Bloomington Storytelling Project takes Bishop stage

A group of 11 people got up on stage Saturday to speak into the microphone in front of friends and strangers in a dimly-lit room, simply for the love of telling stories.

The Bloomington Storytelling Project and community radio station, WFHB, brought the group to The Bishop on Saturday.

Each speaker had the stage for three to 10 minutes. The stories ranged from humorous topics to more heartfelt subjects.

Cricket Gage, one of the storytellers, shared a tale from her childhood involving her love of the Fonz from “Happy Days” and a piece of Fonz memorabilia she took from her older sister.

“I wanted something that was lighthearted and funny and semi-accessible to everyone, and I think that’s what everyone does,” Gage said. “It was something so ludicrous, right? I mean, before the age of 5 I was a larcen and a thief, ultimately, so it was kind of ridiculous.”

Louis Malone was another speaker in the lineup sharing funny stories about his life and friends. He said putting his personal experiences out there is daunting, but a good experience.

“The first time I did it, it was all about how I was devastated by a girl when I was at IU,” Malone said. “In that situation, you’re, like, completely naked up there, but it’s good, and I think it’s like therapy in some ways.”

He said he typically shares stories the audience can relate to.

“I told a story about one of my best friends who, while he was in college, was kind of a degenerate a little bit, and that’s cool, but I think everybody has a friend like that or knows a guy like that, and they can kind of say, ‘Oh yeah,’” Malone said.

Grover is not only Malone’s friend; she is the creator of the event, which is finishing its first year. To be part of the event, potential participants e-mail her a brief summary of a story they want to tell. She follows up, and candidates tell her their story over the phone.

The storytellers are volunteers, and there is no cost for admission.  

“It’s all just depending on the kindness of strangers and just hoping people are interested enough to make it happen,” Grover said.

This show runs four times throughout the year at various venues.

“The premise is that everybody has great stories and that we should celebrate everyone for their stories — and not just writers or performers,” Grover said. “And that’s the whole idea of the project, is getting together and having that kind of community.”

BLOOMINGTON STORYTELLING PROJECT
To tell a story, contact Laura Grover at bloomingtonstorytelling@gmail.com.