You lived it, now...you can tell it.
A unique and experience tested curriculum based, high school storytelling program and regional contest. StoriesLive® introduces to the art of 21st century storytelling to high school students through a comprehensive curriculum based program. Since 2011 StoriesLive® has introduced high school students from 20 Massachusetts high schools to the art of storytelling and awarded over $33,000 in scholarship prizes.
Over 9,000 Greater Boston high school students have learned to tell compelling personal narratives, live, without notes or props using the StoriesLive® curriculum. We are happy to be booking in Massachusetts high schools with an exclusive arrangement with Arts For Learning MA ( AFLMA, formerly known as “Young Audiences of Massachusetts” )
Find out more here: https://www.artsforlearningma.org/index.php/programs/storytelling/storieslive-residency or call scheduling@artsforlearningma.org
Tel: 617-629-9262 For bookings outside of MA please contact:
Norah Dooley, project director at ndooley@storiesLive.org
CELL: (617) 460-3544
Students perform for the entire senior class at Lynn Classical High School
““Listen to the stories of kids in this struggling school and you realize how very little numbers like test scores and turnaround statistics capture. These students carry around stuff so heavy it’s a wonder they make it to school at all, let alone talk about it.
And yet... “
— Yvonne Abraham - Boston Globe
Class exercise, story sharing
““...the organization’s credo is simple but powerful:
“We believe everyone has a story to tell, and that the greater community will be more honest and compassionate through the listening to and sharing of stories.”
— Susan Miron, Arts Fuse
“Kaleel Campbell said the toughest thing about getting up in front of an audience and talking about his middle school crush was dealing with the nerves. “I had to get myself out of the way - the negative voice inside me saying, ‘Sit back down, bro,” he said. “That was the very first time I got onstage and told a story in front of people, but I wanted to tell the story. I wanted to get it off my chest.”
— Kait Taylor - Lynn Item
““ Many of the stories people bring to the slams prove the algorithm, ‘Time plus tragedy equals comedy,’” Dooley said. “The stories are dramatic, hilarious, serious, and even cathartic but unlike their ‘cousins’ - stand-up comedy - or a poetry slam, a story slam is a competition to see who can bring the best story related to the published theme.”
— Watertown Patch
CONTACT
We are booking in Massachusetts high schools and middle school with an exclusive arrangement with Arts for Learning, MA formerly known as Young Audiences of Massachusetts.
Find out more about their work here: https://www.artsforlearningma.org/ for more information write to scheduling@artsforlearningma.org or call Tel: 617-629-9262 | Like us at Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StoriesLive
The StoriesLive® program has introduced over 9,000 high school students from 17 Massachusetts high schools to the art of 21st century storytelling and awarded over $32,000 in scholarship prizes. Our program has been supported by generous private donors, three project grants from MassHumanities.org, local cultural councils, the MassCultural Council, and the donation of countless hours of administrative work, teaching and performances by massmouth.org storytellers. Special thanks toThree Apples Storytelling Festival for a significant gift in for StoriesLive® III and MassCultural Council for STARs Grants for support of StoriesLive® IV and 5 and the HarBusFoundation.org for StoriesLive® 5
StoriesLive® highlights
StoriesLive® Scholarship Story Slam April 30th, 2011 thanks to support from StoryStream hosted at Cambridge Public Library Cambridge MA massmouth,inc. featuring students from Andover High School Boston Latin Academy Everett High School Lynn Classical High School Newburyport High School StoriesLive® storytelling with high school students culminating in a scholarship slam with $5,000 in cash prizes created and funded by massmouth,inc. ~ a 501c3 promoting the timeless art of storytelling in massachusetts in conjunction with:
a project grant from MassHumanities.org & Local Cultural Council Grants administered by the Mass Cultural Council
In spring 2011, massmouth storytellers taught the art of storytelling to over 1,110 students and 200 educators in the following high schools: Andover High School Boston Latin Academy Everett High School Lynn Classical High School Newburyport High School assemblies and workshops at Abington High School Revere High School
massmouth,inc. & StoriesLive® Staff Andrea Lovett, program director Nicolette Heavey, managing director Norah Dooley, executive & project director massmouth teaching artists/storytellers: Norah Dooley, Andrea Lovett, Nicolette Nordin Heavey, Dan Dahari, HR Britton, Karen Given, Ben Cunningham, Katie Liesener, Tony Toledo, Lani Peterson, Torena Webb, Esther Piszczek Adjunct storytellers: Paula H. Junn and Maddie Panella
