Norman Rockwell Museum To Host StorySlam This Thursday

Roz Chast, artwork from “Can’t We Talk About Something More Pleasant?” 2014. Courtesy Roz Chast. All rights reserved.

As part of its Summer Evenings with Art series, Norman Rockwell Museum will present a StorySlam with members from massmouth on Thursday, August 6, starting at 5:30 p.m. A StorySlam is a live storytelling competition in the vein of poetry slam; the evening will feature real-life narratives presented by Tony Toledo, Norah Dooley, and Ben Cunningham; three-award winning performers from the Greater Boston-based organization, dedicated to promoting the fine art of storytelling. Following several short, interactive exercises, the group will call on the audience to share their stories at an open mic. Admission to the event is free for Museum members or with regular Museum admission. Reservations are recommended by contacting the Museum at 413.931.2221 or programs@nrm.org.

About massmouth:

Tony Toledo is a master storyteller and teacher in StoriesLive® program. He performs throughout the Northeast and has won national and regional storytelling awards. Toledo also created and emceed the Speak Up Spoken Word Open Mic in Lynn, Massachusetts for several years.

Norah Dooley is an acclaimed storyteller, educator, children’s author and creator of StoriesLive®, a high school storytelling curriculum and story slam program. The co-founder of massmouth and the Greater Boston Story Slam series, she is also the project director of StoriesLive®, where she implements a curriculum used to teach nearly 7,000 Greater Boston high school students to tell compelling first person narratives. As an adjunct faculty she teaches storytelling to undergraduates at Tufts University. In Jan 2014, Dooley returned to lecture on storytelling and language acquisition in Tokyo, Japan as part of a multi-year grant funded by the Japanese government.

Ben Cunningham was the reigning champion of Greater Boston’s year long Story Slam competition in 2011. He also was chosen to represent massmouth in the Boston vs. Philly Story Slam at Philadelphia’s Book and Science Festivals. Cunningham was a guest storyteller at massmouth’s 2012 BigMouthOff at Coolidge Corner Theatre, and a featured teller at the Story Collider in 2013. He performs throughout Greater Boston with ReadBoston and teaches in high schools with StoriesLive®.

For more information, visit massmouth.com
Summer Evenings with Art
Thursdays, August
5:30 to 7 p.m.

Enjoy this series of talks, performances, and wellness experiences inspired by the art of Norman Rockwell and Roz Chast. Free with Museum admission; members free. Reservations are recommended.

The Restorative Powers of Art and Yoga:
An Intergenerational Workshop with India Clark
Thursday, August 13, 5:30 p.m.

Explore movement, art making, breath work, and the powers of observation with museum educator/certified yoga teacher, India Clark. Come comfortably dressed, materials provided. Free with Museum admission, Museum members free.

What’s In Your Closet? Appraising Art and Antiques
Thursday, August 20, 5:30 p.m.

Learn how objects are appraised, and bring your special piece in for comment and an informal appraisal from Charlie Flint of Charles Flint Antiques in Lenox. Free with Museum admission, members free.

Laughter in the face of…well, you know
Thursday, August 27, 5:30 p.m.

Enjoy a humorous, melodic evening of song with a cappella group, Quintessential. Free with Museum admission, Museum members free.