Tag: precious

Happy New Year!

Like so many, 2020 was not what we expected. We were rehearsing for our first show at Sunnyside Plays and looking forward to an in-person Lambda Literary story swap when COVID-19 cases exploded in NYC back in March. Our future quickly became uncertain and we weren’t sure if we’d be swapping stories ever again.

Despite technical difficulties, a different genre of performance, and a huge learning curve, we were pleased to deliver two virtual story swaps. We hope listening to the stories provided a needed respite.

Storytelling has both the power to elicit empathy and create connection, and though we couldn’t physically be together we hope both of these things came through the screen. We’re especially grateful to everyone who came out to support the storytellers. And if you missed the shows, check out our podcast!

From top left clockwise: Heather Quinlan, Sokunthary Svay, Gail Thomas, Charlotte Marchant, Nita Noveno, Calvin S. Cato, Nancy Agabian, Nicole Shawan Junior.

Our virtual shows raised nearly $1000 for the Woodside/Sunnyside Community COVID-19 Food Relief Group – You can still donate here: Use the dropdown to indicate Covid 19 Sunnyside/Woodside Food Distribution (or Venmo @KellyJean-Fitzsimmons who will collect and donate).

In the spirit of giving, we appreciate any end-of-year donations you are able to make in support of  No, YOU Tell It! Make your tax-deductible donation directly here or through the DONATE button below – any and all amounts help make shows like “Precious” and “Coming  & Going” possible.

And LASTLY, thanks to all of our partners and elves behind the scenes who helped along the way, including but not limited to: The Brooklyn Book Festival, Lambda Literary, Revisionary Writing and Editing LLC, Astoria Bookshop, Queens Council on the Arts, Amanda Sisk, Noah Diamond, Erika Marit Iverson, Mike Dressel, & Tim Lindner.

Until next time, check in on our podcast where you can listen to any of our past shows on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc.

Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram @noyoutellit for the latest updates and information on upcoming events in 2021!

Wishing you all the best for a bright new year,
Kelly Jean

December 29, 2020 Post Comment News Tags: , , , , ,

Episode 56 – Precious (Part 1)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

The top five answers are on the board – name something that is Precious. Our first story delivers us right into the mind of its author. But this seemingly humorous daydream leads her to recollect lost lives and haunting memories that have shaped the way she lives and copes.

Written by Heather Quinlan and read by Sokunthary Svay, here is, “Survey Says”

As you will hear, we asked each of our storytellers to draw and present three grocery items (other than toilet paper) that have become precious to them since we last rehearsed in March when we had to postpone our original show as COVID-19 cases surged in NYC.

What became clear is how much we all have gained a new appreciation for basic necessities.

Top: Sokunthary Svay; Bottom: Heather Quinlan

Switching it up, we’re headed down to the Paradise City where two Cambodian refugee adolescents stumble upon Guns’n’Roses and experience a means of catharsis from Axl’s screeching voice.

Whether searching the library or recording cassettes, the discovery and pursuit of music lead the narrator to find her own voice, even if it takes a lifetime.

Here is “I Heard Some Chords” written by Sokunthary Svay and read for us by Heather Quinlan.

Huge thanks to our friend Amanda Sisk who directed the brush-up rehearsals for our virtual story swaps!

No, YOU Tell It! “Precious” is made possible (in part) by the Queens Council on the Arts with public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council. 

December 15, 2020 Post Comment Podcast Tags: , , , ,

“Precious” Program

Dec 10 2020 @ 7:00PM

Tonight! Our storytellers first met in person back in March to turn out true tales inspired by the theme “Precious” on the page. Join us these many months later as they swap stories on the virtual stage.

Click here at 7 pm to join directly or “Join a Meeting” on Zoom with the Meeting ID: 973 9881 8640

Passcode: storyswap

Take a look at our “Precious” storytellers who will be trading their true-life tales.

For optimal viewing and listening experience, be sure to keep your video off, your mic muted and your non-video participants hidden. See instructions below for how to do this. When ready, verify you are in ‘Speaker View’ and enjoy the readings.
Hiding non-video participants: Click on the ^ symbol near the video icon in the lower-left and navigate to video settings. Verify the box next to Hide non-video participants is checked. 

Tonight’s Stories!

Survey Says written by Heather Quinlan and read by Sokunthary Svay

I Heard Some Chords written by Sokunthary Svay, read by Heather Quinlan

Home written by Gail Thomas, read by Nita Noveno

Gathering (1973) written by Nita Noveno, read by Gail Thomas

Listen carefully because we’ll be doing story trivia for a chance to win storyteller Heather Quinlan’s new book, Plagues, Pandemics and Viruses: From the Plague of Athens to Covid-19. Click here to order the book now from our friends at The Astoria Bookshop!

