Storytelling Games: Never too old to Play

Adults seem to shy away from playing storytelling games to improve their skills as storytellers. Yet, a youth storytelling club would suffer if games were not played. (Some games listed at the end.)

During my days at Brigham Young University, our storytelling club meetings almost always included some sort of game. Games are not reserved for the young.

How Games Help Adults/Kids:
1. Spark imaginations
2. Strengthen improvisation skills
3. Gain insight for in-process stories
4. Build leadership and speaking skills
5. Create a chance to laugh

Spark imaginations
How each person interprets the game will be different. With two or more people playing the games, you may experience reactions not guessed on your own.

For example, you may play the game “Carry On” and a person passes an imaginary lizard to you. Your choice could be to pretend to pet it while another person may pretend to eat it. This could trigger thoughts like “what if someone ate a lizard?” or “who would enjoy eating a lizard?” or “what could convince someone to eat a lizard that they would otherwise not ingest?” The questions could be endless. Any ideas triggered by playing a game would be important to store in some way whether by writing it down, recording the idea on a mp3, etc.

Strengthen improvisation skills
Most storytelling games require some sort of improvisation such as adding the next line of the story, acting out images or emotions that other people may throw into the story, reacting to another person’s actions and so on.

When I was in high school, I competed in storytelling through Forensics (public-speaking contests). There was a certain story that I told almost every week. Then, without warning, my mind went blank. I was not about to let the judge know that the plot and ending had escaped me. To this day, I do not remember how I saved the story. Yet, I finished the story with a different ending and received high marks from the judge. Warming up with storytelling games before the performance built my impromptu skills.

National storyteller Ed Stivender is one of the cleverest ones to use spontaneity to his benefit. First, he asks the audience for a well-known fairy tale like Cinderella or Snow White. Then, he asks for a different setting, a bad habit that a main character has, objects, and anything else that makes the story sound crazy. Finally, on the spot, he creates the story. Audience members are able to walk away from the performance knowing that they co-created a humorous masterpiece.

As for national storyteller Olga Loya, she starts a story, pauses, and calls on someone to shout out anything that comes to their mind for the next adventure in the plot. She continues for a moment and then encourages another audience member to add an object or thought. Somehow she is always able to wrap up the story—no matter how silly it is—and bring out a heartwarming lesson.

Storytelling games can be part of the performance itself with amazing results.

Gain insight for in-process stories
Sometimes you get stuck on a story. Maybe you have an idea for the beginning. Maybe you have an idea for a character. Whatever the case, you are stuck and it seems like the story will never come to full fruition.

If this is so, then call up some people to play some storytelling games. Connecting with the local storytelling guild may be best. Otherwise, round up some of the neighborhood kids. You could choose a game that happens to involve the setting, the characters, or the plot of your in-process story. See how the others respond to the situation. You may have 27 different versions by the time you are done playing the game, but at least you have options.

As a writer can get writer’s block by staring at a blank page, so can a storyteller get storyteller’s block by working on a story with an empty mind.

Build leadership and speaking skills
Once you know some storytelling games, then next you need to explain the directions to the participants in clear and expressive ways.

There has been several times when I thought I was clear in explaining the rules of a game. Afterwards, I would see scrunched faces of confusion or sometimes hear the occasional “Huh?” or “What?” Another sign of miscommunication is when no one does anything after announcing, “Go” or “Begin.” Quickly, I have learned that demonstrating a part of the game improves the understanding of how to play for everyone.

Create a chance to laugh
Above all, play storytelling games for amusement. Technically, there are no “mistakes” that can be made during games—only fun, healthy moments.

I say “healthy” for good reason. You have heard, “laughter is the best medicine?” Whenever you think something is funny or when you laugh, there is certain saliva formed in your mouth. Inside this saliva are bacteria-fighting specimens. As you swallow this saliva, you are able to combat illness and reduce stress.

Laughter is also a good form of exercise. Ten minutes of rigorous laughter equals ten minutes of rowing. After playing 30 minutes or so of games, you may have reached a total of ten minutes of laughter so to qualify for your daily workout.

