Tell It On Tuesday

Stories

• Dhaya Lakshminarayanan, Sit There and Be Quiet
• Muriel Johnson, Adventure At Petencito Zoo
• Newt Bailey, Roadside
• Mark Kenward, Nantucket, Part 3 (excerpt)

Music

Joshua Raoul Brody, pre-show ivory-tinkling

Dhaya Lakshminarayanan is a San Francisco-based stand-up comedienne, storyteller, television host, business consultant, and ubergeek. Before starting in the business of “show,” she taught “Charm School” at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where she graduated (twice). She’s traveled to Cuba as a researcher, worked as a venture capitalist, and taught public speaking in Kathmandu, Nepal. She was the host of the emmy-winning High School Quiz Show, on PBS’s WGBH. www.dhayacomedy.com

Muriel Johnson was born and raised in Maryland where her mother, an actress, avid reader and English teacher, exposed her to a wide range of literature. This instilled in Muriel a love of language and an awareness of the power of stories. As a parent and veteran pre school teacher, Muriel began telling folk tales to her own children and students. Now she enjoys sharing personal and traditional tales with all ages. www.forherstories.com

Newt Bailey is an Englishman who has lived in the Bay Area since 1997. He currently works as a communication trainer (www.communicationdojo.com), and makes occasional forays into the world of solo performance. For ten years in the 80s and 90s he spent a lot of time standing by the side of the road in Europe and the USA.

Mark Kenward is a writer, performer, and director based in Oakland. He has written seven full-length one-man shows and performed them in over thirty-five cities throughout the US and Canada, including several main stage runs at The Marsh in San Francisco.  “Kenward is a warm, wonderful storyteller who establishes an instant rapport with his audience.” (SF Examiner) Recent directing projects include full-length pieces by Angela Neff, Howard Petrick, David Jacobson, David Kleinberg, David Caggiano, and Victoria Doggett. markkenward.com

Joshua Raoul Brody: When asked to describe himself in one word, Mr. Brody replies “Unable to follow instructions.” www.jraoul.org

Stories

• Jeff Byers, Escalator
• Ady Abbot, What Ever Happened to Sara Jane?
• Elaine Magree, Pilgrimage, or Why I’m not an Indian
• Malcolm Grissom, Can’t Ain’t Nothing But A Four-letter Word

Music

Freddy and the Freeloaders
(Way Better then Your Average Jazz Band)

Jeff Byers tells stories and teaches storytelling at the Asian Art Museum and in classrooms from first grade to UC Berkeley. He has appeared in various performance venues, including the San Francisco Theater Festival, The Magic Theatre, the Chicago Calling Arts Festival, Ashby Stage, and (very happily) Tell It On Tuesday. He is a board member of the Storytelling Association of California.

Ady Abbot has been performing in some capacity for most of her life.  She began writing this piece in February of 2011 while taking a class on solo performance with David Ford at the San Francisco Marsh.  She has performed excerpts at Monday Night Marsh, and last month at the Los Angeles Women’s Theater Festival.  This September, she is thrilled to be presenting an hour of What Ever Happened to Sara Jane? at the San Francisco Fringe Festival.

Elaine Magree, a Californian native: sometimes a wave, sometimes a photon—because you can’t be in two places at once, or can you? Pilgrimage was developed with David Ford and is being directed by Rebecca Fisher.

Malcolm Grissom is a Bay Area Comedian who has perfomed theater and comedy for 20 years.  www.malcolmgrissom.com.

Freddy and the Freeloaders has been playing around the bay area for three years and the majority of the gigs we’ve played have been in Marin County, Richmond, and the City.

Stories

• Jeremy Greco, With Held
• Neshama Franklin, Packrat Meets Packrat
• David Kleinberg, The Little Shop of Horrors from The Voice
• Annette Roman, Hitler’s L’il Abomination (excerpt)

Music

Boundless Gratitude, guitar and vocals

Jeremy Julian Greco wrote Elvis in Space I and Elvis in Space II, which both premiered at The San Francisco Fringe Festival. He has performed excerpts of With Held at Ever Gold Gallery in San Francisco (featuring John Held Jr.’s mail art), Words First at CounterPulse, Monday Night at Marsh in SF and at The Marin Fringe Festival, where Greco won a Critics’ Circle Best Actor Award.

