The Call to Lead: 3 Pros & Cons for Tellers to be Event Organizers

When a storyteller graces the stage long enough, it seems only a matter of time when that same storyteller wishes to create other stages for the art.

Opportunities emerge and another festival or event is born.

The dedication and desire to answer the call to lead is commendable.

If storytellers are aware of the advantages and disadvantages of pursuing these ventures, then the strengths could be heightened and the weaknesses reduced or eliminated.

Pros:

1. Awareness of Storyteller Needs for Event

Not everyone understands the storyteller. Some of the basic room set-up and sound check needs are misunderstood or unknown. Nevertheless, our demands usually do not require as much sound equipment or staging as other performing artists.

Before teaching a storytelling workshop, I was able to view the room. I then forwarded to the building coordinator a visual map of how to place the chairs and the kind of microphone that would work best. Rather than having to fix or rearrange chairs in a semi-circle fashion the same day as the session, the presenters had more time to welcome and mingle with attendees so to create a friendlier atmosphere. A teller-turned-producer could educate others and prevent a nightmare such as audience members being on two sides of the teller instead of one side or even a crazy circumstance of an audience completely encircling the teller.

2. Leader on Stage Translates to Leader of Project

The fact that someone has a microphone does not automatically make that person a leader. Yet, the willingness for people to listen is a sign of leadership. A storyteller has the advantage of people wanting to hear what the teller would say. While planning and organizing events, the storyteller could use this confidence to relate ideas with the committee or board.

3. Creative Solutions and Ideas Come Naturally

A storyteller seeks to find a unique way to tell a tale. The same tactics to explore a story could be used as brainstorming tools to think beyond the typical board member. The idea of “play” will excite the others on the committee so that other wonderful and grand ideas surface.

Cons:

1. Torn of When to be Teller vs. Leader

Most people choose to act one role or another. When both roles of teller and leader are attempted, then delegation becomes tricky.

During one festival, a contracted storytellers had an emergency--as sometimes happens--and a last-minute replacement had to be found. With only a day notice, it seemed best for me, the chair, to take that spot since I had a repertoire large enough to change dependent on the audience. Some stories came to mind, but were quickly changed when mostly 1st graders entered the room rather than the expected 4th graders. Meanwhile, since I was telling, I could not be at the storyteller check-in table. One of my committee members had to stay longer at the table than what was intended. Nevertheless, the decision had to be made so the festival could continue to flow without the audience being aware of the desperate change.

2. Less Time on Stage

As consequence of having more duties, a producer may not have a chance to tell stories at the event . . .unless the event is meant to completely spotlight the producer as found with fringe or solo performances. Otherwise, if there are other tellers involved as with a festival, a conflict of interest may develop if the producer is given too much time with the microphone.

3. Focus on Art Distracts from Executive Decisions

An artist tends to think more in idealistic terms than the realistic. The vision may be clear, but then the ability to pursue the dreams may be problematic when faced with budgetary or volunteer restrictions.

So if the call to create or organize event comes to your storyteller mind, embrace it. Build that story for the event that creates your vision of a “happily ever after”.

Until we tell again,

Rachel Hedman

Professional Storyteller

Tel: (801) 870-5799
Email: info@rachelhedman.com

URL: http://www.rachelhedman.com/

How-To Blog: http://storytellingadventures.blogspot.com/

Family Famine Series Site: http://www.familyfamine.com/

Year of the Family Book: http://www.yearofthefamily.com
Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/rachelfans
Other places to find me: Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Professional Storyteller

Future Success: 3 Key Ways to Tell the Story of Your Goals

K. Sean Buvala, storytelling marketing guru and director of Storyteller.net, inspired this blog post by coaching me to pretend it was December 31st of the new year and what I wanted to accomplish. With his permission, I expanded upon this exercise on ways to share goals like stories. If you would also like to be coached by Sean, then email him at sean@storyteller.net.

Lists, lists, and more lists. Such a thought could cause one to moan and groan when every year the goals must be figured out. Fortunately, there is a more empowering and effective way to enjoy this recurring process: tell goals as stories.

