Storytellers Project

05/30/2022

Arizona Storytellers returns in-person for the third time post-COVID-19 shutdowns in June, featuring stories about 'Neighbors.'

03/02/2022

After six years of facilitating the Storytellers Project as a national team, we are transitioning the management of the shows across the USA TODAY Network to the individual newsrooms that participate in the project.

It has been our privilege to bring you the stories of more than 6,000 Americans, across hundreds of shows in-person and virtually. Thank you for your time, attention, and compassion for your neighbors.

Several newsrooms will carry on with live shows, including Phoenix, Austin, and Des Moines. If you purchased tickets to shows in our 2022 schedule, you can expect to hear more about those show dates or reimbursement. To keep up with upcoming shows, visit storytellersproject.com.

This page will not be updated after March 11.

02/15/2022

Sending best wishes to our colleagues at The Des Moines Register tonight as they present Des Moines Storytellers Project: Love at the Hoyt Sherman Place. ❤️❤️❤️🎤

Five Iowans will share their stories Feb. 15 at the next Des Moines Storytellers Project, "Love: Stories of companionship, desire, and commitment."

02/14/2022

Happy Valentine's Day❤️❤️

🎤 South Mountain Community College Storytelling Institute's Liz Warren shares a personal story about the lengths love will go to endure as her grandmother offers to pay for her to attend any graduate school of her choosing, so long as she leaves her new live-in boyfriend, Mark Goldstein. Liz turns down the offer, and some years later she makes up with her grandmother. As Liz and Mark move through life and hardships, they grow even closer.

02/11/2022

You'll feel heartened, uplifted, and more connected to the world and people around you as we share stories from the neighborhood. Join us as a storyteller in 17 cities. Apply today to share a story about neighbors. 🏡🏡

🎤 https://www.storytellersproject.com/tell/

02/10/2022

🎤 Trying to fit in a dress for her brother’s wedding, a young woman tries to resist temptation.

🎤Basketball is life for one young woman, but she finds there is more to life than the game she's loved since age 6.

🎤A younger brother recognizes the humanity in his older brother, diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, due to an unexpected source of inspiration.

Storytellers Kathy Cano-Murillo, Jacqui Kalin and Jordan Pollins share stories united by the idea of growing up on this episode of The Storytellers Project Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-storytellers-project-podcast/id1272167612

02/08/2022

Susan Mack of Austin, Texas, is a mother, writer and coach — and she grew up in a cult. She will share her "Growing Up" story on Feb. 23 at the Spiderhouse Ballroom.

"Growing up in an apocalyptic cult was a unique situation," she told Austin Storytellers Project lead Nell Seiler Carroll. "But I've been amazed at how many of my takeaways from that background resonate with people who are struggling to figure out how to cope with a lot of change and uncertainty. The pandemic has left us all living with a lot of uncertainty."

Susan says the past two years have shattered our sense of what normal is.

"When I picked up this story, I thought about how kids today, growing up with the pandemic worries, probably have more in common with those of us who had to learn to live with fear of a nuclear holocaust," she says. "Given the overlay of the pandemic, I think my story has a lot to say.

"I hope listeners will laugh. And I hope that they'll get sense of hope about the craziness of the world around us."

Read more in Nell's story published in the Austin American-Statesman.

If you're in Austin, get your tickets at https://storytellersproject.enmotive.com/events/register/storytellers-project-austin-tx

The first USA Today Storytellers project is all about "Growing Up." It will be at the Spider House Ballroom, featuring five community storytellers.

02/08/2022

Glenn Allen of Milwaukee takes on the role of caregiver for his wife after she is diagnosed with breast cancer and then sadly single dad after the death of his wife. You'll feel his pain, but also see his resilience as he finds the emotional strength and opens his heart to love again. ❤️‍🩹❤️

02/07/2022

We are so excited to make our debut in Wilmington, Delaware, thanks to our team at Delaware Online and thanks to our venue partners at Theatre N. We are still looking for storytellers for our Neighbors, Food and Family, and Holidays shows.

Delaware Online/The News Journal will inspire community connection through a series of Storytellers Project shows being held in Wilmington in 2022

02/06/2022

To get you in the mood for Valentine's Day, Justin Mack shares the love story of how he met and fell for his his wife, and where he proposed to her. Their love story shows us that love can grow over time as we mature and build upon our friendship and strengthen our bonds. ❤️

02/04/2022

We promise you authentic, personal stories about life’s journeys, the ups, the down, the lessons learned, the surprises and challenges. Get your tickets today https://storytellersproject.enmotive.com/

02/03/2022

The Arizona Storytellers Project celebrated its 10-year milestone last year since it was conceived as part of the Arizona Republic/ azcentral newsroom. Now it’s nationwide, with Storytellers projects embedded in 17 USA TODAY Network newsrooms, from Rochester, New York, to Austin, Texas.

