“The only constant in Life is Change.”-Heraclitus
So it is with Odyssey Storytelling, which celebrated its eighteenth anniversary in March 2022. The past few years have been a bit dicey, what with the pandemic and all, but we here at Odyssey kept our mission of community storytelling strong, first going digital, then with some creative scheduling and a cozy, outdoor venue (heartfelt thanks to Roscoe and Lisa). When the summer heat forced us back indoors, The Drawing Studio (2760 N. Tucson Blvd., Tucson, AZ) welcomed us with open arms.
Now we are very excited to announce our return to a regular monthly schedule at The Screening Room (127 E. Congress St., Tucson, AZ) on the first Thursday of every month in 2023.
It’s going to be an exciting year!
And yet, the Odyssey Storytelling that was still remains.
Founded in 2004 by Penelope Starr, who is still actively involved, as is former EP Adam Hostetter, Odyssey Storytelling remains true to its original mission and is best described as it was in an article in Borderlore, a publication of the Southwest Folklife Alliance:
“The big picture is that sharing stories is about building community. On a personal level it is about being honest and being seen for who you are. Both of these things are basic human needs. Everyone benefits from a storytelling event either as a teller or as a listener. Odyssey Storytelling offers a showcase for people of all ages, cultures, gender expressions and sexual orientations.”
We incorporated StoryArts Group, Inc., a 501(c)(3) community funded arts organization, in 2009 with the mission to create, support, preserve, promote and celebrate the art of storytelling.
In spite of all that’s new, Odyssey is still about building community through storytelling and providing the opportunity for storytellers, new and old, to find their voices and express their truths. Or, as Executive Producer Ana Montanez put it to the Daily Wildcat in September 2019, “Everybody brings their own experiences to the table. You learn unexpected, intimate things about people that you probably wouldn’t otherwise.”
Now that’s something to celebrate!