At the end of the evening, everyone is invited to unmute and turn on their cameras to congratulate our storytellers and ask questions.

$10 suggested donation for tonight’s show to the Woodside/Sunnyside Community Covid-19 Food Relief Group.

Click here to donate directly. When donating use the dropdown to indicate Covid 19 Sunnyside/Woodside Food Distribution (or Venmo @KellyJean-Fitzsimmons who will collect and donate)

Huge thanks to our friends at The Astoria Bookshop and Queens Council on the Arts!

No, YOU Tell It! “Precious” is made possible (in part) by the Queens Council on the Arts with public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council. 

Event Information

Dec 10 2020 @ 7:00PM

ZOOM Meeting ID: 973 9881 8640 Passcode: storyswap

December 10, 2020 1 comment Live Shows Tags: , , , , , ,

Meet “Precious” Storyteller Gail Thomas

Dec 10 2020 @ 7:00PM

Brush up rehearsals begin tonight for No, YOU Tell It! “Precious” on Thursday. Albiet virtual this will be the first time we’ve all met since March. Hope to see you in the Zoom room.

But first, meet our final storyteller Gail Thomas!

GAIL THOMAS is a writer, actor, lawyer, and storytelling instructor. She has over 30 years of performance experience on stage and screen, with credits including national commercials, Law & Order SVU, and voiceovers on Angelo Rules, Beavis and Butthead, and David Letterman. She is the voice of the parrot on John Cameron Mitchell’s Anthem: Homunculus. Gail has been a speechwriter for over 30 live world-class events such as the Tribeca Film Festival and Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Los Angeles. She is a Moth StorySLAM winner and has told stories with  RISK!, The Liar Show and the Story Collider. She also teaches storytelling privately and for the Story Studio NYC. More info at https://gail-thomas.com

Event Information

Dec 10 2020 @ 7:00PM

ZOOM Meeting ID: 973 9881 8640 Passcode: storyswap

December 8, 2020 Post Comment Live Shows Tags: , ,

No, YOU Tell It! “Precious” is ON

Dec 10 2020 @ 7:00PM

In March, we postponed our No, YOU Tell It! “Precious” show as COVID-19 cases surged in NYC. It’s been a long nine months for all of us, and we’re grateful the four storytellers are ready to swap tales virtually on December 10th.

Inspired by the theme, “Precious,” the storytellers wrote, workshopped, and rehearsed their story swaps back in March. Now they are brushing up and readying to trade true tales on the Zoom stage. Click here to RSVP via Facebook.

Top left: Sokunthary Svay; Top right: Gail Thomas; Bottom left: Heather Quinlan; Bottom right: Nita Noveno

Join us for this special Queens edition of No, YOU Tell It! Bonus: Audience members will have a chance to win storyteller Heather Quinlan’s new book, Plagues, Pandemics and Viruses: From the Plague of Athens to Covid-19. Can’t wait? Click here to order the book now from our friends at The Astoria Bookshop!

Storytellers include:

Nita Noveno

Heather Quinlan

Sokunthary Svay

Gail Thomas

$10 suggested donation to benefit the Woodside/Sunnyside Community COVID-19 Food Relief Group

Click here to donate directly. When donating use the dropdown to indicate Covid 19 Sunnyside/Woodside Food Distribution (or Venmo @KellyJean-Fitzsimmons who will collect and donate).

No, YOU Tell It! “Precious” is made possible (in part) by the Queens Council on the Arts with public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.

Event Information

Dec 10 2020 @ 7:00PM

ZOOM Meeting ID: 973 9881 8640 Passcode: storyswap

November 10, 2020 Post Comment Live Shows Tags: , , , , , ,

Shout Out to Queens Storytellers

We are so appreciative of the support we’ve received from the Queens Council on the Arts over the years.

Here are some updates from No, YOU Tell It! alum storytellers living in the epicenter of Queens.

It’s hard to believe but our eight-year anniversary is coming up on May 8th.

Our planned “Coming & Going” show is on hold for now, but we do have some social-distanced surprises in store.

LIKE our Facebook page and FOLLOW us on Instagram for updates on how to celebrate and perhaps win a Bookseller’s Choice Bundle from The Astoria Bookshop.

May 1, 2020 Post Comment News Tags: , , , , ,

“Precious” Show Postponed

Sad we had to postpone (new date TBD) today’s scheduled No, YOU Tell It! show because we have loved working with these powerhouse women.

It’s been an honor watching them bond together as a group over the past month while helping each other develop and experience an intensely intimate set of stories.

