Stories of Purpose and Possibility

An evening with local storytellers

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Call for Submissions!

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For Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Umbrella is hosting two intimate evenings of storytelling with the focus on people’s personal stories of Purpose & Possibility. It is our goal to offer a community event that centers on the
real lives and experiences of community members, leaving audience members inspired by the stories shared.

 

Stories should center around the theme of Purpose & Possibility.
You can get creative and interpret the theme in ways that speak to you. 

 

To help you get started, we have included some writing prompts below:
● What is your purpose? Have you ever felt derailed from your purpose? How did you get
it back?
● What has been the steady force in your life that has led you through adversity?
● Has there been a specific instance that has led you to find your purpose?

 

Guidelines:
1. Tell your own story - while it will involve other people, it is important to focus the story
on your own experience.
2. Share a story that is important to you.
3. Include descriptions that help the listener see, hear and feel the events of the story.

No soapboxes please!
4. We are asking that all storytellers are over 18 years old.
5. Please don't include hate speech that promotes racist, homophobic or misogynistic view
points.

 

We invite any and all community members with a story to tell to participate in this event by
submitting their work by email to Amandac@umbrellanek.org by September 15, 2024.

Please write “Purpose and Possibility” in the subject line.

 

Submission Details:
● Submit a draft of your story on the theme of Purpose and Possibility. Please submit in
word format.

● The length of your piece should be 2 pages single-spaced or less and take
approximately 5 minutes or less to read out loud.
● Please submit to Amandac@umbrellanek.org by Sunday, September 15, 2024.
● Please include a title for your piece.
● Include your full name, phone number and email address.

 

What to Expect:
● A panel will be viewing all the submissions with the goal of selecting performers by
September 20, 2024. Authors of the chosen stories will have an opportunity to further
develop their work with our project producer, Bess O’Brien and/or writing instructor,
Catherine Palmer.
● If invited to be a participant, people will receive an honorarium of $50 and will be asked
to commit to:
● A session with our support team to finalize stories between September 23 and
October 4.
● A 2-hour rehearsal prior to the event during the week of October 7.
● Performing your story on October 17 in St. Johnsbury and/or October 24 in Newport. 

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