Tuesday, October 13, 2009

great news!

A reporter from the Globe is interested in writing about us! She is the one that Stu also contacted through his connections and at the same time - she is the writer that Andrea knows, and pitched the story idea to - how serendipitous.
Great work ! Avanti! PS> We need to do some photos at Kennedy's for the Globe before FRI night - anyone in? ( norah )

Monday, October 12, 2009

Qs and ideas and updates...

Shall we write comments on this in different colors? Or have a phone call soon to check in ?

DORIA: Great news ! So glad final Shelburne went well and that sound worked. Yes, camera adds attention to event , somehow....

Great that all enjoyed the day, know would be true for audience and hope especially for tellers? !

ALL: I need to get Arts Council Grants done! after listening to Arts Council workshop think the best idea is to write a grant to do 3 themed story slams in Cambridge...and get aired on CCTV. Comments? Thoughts? Ideas? We thought the storybridge idea too huge and tricky to pull off with our small numbers. And if we could create a track record of getting and doing a good job with a grant - this is VERY valuable. Still researching how to do a video contest. Our grant must be done by OCT 15th. Will NEED resumes from you all if you want to be listed as staff who organize ?

NEWS: Meanwhile the city o Cambridge wide storytelling festival we heard of is confirmed and in the works for the FALL of 2011. We just heard from Library people last FRI - not a peep since then - they are setting up new library and not into communication.

STU DORIA AND ANDREA:
Had an idea - since we are invited through Andrea and there is always an open mic at Haley House Cafe How about making OCT 29th THURS at 7 ish ( Andrea was tapped by the organizer) the next mouthoff ? Open mic feature has the same theme as the slam - do we think we can make ? - and is a good place for story. It is just a few days later than slam so would work for people who feel left out?

ALL: Continuing to promote slam - I have 120 flyers for the slam to put up at schools of theater, voice , performance - to start. Was thinking to drive some young friends and have them jump out and post stuff while I keep motor running. Also have emails for profs of theater too. We should keep sending out posters ( pdfs at massmouth.ning at Rules) and PR kits as much as possible - and will need tp make follow up calls next week?

STU AND DORIA:
Andrea had the idea of student discount at the door I liked it - $2 with ID and extra $1 if they write a 6 word story ( flash fiction) and put on a card to be picked and read at random during show - Example "For Sale. Baby shoes. Never worn." - Ernest Hemingway Attached in email is a bunch of a 6 word stories, some better than others - we can seed the bag with these one ? also a link to 50 word stories.... http://tangents.co.uk/50words/ Other ideas? Your opinions?

ANDREA - did we send the link to the judges ? We can also send them the form
(attached in email) Comments or changes first ?

ALL:
Wondering, were story peeps at Shelburne into the slam ?
What is your sense, everybody ? Is excitement building-
Will we need to call just about everybody and invite them personally?

more later!
all the best,
Norah

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Response to blurb

First to Norah and Andrea -

Fantastic Job! Wow! - very impressive! - Please remember to "take care of yourselves!- I can't stress this enough - we need you there and around for a long time - there is no point in getting sick (or sicker) - Staying up all night, doing way to much for way too long - i know I have said it before, but I have seen the toll it takes on too many people and groups - it is far better to do less (and do it well) then to do so much that we are all burned out (think 3 apples??!!) - That's the last I will say about it, but I will be trying to take care of myself and have to opt out of somethings if its too much.

Now some edits/suggestions:

1)- I might play down the "only 10 get picked" and say more like "10 lucky tellers will have the opportunity" - focuses more on the positive, and that everyone has a chance, vs. people seeing it as limited to only 10 and thinking they probably won't get a chance, so why come (this sounds picky but wording is important on how people see/feel about something)

2)- Personally I would not say "$5 donation suggested" but go back to "$5 cover" - This is not to exclude people but does two things - one, shows that storytelling and what we are doing is worth paying for - not something that you could "donate to" - Two - we do the "suggested donation" thing at the drum circles we have, and I am the person who collects the money and pushes people to give ( it is not a donation - though it does go to support work in Guinea) - if I am not there people don't always give, some people bulk at the idea that we want them to pay for what they are recieving - so lets make it "$5 cover"

3)- "slam goers can decide to listen or sign up to be on a judging team" - can we make this say something like " all attendees (or whatever we call them) can participate through their listening ( stories only work if there are listeners) or can sign up to be part of a judging team " (The point I want to make is that this is something that everyone has an active role in - your are not coming to "see" a performance but more to be part of it - this separates it from theatre and gets people out of the TV mind set (ie - "I can be there and talk loudly with my friends while someone is telling - its no big deal" - I know we all know this, but as we probably all have experienced, most people don't get this - they are to used to movies, tv, etc. where things happen and they can tune in and out without anything changing.