I’m happy to report that all of our storytellers are healthy, but we want to do our part to help slow the spread of the coronavirus. I’m grateful to Sunnyside Plays​ for their support in this decision and offer to reschedule the show (new date TBD) for when the time is right.

These stories will be told! While we wait, please take the time to listen to some of the amazing story swaps from our live shows on the No, YOU Tell It! podcast.

Want to help out our series in this tenuous time? Click here to donate via our fiscal sponsor The Field. Or share our podcast with a friend! Available on iTunes, AudioBoom, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc.

March 12, 2020 Post Comment Live Shows Tags: ,

Meet “Precious” Storyteller Sokunthary Svay

Dec 10 2020 @ 7:00PM

Brush up rehearsals begin this week for our “Precious” show!

The storytellers have traded their true-life tale and will each be working with a NYTI director to step into their partner’s shoes and give their story some theatrical oomph on the virtual stage.  Let’s meet our next storyteller, Sokunthary Svay!

Sokunthary Svay was born in a refugee camp in Thailand shortly after her parents fled Cambodia after the fall of the Khmer Rouge regime. They were sponsored to come to the United States and resettled in the Bronx where she grew up. She is a performer, collaborator, and writer. She was also a founding member of the Cambodian American Literary Arts Association (CALAA), the recipient of the American Opera Projects’ Composer and the Voice Fellowship for 2017-19, and the 2018 Emerging Poets Fellowship at Poets House. Currently, she is poetry editor for Newtown Literary, a doctoral student in English at the The Graduate Center, CUNY and teaches college writing at Queens College. Svay’s first opera, “Woman of Letters” (in collaboration with composer, Liliya Ugay) received its world premiere at the Kennedy Center in January 2020 as part of the Washington National Opera’s American Opera Initiatives. Her poetry collection, Apsara in New York (2017) is available from Willow Books.

More at: www.sokunthary.com / Twitter: @SokSrai

Event Information

Dec 10 2020 @ 7:00PM

ZOOM Meeting ID: 973 9881 8640 Passcode: storyswap

March 9, 2020 Post Comment Live Shows Tags: , ,

Meet “Precious” Storyteller Heather Quinlan

Dec 10 2020 @ 7:00PM

Meet our next No, YOU Tell It! “Precious” storyteller Heather Quinlan!

Audience members will have a chance to answer trivia questions and win storyteller Heather Quinlan’s new book, Plagues, Pandemics and Viruses: From the Plague of Athens to Covid-19. Can’t wait? Click here to order the book now from our friends at The Astoria Bookshop!

Heather Quinlan is a documentary producer and director whose first short film, “O Brooklyn! My Brooklyn!” was called “Charming … an endearing way of making an old poem more relevant” by The New York Times, and her feature-length documentary on the New York accent, “If These Knishes Could Talk,” has been featured in The New Yorker, The New York Times, WSJ, NPR, and the BBC. It recently screened at the Library of Congress.

Heather is currently writing a book about the history of plagues and pandemics tentatively titled, “You’re Gonna Die”; she’s also writing a screenplay about her stepmother called “DIE BITCH DIE”; and is planning her fall wedding to writer Adam McGovern.

Update! Since the postponement of our “Precious” show, Heather and Adam were married in May via ZOOM. Click here to read about their virtual wedding.

Event Information

Dec 10 2020 @ 7:00PM

ZOOM Meeting ID: 973 9881 8640 Passcode: storyswap

March 5, 2020 Post Comment Live Shows Tags: , ,

2020 QAF Grant and First Show of 2020!

Mar 12 2020 @ 7:00PM

Proud to share that No, YOU Tell It! is a recipient of a 2020 Queens Arts Fund Arts Access Grant. Our first show of 2020 No, YOU Tell It! “Precious” is coming up soon.

Join us on March 12th at Sunnyside Plays at 7 pm. For this special Queens edition, four storytellers have come together to develop their own stories inspired by the theme “Precious” on the page. They will then trade tales to present each other’s story on stage.

top left: Sokunthary Svay, top right: Gail Thomas, bottom left: Heather Quinlan, bottom right: Nita Noveno

Storytellers include:

Nita Noveno (co-host, Sunday Salon)

Heather Quinlan (documentary producer and director, If These Knishes Could Talk)

Sokunthary Svay (poetry editor, Newtown Literary)

Gail Thomas (storytelling instructor, The Story Studio, Legal Outreach)

One drink minimum (beer, wine, and non-alcoholic beverages available)
$10 suggested donation

No, YOU Tell It! “Precious” is made possible (in part) by the Queens Council on the Arts with public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.

Event Information

Mar 12 2020 @ 7:00PM

Sunnyside Plays (43-09 48th Avenue, Queens, NYC)

February 27, 2020 Post Comment Live Shows Tags: , , , , , , ,
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