Past Stories
Every story shared on our stage becomes part of a growing archive of courage, connection, and community. Explore the moments that continue to resonate long after the lights go down.
August 26
This month, we came together with stories of wonder and connection under the theme of Fall - Tales of Accidental, Tripping, and Helplessness. With stories centered on overcoming unexpected struggle and loss, we were able to be vulnerable, connect, and build community. Thanks to Anthony, Barlow, Ben, Brooke, Chad, Danny, Felicia, and Riley for taking the stage.
Brooke finds hope
From sharing one’s experiences of loss and hopelessness, we can connect to each other onan emotional and personable basis. While falling can feel defeating, it often gives us an opportunity to reassess our situation, learn how to move forward, or work through grief.
The night’s winner, Brook Anderson, told a story about a love and loss she experienced while in high school. After sharing the story of her boyfriend’s death by suicide, Brook emphasized to the audience the importance of being their for each other, confronting stigma, and knowing that we are not alone.
This was Brook’s first Tell Yer Tale event. She decided to throw her name in the hat after the first half after she “saw how open and supportive the group was.” After having her name pulled, she felt “anxious” and “vulnerable,” but she was glad to have stepped up, explaining how amazing it was to see how much her story touched the others in the room.
July 26
This month we came together with stories of wonder and connection under the theme of Expression - Tales of Accident, Intent and Secret. The night's stories ranged from learning self-acceptance by expressing truths to others, to squirrel observations, to confessing small acts of protest in work projects. Thanks to Jimmy, Michael, Sally, Justin, Billy for taking the stage.
Calvin has a message
Calvin Dittmore, the audience-voted winner of the night, recounted his mother’s brain aneurysm, addiction, and eventual passing. His story was “centered around the expressions people share in traumatic moments and how most are well intentioned but not helpful.” He noted that in times of grief, “people either avoid expressing anything or share a weird expression just because something needs to be said. Often there is no correct expression.”
In his storytelling, Calvin utilizes both humor and vulnerability to connect to the audience and relieve tension. Through telling this tale, he confronts the universal yet personal experience of grief and loss. “This is a traumatic experience that shaped my life and connecting with others has been wonderful for me and the others in our community.”
Telling his story has allowed Calvin to process his experiences and connect with others with compassion, which ultimately outweighs the often frightening and heavy burden of sharing them. Calvin ended his story with some of the expressions that helped him process his grief: "Grief has no timeline…Be kind to yourself as you heal…Tell people you love them."
April 26
This month we came together with stories of wonder and connection under the theme of Spring In Your Step - Tales of Blooming, Weeding, and Sowing. The audience and storytellers connected through shared understandings of growth and rebirth. Thanks to Charles, Jason, Kate, Laurel, Sam, Sarah, Sky, and Jack for taking the stage.
Sam writes some songs
Sam topped the tales with a story of overcoming a series of hardships. After learning that her college friend attempted to take their life while she was caught up in an abusive relationship, Sam took a moment to reassess her life and the meaning of life.
While in a rehabilitation center to recover from her relationship trauma and addictions, she wrote an album’s worth of songs to process and overcome all that she had been facing for not just the past few months, but for years of her life. Exploring her life through song showed her that she wanted “to know [her] life and not want to end it all the time.”
Sam encourages us all to take time to reflect on our lives and acknowledge all that there is to it. The good, the bad, the beautiful, and the ugly. It’s important to "choose to not continue to sit in something terrible and to choose to find a new path” while also saying “I am proud of myself.”
March 26
This month we came together with stories of wonder and connection under the theme of Behind the Scenes - Tales of Visibility, Invisibility and Opaqueness. The tales ranged from experiences of feeling invisible to overcoming fears of being too visible. Thanks to Abhi, Bogart, Felicia, JC, Justice, Lepah, and Tim for taking the stage.
Abhi has a gift
The favorite storyteller of the night was Abhi, who talked about how visibility affected him in his youth. Growing up as the only person of color in his neighborhood and school, Abhi was subject to hyper-visibility and curiosity due to his race. He hated being perceived as different.
Abhi realized that this visibility wasn’t something he was able to change. He decided to embrace every facet of who he was and be boldly himself. Through high school theater and college, he put himself out there fully, embracing who he was and what it meant to be different.
In 2020, coming out of Covid-19, identity politics changed across America, and Abhi once again became visible for his race and was asked to be a part of diversity panels and campaigns. While this was initially a daunting task, he realized that being visible in these spaces could help build community.
While young Abhi viewed his visibility as a “curse,” today, he is grateful to be different and views his visibility and identity as a “gift.”
Feb 26
This month we came together with stories of wonder and connection under the theme of Un/Requited - Tales of Loves Lost, Found, Forgotten. The storytellers told their tales of love in all its forms. Thanks to Augusto, Bogart, Brian, Charles, Felicia, Jeremy, and Sky for taking the stage.
Felicia finds love
Felicia won over the audience by telling “the greatest love story.” As a rebellious child with a love for music, she sought out a cassette that would piss off her parents. She picked the album Best ll by The Smiths. The final song was life-changing…“There Is A Light That Never Goes Out”. She vowed to the universe that she would find the love of her life who would sing that song to her. But nobody ever lived up to this vow.
At a house party years later, she found love at first sight, whose first words were “Do you like music?” When Felicia expressed her love for The Smiths, the guy immediately started singing that song…in a Kermit the Frog impression.
The universe finally answered Felicia’s wishes, though not quite in the way she expected. In that moment, she knew he was the person she was going to marry. And 23 years later, the two are still married.
Dec 25
This month we came together with stories of wonder and connection under the theme of Presence - Tales of Ghosts, Gifts and Groups. The night was full of hopeful hauntings and tales of connection. Thanks to Brian, Jesse, Justice, Lepah, Lisa, and Tim for taking the stage.
Lisa meets Obi Wan
When Lisa was fourteen, her mom was diagnosed with brain cancer. Lisa and her mom never really got along, constantly arguing and clashing over differences, including not allowing Lisa to show her younger brother Jurassic Park. Upon learning about her brain tumors and limited time left, Lisa’s mom sat her and her siblings down to impart some hope…from Obi Wan Kenobi. She told them that just as Obi Wan had told Darth Vader, death would only make her more powerful. “I won’t be gone. I will watch over you always. I will keep you safe no matter what.”
Less than twenty-four hours after that moment, Lisa decided to show her brother Jurassic Park. Not even two minutes into the film, the power went out, and the screen went black. The whole thing felt supernatural, and Lisa knew in that moment that it was her mom in that room, turning off the TV.
That haunting offered Lisa hope over the years, knowing that, just as her mom had promised, she was watching over her.
Every Story Shared Makes Our Community Stronger.
Every voice that takes the stage adds to something bigger than a single event. Together, these stories inspire empathy, spark meaningful conversations, and remind us that we're never alone in our experiences.