Some Games to Try:

Carry On
Form a circle, ideally with everyone standing up. One person decides on an imaginary object to pass to the person next to them. This “object” is passed from person to person in the circle. Some examples are a stinky sock, a fragile lamp, a bowling ball, and a lizard. When the “object” is passed back to the leader, then choose a different item.

***Variations: Try this same game with or without sounds. Have the leader rotate so several or all people have a chance to suggest something to pass around the circle.

A Big Yarn
Form a circle. Take a ball of yarn and have it wrapped around each person in the circle one time. Everyone will be connected in this way. The person with the end of the yarn becomes the leader and starts the story. While telling the story, the leader takes the yarn and rewraps the yarn until it is passed to the next person. Then the next person picks up the story from where the other one ended. Continue the story until the yarn is all rolled up.

***To help the leader, ask for suggestions of a setting and some characters from everyone. You may also determine certain code words that trigger a response from everyone in the circle. For example, if ever someone telling a story says “food”, all could respond with “mmmmmmmmm, food!” or whatever reaction tickles your fancy.

Hitchhiker
Set up four chairs with two chairs behind the other two. These chairs represent a car. All four chairs are filled with “passengers”. Determine who is the driver. Everyone in the car talks to each other to reflect a certain emotion already picked out. A fifth person is the hitchhiker. When the hitchhiker sticks out his thumb, the “driver” slams on the brakes (sound effects are encouraged). The driver is bumped out of the car, everybody rotates a chair, and the hitchhiker occupies the remaining open chair. The hitchhiker puts on a different attitude than the other passengers. As the hitchhiker continues the conversation, the other passengers reflect their speech of whatever emotion the hitchhiker is doing. Eventually, another hitchhiker comes along and sticks out his thumb. The rotation continues.

***Some emotions that may be fun to do: surprise, grumpiness, exuberance, sorrow, etc. This could also be a chance to improve vocabulary. An extra rule may be to add certain words that must be used during the conversation though said in such a way to flow with what the other passengers are saying. These words could change per rotation.

Freeze!
Form a circle, ideally with everyone standing up. Have two people in the center of the circle with each of them in a different position such as being down on one knee, having both arms in the air, hands on hips, etc. The audience suggests a setting. The two people unfreeze from their positions though, at the same time, gaining inspiration of their mood and emotions from each other. The two people act out a scene together until anyone from the audience shouts, “Freeze!” When called, the two people freeze in whatever positions they are in at the moment. Then the caller takes one of the two frozen positions, thus having one person return within the circle of the audience. A new setting is called out. Another scene is acted out and continues until someone else shouts, “Freeze!”

***Some people prefer to have a list of 20 or more ready-made positions. A person could choose a number that would relate to a position.

The Typewriter (or The Computer?)
Someone pretends to type on a typewriter. The typewriter starts the story. For each character or object the typewriter mentions, a person from the audience jumps out and plays the character or object. The characters/objects members listen to the writer’s story and act it out, but the writer must also listen to the characters/objects when they add their own dialogue.

***If you have people who are shy to jump in as a character/object, then have everyone but the writer line up. You could serve as the facilitator and silently point someone on the stage with the writer when you hear a character/object mentioned.

First and Last
Gather 20+ children’s books at the library. Write down the first sentence of each of the books on individual slips of paper. Each slip is placed in hat. Then write down the last sentence of each of the books on individual slips of paper and place in second hat. Have one person draw one “first sentence” and one “last sentence” from each of the hats. Give no more than 10 seconds for the person to tell the impromptu story. Watch them attempt to connect the first and last sentence in a comprehensive story. Be prepared for many laughs!

***You may choose for everyone to know what sentences the person drew or it could be kept a secret.

If you enjoyed this blog, you may also want to find more games in my entries "Ancient Civilizations: Story Standards from Then to Now" as well as "Imagination: 2 Ways to Zap Creativity into Kids".

May life be one grand game for you.

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/

Balancing Act: Old & New Storytelling Traditions

Finding balance on views of how to expand the art of storytelling amongst the elders versus the next generation of tellers of 18-30-year olds is not impossible as some may think in the storytelling community.

Perhaps it is fairer to keep age out and name the two views as traditionalists and innovators. Most people will probably see themselves as mixtures of both. This may already show that we as individuals and as a community must decide our stance.

