Story Circle: The Resident Storytelling Company at Proctor’s 9-22-2007

Story Circle at Proctors Kate Dudding and Joe Doolittle 11-25-2007

Vision for Story Circle at Proctors

Make storytelling a recognized art form in the Capital District; build audience and Story Circle membership by forming a partnership with Proctors as Resident Storytelling Company.

How to Accomplish this Vision at Proctors?

1. Present storytelling so theatre audiences can identify with it (using info Kate has gathered for and from the National Storytelling Network’s Producers Special Interest Group)

o Definition: Storytelling is the shared experience between the listeners and the teller that combines the intensity of a one-person play with the intimacy of a one-on-one conversation.

o Reminder: Shakespeare’s plays based on folktales

o Have a clearly defined theme for each event – that’s what theatre audiences expect

o Have a mix of contemporary and traditional stories – listeners new to storytelling relate best to contemporary stories (as do our Tellabration audiences), but we also want to expose them to traditional stories since, as we all know, traditional stories still have great meaning today

o Have Proctors invite/lean on theatre critics to attend and publish reviews, since reviews will make our events a legitimate theatrical experience. (A solo performer/storyteller at the Minnesota Fringe Festival was reviewed and had a sold out weeklong run.)

o Need a new, slick web site: storycircleatproctors.com will be created by Kate

2. Make it distinctly different from Story Sundays at the Glen Sanders Mansion

o So as to draw a different, younger audience

o So it doesn’t compete with or dilute our Story Sundays audience

3. Give it a younger cachet

o Cash bar before the event and at intermission featuring a different vineyard’s wine each time (if possible)

o Art gallery with different exhibition each month

o Younger tellers

4. Promote the association by saying “Story Circle: Resident Storytelling Company at Proctors” at other Story Circle venues

5. Move the Open Mic in Schenectady to Robb Alley at Proctors – a free space for community groups across from the Muddy Cup Café. January-June 2008 dates have been booked there.

Word Plays: Stories with Feelings (first storytelling series at Proctors of paid performances)

Contemporary and Traditional Stories Told By Solo Performers (solo performer is the theatre term for storyteller)

Aimed at boomers and younger audiences, only one event per month, $15 per ticket

Each program in this series will include a 50/50 mix of contemporary and traditional stories (with brief intros on how that this story is meaningful today) with 1-4 storytellers, for a total of up to 120 minutes of stories, not including the intermission. Each program has a one/two word topic that definitely distinguishing us from kid storytelling, such as:

Passion

Epiphany

Fear

Flashback

Oh Sh*t!

Satisfaction

Risk

Rebellion

Excitement

Trouble

Gusto

Infatuation

Circles

Obsession

Zeal

Compassion

Elation

Guilt

Community

Inappropriate Behavior

Salvation

Fighting Power

Heartbreak

Perfection

Strangers

Drunk - With Love, Power, Life

This idea was modeled after Chicago’s 2^nd Story series, now in its 5^th season, presented by the Serendipity Theatre Collective – see 2ndstory.serendipitytheatre.org . When asked by Kate, the organizer of this series reported that “For the most part, our audience is between the ages of 25-45.”

Business Model

Proctors is charging us $100 (regularly $200) to rent The Gallery at Proctors (seats 100) plus $1 per ticket. Proctors will handle the box office, promote Word Plays via their web site and brochures, as well as set up the chairs and give us a mic. Their art designer is also designing a logo for Story Circle at Proctors.

An example based on 50 tickets at $15 = $750

$150 to Proctors ($100 + $1 per ticket)

$375 to tellers (50%)

$75 to Kate and Joe (10 %)

$150 to Story Circle at Proctors (balance for postcards, flyers, advertising)

First Season, 2008: January 26, February 23, March 15, April 12, May 10

We need to staff these programs by Dec. 15 in order to start publicizing these programs. Tellers can be from within Story Circle or from outside the Capital Region. Below are nine possible topics for this first season, in no particular order:

If you want to participate in this first season, please pick one or more of these topics that interest you and that fit your repertoire. Select and time stories from your repertoire that fit each topic.

1. You may apply by yourself, with 30-120 minutes of stories per topic. Kate and Joe will match you up with other tellers to make a 120 minute program.

2. You may also apply with 1-3 other tellers using the entire 120 minutes (plus or minus 10 minutes) for a complete program using one of the topics above.

3. You may also apply with 1-3 other tellers using the entire 120 minutes (plus or minus 10 minutes) for a complete program using a topic of your choice (which has an edgy adult feel similar to the topics above).

For each topic, please fill in the table below.

Topic

Teller	Number of Contemporary Stories	Number of Traditional Stories	Total Time

For example, if Kate were applying by herself, she would fill in the following tables:

Passion

Teller	Number of Contemporary Stories	Number of Traditional Stories	Total Time
Kate Dudding	6	0	65

Satisfaction

Teller	Number of Contemporary Stories	Number of Traditional Stories	Total Time
Kate Dudding	2	4	55

Another example: if Kate and Joe were applying together:

Epiphany

Teller	Number of Contemporary Stories	Number of Traditional Stories	Total Time
Kate Dudding	3	3	50
Joe Doolittle	4	2	60

Please send your tables AND which of these dates (January 26, February 23, March 15, April 12, May 10) that you are available to Kate and Joe (kate@katedudding.com aldenjoe@worldnet.att.net) by December 11.

Feedback Welcome. The plan above represents our best thinking on how to form a long term relationship with Proctors. While we’ve had the opportunity to touch base with several of you since the idea first surfaced in late September, we have not had an opportunity for a round-table conversation as a guild or to listen to ideas and strategies you undoubtedly have. We would welcome your questions, feedback and suggestions via phone, email, or after the December 18^th Story Circle meeting in Guilderland. We view a presence as a resident storytelling company at Proctors as an unparalleled opportunity for Story Circle, and welcome your feedback, support and participation.

Thank you. With best regards and much good cheer,

Kate and Joe