4)- I am not sure what you mean by "real stories" - unless we are saying that these have to be true stories that have actually happened to you ( which I would find limiting) - I think it is confusing and needs to be clearer


I have one other point (sorry this is so long and might seem "not important" or "concret" enough to be talking about now, but there i believe that now is when we really need to think of this) - I know we have to move fast and get this ( and 100 other things done), but sometimes it feels that we are moving too fast - that there is no time to comment or suggest, just do, do , do and go with what someone else has already set up (not always, just sometimes) - I know Norah is comfortable with this, that her style and thats fine. I feel a bit less comfortable with it, because I want it to be a group thing - and because we want others to be involved (so it is not just the four of us( or Norah and Andrea) doing the bulk of the work.

From experience there are two ways to make this happen - we get people to volunteer for what we already set up ( give them very specific tasks that we need done) - this is useful but not sustainable and doesn't get people to "sign on" long term and or give them the opportunity to be part of something ( Norah has even said that "she will give this another "6 months" and if others aren't buying into it, she will go and do other stuff.

The other way for this to happen is to do less and get people in on the ground floor - people who want to create new things, who want to be a "mover & shaker", etc. - this is sustainable and sets massmouth up as a continuing entity, where we are a part of it or not - I believe that we all want that to be the case, but I don't think that we are making that happen (not sure how to make it happen either) but I think we need to look at this and discuss it.

(I will post this on the blog too - Yes??)

I can't go but someone should

Free Money Conference- a project of MA State Treasurer- Nov. 14th Inbox X

Reply


News from the Artists Foundation
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News from the Artists Foundation
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The Money Conference: Rebounding from a Recession~ Register Today!
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Monday, October 5, 2009

I can do cards and Post cards

Hi,

I have like 150 massmouth cards left (just have to find them) - I will give some to Doria for Monday - Should I print more? - Should I print post cards for this months event?? - I am helping out with the Laughter Yoga class at BU again - so I can print some on their color printer for free ( I will be sneaky) and I have a couple of packs of business cards and post cards that I can use.

Let me know

Also - I will see if I can find a contact for Boston Access Cable - not sure but will try


stu

poster with changes...

judges form - may lose format but here goes

Judging team’s name __________________________________________________

Teller’s name __________________________________________________________
Instructions: Fill in the chart below and in numbers, from 1- 10 grade decimals are fine, to rate the performance on these three criteria. Comments are optional may be shared with performers… if they request it. Please be forthright but kind. People are here to slam stories not each other.
Reveal your final number, which is an average of all three criteria, to team captain. Throw out high and low – if someone wants to adjust, you may. You will hold up the remaining middle grade. All three teams grades will be noted and high and low thrown out – middle will be the grade for the teller.

(This is in a grid)
Judging criteria Rating(1-10) Optional –Your comments
Story Arc
Story presentation
Time + connection to theme
Use calculator to average your Total
Throw out high +low =
Team Rating
TEAM CAPTAIN fills in this part
Judge1 Judge 2 Judge 3 Team rating

You will hold up the number cards – like Olympic judges, and reveal the middle grade when all teams are ready. All three teams ratings will be noted and then high and low team’s rating thrown out – the middle grade of all three teams will be the grade for the teller. In case of a tie – the tellers will have a “sudden death round “ where they take a story starter and tell a one minute story. Or drop out…

poster - please check for typos ?

Please click on image to open in a new window and it will enlarge and then you can check for spelling - most punctuation is ignored for graphic impact...


Sunday, October 4, 2009

need to wait until meeting on MON

All PR can be put together but we need to wait until meeting with club owner to publish anything. I for one would like to use the Moth lightly and build who we are...

We do have this story slam proposal we took to the pubs:

The Bitter End, one of the hosts of The Moth draws sellout crowds week after week… people of all ages and walks of life wait in line to tell their story –even though only 10 will be chosen at random – they come by the 100s to tell each other their stories. They pay $7 cover and buy a 2-drink minimum to listen to 5-minute stories… They fill the club at 7PM & are out by 10PM at the latest. The Bitter End has headliners come in for a second show.

massmouth is a group of Massachusetts’s professional and amateur storytellers looking for an indoor venue for our popular monthly "mouthoffs". The Moth in NYC currently has sell out crowds for story slams and we think we use the “slam” event format and massmouth can build to lines around the block, waiting for stories too.
We would like to propose that one Monday a month massmouth will host a mouthoff /story slam in your establishment. We have portable sound, experienced emcees, networks for promotion and you have the place. This being Boston – we could open the doors at 6PM and we could start 7 sharp. We can work out the door/gate/ money issues in a way that works for us, for you and your customer’s comfort.

