Story teller Asa Tims speaks during a March production of ‘Speak for Yourself’
Photo: Heather Younger
In coffee shops, at the water cooler, or after dinner over cocktails and wine, we as human beings love to tell stories.
Locals Erika Wilhite (Artist Laboratory Theater) and Rachna Khare Muldoon (Big Picture House) realize this, and the two recently started an open mic series called Speak for Yourself to showcase some local stories and storytellers, and the next installment is coming up on Friday, July 19 at Fayetteville Underground.
Anyone can tell a story at one of the events, and Wilhite and Muldoon are looking for performers that will simply stand up, and speak from their hearts.
“The heart of a community is a collection its stories, and this is a unique opportunity for the community to share theirs,” Wilhite said. “The format is simple: No paper, no poems, no songs. Just a story in the tellers own words.”
Storytellers interested in performing at the event can sign up on Friday night, and the speakers will be drawn at random to tell a 3-5 minute true story from their life.
Speak for Yourself will begin at 8 p.m., and afterwards, local musical improv group Sound Affects will perform a set based on the stories told that night.
Also Friday night at the Underground, there’s an art reception at 6 p.m. for Chigago collage artist Matt Avery, and a new installation by Fayetteville artist Greg Moore titled “Lost Cat.”
All of the events on Friday night are free to attend and open to the public. For more information about Speak for Yourself, check out the Facebook Page for the event.
