The Art of Narrative, Storytelling, and Storymaking.
Traditional vs. First Person Storytelling
When I was living in New York City, I asked a storyteller who was prominent in the local scene what she thought about the urban storytelling non-profit called the Moth. She replied, “Oh, that’s first person stories. That’s not really storytelling.”
I was astonished. The conversation ended there. This woman told stories in Central Park every weekend to crowds of children and adults. She had a repertoire of folk tales at the tip of her tongue. She was certainly known by the families who had come to hear her tell her tales and was known in the community as being a storytelling pioneer.
Meanwhile, downtown, the Moth had grown a significant following and stirred quite a buzz. As a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting storytelling, the Moth changed the face of the stereotypical storyteller from a white-haired librarian/grandma with a book in her hand into a young hipster with an entertaining and sexy personal experience to share.
Years have passed and little has changed. I belong to Storytell, a listserv where storytellers “talk shop” via email. Whenever first person stories come up I am again surprised to learn that there are many traditional storytellers who shun first person storytelling. They don’t see the value it in. They think it’s a lesser form of storytelling, if a form of storytelling at all.
Mind you, not all storytellers take issue with personal storytelling. Just some. But why? Could it be that some storytellers are threatened by the fact that anyone can tell a story? Not everyone can tell a story well, nor tell well every time they perform. But every person has an interesting story that’s captivating and interesting. In some cases, their stories have been told at dinner parties, on long car rides, and in places one wouldn’t consider a performance space. The end result is a polished tale worthy of stage time at any storytelling festival across the country.
What are your thoughts? Is personal storytelling not real storytelling?
Comments · Traditional vs. First Person Storytelling
My great grandmother told me some of the best stories in first person. I suppose I don’t know what a “professional” storyteller is…an author?
This reminds me of talks with a former partner who was working toward an MA in sculpture at the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA). At the time I was supporting this person by working as the front office manager at a hotel. We’d meet in the evening with artist friends. They had elitist ideas about what it meant to be an artist. I tried to explain that, from my perspective, there were situations at my work that qualified as “art.” …transforming a horrible flight experience into a great night by listening to the guest and giving them something extra that made the day better…giving a hug to someone who is going through a personal problem when he or she didn’t expect it from a stranger…life is full of art (and stories). Does it matter how that story is told? I don’t think so…just tell the story whatever way you can.
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Cassy Kramer
Jun 25, 2009