Neshama Franklin loves stories (almost) more than life itself and thanks the creator for giving her so much material. She started telling 20+ years ago in the library where she still works and is equally at home in personal tales, folk tales, and epics. In her not so spare time she dances, hikes, hangs out with her beloved teenage grandchildren, and has a biweekly radio show on KWMR where she reviews books, tells stories, and reads classics aloud.

David Kleinberg was a writer and editor at the San Francisco Chronicle for 34 years, including his last 14 years as editor of the Sunday Datebook. David is also a comedian who has appeared with Robin Williams, Dana Carvey, Sinbad and Richard Lewis.

Annette Roman has performed her solo show Hitler’s Li’l Abomination at the Boulder, San Francisco, and Fresno Fringe Festivals. In July and August of 2012, she will be performing at the Winnipeg and Edinburgh Fringe Festivals. In high school, Annette played the role of the Narrator in Franz Kafka’s play Josephine the Mouse Singer while wearing mouse ears and a tail. This might explain a lot. annetteroman.wordpress.com/

Whether Boundless Gratitude and his guitar are crooning a mellow ballad, rocking an up-tempo foot-tapper, or laying down a spiritual or political folk song, they still just sing the truths of life in healing, empowering and entertaining ways that listeners describe as “warm” and “calming.” For Boundless, music is religion, vocation, and therapy, because of its heavenly harmonies, earthy rhythms and divinely earthy metaphors.

Stories

• Tim Ereneta, Of Miracles, and Treachery
• Michael O’Brien, TED
• Genevieve Jessee, Girl in, but not of, the ‘Hood
• Patricia Savitsky, The Secret of the Rose Star Revealed

Music

Laura Wiley Trio: Laura Wiley on flute/vocals, John Dennis on guitar and Bruce Barrett on bass

With years of training in playwriting and theatrical improvisation, storyteller Tim Ereneta of Berkeley was as surprised as anyone to discover that his greatest inspiration came from sharing forgotten fairy tales with adult audiences, which he has done at museums, Fringe Festivals, and stages like this one.

Michael O’Brien is a San Francisco-based writer, performer, and improviser, original original member of The National Theatre of the Deranged, and co-creator of “Tips on Travel with Karl & Carl,” heard frequently on NPR.

Genevieve Jessee received a B.A. degree in Theatre Arts from Dillard University of New Orleans, and an M.F.A. in Playwriting from Boston University. Her work has been presented at the Source Festival, Boston Playwright’s Theater, and The Bay Area Playwright’s Festival. She is a company member of PlayGround, the Bay Area’s leading playwright incubator. Most recently, her one-woman show Girl in, but not of, the ‘Hood, which she penned and performed, garnered Best of 2011 San Francisco Fringe Festival, and “Sold Out” awards.

Patricia Savitsky has been working for the last four years with David Ford and has worked with Ann Randolf and Joya Cory as well, to tell her personal story: her coming of age story about growing up in Hollywood in a show-business family.

Laura Wiley Trio performs instrumentals and vocals out of the Great American Songbook. We are usually joined by a drummer, and play the third Friday of every month at Cioccolata di Vino on Shattuck Avenue.

Stories

• Nina G, Learning To Stutter
• Kenny Yun, The Dream excerpt
• Michael Meehan, Hey Monster, Hands off my City
• Joya Cory, The Dalai Lama Doesn’t Need a Facelift

Music

Harry Richard Hall (guitar and vocals) blends blues, Jjzz and R&B with audience participation

Nina G is the world’s only female stuttering stand up comedian (or at least until she finds another). She is also a storyteller and educator who has presented to countless audiences. She brings her humor to help people confront and understand social justice issues such as disability, diversity and equity. ninagcomedian.com

Kenny Yun is developing his second full-length solo show The Dream in collaboration with Charlie Varon. kennyyun.com

Michael Meehan is a SF comedian who has appeared on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. A semi-finalist, with his two brothers (as the Meehan Brothers) on Last Comic Standing, Michael Meehan brings a good surreal zany brand of humor to whatever location he may be spotted at.

Joya Cory, improviser, actor, director, teacher, has been performing since 1971. She founded the Improvisation troupes, Motion: The Womens’ Performance Collective & Lucky Dog Theatre. Her work has been recognized with grants from the California Arts Council, in addition to other grants and awards, most recently winning Best of SF Fringe 2010 for her solo work. She teaches Full Spectrum Improvisation and Solo Performance. www.joyacory.com

Harry Richard Hall is a guitarist, singer, and emerging playwright/actor from the Bay Area. He blends a variety of Blues, Jazz, and R & B with an emphasis on audience participation. For 7 years he hosted Evening Jazz on KCSM Jazz 91.1 FM. He now serves as a fill DJ when called upon.