Consider the outlines that a teller may use to learn and develop a tale. When it comes time to perform, the outline is set aside so that the moment can be shared by the teller and the audience.

As for goals, the audience most important to please would be you.

Three Key Ways to Transform Goals into Stories:

1. Characters
2. Settings
3. Moving the Plot Forward

Goal Characters

You
Yes, you are the hero in your story. When December 31st comes of the current year, be prepared to share an epic journey. You will have the expected trials. Folktales tend to have at least three, though do not dismay if you face more than that number. For remember, the hero conquers them in the end.

Family and Friends
Any hero in a story needs the mentors and the helpers. Family and friends are the perfect ones to fulfill these roles. Sometimes family and friends are similar to the cheering villagers found in fairy tales. Others get more involved and might be in contact on a daily, weekly, monthly, or quarterly basis. It could compare to the walk along the path to visit the wise old woman or man for advice.

Business Associates

At times, the hero needs to have accommodations or supplies to make it past the dragon, monster, or other obstacle. Consider the business people who have the skills needed to help you accomplish your goals. You could go a step further and include key individuals into your business plan complete with contact information.

Goal Settings

Home
The hero tends to leave home in search of another home. Yet, we live in an age when home offices are common. Furniture or routines may need to be adjusted to create “another home” that is more conducive to a productive environment . . .and especially as it relates to your goals.

Potential Performance Areas
You are a storyteller. Obviously there will be places in which you will be before an audience. Part of your goals might entail have so many new venues. Perhaps you want at least a certain percentage of places you have told at in the past. Whatever your endeavors, you could close your eyes and imagine perfect performances at these places. Although the likelihood of everything—or anything—being perfect, envisioning such a dream could boost your energy and motivation so you may have many “practically perfect” moments.

Businesses

Storytellers need to collaborate and work alongside businesses from print shops to recording studios to advertising offices. If you have ongoing relationships with people, then it will be easier to picture the places where they do that fantastic work for you. These people and businesses are every part of the setting of your goals. You may want to imagine atmospheres of creativity, understanding, and of clear communication.

Moving the Plot Forward for Your Goals

Breaking Big Goals into Smaller Goals
Stories have scenes. Each moment builds upon each other to the grand goal. Though, if you only saw the “grand goal”, then that would only be a one-sentence story. These short stories may be nice to share at a party, but then they are forgotten the next morning.

Placing Smaller Goals on Calendar
Storytellers are faced with choices in every part of the process. There are endless possibilities. This could become overwhelming unless put on a visual map—also known as the calendar. Color-coding works for quick recognition on the calendar, especially as you most likely want to accomplish more than goal over the course of the year.

Add Details for Flavor
If your goals still feel like an outline of ideas rather than a story, then add details that would excite you beyond the basics. Do you have an outfit planned for that premiere of yours? Who will be at some of your performances? What does your face look like when the package of new CDs is delivered to the door? This is your success story so you have the right to make-up details—realistic or not. You may be surprised what comes to pass.

Keep in mind to share your story in the past tense—as if it already occurred. This act solidifies the glorious image in your head.

Are you ready to tell your future success story now?

Go ahead.

Have your happily ever after.

Until we tell again,

Rachel Hedman

Professional Storyteller

Tel: (801) 870-5799
Email: info@rachelhedman.com

URL: http://www.rachelhedman.com/

How-To Blog: http://storytellingadventures.blogspot.com/

Performance Blog: http://familyfamine.blogspot.com/
Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/rachelfans
Other places to find me: Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Professional Storyteller

Gracing the Perfect Stage: Ideal Worth Asking For

Before an audience steps into the place to find their seats, there can be an aura that says to all “this is the right place to be”.

Any sponsor of an event wants their audiences entering the doors with smiles and leaving for home with smiles. Sometimes with the rush of planning, storytellers and sponsors do not get a chance to discuss how to make this magic happen.