Let us see how these two groups may fare in three categories:
1. Technology
2. Discovery
3. Coming Together as a People

Technology—
Traditionalist: Tends to resist mixing the art with other mediums, especially for radio programs, television broadcasts, podcasts, blogs, etc. Narrower definitions of storytelling are common to exclude performers who do not normally call themselves storytellers such as radio personalities, stand-up comedians, filmmakers, etc. Though microphones may be used to perform or recordings may be made on CDs or DVDs to sell as merchandise, this is usually the extent of technology considered acceptable.

Innovator: Promotes the use of technology including downloadable stories on ipods, podcasts, blogs, MySpace, digital stories, or anything that advances the visibility of storytelling to the general public. Theatrical elements such as lights and sounds are more open to use though not always incorporated. There is more acceptance of using other words to describe storytelling such as spoken word, performing art, and narrative theatre in advertising materials.

Discovery—
Traditionalist: Honors stories from all times and cultures and seeks to show respect from which the roots of the stories take place. Any act of irreverence is looked down upon. There is recognition that each storyteller brings something unique in the telling. Often the teller searches for how to build bridges of understanding, peace, memories and information for the audience.

Innovator: Encourages the exploration of the art form in most, if not in all, ways. Respect for the roots of the story are acknowledged though not always respected through use of humor, shock-value or other dramatic tools. Sometimes this leads to riskier or sensitive subjects, which could shake the typical “G” or “PG” material produced for most storytelling audiences. Fringe festivals, story slams, and coffeehouses that support the spoken word are venues for this kind of teller. Tends to invite all as storytellers despite backgrounds.

Coming Together as a People—
Traditionalist: Supports storytelling as a way to strengthen families, communities, and nations through informal gatherings such as front porch tellings (also known as kitchen table tellings), neighborhood block parties, or other spontaneous functions. Other forums such as storytelling festivals, story swaps, and conferences are welcomed. Sometimes seeks others within the art through membership of a guild or with the National Storytelling Network. At the same time, if the organization should disappear, the teller comforts self that the art would continue as it has from the beginning of time.

Innovator: Outreaches through service or action-based projects, as these activities are popular on campuses across the nation. Whenever there is a natural disaster, medical need, or call for peace, several of these college-aged people rush to make a difference. The storytellers of this age group have often put together benefit concerts, like what was done for Hurricane Katrina, without any direction from organizations.

If you are both traditionalist and innovator, then you are not alone.
In many respects, one could say that there is already a balance of tradition and innovation within the American Storytelling Movement. The general mixture of the storytelling community is not split 50/50. My guess is that we are seeing more of a 70/30 with 70% leaning towards traditionalism. As the current 18-30-year-olds age, however, we will see a shift more to the innovation side. There is not a right or wrong percentage for the split to occur. Whatever the balance needs to be at the moment, that is what we will see.

Rather than define the “proper balance” of the American Storytelling Movement and the direction of storytelling, here is what an ideal balance would feel like:

Trust would be placed upon both traditionalists and innovators that decisions are in the best interest of respecting the art of storytelling

Value as a member of the storytelling community would be felt even with the differing views

Recognition would be given to those who uphold the traditions as well as those who evolve the art

Leadership of the art would evoke experience from traditionalists and from innovators

Here are shifts towards the innovator side through some actions by the National Storytelling Network:
1. Desires to have an 18-30-year-old on the Board of Directors
My proposed next step: As every state has a state liaison to represent the area, so could there eventually be a second state liaison from the 18-30-year-old range.

2. Reserves space in Storytelling Magazine for New Voices column
My proposed next step: This column could be offered to colleges across the nation for part of their campus newspapers. This would not be the first time that newspapers glean from other sources. Think of the Associated Press and the relationship with worldwide newspapers. Campus newspapers are no different.

3. Supports New Voices Discussion Group (18-30-year-old tellers and allies)
My proposed next step: With the monthly conference calls that are made for this group, there is small attendance. When goals are established and at least 30 members maintained, then the Discussion Group could transform into a Special Interest Group. Interestingly, membership to a group is not as important to this age group as to action. If the National Storytelling Network desires to see more of 18-30-year-olds, then "make-a-difference" programs need to be in place. Benefit concerts structured on a national level could be one such program.

