‘Tell Me A Story’ shares true tales with audience

Laura Grover said she often goes through phases where her many interests overpower each other. One of her most recent obsessions is talk radio, and from this passion the Bloomington Storytelling Project was born.   

Grover said one of her favorite shows is “The Moth,” a New York City-based organization that conducts live storytelling events.

“I really liked the idea of having the event of the same premise, of people coming together and telling true stories from their life without notes on stage,” Grover said.  
WFHB-FM, Bloomington’s community radio station, cosponsors the Bloomington Storytelling Project.

Grover said she thought WFHB would make an appropriate partnership because radio inspired the project.  

Chad Carrothers, the station’s news director, said WFHB became involved because the Bloomington Storytelling Project serves to celebrate and increase local cultural diversity and provide a forum for local voices.  

“Tell Me a Story,” the first show by the Bloomington Storytelling Project, was a free event with donation jars available for those who wanted to contribute to WFHB.
“Everyone seemed to enjoy it, and they didn’t mind giving a little bit for the radio station,” Grover said.  

The stories told at the live event were recorded and aired on WFHB. Stories are also recorded between events. Grover said she hopes to eventually have a weekly radio show from the archived stories.  

“It will be a full circle – from me listening to a radio show like this with stories to creating a show on the local level,” Grover said.

She said many of the storytellers featured on “The Moth” are professional writers and actors, which is the main difference between the radio show and her local project.   

Grover said she wants her project to feature ordinary people because everyone has good stories.

“I think people don’t realize that this isn’t a profound or really formal or performative event,” Grover said. “It’s more informal, something that you might have told a bunch of friends last weekend and they all giggled about it. That’s enough.”

The two-hour show featured 11 stories ranging from comedic to dramatic.

“It seemed like a fun challenge,” said Bloomington resident Nate Rawson, who told his own true tale at “Tell Me A Story.”

“It was sort of nerve-wracking being up on stage, but it went well. There was a lot of laughter, which is how it was supposed to be, so it was encouraging.”

Grover said her project is simple and requires only one thing – stories.  

“I do genuinely believe that telling true stories helps connect people,” Grover said. “If I can have any small part in bringing those people together, the ones telling and the ones listening, then I will excitedly take that opportunity.”