Unable to Hear: Time Still Chimes Forth

As a storyteller, sometimes the mouth is cherished more so than the ears.

Foolish me.

Besides, my story buddy, Holly Robison, is always saying, "I've got a nose for a tale, so lend me an ear!"

In any case, it was a relief to have our practice in-person after last week's practice over the telephone with Holly.

She harmonizes two songs in the Colombian story The Gardener's Wife and the phone does not give justice to the singing. I could barely hear her so to know if all went well.

Yet, even with our in-person practice today, it seemed that something was wrong with my left ear.

It was as if someone had stuffed a sock into my ear.

My schedule was so intense that I thought, "I have no time to see a doctor!"

But I worried.

Strange that I comforted myself with, "My right ear works fine."

I searched online and searched for my symptoms. One link told me to hum. If I sounded louder from the side of the clogged ear, then most likely it was not a permanent hearing loss.

I sounded louder.

I did not feel an urgent need to see the doctor then.

As soon as Holly and I finished practicing, I headed to the Ruth Vine Taylor Library to meet with my Utah Storytelling Guild friends Carol Esterreicher and Jan C. Smith.

Carol, Jan, and I meet every 3rd Thursday to improve either the development of stories or the development of our story business.

To no one's surprise, I wanted to practice a story for the premiere.

As I told The Gardener's Wife with Holly, I chose to tell The Changeling with Carol and Jan.

Though, stewing inside my brain (besides an ear problem) was when I discovered that the same night as my Family Famine: Hunger for Love premiere was another storytelling concert in the neighboring town despite my efforts to avoid such a scheduling conflict.

My frustration must have merged into my telling of the Irish tale as Jan commented how much dark this story seemed.

She mentioned two moments that made it dark:
1. Mrs. Lynch and the way child abuse was alluded to in relation to her son and how Mrs. Sullivan responds
2. Mrs. Sullivan and the choice whether to send a red-hot poker down the changeling's throat in order to receive her baby back

Knowing that The Changeling would be the first story told at the premiere, Jan expected more of a "ha-ha" kind of story.

There were a few moments of humor, but it had more a creepy or ghostly feel than anything else.

I had two decisions before me:
1. Would I listen to this reaction and lighten the mood of the story?
2. Would I see the doctor to be able to hear. . .properly?

Time would have the answer for time still chimes forth whether or not I choose to listen.

Until we tell again,

Rachel Hedman

Professional Storyteller

Former Co-Chair of Youth, Educators, and Storytellers Alliance (2005-2008)

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
Other places to find me: Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Professional Storyteller

The Big Revelation during Lipman's Coaching

Every year is the Utah Storytelling Guild Story Swap where members from all chapters "talk stories" and are taught workshops.

This year we were privileged to have Doug Lipman.

From marketing to storytelling techniques to coaching, Lipman shared so much information for us to apply to our goals in the art. Eventually, he asked for volunteers in regards to coaching on marketing/niche. My hand shot up and I was thrilled when I could go before the other Utah Storytelling Guild members and share my plans so far.

I was unsure what types of questions Doug may ask me nor did I know how much background everyone would need for the coaching to be productive.

I rattled off the marketing ideas already in place such as having "Save the Date" postcards sent, the use of this blog to record my journey on the project, the existence of the Facebook group, etc. I did not realize that because the marketing side was clearest to me for this project, I really needed coaching on the story development and confidence.

This became apparent as I shared one of my great fears: Am I a fake?

Tears fell as I shared with my fellow storytellers that I did not want to go upon the stage on February 9th and feel like I failed everyone including myself. I have built such high expectations on this premiere.

I may be ambitious and resolute about some things in life, though I am greatly affected by how others perceive me.

In some ways, I felt upset at crying because I knew that it is better to focus on the positive as has been taught by my friend, Carol Esterreicher, through Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) of creating the "Circle of Excellence."

The "Circle of Excellence" is a concept in which you step in and out of an imaginary circle that represents the perfect performance. Each entrance into the circle means a different sense to trigger happy memories whether through calming visuals, encouraging sounds, or even stimulating smells.

Yet, even with this knowlegdge, I pictured silence as people left the theatre disappointed. These negative images I had to erase if my "creative intelligence", a term that Lipman uses, will emerge and grow.

This coaching time reminded me of the need to plan my story development as fervently--if not more--than what I am dedicating to the marketing aspects.

Thankfully, I received several offers for rehearsal buddies as well as people who said they will definitely attend.

Even the Utah Storytelling Guild Timp Tellers Chapter president, April Johnson, offered for the December meeting to give some time for me to share pieces of my project so as to receive group coaching. As I attend the Olympus and the Ben Lomond chapters, this was especially moving for me.

This means I will aim for the beginning of January to be quite solid with the "Family Famine: Hunger for Love" program. Then I can have some practice runs and receive audience reactions before the big premiere.