When I get a call about a gig, I set up an appointment to see the performance area. Not only does this help me mentally prepare for the concert, but I can also make note of any technical issues that need to be resolved. In no way am I trying to be difficult. Most of the time it seems that a sponsor is grateful to hear what could be done to create the ideal setting.

If for some reason I cannot go to the location to see the stage before performance day, I request that the sponsor email me pictures of the intended area. Suddenly I have a virtual tour so that when I stand on that stage, I feel like I am at home.

One of our responsibilities is to educate sponsors on how to create an ideal environment for storytelling.

Here are things to ask about—whether in-person, by telephone, or through email:

1. Distracting noises

2. Position of the doors and other objects

3. Background busyness

4. Schedule to tell in relation to meals or other entertainment

5. Acoustics of room and need of amplification

6. Room temperature

7. Emcee

Distracting noises
Audience members may not only be hearing the words from your mouth. You may be placed near other entertainment venues that host loud music, megaphones, dance groups, or any number of activities. Hopefully the sponsor places you far enough away to respect the magic that you create through your tellings. It is hard to have a dramatic pause without silence.

If you are telling at a school, there may be intercom announcements or bells that could interrupt your stories. Even libraries are not the quietest places as they may have intercom systems, too. Sometimes it is possible for these places to quiet or even turn these distractions off. All you have to do is ask.

Loud heaters or air conditioners could be a problem. Unless the room temperature needs to be fixed, see if these devices can be turned off for the performance.

Position of doors and other objects
The storyteller needs to face the doors so that the audience is unaware of any latecomers that are likely to arrive.

One time I performed at a library with a raised carpet stage with the entrance to the right of me. Though the architecture deemed the stage as the place for me to set up, it would have been better to place my portable backdrop on the opposite side.

If there are windows, I prefer for the shades to be closed so that my audience focuses on me rather than the outside.

At times, there may be objects in the way such as at East Tennessee State University with national storyteller Jon Spelman. Being a classroom, there was a computer/desk fixture bolted to the raised carpet stage. Originally someone had placed chairs in rows across the whole length of the room. We rearranged the chairs and shifted the center of the stage more to the right. We may have had more space on the left, but it was better to add more rows of shorter length than to cause any audience members to have a poor view of the teller.

Background Busyness
Some of the most colorful places I have performed have been in schools. The teachers work so hard to make their classroom exciting for the students. To tell in such places as a storyteller can be tricky due to the busy backgrounds. There needs to be some type of focal point for the audience.

To solve this riddle, I created a portable backdrop, which consisted of two 6’X6’ panels that came together at roughly a 90 degree angle. Sometimes I hung a sparkling gold-lettered sign of “Storyteller” so that I could hear the oohs and aahs from the audience before I even spoke.

Schedule to tell in relation to meals or other entertainment
One time I was asked to tell stories for a church group while they ate. I was too new a teller to realize how dangerous this request would be with the clinking of the utensils and the volunteers clearing plates. I could see the audience but, for some reason, they needed to look at their food. With storytelling being an interactive art form, this lack of eye contact was frustrating.

To add to the craziness, they had me sit on top of a piano. This was not the most comfortable place to tell stories. Perhaps it was the only way for me to be tall enough for the audience to see me. Now I know to give my sponsors an idea of how much room I would like such as having a 6’ by 10’ area.

You may not have to worry about telling through meal times, but you may be competing with other activities. There was a festival that had two stages—one for music groups and one for storytelling. Sometimes the musicians would go over time and could be heard while one of the teller’s told a touching tale. I tried to tune my ears to only hear the teller and sit on the front row.

If at all possible, have the sponsor be aware of the scheduling conflicts. It may not help for the current gig but may improve future tellings at that event.

Acoustics of room and need of amplification
All attendees need to be able to hear the storyteller. With groups of 25 people or more, some sort of sound system is recommended. The sponsor may need to reserve or rent the equipment so be clear about your request.

