All shows are at 7 pm at The Sea of Glass Center for the Arts,
330 E. 7th Street.
2020
January 9- Hindsight (curated by Adam Hostetter and Penelope Starr)
Stories from the shoulda – coulda – woulda club. They say hindsight is 20/20. If you knew then what you know now . . . how would your life be different? Would you make the same choices or would you take a different path? Are our lives predetermined by fate or do we exercise free will? Or, is it some odd combination of the two?
Feb 6- Dirty (curated by Roscoe Mutz)
Tarnished, messy, grubby, or gross. Dirty jobs reluctantly (or excitedly) completed. Pollution, contamination, and related activism. Cheating, scheming, and deeds done dirt cheap. Bawdy, edgy, filthy, and certainly not safe for work. Pack an extra change of clothes and a bottle of hand sanitizer, because Odyssey is getting “Dirty” in February.
March 5 – Sweet Sixteen (curated by Ana Gaskin)
There’s a special time in a young person’s life….well Odyssey’s there too! Let’s celebrate our coming of age together! Sweet sixteens, quinceañeras, coming of age, and whatever else helped you grow up. Our anniversary show will have it all!
April 2 – Kale and Other Reversals of Fortune (curated by Tracey Kurtzman & Steve Braun)
Once upon a time kale was used as a colorful, frilly buffet garnish, then thrown away. Nobody ate it. Then, seemingly overnight, everyone started eating kale. Once upon a time Snoop Dog was an anti-establishment gangsta; now he hosts a TV game show and is BFFs with Martha Stewart. Once upon a time nerds were not cool; now geek is chic. Do you have a story about reversals of fortune? Did you turn in your gangsta badge for a soccer-mom mini van. Or, do you just like kale? We want to hear it.”
May 7 – Savage (curated by Jess Kapp)
Fierce, ferocious, untamed. Savage can incite feelings of fear and brutality. The attack of a wild animal. A remorseless assault. But also, the word oozes strength and power. Something you did that was so positively fierce it changed your life forever! Maybe it was the ferocious will to live, or an untamed passion for something (or someone) you love. We all have a savage within us, just waiting to be unleashed. For love. For survival. For adventure! What ignites the savage within you?
June 4- Liar, Liar (curated by Ethel Lee-Miller, Produced by Penelope Starr)
Distort the truth. Dissemble. Palter. Prevaricate. Liar Liar, pants on fire. George and the cherry tree incident. And then there’s the ever-present lying throughout history. Let’s get real. What lies have you told? Why did it seem like a good idea at the time? Is there such a thing as a good lie? Is lying morally wrong? Is lying by omission still a lie? What’s the consequence when you lie? What’s the result when you are lied to?
What’s your liar liar story? Send us your pitch. Remember, this is your true story about not telling the truth.
July 2 – Vagabond Dreams (curated by Joe Silins, Produced by Roscoe Mutz)
August 6- Shame (curated by Heather Hughes & Diane Delp)
Shame is a loaded word for a loaded emotion. This potent cocktail of disgrace, humiliation, and guilt is one that most of us would prefer to have never imbibed. Is there a person, a moment, an action (or inaction), or a thought that causes you to feel shame? Have you ever shamed somebody? Is there a collective shame that you carry with you? Whether shame has held you back or motivated you, we want to hear about it. And don’t worry: Whatever your story, we will not shame you.
Sept 3 – Invisible-A Bilingual Event (curated by Tony Paniagua)
Oct 1 – Stranger Things (curated by Roscoe Mutz & Steve Braun)
Worlds turned upside down. Unexpected, unexplained, or under-explained experiences. Familiar face or complete stranger? Things that give you goosebumps or make the hair on your neck stand at attention. Quirky or creepy? A little bit off . . . or completely off the charts? Come get weird, eerie, and/or perplexed with Odyssey as we ponder and attempt to make sense of life’s stranger things.
Nov 5 – Karma (curated by Bella Vivante, produced by Ethel Lee-Miller)
How do you flow on the river of life? Have you received instant rewards, or did they arrive after many twists and turns of the universal flow? Or did punishment come fast as lightning or after many spins around the sun? Send a pitch for a personal story you can tell in 10 minutes that relates your experience with Karma. This one promises to produce instant rewards!
Dec 17 – Snowflake (curated by Phil Gordon, produced by Roscoe Mutz)
The primary symbol of the snowflake is uniqueness and individuality. Snowflakes are delicate and short-lived, representing fragility and the fleeting nature of life. As snowflakes tumble through the air, swirling and spiraling, they each take a different path to the ground. It is said to signify purification, serenity and peace. . A beautiful thought for sure but not so fast. Too many the term snowflake has taken on a new and more negative meaning. The contemporary insult snowflake was popularized by the 1996 novel and 1999 film adaptation Fight Club, which tells the story’s wannabe fighters: “You are not special. You are not a beautiful or unique snowflake.” After the polarizing 2016 election, some conservatives adopted snowflake to insult the political left who were upset and concerned about what they view as rising nationalism and bigotry. Liberals, though, have thrown snowflake right back at them, with comedians like Neal Brennan and political commentator Van Jones asserting Donald Trump is the actual snowflake due to his apparent thin skin.
What say you? Do you have insights into In ice crystals, water molecules and hexagons to share? Can you paint us a tale of a winter wonderland? Or did someone call you a snowflake on Facebook (or at Thanksgiving) and you have a story to tell?
JOIN US: Do you have a story for one of our upcoming themes? Pitch us a story!
The themes are meant to be interpreted from a broad range of perspectives. If you are shy about telling a story, we give lots of support and helpful hints. There is a rehearsal a week before the event to run through the stories, get feedback, meet the other storytellers and share some food together.
Email us at stories@Odysseystorytelling.com with if you have any questions. Join our email list to keep up on what’s happening at Odyssey.
Perhaps the most essential gift we can give as humans is to hold space for others; to bear witness to their lives. Odyssey Storytelling has been bringing personal stories to live audiences every month since 2004.