On Feb. 9, the storytelling series returns to in-person events in Arizona with six shows.

“Love and Romance” will feature five people from the community sharing true, personal stories on stage at the Tempe Center for the Arts. Among them is Liz Warren, head of the South Mountain Community College Storytelling Institute. At this show, you'll feel the joys, heartbreaks and everything that comes with love in all its forms.

Consider a season pass or Supporter Seating.

https://storytellersproject.enmotive.com/events/register/storytellers-project-phoenix-az

02/02/2022

From our "Best of Storytellers" list, Kaila White grows up being a good student – and a little gullible, believing there was something called the "National Cheaters Registry." In high school, an entire class cheats, but not Kaila. And when she asks her teacher if ALL the students will get put on the registry, he looks at her like she's crazy. She realizes the error of her ways and changes her behavior.

For more from our archives, visit our YouTube channel and subscribe: https://bit.ly/StorytellersYT2022

02/02/2022

We are super-excited to have shows in Austin, Texas, this year and so is Austin American-Statesman Editor Manny García.

"Storytellers is one of the most powerful and meaningful community events that I have been involved in," he said. "I'm always blown away by the personal stories. You come away from Storytellers with an even deeper appreciation of your neighbors and how we can make our region the best place to live, work and play."

You’ll feel energized, inspired, and maybe a bit nostalgic as we share stories about growth on Feb. 23. Tickets are available at https://storytellersproject.enmotive.com/events/register/storytellers-project-austin-tx

Register now for this Storytellers Project event from the American Statesman and statesman.com.

01/31/2022

We're so excited to be back, curating shows in 17 cities across the country as a way to create community connection through storytelling. If you love what we do and want to help sustain our efforts, we have Supporter Seating available now through the first show in each market.

Supporters get two tickets to each show, their names printed in their local Storytellers' programs in 2022 and Storytellers swag, including a notebook.

We also have season passes available.

Visit https://storytellersproject.enmotive.com/

Our local markets in 2022 include Austin, Palm Beach, Nashville, Louisville, Indianapolis, Columbus, Phoenix, Knoxville, Naples, Fort Myers, Rochester NY, Wilmington NC and DE, York, Greenville SC, Worcester, MA and Des Moines.

01/30/2022

If you sign up for our free monthly newsletter, we promise you authentic, personal stories about life’s journeys, the ups, the down, the lessons learned, the surprises and challenges, as well as updates on our 2022 season, profiles featuring our team members across the country, and other Storytellers Project news. February's edition on Friday will feature love and heartache stories and you'll meet Columbus Storyteller Project lead Danae King. Go to https://profile.usatoday.com/newsletters/Storytellers-Project/

True Stories. Real People. In your inbox twice a month, from Storytellers Project.

01/28/2022

These stories are timeless. Tune in for true, first-person stories about home, growing up, life and death, parenthood and more. These stories are entertaining and illuminating. They'll make you feel inspired, awakened and in awe.

Next time you're in the car, walking on the treadmill or on the elliptical and want to hear stories that have the power to grow your heart or blow your mind, consider these stories on our podcast from 2017.

Visit https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-storytellers-project-podcast/id1272167612

‎Society & Culture · 2017

01/27/2022

To get you in the mood for our February shows about love and heartbreak in Phoenix and Des Moines, we've selected this story from our archives about an arranged marriage and how love grows. 💕💕

Parul Agrawal is a 40-something Indian immigrant who works in Phoenix as an engineer. Her parents set her up in an arranged marriage in which she met and married a man and moved to the United States in just days. She tells a romantic story about how her husband supports her work as a scientist, an author and how she has built a home with him in Phoenix.

Visit https://www.storytellersproject.com/talk/romance-or-not-parul-agrawal/

01/26/2022

Musician Lindsay Ell opened up to us last year about the making of her sophomore album "Heart Theory" and her personal story as a r**e survivor.

"The things that we go through in life don't define us and who we are, but it's how we take those things and learn from them, and ... implement that into our lives," she said in this story for our "I Made This" virtual show in 2021.

Today, Lindsay says she is living in acceptance. After listening to her story, you'll be in awe of her strength and heart.

01/25/2022

It's almost February and you know what that means❤️❤️❤️❤️
We have two shows about love and heartbreak — in Phoenix and Des Moines. You’ll feel the joys, heartbreaks and everything that comes with love in all its forms. Score tickets in Arizona for our show at Tempe Center for the Arts at https://storytellersproject.enmotive.com/events/register/storytellers-project-phoenix-az and if you're in Iowa go to https://www.ticketmaster.com/the-storytellers-project-tickets/artist/2408437 for tickets at Hoyt Sherman Place.

