APPLYING THEATER (TERMS) TO OUR STORIES – Part 2
I’ve always felt theater is filled with principles that can hold value in other parts of our life. Many of them are like metaphors, analogies, or word pictures that can serve to point the way, give some direction, encourage the things we do in our day-to-day communication. With my history as a theater teacher and experience as an actor and storyteller, I’ve thought about a few of these things and come up with some thoughts concerning our regular living and relationships: SPEAK UP! ...
Read MoreTop 5 Storytelling Tips From A Professional Storyteller
“What are the basic skills of a good storyteller, Melea?” came the question from a casual mentoring moment online. ” “Boy, that’s an excellent question and where do I start?” I pondered. Storytellers are good communicators. If you have ever been in the presence of someone who can tell a story, they probably made you feel valuable as the listener in the audience. How I give the story away will relate to how the person or group receives that story. I want the person to be...
Read More“Writers Block and the Other Complications of Writing”
Any writer will tell you, “Yes, I have had writer’s block or… It comes and goes, like my sciatica and arthritis on rainy days.” It doesn’t mean you’re not a serious writer, nor that you lack something. It could mean you need to carefully examine your approach to writing. I am mentoring-coaching a young writer these days and he was having “writer’s block” so I went to some sources to find simple answers and encourage him to self-exam this this thing we call “writer’s block” I found a great...
Read MoreRe-Story Theater 2014-15 & Your Art-filled Summer
“Be brave enough to live life creatively. The creative place where no one else has ever been.” -from a poem by Alan Alda My H.S. Drama One class has ended and in a great way—a melodrama by Craig Sodaro, “Wait ‘Til The Sun Shines Nellie”! It’s been fun to see timid, apprehensive, quiet students blossom into confident and capable actors and servant-artists. And for those that possessed drama skills already, there was a refining of them that may have even surprised them. We are all...
Read MoreRe-Story Theater’s Beginning… An intimate look at the writing of “The Green Velvet Christmas Dress”
Last year, I wrote backwards! I started with a play, not the story first. I write stories all the time. I do my best to write one Christmas story a year and have begun writing one this year in the midst of the busyness of directing and producing “The Green Velvet Christmas Dress”. It’s called “The Unopened Christmas Gift” and I like where it’s going. After last year’s successful premiere, I began writing the story of “The Green Velvet Christmas Dress” and I had high hopes for it being...
Read More“Re-Story Theater’s Beginning… (Part 2)
But first, I must share with you about The Green Dress Velvet Christmas Dress!” I will share with you about “Improv In Our Everyday Living” in a future blog. I promise. But for now, I want to share about Re-Story Theater’s upcoming Christmas show December 7th, 8th, and 9th. My beloved theater group, Re-Story, is well into its second season (with one show under its improvisational belt) and has begun rehearsals on the reprise of “The Green Velvet Christmas Dress”. And we are loving the...
Read MoreLiving the Artistic and Storied Life
Entry One: Living Creatively in a Dry Season I have been through one of the driest seasons of my life as an artist. I am not sure many know this… I have kept it to myself, save a few trusted artists experiencing a similar season and a dear husband. Now, work should not define an artist, but unfortunately it happens to be true with this artist. More recently, though, I have sensed the urge to move forward regardless. Move forward regardless. Did you hear that? Write, tell, memorize,...
Read MoreGift Two: Creativity and Imagination
Your Story Matters is a blog dedicated to encouraging you as a storyteller and as a writer, no matter where you are in these giftings. You may be young or old, naïve or wise in these gifts. Stay open to learning and building these gifts. And as my blog builds, we’ll find ways to communicate our thoughts concerning our storytelling and writing within the context of our faith in God. Right now, it feels like a one-sided conversation we’re having. The blog is new and maybe you’re new to the...
Read MoreGift One—Rest and the Shh-ing of Your Soul
Welcome back… I am so grateful that you have returned to read my blog. If you are new to Your Story Matters, it is my desire to encourage you as a storyteller, as a writer, and, together, find ways to communicate our thoughts concerning stories within the context of our faith in God. Over the next several blogs, I’d like to share The Seven Gifts of Story. Ponder them with me and let’s see where they take us. Gift One—Rest and the Shh-ing of Your Soul...
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