Storytelling for Live Audiences

WRITING X 424.12WS

Learn the fundamentals of live storytelling in this introductory workshop for writers who want to move from page to stage.

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What you can learn.

Complete exercises and prompts to generate gripping ideas from your life
Differentiate between telling anecdotes and telling rich, complex stories
Read and listen to examples of powerful stories to learn what techniques makes them work
Develop performance techniques to build confidence and connect with an audience

About this course:

Storytelling is one of the earliest and most intrinsic forms of human expression, and it’s been experiencing a resurgence in pop culture with the popularity of storytelling shows and podcasts like The Moth and This American Life. In this course, students learn the fundamentals of the art of storytelling and create a polished story of their own from their unique experiences. Through playful writing exercises and prompts, students generate gripping ideas, using their own lives as material. The workshop teaches the difference between a story you tell at a dinner party and a story you tell onstage, focusing on craft and structure and the components every personal story needs to be great. Students read and listen to examples of great stories to illustrate what works. The course also teaches performance techniques and techniques on building confidence on stage and connecting with an audience.