Project Videography & Photography: Paula H. Junn
Thanks to all the classroom teachers in StoriesLive®: Andover High School: Rebecca D'Alise, Eric Pellerin, Brian Shea, Pat Whalen Boston Latin Academy: Amy Berinato, Tracy Wagner Everett High School: Sarah Belson, Andrea Cerchione, Michael Fineran, Ryan McGowan, Linda O'Brien, Valerie Shively Lynn Classical High School: Jerry Burke, Daniel Collins, Patty Frey, Erica Tolley, Jack Vandergriff Newburyport High School: Tom Abrams, Susie Galvin, Constantina Knecht, Steve Malenfant, Deb Szabo
April 30th Slam videographer Laura Cannon, Video Edit Norah Dooley
"...the way massmouth presented it, the students became really engaged and even students who normally don't like to talk a lot felt comfortable talking. They shared stories that were really impressive. And they also... kind of.... found their voice to a certain extent - both within their story and also kind of within themselves. Erica Tolley - English Teacher ELA 12th grade Lynn Classical high School
" ...we were eager to interweave this program into our ongoing curriculum as a way of engaging students in a writing and performing process that celebrated not only the authentic voice of our young students but also the power of language. Effective communication is an integral part of our mission as educators. massmouth provided a format that enabled my faculty to address those essential skills in an appealing and provocative manner." Linda O’Brien, Chair of English Department,Everett High School
For bookings outside of MA please contact: Norah Dooley, project director at ndooley@storieslive.org (617) 460-3544
Here is an outline of the essential elements and lessons in the StoriesLive® program.
StoriesLive® is a curriculum based program that has 5 steps - schools may opt for a customized program*
1) Professional Development Workshop
2) Assembly
3) 4 In-Class Lesson Plans
4) A school wide slam
5) StoriesLive® Scholarship Slam in Boston venue TBA
Participating students tell a 2-4 minute personal story by the end of the unit.
Assembly: short introduction to the art of storytelling, story concert modeling the art, followed by an interactive workshop which is a short version of Lesson 1
Lesson 1 Recap of Assembly, Overview and Story Prompts and Basic elements of an effective narrative including:Sensory details; 5 Questions; beginning and end; and main take away or point of change they want their listeners to have.Provide examples of stories Assignment #1 – tell your story 3 times and record “take away”
Lesson 2 Recognize story arc – Context, meaning and “main take away” in a story Visual representation of storiesReview of feedback format Q&A: Questions and Appreciations All Students tell part of a story as part of a group Assignment #2 - tell your story 3 times and notice what changes
Lesson 3 The nonverbal 'tools' of storyteller: voice, facial expression and movement Exercises in performance skillsStudents tell stories to each other using new skills Assignment #3 - tell your story 3 times , note nonverbal elements you will use and fill out Performer's Check-list to be ready for in-class slam
Lesson 4 Review or fill out Performer's Check list: in class Story Slam! Introduce rubric and scoring sheets for audience.Slam - students tell, evaluate and listen to each other's stories. They may vote on which stories will be sent to the school wide slam or teacher can decide.
Themes are aligned to the Common App essay prompts!
Up the Family Tree ♦ Where I am From ♦ Learned the Hard Way ♦ First Time ♦ Lost & Found ♦ and more.
* We will work with all schools that are interested in the program and actively seek funding for partner schools.
NOTES:
The Professional Development Workshop(PDW) is led by StoriesLive artist/educators. The program, lesson plans and workshop activities will be posted on line for participating educators. The Assembly showcases professional storytellers who tell a 4 minute personal narrative based on the 5 themes. The Assembly includes hands-on storytelling activities preparing students for their first class. The 4 Lesson Plans are held during class time and implemented as a unit. Storytelling activities comprise the first three lessons; the fourth lesson is an in-class “story slam”. Every student will tell their story. Each high school will have a Schoolwide Slam. The school will promote it. It can be a big or modest event: from a ticketed night or weekend event as a school fundraiser or during the day for as an assembly for a few classes.
Schools may opt to allow sophomore, junior and senior students from Theater, Speech, district homeschoolers and students in After School Story or Drama Classes, who have a story, but have not taken any StoriesLive instruction to participate in their school wide slam.