as of 10am on Friday April 12 is JAMES FARMER! Congratulations James!

But this is just the beginning!
The teams are planning events ranging from house parties, to game nights, to competitive power point karaoke. The race ends on May 18, and which ever team has raised the most money on that day, will be declared the winner and will be showered with prizes. (But the real winner will be SpeakeasyDC as we meet (and possibly exceed!) our spring fundraising goal!)But that’s  just the beginning.

And more prizes will be unlocked every week for the duration of the race. Some will be just for donors, some will be just for riders. Some will be for both. Some will be drawings and some will be enough for everyone. The point is, you never know what’s around the corner so give early and give often!

To see the leader board and see where each team is on the course make sure to visit the Tour de Telling website each week.

–

This week’s prize sponsored by:

Tickets available at door – CASH only

A night of true tales told live

Come hear real-life stories about….

•What happens when a Miss Manners control freak is challenged to streak on her last day of university?

• When your dad won’t give you any clues re: the birds & bees, how many fumbles does it take to figure it out on your own?

• What serves as sufficient punishment when a guy violates The Friend Zone?

April 9, 2013
Doors open at 6:30pm, Show starts at 8pm
at Town Danceboutique
2009 8th St, NW,Washington, DC, 20009 (near corner of U Street)
$15 cash at door

• Must be 21 and must have ID.
• Bring-your-own-food. When possible, we will arrange a food truck and let you know on Facebook and Twitter.
• Full bar – credit or cash
• There is an ATM on the premises.
• Wheelchair accessible

Driving: Parking on the street or paid lot next door for $15.

Metro: Take Green or Yellow line to U St/Cardozo and exit on 10th Street side. Walk two blocks east and turn left at 8th St. It’s the second building on the right.

Tentative line-up (alphabetical order)

Kevin Boggs
David Brooks
Allison Burg
Elissa Laura
Michael McVey
Erin Myers
Jesse Ormsby
Janelle Ramus-Jones
Nancy Safavi
John Tong

Thanks to Alexander Morozov for photographing our shows.

Below are ways that you can make a difference:

2. Please send the  letter below to the Council members at 10:00 AM on April 9^th.  Mass emails sent at the same time make a statement, but send anytime you can.

3. Mark your calendar for Wednesday, April 24^th  the day of our Budget Hearing  for the DCCAH before Councilmember Evan’s Committee,  Revenue and  Finance.  Details about registering for the hearing will be sent to you soon.  Let’s storm the place!

Councilmember Email Addresses:

pmendelson@dccouncil.us

abonds@dccouncil.us

dgrosso@dccouncil.us

dcatania@dccouncil.us

vorange@dccouncil.us

kmcduffie@dccouncil.us

jgraham@dccouncil.us

jevans@dccouncil.us

mcheh@dccouncil.us

mbowser@dccouncil.us

twells@dccouncil.us

yalexander@dccouncil.us

mbarry@dccouncil.us

Sample Letter

Dear Councilmember (Add Name of Councilmember ):Please approve the full funding request of $20 million for the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities(DCCAH). The arts economic impact in the District of Columbia is over $1.1 billion. This request is for a small percentage of those funds to insure that DC can continue to serve as an arts-infused, arts-empowered, arts-destination city. To preserve the arts and the humanities is to preserve one of the District’s greatest economic engines and makes our city a world-class cultural arts destination.

The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities has received mandates to work on initiatives that will insure permanent space for arts organizations. The funding that the DCCAH grants arts organizations:

• generates significant income to the city;
• represents tens of thousands of jobs;
• provides a unique and effective conduit to life-long learning and healthcare;
• ensures that students graduate ready to succeed in the workplace
• provides opportunities to reduce crime; and
• provides a quality of life for current and new District residents.

The economic down-turn; the reduction in federal funds, and the reduction of foundation funding to the arts has been devastating. DC Arts and cultural organizations’ programs provide critically needed access to the arts and humanities, especially for our public school students. The support of the DCCAH helps to sustain arts and cultural programs in the District of Columbia.

Funding the DCCAH budget to $20 million will assist in restoring local grants funding to levels that reflect the importance of these assets to the city.

We depend on your support.

Sincerely,

Your name, title and organization

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Though not much of an athlete, Katy is a natural storyteller and passionate about apes and animals. Her collection of “ape tapes” exceeds 44 and, just the other night, she forced me to go into a dog park — with no dog of our own — to hang out with other people’s dogs. A true enthusiast, she’s the only person I know who will say, sincerely, how much fun her government job at the FDA is; and she will talk for weeks about food she’s enjoyed. I’m still hearing about the hummus she had in in February. 

Here’s Katy’s friend doing trapeze like a normal adult 1622437356438_14091. Notice she did not supply a video of herself “working on her hang”.

Below is a collection of some of her favorite ape videos and a photo of a Bonobo named Kanzi

Amazing orangutan footage

Kanzi the bonobo overview (warning: bonobos love to hump)

Rebellious orangutan flees from mother

Orangutan stealing rice