4. Promotes Fringe at National Storytelling Conference
My proposed next step: Embrace a story slam as part of the National Storytelling Conference. Ever since the Fringe was introduced a couple years ago, the draw increased for 18-30-year-olds as well as for performers who may not label themselves as storytellers. Even so, only 10-15 of this age group attended versus over 250 of mainly 50+-year-olds. Varying the types of events/activities available at the conference serves as an invitation; sometimes all one needs is an invitation and feeling welcome in the storytelling community.

Balance is easier to accomplish if we remember that, regardless of age or views, that we are lured to storytelling for similar reasons.

Scott Russell Sanders lists ten main reasons:

1. Stories entertain us
2. Stories create community
3. Help us to see through the eyes of other people
4. Show us the consequences of our actions
5. Stories educate our desires
6. Stories help us to dwell in place
7. Stories help us to dwell in time
8. Stories help us to deal with suffering, loss, and death
9. Stories teach us how to be human
10. Stories acknowledge the wonder and mystery of Creation

***Sanders, S.R. (1997, Spring). “The Power of Stories.” The Georgia Review, 51(1), 113-126.

Within these reasons, is there room for traditional as well as newfangled ideas?

You know my answer.

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/

Tandem Telling: 3 Paradoxes, 2 Mouths, 1 Voice

Thank you to Carol Esterreicher for the collage pictures of Rachel Hedman (left) and Holly Robison (right) during "The Mirror."

Being a mind reader is helpful though not required when you want to tell stories with a partner. Many well-known tandem tellers are husband/wife teams, who tend to be able to finish each other’s sentences in the stories with ease. Beyond tandem storytellers by marriage, several friendship pairs exist. (See bottom for examples)

While discussing tandem telling, you will discover two voices in this blog: Rachel Hedman and Holly Robison.

Three Paradoxes of Tandem Telling:
1. Shared and Unique Experiences
2. Trust and Mystery
3. Scripts and Spontaneity

Shared and Unique Experiences
Rachel: Being human beings, we already have several things in common. Immersing into folklore uncovers certain themes that we all share, which is one of the reasons there are thousands of Cinderella stories around the world.

At first glance, you may notice that our age and hair color are similar. Each of us is married to supportive husbands who understand how much we enjoy telling stories. We live within 40 minutes from each other in Utah so it is possible to practice pieces.

Holly: Important, we also share similar passions of singing and expressing ourselves on stage.

Rachel: One of the major differences between us is that Holly has three kids while I do not have any kids. Holly is able to look at certain stories from a mother’s point-of-view where I lack that experience.

Holly: Hopefully I don't try to "Mother" Rachel.

Rachel: We also grew up in different parts of the country.

Despite our different styles in the telling of tales, the more differences we have, the more shared experiences discovered.

Trust and Mystery
Rachel: When finding a partner for tandem telling, I had to have enough trust. There is more than one kind of trust. I may trust that someone is high on skills but I may not trust in their ability to complete projects in a timely manner or vice versa. An excellent resource on trust is “Speed to Trust” by Stephen MR Covey.

Holly: We spent our time together talking about more than the topic of storytelling and even doing activities beyond storytelling. We have to know each other as more than storytellers.

Rachel: As for Holly, she had been involved in storytelling long enough to be high in skills. I knew her for over three years and in that time I knew she had strong commitment to whatever she promised to do.

Holly: As for Rachel, I was ecstatic to have the opportunity to tell with one of my favorite tellers. Anyone who knows Rachel can tell you Rachel does nothing half way.

I think we started with a good foundation of trust and luckily our experience only strengthened that trust.

Rachel: Three years or even a lifetime could never discover all the mysteries of myself or of Holly. . .

Holly: . . .like the mystery of Rachel's love for her car as a member of the family. The engine broke down and she had to say goodbye to that car and have her husband find another car to replace the void.

Rachel: Along the way of developing a tandem story, you may find out issues or struggles of your partner’s experience that could determine how you approach the piece. Perhaps if there was a story about a car that dies. . . or anything else that is emotional at the moment.

