About Storytelling

I met Kathleen Zundell in 1975 at IDEA, the Institute for Dance and Experimental Art in Santa Monica, California. She was a dancer. I was a musician, stage manager and lighting designer. We soon formed a friendship, and somehow we managed, despite our busy schedules, to keep in touch with each other over the ensuing years.

Then one day, sometime around 1985, Kathleen called me up on the phone and told me she had just started a storytelling group called Community Storytellers and that I should come check out their monthly meeting. I politely told her that I had never told a story in my life and had no desire to start. She insisted that I should come down and be a story listener and if I wanted to I could play one of my piano tunes for them.

Now when Kathleen gets something into her head she just doesn't let go. She called me every month until I finally gave in and went to check it out. At the time Community Storytellers met at Wildwood, a private elementary school in Santa Monica where Kathleen was teaching creative drama and dance.

So began my journey into the world of storytelling. Much to my amazement, I ended up going every month. I enjoyed listening to the stories and occasionally playing a tune for them. Then one day, after going for nearly nine years, I took a storytelling workshop and told my first story. Without my even noticing it, storytelling had invaded my life.

Thank you Kathleen for your determination and patience, without which I never would have known that I too had stories inside of me. If you are ever in the area the second Thursday of the month please come check out Community Storytellers.