Storytellers
To tell a story, show up. Come prepared with a story tailored to the night’s theme. Each Teilen includes 10 stories and the performers are chosen at random on the night of the show from those who register. Storytellers have five minutes to share their story – so it’s good idea to know what you’re going to say.
After five minutes, storytellers will hear a gentle audio reminder that it’s time to wrap up their story. They’ll hear another one at six minutes. While no one get pulled from the stages, judges do consider how long it took you to tell your story when scoring your performance.
Local attorney Brad Thomas tells a story at the first ever Teilen.
Teilen is for anyone. Those who want to share a story (complete with a beginning, middle and end). But it’s also for the audience. We only use volunteer storytellers who sign-up to share a story. No one is picked from the audience.
Performers can be actors and others who do not mind getting up in front of an audience – but they don’t have to be. Serious, sad, inspirational, or funny stories are encouraged but keep the stand-up for another time and place.
Teilen is also not for people with scores to settle or a complaint forum. It’s not for essayists or memorization wizards, though it is highly recommended that performers rehearse their stories before getting on stage. Stories should not be promotional or political.