Stories

• Lydia Hadfield, “What Are You Making?”
• Jeanne Haynes, “My Daddy’s Story – Making a Name for Himself at Age 8”
• Michael Katz, “Belong”
• Enzo Lombard, “Love Humiliation & Karaoke”

Music

Stuart Rosh, vocals, guitar and harmonica

Lydia Hadfield is a writer and performer with a penchant for satire. She got her start playing a ventriloquist’s dummy in a variety show, and now no one can shut her up. Lydia is currently developing her next solo work, Eye of the Storm, a weather report about a town that has been trapped inside the eye of a storm for days, weeks, months… maybe even years. 

Jeanne Haynes commemorates her 15th year with Stagebridge and—if he were still living—her Father’s 100th December birthday with “My Daddy’s Story – Making a Name for Himself at Age 8.” A holiday memory with snow falling on the tough streets of East Toledo, Ohio, a boy confronts his proud German heritage and the neighborhood bully “Snot Nose Rumsy.” Teaching storytelling is Haynes’ joy thus far with 200+ adults in Stagebridge classes and 3,000 school students.

Storyteller Michael Katz has been performing for over 20 years throughout the U.S.  He was a featured performer at the openings of both the Getty Center and the Disney Concert Hall.  His radio show Katz Pajamas has been on the air since 1984, and can be heard Saturday mornings streaming live at NPR station KCBX.org. His CD of stories, Far Away and Close to Home, received a Parents’ Choice Silver Honor Award in 2005.

Enzo Lombard had everything. Manhattan apartment, 11% body fat, boyfriend who adored him. In a few weeks it would all be gone. But a beauty appointment in Little Ukraine leads to a series of events that changes everything forever.

Stuart Rosh sings slice of life songs that harken back to the days when songwriters all spoke Yiddish (or tried to), men knew how to dress, and every lady of bearing proudly owned at least one pearl necklace.  He’s recorded four CDs (some of which contain infernal rock and roll), is working on a fifth, has written two books, and is finishing up a novel.

Stories

• Inbal Kashtan, “Explain Again”
• Dana Sherry, “Peter the Great and The Hungry Dream”
• Edward Hamilton, “When did we grow old?”
• Marian Ferrante, “Sweet Betsy From Pike”
• Linda Wright, “The Yellow Bowl”

Music

Perry Dexter and friends

Ellen Kaufman, after following a 40-year career in the health care industry, is now Inbal Kashtan trying to live her dreams for as long as she can. Telling stories is one of them. A Google search yields links to prior dreams aimed for: a world where everyone matters and people have the skills for making peace. Her family is an ongoing dream come true.

Dana Sherry was once a respectable historian of Russia. Then, she turned to a life of storytelling, where she crafts stories that transform historical events into tales of wonder and horror. She also tells traditional and original fairy tales to young audiences.

From sharecropper to college professor, Edward Hamilton has had a fascinating career cooking for everyone from Fortune 500 CEOs and royalty to homeless people. Since retiring from his position as Chair of the City College of San Francisco?s Culinary Arts and Hospitality Studies Department three years ago, he’s found a new creative passion, storytelling. He weaves his life experiences spanning seven decades into touching tales.

Marian Ferrante used storytelling techniques in her speech pathology work for years before she got up regularly to tell before audiences of all ages. In 1983 she helped start Antioch’s Delta Wordweavers Story Swap which today continues to present a variety of programs throughout the community. Currently Marian is on the SAC Board, runs TimeSlips sessions, and is a Master Storyteller for Storybridge. Being a 3rd generation Californian is a hint of why she carries a passion for its stories.

An Oakland native, Linda Wright is a UC Berkeley graduate who works at two elementary schools as a Second Step guidance teacher. A wife and mother of 3 (two in college and one in high school). She leads assemblies on African American history and tells tales from around the world.