One time, for a Halloween party, I was asked to tell stories in the gymnasium. With the high ceilings, already I knew the sound would be lost. I asked for a microphone. The organizer shooed the idea and said I would be fine. To make matters worse, I was not placed on stage and there was no announcement that I would share stories. Some kids gathered around me, but as the adults were not asked to be quiet, I had to compete with their chatter. Suffice it to say, I am now quite firm when it comes to sound systems.

Sometimes it is not about the sound system. Sometimes it is about choosing another room, if available. About a year ago I told at a school that had two options—the gymnasium or the music room. I chose the music room as the students could fit without being cramped while having a more intimate feel.

Room Temperature
Indoor venues can sometimes be as hot or as cold as outdoor venues. Once in a while there may be someone who forgets to put on the air conditioning or the heat. This can be a shock for audience members.

If it had to one of the extremes, I would prefer that the room be too cold than too hot. At least with the cold, the audience would be inspired to sit close to each other rather than leaving empty seats between each family or group. Plus, the coolness keeps one less grumpy and more awake. Of course, if the theme is “bedtime stories” then perhaps warmth is a good idea!

By arriving at least 45 minutes to an hour before performing, you have enough time to adjust the temperature.

Emcee
The emcee has a direct relationship to a successful show. Their time may be brief on stage, but their presence and excitement are felt.

When I go through my questionnaire with the sponsor, I always ask who will be my emcee. I provide an introduction card that the person paraphrases or reads.

If at all possible, I like for my emcees to stay for the whole performance. At certain places they may be understaffed so I understand if they can only introduce me and then excuse themselves. Even so, I remind them that they need to be there for at least a moment to show the audience that they sponsor this performance.

When I lived in Fresno, I told at a museum along with some storytelling friends. No one from the museum introduced us. We did not even have a normal room to perform; it was in the walking area by the paintings. With no official person to organize the event, my friends and I almost felt like we had to chase down our audience. We still had fun, but the event could have touched more of their patrons if only an emcee was provided.

Having the perfect stage is possible, especially when you share with the sponsor that you want to create the best possible experience for everyone involved.

So smile as you step onto that stage. With the mood set, you are ready to do your best.

Until we tell again,

Rachel Hedman
Professional Storyteller
Co-Chair of Youth, Educators, and Storytellers Alliance
(801) 870-5799
info@rachelhedman.com
http://www.rachelhedman.com/
http://www.yesalliance.com/

Stage Fever: How to Make a Portable Backdrop

The stage beckons many of us storytellers and often we wish we could always count on having a stage. How often have we performed with a busy background and the performance suffered for it?

One way to create a focal point for the audience is for the storyteller to make a portable backdrop.

Inspiration came from Professional Storyteller Dianne de Las Casas in her book "The Story Biz Handbook, How to Manage Your Storytelling Career from the Desk to the Stage".

Dianne uses a 7' X 8' backdrop from PVC pipes and fabric. I emailed Dianne and she responded, "I have different backdrops for different shows. Some are made of a felt-like material, some are hand-sewn or fused with appliques and others are handpainted on muslin. . .. I love my backdrops. They add such pizzazz to my show and really make me stand out in a crowd."

There are many ways to make a portable backdrop so I will share what has worked for me-- two 6'X6' panels that connect together in a 90 degree angle.

Items You Need:

• 24 PVC pipes of 3' length, 3/4" diameter
• 2 "X" connectors, 8 "T" connectors, 8 "L" connectors to fit 3/4" diameter (see picture)

• 10 yards (1 bolt) of fleece/fabric
• 4 strips of 2 1/2' of Velcro with sticky-back--stiff side only
• 4 strips of 2 1/2' of Velcro WITHOUT sticky-back--fuzzy side only
  
• Package of premium ties made of plastic and stainless steel locks (12" length or more)
• Travel golf bag to store items

Tools You Need:

• Scissors
• Sewing Machine, Thread, Pins
• Measuring Tape

Recommendations/Warnings:
1. Go to a place like Sprinkler World or Home Depot to get the PVC pipes. Have the place cut the long pipes into 3' segments for it will save you money and time. Then pick up the "X", "T", and "L" connectors to fit the 3/4" diameter.