Thank you to Doug Lipman and the Utah Storytelling Guild for opening my eyes to what I need at this time.

Until we tell again,

Rachel Hedman

Professional Storyteller

Former Co-Chair of Youth, Educators, and Storytellers Alliance (2005-2008)

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
Other places to find me: Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Professional Storyteller

Trek (6 of 7): "Battling Out" Story Project Priorities

I must decide which priorities are most important for the premiere.






This is six of seven posts relating to my info-gathering trek to BYU on October 21, 2008.

Ideally all of the following options would be available, but I may need to drop one or two of them. Perhaps all of them would be possible for a future time but not for the premiere.

After much debate, here are my priorities in order of preference:

• Out-of-town Professor, Elizabeth Ellis, to be Present
• High Attendance
• On-Campus Convenience
  
• True to RSVPs Received for Monday, February 9th
• Fundraiser Capability

Out-of-town Professor, Elizabeth Ellis, to be Present
Though this "Family Famine: Hunger for Love" project has been on my mind since 2005, the project did not emerge into being until Elizabeth Ellis urged us East Tennessee State University graduate students in the Storytelling program to take an incomplete for her Advanced Storytelling class. She wanted us to perform at our top caliber for the "My Finest Hour" assignment.

Finally I had enough courage to see the dream become reality.

There is a benefit for having a professor who is also a national storyteller: she travels often to reach her engagements. However, this does not mean she is in Utah every month or every other month.

When she became one of the two keynote speakers/tellers for the 2009 Timpanogos Storytelling Conference during February 5-7, I this was my chance for Elizabeth to see my performance in-person. True, I could videotape the performance and mail a copy to her, although any storyteller would tell you it is not the same.

Elizabeth Ellis would be in Utah about a week after the conference to perform for schools and community groups. Nevertheless, I could not have Elizabeth pencil in every single evening as one of the possible dates for my premiere. While a venue is determined, Elizabeth has been so kind to reserve Monday, February 9th as well as Wednesday, February 4th.

High Attendance
For any performance you want an audience and the exact number in attendance does not matter.

Yet, when your venue will have 300+ seats, then you want to fill as many as possible.

The main people I aim to attend are: Timpanogos Storytelling Conference attendees (most likely from Utah unless others extend their stay), college students, and Utah Storytelling Guild members. I expect there will also be people from chambers of commerce, youth groups, and senior citizen groups as well as other miscellaneous groups.

If the premiere is scheduled any farther from the Monday, February 9th, date and the less I would gain from the conference attendees.

With Monday known as Family Home Evening, this could help or hurt my efforts. I would like the audience to compose of 12-year-olds+ with no one younger than eight. It may be strange for parents and youth to attend and yet discourage the younger ones to be there on such a night as Family Home Evening. Although, for the student BYU Family Home Evening groups, this may be a nice activity due to the performance's theme.

On-Campus Convenience
The Timpanogos Storytelling Conference is held at Brigham Young University because of its partnership with the Division of Continuing Education housed in the Harman Building. Anybody coming from out-of-town or out-of-state may book a hotel closest to the BYU campus. Being on campus is also desired as I hope some professors will encourage attendance from their students through listing it in their syllabi or at least making an announcement in class.

If the event did not take place on-campus, it would need to be close enough for students and conference attendees. The name of the venue would also need to be recognizable and, hopefully, easy to find.

True to RSVPs Received for Monday, February 9th
Ever since I started the "Family Famine: Hunger for Love" blog and Facebook support group, the date has been announced and I have placed various countdowns throughout the Internet. I have also included the date in my email signature.

As such, I have friends and supporters who have already RSVPed.

One of my storytelling friends, Carol Esterreicher, was offered to tell stories for the Salt Lake County Library system on Monday, February 9th. Carol explained that she would need to tell another night because she was attending my premiere. She did not have to do that and she told me about it after the fact. With friends like Carol, I am truly blessed.

Fundraiser Capability
Being part of the Storytelling Heroes Campaign Advancement Team, I felt a duty in dedicating one of my performances for the 100-benefit-concert-effort to each raise at least $250 for the National Storytelling Network and further the art.

After my trek to the BYU Campus, I realized that this would involve another approval form to be filled. Being sponsored by a college department or club meant I had to abide by the campus' rules. The Family Home Evening night, if also sponsored through a religious group, would forbid the exchange of money, donations, goods, or services. There seemed little to no success even once the approval form was completed.

Having the Heroes fundraiser for this premiere would complicate an already intense project. I have other performances which would be easier to transform into a fundraiser.

So now you know where I stand.

Until we tell again,

Rachel Hedman

Professional Storyteller

Former Co-Chair of Youth, Educators, and Storytellers Alliance (2005-2008)

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
Other places to find me: Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Professional Storyteller