Stories

• Miriam Mills, “It Takes a Lot to Shock an Old Girl”
• Sharon Eberhardt, “Second-Hand Muse” (excerpt)
• Victoria Doggett, “Phantom Limb”
• Michael Brown, “Memories and Dreams of the Twentieth Century” (excerpt)

Music

Jeremy Rourke & Vanessa VerLee, Guitars & Vocals
Lyrically rich songs, many sung over original stop motion animated videos

Miriam Mills is grateful to have a husband who tells her: “Never let the truth interfere with a good story.” Miriam is surprised she takes the stage because sometimes she has to take 3 Pepto-Bismol and 3 Advil before she does. Most often, Miriam can be heard telling stories to visitors of all ages at the Asian Art Museum.

Sharon Eberhardt performed her play, Savage Arts, at Fringe Festivals in Regina,Saskatchewan and London Ontario, and at The Marsh, San Francisco.  Her plays have been performed by other people at The Shee Theatre, San Francisco, Playground and Best of Playground, SF, And How!, New Georges and Ensemble Studio Theatre, NYC. Second-Hand Muse is a work in progress.  

Victoria Doggett has been writing and performing in the Bay Area since 1992.  She performed “Phantom Limb” as part of the Fresno Rogue Festival last March. If you would like to see her full length piece, she will be performing at Exit Theatre on October 28th and 29th. She has worked collaboratively with The Wool Street Gang (David Caggiano, David Jacobson, Pidge Meade, Angela Neff, and Mary Samson), for the past four years, and has developed pieces with David Ford since the beginning. Phantom Limb was directed by Mark Kenward.

Michael Brown has created and performed original theater since the mid-Sixties, first in street theater in New York and New England, followed by the critically acclaimed Moving Men Theater Company of Berkeley.  In recent years his work has had staged readings at the Magic Theater and he has written and performed in several full-length productions including his current solo show, Memories and Dreams of the Twentieth Century, which received a CA$H Grant Award from Theater Bay Area.

Jeremy Rourke & Vanessa VerLee, married on stage and off, have been active in the Bay Area music scene for over a decade. Just this summer, the SFWeekly named Jeremy the “Best Musician/Animator in SF,” and  Vanessa produced and played in all day Women’s Music festival for over 500 people. They will share their story rich songs, many played along with Jeremy’s stop-motion animated videos. www.jeremyrourke.com www.vanessaverlee.com

Stories

• Safiya Martinez, “So You Can Hear Me”
• Angela Neff, “Another Picnic at the Asylum”
• Paolo Sambrano, “I Get Wet”
• Kurt Bodden “Steve Seabrook: Better Than You”

Music

Rob Reich, accordion music from around the world and beyond.

Safiya Martinez is a poet, actress, playwright and educator from New York City. Her poetry has been published in Generations Literary Magazine. Safiya has shown excepts of So You Can Hear Me as part of the Marsh Mondays, and Tell it on Tuesday performance series at the Marsh in Berkeley. This is her first foray into solo performance work. 

Angela Neff has performed in various cities in the western United States and is honored to have toured “Picnics” in the 2010 Phoenix, DC and Hollywood fringe festivals. Another Picnic at the Asylum was developed in San Francisco with playwright/director David Ford and directed by Mark Kenward and is her second play. It can be seen locally in its entirety in the San Francisco Fringe Festival this September 7–17th. www.angelaneff.com

Paolo Sambrano is a goddamn solo performer and purveyor of fine dried beef. Paolo’s debut solo show, Bi-Poseur, played to sold-out houses in the SF Bay Area and was featured in the SF Weekly and SF Chronicle. ‘I Get Wet,’ his newest piece in progress, debuted in Baltimore, MA as part of the Fitbloggin’ conference. Paolo has also spoke at the South by Southwest Interactive Conference.

Kurt Bodden has performed improv at the Edinburgh Fringe, hosted a talk show and literary events, done standup for Harvard alumni and rednecks, and done solo work at the Marsh. Recently he’s been delving into physical theater (mask, mime, clowning, and ensemble work) with Flying Actor Studio and FoolsFURY.  Tonight’s piece is a preview of a full-length show he’ll present September 9–17 at the SF Fringe Festival. kurtbodden.com.

Rob Reich is an acclaimed accordionist, pianist, and composer based in the San Francisco Bay Area. A talented instrumentalist and an inventive composer, Rob is steeped in many traditions.  In addition to being a versatile solo performer, Rob can be heard playing with many top notch ensembles. He is a member of Tin Hat, Gaucho and The Nice Guy Trio, and freelances with many other Bay Area bands.