Perkins Center for the Arts  premieres new community storytelling event

The Butterfly: A Radical Act of Community Storytelling premieres on January 23, 2018 at 7pm at Perkins Center for the Arts in Collingswood, NJ.  Performances will take place monthly and are free to the public.  

The Butterfly is a transformational uncensored space to intensely listen to and tell our stories.  Personal tales, cultural stories, family narratives and traditional tales that make us laugh, tear, reminisce, and commune. It’s a place where the best of humanity within us rests gently and speaks boldly.

We all have stories to tell and The Butterfly presents an intimate opportunity to share stories for up to 12 minutes.  The monthly thematic adult storytelling concerts are presented the 4th Tuesday of every month.  Tellers submit to tell online, and four are selected to present at the concert.  Free coaching/rehearsal sessions are held on the 3rd Tuesday with National renowned storyteller and Director of the Folklife Center, Karen “Queen Nur” Abdul-Malik.  Although the tales are uncensored, these sessions boost skill levels in the art of the oral tradition and help the tellers highlight traditions, language and cultural aesthetics within their stories.

The January 23 premiere theme is “The Hideout.”   Expect to hear tales of childhood sacred spaces, or unexpected outcomes when “the secret” was revealed.  Themes in the upcoming months include, February – “Protest” and in March – “The Ripple Effect.” Doors open at 6:30pm.

The Butterfly is a radical act of community storytelling designed for story lovers, both, listeners and tellers.  It’s a time of person to person connections through the art and gift of story. Visit www.perkinsarts.com for more information.