Modern Storytelling: Verbalists Coming to Kirkland

WES ANDREWS has a story to tell. It is a personal story, but not a secret one. It is a time-jumping memoir about childhood, college parties, and war, and it will be told, along with others, this Saturday evening, November 10, starting at 8:00 p.m. at the Kirkland Arts Center, as part of the free Verbalists Showcase.

We all enjoy a good story. And that’s not surprising: stories are as old as we are; they are part of who we are as people. Without stories to shape our lives, we are but a collection of free-floating, purposeless ideas. But for as much as our human history is intimately joined to this art form, there is also room in our modern lives for a good tale.

Wes Andrews founded the Verbalists to bring live, original, modern storytelling to the Seattle area. The Verbalists is a curated group of storytellers who perform original work of their own creation under the rehearsed collaboration of a director. Those who enjoy the likes of David Sedaris, Garrison Keillor, and This American Life will be entertained by the stories told. And this Saturday’s free showcase, made possible by a generous grant from the Kirkland Cultural Arts Commission, promises to please.

Four stories will be told in all. In addition to Andrews’s, the Seattle writer Becky Bruhn will read Changes, a delicious (and slightly scandalous) memoir on dating after divorce. ilvs strauss (she uses lower cases on her name) will read stories from her famous poetic Kodak slide-show, including The Next Generation and The Affection Convection. Shahana Dattagupta will read This Day of Thanksgiving, a heartfelt reflection on building bonds across cultures and picking up the pieces. These pieces may contain mature content; this event is not recommended for youth under 16.

The event is unique in an interesting way: it will coincide with the recent opening of the Kirkland Arts Center’s new exhibit “Harriet Sanderson: Uneasy Landscapes.” The similarities between the Verbalists mission and the Arts Center’s exhibit cannot go unnoticed. Sanderson’s art has a back story of its own: her work, which includes experimental prints, drawings and sculptural installations, is the story of the human body; her exhibit is where the body’s story and art collide.

The event is free and complimentary wine will be served with a valid ID. Tickets may be reserved online here: http://verbalistskirkland.eventbrite.com/. Do not miss this performance. You’ll come away from it, not only having learned something about yourself, but also with a good story to tell.

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Trent Latta is an attorney and a Kirkland resident. He can be contacted at TrentLatta@gmail.com.