Scripts and Spontaneity
Rachel: Since we needed to understand the cues of when to jump in for our part of the story, we did use scripts. Not all tandem tellers use scripts, or at least do not share the stories word-for-word. Solo storytellers may shake their heads to scripts as this increases the chance to be frozen to words so that the stories stay stagnant. However one feels about scripts, this is a decision that every tandem team needs to make.

Holly: Just as many stories told begin on the page of a book before they are molded by a teller; our scripts were our jumping-off point.

Rachel: I believe that the more Holly and I tell as a tandem, the more spontaneous our stories will be.

Holly: I noticed that the more we told our stories and became more comfortable with them, the more we made the stories our own in words and actions.

--Script Excerpt--

"The Mirror", Korean tale adapted for tandem telling by Rachel Hedman
P1=Partner One (mainly farmer, grandmother, grandfather)—Rachel Hedman
P2=Partner Two (mainly wife, shopkeeper, boy)—Holly Robison
Both = Both Partners

P1: The farmer gathered everything in his cart to sell at market and before he left, his wife called,

Both: “Will you get something for me?”

P1: The farmer nodded. “As you will be caring for your parents and my son while I am away, it is only fair that I buy you something.”

P2: The wife smiled and yet she worried. She knew her husband was great at caring for the farm but he was a little . . .absent-minded.

Both: “Look at the moon.”

P2: “You see how it is in crescent shape? It looks like a comb that I would like you to get for me at the marketplace. So to help you remember what I want. . .

Both: “Look at the moon.”

--End of Script Excerpt--

Rachel: I have always enjoyed the power that can happen from a chant given by two people, especially for emphasis for a key part of the story.

Now compare to Holly’s style of scripting--

Holly: In "The Burro's Load", a Mexican tale, I played Pedro and Rachel played the Burro. Below is the ending.

--Script Excerpt--

Burro: The next day we went to a seashore market and I found that I liked carrying sponges even more than I liked carrying feathers. I could even run along the path with the lightness of the sponges. When we got to the stream I went down, down down.

Pedro: I expected this. Burrow did not expect what happened next though. When he stood up the load was heavy.

Burro: Heavy! Heavy is an understatement. I staggered out of the stream under the weight of … of whatever magic was on my back.

Pedro: Burro carried those water-filled sponges all the way home with the water dripping down his legs and behind, but that was the heaviest load he ever had to carry. For he never laid down in the water with packs on again.

Burro: You got that right!

--End of Script Excerpt--

Rachel: Though both example stories are scripted, you may notice that Holly’s style of writing allows more spontaneity in the telling. She focused on two characters of the story and had the piece told in the 1st person from two point-of-views rather than the 3rd person style for “The Mirror.”

Even though one person would be in charge of each story, we always left it open for our partner to add a little of their own personality to whatever part(s) that were needed to be filled. Holly may have had a certain pictures of Burro, though I had my own ways of interpreting Burro’s personality.

Holly: That is where most of the trust comes in. In trusting each other we could allow the partner to add themselves to the characters and we could talk about what we thought the story needed.

Rachel: Now that you have heard about three paradoxes. . .

Holly: of tandem telling, this is Holly and Rachel saying. . .

Both: . . .tell something together!

Sampling of Tandem Tellers (no particular order):

The Storycrafters with Jeri Burns and Barry Marshall (wife/husband)

Eth-Noh-Tec with Robert Kikuchi-yngojo and Nancy Wang (husband/wife)

Omar and Lori Hansen (husband/wife)

The Folktellers with Barbara Freeman and Connie Regan-Blake (cousins)
***Though they market now as solo tellers, if they are at the same event, they will sometimes share some tandem tales.

Story Quilters with Cynthia Restivo and B.Z. Smith (friends)

WonderWeavers with Tina Rohde and Colleen Shaskin (friends)

The Beauty and the Beast Storytellers with Mitch Weiss and Martha Hamilton (husband/wife)

***The National Youth Storytelling Showcase has a tandem category beyond the three age categories of elementary, middle, and high school-aged tellers. One year there was a group of three girls who told together. Elizabeth Rose, the NYSS Director, coined the term “tridem” for trio telling.

Until we tell again,

Rachel Hedman and Holly Robison
Professional Storytellers
Rachel--info@rachelhedman.com, http://www.rachelhedman.com/
Holly--robhollyb@gmail.com