They say the pen is mightier than the sword, but what about spoken word?
Well…starting this October at The Lark in Larkspur, local storytellers, lovers and listeners can attend and possibly even perform their own stories in the new improvisational storytelling series aptly dubbed “Simply Said.”
“Simply Said” aims to entertain and delight audiences through the power of spoken word. The Lark is set to hold one new “Simply Said” event on the third Tuesday of each month. October’s opening night is already sold out. But next month and all those following offer guests the unique opportunity to not only hear the tales of amateur and professional storytellers but also to participate.
Corey Rosen, an iconic celebrity storyteller based in the Bay Area, hosts “Simply Said.” Many may recognize Rosen as the host of The Moth StorySlams and GrandSlams, though Rosen has also appeared on The Moth Radio Hour, Alice Radio’s The Sarah and Vinnie Show and KFOG’s podcast, The Finch Files.
“What I enjoyed most about [performing improv] is that it gives an opportunity to get on stage and be creative, but the format of it takes away some of the burden of an actor’s life and preparation,” Rosen explained. “…all the rehearsals and intensive memorization processes are absent, and I always enjoyed the true spontaneity of an improvisational performance.”
Rosen lauded The Lark’s evolution in recent years.
“The Lark Theater is an incredible space,” said Rosen. “Knowing they went through this evolution and renovation to revamp their content…since the pandemic is inspiring. Paige Rodgers had been pitching this idea to Ellie [Mednik, executive director] at the Lark Theater. She was delighted to tell me something was happening.”
“I credit The Lark and Paige for having this vision and saying, ‘Let’s do it ourselves,’” he continued. “My hope with [‘Simply Said’] is not to mimic what we do at The Moth, but to find our own show and spirit of the local community and to bring out and draw out all the different, diverse voices of all ages and all life experiences to really discover and learn about each other.”
No prerequisites are required to qualify to tell a story at “Simply Said.” Professional, semi-professional or completely unprofessional storytellers are equally welcome to attend and regale the audience with true, hopefully mostly unscripted, stories. Being selected to spin one’s yarn onstage is as easy as putting one’s name into a hat and letting chance (i.e., a random drawing of names from hats) handle the rest. Those who do not wish to tell stories and simply want to come out and listen are just as welcome to “Simply Said” as those who are chomping at the bit to tell their tale.
All one has to do to participate in “Simply Said” is follow a few simple rules, best explained by Rosen himself:
“The first is going to sound obvious, but it should be a story you tell,” began Rosen. “By story, I mean that something has changed, something incited some exploration or adventure or whatever it is, and the teller was in some way different or changed on the other side, which is different from an anecdote…since a story involves some kind of change or reflection. We really want to believe your story is true, so be vulnerable and candid. Don’t just say what happened; say how it affected you emotionally and how you were processing it.”
Also, no notes are allowed.
“We want you to tell your story, not memorize it. It happens often enough where somebody has prepared their story ahead of time, and they’re sitting reading a printout in the audience like they’re preparing for a test,” said Rosen. “Then they get onstage, and they kill the first paragraph, but then their eyes just go huge, and you sense that they’re frozen because they forgot their notes and what comes next…almost every time this happens, the audience starts to clap without being told, and they encourage [the storyteller] to go on.”
According to Rosen, the beauty of improvisational storytelling is in the imperfection of each person’s presentation. After all, connection and intimacy aren’t based on perfection but on a shared sense of community and understanding of the peaks and pitfalls of the human condition.
“My hope for ‘Simply Said’ is that you hear people tell stories that are vulnerable and real and that people are inspired to tell their stories and share in their lives,” Rosen noted. “I feel like in the modern era and age, there’s every different kind of telling stories extreme short-form like on social media…and long-form like writing…but there still is no substitute for in-person storytelling; it’s the proverbial campfire for passing on our learnings, survival, histories that really connects us.”
“The [Simply Said] show hasn’t even started yet, and…it’s already sold out for our opening night (Oct. 15),” said Rosen. “There’s been so much heat and interest in this kind of thing, which validates what I’ve been feeling this whole time—that communities want this sort of outlet to connect. And the best way to connect communities is through stories, both telling and listening.”
“This is storytelling, its humanity, spontaneity, being in the moment, and my hope is that people come out and listen and connect,” Rosen concluded. “I know people are going to have come prepared, but I want people to come out and relax and enjoy it. If you’re only worried about how you’re going to tell your story, then you’ll miss out on eight other great stories.”
The next ‘Simply Said’ will occur on Tuesday, Nov. 19. General admission is $25, though members of The Lark may attend for $20. The Lark is located at 549 Magnolia Ave. in Larkspur. To learn more, visit the website at larktheater.net or call 415.924.5111.