A story slam is a contest and great entertainment. It can build clientele for you and builds audience for oral tradition and stories for us. We have been performing all year, but are looking for an inside venue and partnership starting in late OCTOBER. We can pass the hat and/ or charge admission, and/or a 2-drink minimum (the Bitter End in NYC does admission and 2 drinks for their Moth events ) and we would post stories that we record on YouTube and throughout our social networks like myspace,Facebook and ning. Great free viral advertising , business on a MON or TUE can be slow.

massmouth story, and your establishment have a natural affinity that will be especially potent for marketing and PR and win/win situation for all.

Some Ideas about storyslam

Hi all,

I think I have talk my friend into writing an article about us and connected with Moth. She is a freelancer, but has connections and it might get published. I can send her stuff on Moth, but not sure what to say about our "thing" - what are we calling it?? - do we have a short, descriptive outline of what it is?

She also mentioned that Moth does a radio show on Sat. on NPR from 7-8 I believe.

Send me your idea so I can pass them on to her asap

I can also list the event on Stage Source, since I am a member - it is a org. for theatre and performing people ( its where I get free tickets for many local plays and job postings ( hint - if anyone wants to see a play I can email you the list I get each week - I have been going alone, but would love company - I usually get 4 tickets)


PS - massmouth now has its own sound system - got one for cheap off of Ebay - this way Norah can save here expensive stuff for her gigs, and this will be available anytime for use by massmouth. Should come by next week, has mike, wheels + handle for easy transport - plug in or battery powers - even has an Ipod slot for music before hands, in between acts, ect.






judge and mini features to call?

I think we will need at least 50 names to get the 20 or so solid peeps we need

We also need to be sure what we are telling them so we all say the same thing. here is what I remembered...

1, must join mm to be a part of it...
2. if they agree to judge get a mini feature 3 min story which will be at beginning or end of each set ( four mini features)
3. if not a judge then get the member bag select choice to tell
4. if not enough tellers, then gauranteed a place in line up.


Who Judge/ mini feature/will come?notes date Who
1. Karen Chace
2. Bob Reiser
3. Laura Packer
4. Kevin Brooks
5. Bruce Marcus
6. Jim LaChapelle
7. Cindy Marshall
8. Tony Toledo
9. Merril Kolhofer
10. Judith Black
11. Michael And…
12. Elsa Zuniga
13. Christian deT..
14. Jackson Gilman
15. John Porcino
16. Joey Talbot
17. Peggy Melan…
18. Lani Peterson
19. Susan Lenoe
20. Diane Edge…
21. Elisa Pearmain
22. Nicolette Heavy
23. Bonnie Green…
24. Eshu
25. Motoko
26. Tim Van Eg..
27. Libby Frank
28. Leeny DelSea…
29. Bambi Good
30. Anna Adler
31. Mei Lin
32. Tim Seston
33. Katie Green
34. Vernon Cox
35. Lynne Cullen
36. Heleena Leet
37. Kate Chadb…
38. Bonnie Rankin
39. Nina LaNegra
40. Doug Lipman
41. Alicia Quintano
42. George Capa…
43.Jo Radner - sometimes in Boston area?
44. Andrew Potter?

Theses don't have to be tellers - could still judges or just come for support
45. three apples folks??
46. Guy who ran book store in Medford ( where Laura P. did her thing/did 3 A. book store)
47. How about some local librarians who support storytelling??
48. The women who is running the Cambridge Storytelling Group
49.Reporters from Phonix, Tab, etc.
50.If they are still in town - people from Moth who are coming here!
5


Stu is this color

Paste this into a chart - judge and mini features to call?

Great start on a list Andrea...

Friday, October 2, 2009

Reports from Meetings

Report from Sally Penta CPA:
• there is no tax advantage to registering as a company with a dba
• each of us can and should deduct expenses and payments from our massmouth work as we go
• this year continue as we are
• we should incorporate and be nonprofit unless it IS our intention to turn a profit ( on storytelling ? for real? – I do not think so - I am not worried )

my thoughts-
it costs $75 to join VLA – volunteer lawyers for the arts and they can help us ?
and later we could proceed to incorporate. APPLICATION FOR LEGAL ASSISTANCE (Non-Profit Incorporation) We would fill in both sides of this application as completely as possible and return it with a non-refundable application fee of $250 made payable to: VLA

or
we could ask Three Apples if they want to morph into massmouth, or somehow call us an outreach committee of their organization and incorporate us into them ?Seeing as Three Apples is reorganizing and we are realizing their mission statement this might fly? Something I know that we could run a festival – right ? Our OUT OF THE BOX festival?
Lets think about this one before we do it and what that would mean, would that be another LANES type thing? That is what happened with STF.
They have a board and a misssion that may not be quite the same. We are taking people by surprise and building audiences ,that , may not be there vision. However an alliance may be in
keeping with both our missions. Affliation?? P.S. this is Andrea up had trouble with color as you can see. Blue is my color.