01/24/2022

Hello, Columbus! 👏 We are super-excited to have a team in Columbus curating four amazing shows for the community. Shout-out to Danae King and her team of coaches for getting this first show off the ground at the The Columbus Athenaeum. "Growing Up" will be held on March 9. Sending them our best wishes 😘

The Columbus Storytellers Project is kicking off its first season in 2022 and announces its four shows. It is part of the USA Today Network.

01/24/2022

On March 9, we are making our debut in Palm Beach with The Palm Beach Post Storytellers Project, and we are so excited to see the newsroom work with people in their community to fine-tune their true, personal stories for "Growing Up." We are also looking forward to bringing the series to Lake Park Black Box @ the The Kelsey Theater. Read all the details in this article about the show. 🎤👀 👏

Join the Storytellers Project in 2022 as a storyteller or in the audience for true, first-person stories that bring us closer as a community.

01/21/2022

Manny Sepulveda, who migrated to the States from Puerto Rico, recounts what it was like to move to America and go from living in a "nice shack" to a home with multiple rooms and indoor plumbing. He gets used to school, and Santa, and TV and indoor plumbing. But he struggles with learning English, because in the 1950s, there is no bilingual education. But a teacher changes his life when he assigns him the project to turn in a paper each week about a kid in the classroom — and with each paper, he made a friend. He learns English and flourishes and was Valedictorian at his high school graduation. Listen to his heartfelt story of overcoming challenges to be inspired and grateful.

Watch Manny Sepulveda share story of "new beginnings" for Desert Sun Storytellers Project on December 4, 2019.

01/20/2022

Hey, friends 😘 It's not too late to get your season pass to our storytelling series in Austin, Palm Beach, Nashville, Louisville, Indianapolis, Columbus, Phoenix, Knoxville, Naples, Fort Myers, Rochester NY, Wilmington NC and DE, York, Greenville SC and Des Moines. We are excited to bring you a large variety of stories about growing up from many different people from each community. Visit https://storytellersproject.enmotive.com/

01/19/2022

In this story from our "Best Of" list, Erica Blumfield has bipolar disorder and has a psychotic break. She thinks she's famous and part of a reality show while living on the streets. Erica finally gets the help she needs after a su***de attempt. While getting intense therapy, she starts to feel like mental illness is a death sentence. But over the next 2 1/2 years of treatment, she comes to accept her diagnosis. She discovers a new career as a teacher and that becomes her life line along with consistently taking her medication and seeing a doctor. Sixteen years later, she says some days still feel like a battle, but she's living her best life.

As part of the Ventura Storytellers Project, Erica Blumfield shares a story of mental health recovery. Recorded 11/12/10

01/18/2022

We are super-excited to be bringing true, first-person stories to Worcester, Massachusetts, for the first time as we work with journalists and editors at the Worcester Telegram & Gazette. And their venue, the beautiful DCU Club in Polar Park, is spectacular, with views of where the Woosox play Minor League Baseball. Read more here about Telegram & Gazette Storytellers Project's inaugural season.

Editors and reporters will coach people from the community to develop entertaining, compelling stories that reflect on the themes growing up, neighbors, food and family, and holidays.

01/17/2022

As we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day today, we are grateful to King for his leadership and work for freedom, equality, and dignity of all races and peoples through nonviolence. As we honor his remarkable life and legacy, we share this personal story from Judy Richardson, an early participate in the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, from 1963 to 1966, about the work for civil rights.

01/16/2022

Erin Prewitt tells a story in Ventura, California, about getting back into dating a year after her husband dies tragically. To hear her full story, visit https://www.storytellersproject.com/talk/love-romance-other-disasters-erin-prewitt/.

01/16/2022

Marcus's family was devastated by gun violence and poverty, his mother was paralyzed by a gunshot, and the family of 8 was homeless. Marcus turns to selling drugs to support his family, and acknowledges now that he didn't know any other options or examples. After accidentally killing someone who was attempting to rob him, Marcus went to jail. With 23 hours of solitude in a 5x8 cell, he has a lot of time to think and mourn and pray. When his mother sends him money for the commissary and a letter telling him to take care and come home, he resolves to do just that. Now he teaches welding at a community college, and is passionate about caring for his body and mind.

Marcus Simmons has not had an easy path. His life has been filled with rock bottoms and fresh starts.

01/14/2022

What's unique about the Storytellers Project is that we connect our tellers — people from the community who want to tell a true, first-person story — with journalists at Gannett/USA TODAY Network newsrooms across the country to help them fine-tune their stories for stage.

Apply to tell your story for "Growing Up" or "Neighbors." We are looking for tellers in Florida, Texas, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Massachusetts, Arizona, Ohio, Iowa and Delaware. Apply at https://www.storytellersproject.com/tell/