2. When buying the Velcro, make sure you grab the sticky-backed kind as well as the kind without the sticky-back. The Velcro must be sewn to the fabric and the stickiness can ruin many needles and possibly the sewing machine. Yet, the stickiness is great for the pipes.

3. Depending on the kind of fabric you choose for the backdrop, the fabric could be expensive. Normally, fleece is $6.99/yard and 10 yards of fabric is needed. I bought my fleece at $1.99/yard and the Velcro during Black Friday and it cost me $18.88.

4. A travel golf bag is ideal to carry the backdrop due to the many handles, straps, and wheels on it. I found mine at Wal-Mart for $29.97.

Directions:
1. Take the 10 yards of fabric and cut off a 1-foot section. Lay the 1-foot section aside. Go to a wide hallway or spacious room and fold the 9 yards and 2 feet in half. Making sure there are no wrinkles and that ends meet, fold the fabric in half a second time. This will give you four sections of the same size.

2. Cut both ends of the folded fabric. Then take two of the same-sized pieces. Line them up together the long way. Pin these ends together and prepare to do a straight stitch to seam these ends through the sewing machine. Each 6’X6’ panel will have a vertical seam in the middle for a vertical seam has a more professional look than a horizontal seam.

3. Repeat step #2 for the last two same-sized pieces.

4. Notice that there is a stiff and a fuzzy side to the Velcro. Take the sticky-backed fuzzy side of the Velcro and center it along one PVC pipe. Repeat the process for three other PVC pipes.

5. Open up one of the fabric panels with the seam facing up. At the top of the fabric and three inches away from the left side of the seam, place the Velcro one inch from the top and perpendicular to the seam. Pin the Velcro down so as to sew a straight stitch through the Velcro and into the fabric. Then, have a mirror image with the Velcro three inches away from the right side of the seam. Pin Velcro and sew to fabric.

6. Repeat step #5 on the second fabric panel.

7. Take the 1-foot section of fabric and cut six 1-inch by 1-yard pieces. I prefer to use fleece because the ends do not unravel like other fabrics.

How to Set-Up the Portable Backdrop:
1. Lay one of the fabric panels on the ground with the seam and Velcro facing up. The Velcro on the fabric indicates the top of the panel. Taking your shoes off, walk to the center of the fabric and place the “X” connector. Place a pipe in each one of the ends of the “X” connector. Now take four “T” connectors and place one on each of the open ends. Make sure that two Velcro-covered pipes are also used for the top to match the Velcro on the fabric. Use four “L” connectors for the corners. Connect the pipes and connectors until it looks like the picture.

2. Fold the Velcro on the fabric so to stick to the Velcro on the two pipes. Go to the bottom of the panel and fold the remaining fabric towards the center. Next, fold the extra material on the left side towards the center. Finally, fold the extra material on the right side towards the center. Near the top and the center I have cut a 1” long slit on the right side of one fabric panel (about 3” in). I also have cut a 1” slit on the left side of the second fabric panel (about 3” in). The two sides without the slits will be the edges that will be the center of the portable backdrop. For both of the fabric panels at the bottom, I cut two 1” slits on either side of the seam. All the slits are places for the fabric strips to enter in order to secure the fabric better to the pipes. Tie fabric strips to pipes
through the slits as shown in the pictures.

3. Repeat steps #1-2 for the second panel.

4. Have another person hold vertical one panel while you hold the other panel so that you create a 90-degree angle. Take three plastic ties and tighten the two pipes together at the top, center, and bottom. The portable backdrop should now be freestanding.

With your portable backdrop, you will always have a stage to bring you into the spotlight.

Until we tell again,

Rachel Hedman
Professional Storyteller
Co-Chair of Youth, Educators, and Storytellers Alliance
(801) 870-5799
info@rachelhedman.com
http://www.rachelhedman.com
http://www.yesalliance.com