HOPE — For Sweet Tree Arts’ third annual Storytelling Slam on March 20,  tellers are going to have to muster more fortitude than just getting up before an audience to tell a story —they’re going to brave the audience’s reaction to relate a tale of courage. Five local tellers are invited to have five minutes each around the chosen theme of 'courage.'

“The variety of stories have a lot of humor in them,” said co-organizer and director of Sweet Tree Arts Lindsay Pinchbeck. This year's tellers are Emily Davis, Robert Kaczor, Caitlin Schick, Scott Sell and David Troup. What you might hear at the event: A courageous apology, courage and the things we mistake if for, a story about a skin tight gold suit, a story about stepping out into the unknown, and how a chat room relationship can go too far.

“This year, in between acts, we’re going to invite the community in a fun way if they want to participate by giving them a story prompt in a jar and if they want to participate, they can tell stories between the storytelling event that night,” said Pinchbeck. “They don’t have to stand up in front of the crowd, they can just tell a story at their table if they feel like it.”

Last year’s event garnered a very enthusiastic crowd and featured Clare Muireann Murphy, an internationally celebrated storyteller. See our previous story here. 

”People wanted us to do this every month, but it takes a tremendous amount of preparation to get it going,” said Pinchbeck. “The other thing we’ve explored is talking with tellers from the past and seeing how the telling of their story has affected their lives afterward.  I know a couple of people who came up to the stage and told their stories and it took them on a new direction.”

One of the tellers, in particular Kali Bird Isis, has now developed her own business coaching people to heal through their own stories.

Lindsay Pinchbeck will MC the event, starting off with a folk tale around courage to get things rolling.

A cash bar by 40 Paper’s satellite bar will be available as well as desserts. Stories may contain adult content. The show begins at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 and available at www.sweettreearts.org or call 763-2770 to reserve your space. Limited seating available, so get there early. Sweet Tree Arts is located on the Hope Corner at 4 Church St. Hope.

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com