Tag: Gail Thomas

Episode 57 – Precious (Part 2)

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Kicking off the second swap from our Precious show, our narrator time travels between Brooklyn and Oklahoma where she cares for her aging mother after her father’s death. Confronted with memories and physical artifacts from her past, she gains a new perspective on the hometown she had so desired to escape as her two worlds collide.

Our first story is “Home,” written by Gail Thomas and performed by Nita Noveno.

Top: Gail Thomas; Bottom: Nita Noveno

We’re not in Oklahoma anymore! Switching it up, our next storyteller reminisces on a ritual (insert animal) slaughter and roast in her Filipino community in Alaska, conjuring her fear and resistance to a cultural norm.

An homage to the gradual influence of tradition and its impact on one’s identity and the collective’s, our second story, “Gathering (1973)” was written by Nita Noveno and performed by Gail Thomas.

Similar to last week’s podcast, we asked the storytellers to draw what three grocery items have suddenly become precious since we last rehearsed in March. It becomes immediately clear how much they’ve (haven’t we all?) gained a new appreciation for basic necessities.

Huge thanks to our friend Amanda Sisk who directed the brush-up rehearsals for our virtual story swaps!

No, YOU Tell It! “Precious” is made possible (in part) by the Queens Council on the Arts with public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council. 

December 22, 2020 Post Comment Podcast Tags: , , ,

“Precious” Program

Dec 10 2020 @ 7:00PM

Tonight! Our storytellers first met in person back in March to turn out true tales inspired by the theme “Precious” on the page. Join us these many months later as they swap stories on the virtual stage.

Click here at 7 pm to join directly or “Join a Meeting” on Zoom with the Meeting ID: 973 9881 8640

Passcode: storyswap

Take a look at our “Precious” storytellers who will be trading their true-life tales.

For optimal viewing and listening experience, be sure to keep your video off, your mic muted and your non-video participants hidden. See instructions below for how to do this. When ready, verify you are in ‘Speaker View’ and enjoy the readings.
Hiding non-video participants: Click on the ^ symbol near the video icon in the lower-left and navigate to video settings. Verify the box next to Hide non-video participants is checked. 

Tonight’s Stories!

Survey Says written by Heather Quinlan and read by Sokunthary Svay

I Heard Some Chords written by Sokunthary Svay, read by Heather Quinlan

Home written by Gail Thomas, read by Nita Noveno

Gathering (1973) written by Nita Noveno, read by Gail Thomas

Listen carefully because we’ll be doing story trivia for a chance to win storyteller Heather Quinlan’s new book, Plagues, Pandemics and Viruses: From the Plague of Athens to Covid-19. Click here to order the book now from our friends at The Astoria Bookshop!

At the end of the evening, everyone is invited to unmute and turn on their cameras to congratulate our storytellers and ask questions.

$10 suggested donation for tonight’s show to the Woodside/Sunnyside Community Covid-19 Food Relief Group.

Click here to donate directly. When donating use the dropdown to indicate Covid 19 Sunnyside/Woodside Food Distribution (or Venmo @KellyJean-Fitzsimmons who will collect and donate)

Huge thanks to our friends at The Astoria Bookshop and Queens Council on the Arts!

No, YOU Tell It! “Precious” is made possible (in part) by the Queens Council on the Arts with public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council. 

Event Information

Dec 10 2020 @ 7:00PM

ZOOM Meeting ID: 973 9881 8640 Passcode: storyswap

December 10, 2020 1 comment Live Shows Tags: , , , , , ,

Meet “Precious” Storyteller Gail Thomas

Dec 10 2020 @ 7:00PM

Brush up rehearsals begin tonight for No, YOU Tell It! “Precious” on Thursday. Albiet virtual this will be the first time we’ve all met since March. Hope to see you in the Zoom room.

But first, meet our final storyteller Gail Thomas!

GAIL THOMAS is a writer, actor, lawyer, and storytelling instructor. She has over 30 years of performance experience on stage and screen, with credits including national commercials, Law & Order SVU, and voiceovers on Angelo Rules, Beavis and Butthead, and David Letterman. She is the voice of the parrot on John Cameron Mitchell’s Anthem: Homunculus. Gail has been a speechwriter for over 30 live world-class events such as the Tribeca Film Festival and Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Los Angeles. She is a Moth StorySLAM winner and has told stories with  RISK!, The Liar Show and the Story Collider. She also teaches storytelling privately and for the Story Studio NYC. More info at https://gail-thomas.com

Event Information

Dec 10 2020 @ 7:00PM

ZOOM Meeting ID: 973 9881 8640 Passcode: storyswap

December 8, 2020 Post Comment Live Shows Tags: , ,

No, YOU Tell It! “Precious” is ON

Dec 10 2020 @ 7:00PM

In March, we postponed our No, YOU Tell It! “Precious” show as COVID-19 cases surged in NYC. It’s been a long nine months for all of us, and we’re grateful the four storytellers are ready to swap tales virtually on December 10th.

Inspired by the theme, “Precious,” the storytellers wrote, workshopped, and rehearsed their story swaps back in March. Now they are brushing up and readying to trade true tales on the Zoom stage. Click here to RSVP via Facebook.

Top left: Sokunthary Svay; Top right: Gail Thomas; Bottom left: Heather Quinlan; Bottom right: Nita Noveno

Join us for this special Queens edition of No, YOU Tell It! Bonus: Audience members will have a chance to win storyteller Heather Quinlan’s new book, Plagues, Pandemics and Viruses: From the Plague of Athens to Covid-19. Can’t wait? Click here to order the book now from our friends at The Astoria Bookshop!

Storytellers include:

Nita Noveno

Heather Quinlan

Sokunthary Svay

Gail Thomas

$10 suggested donation to benefit the Woodside/Sunnyside Community COVID-19 Food Relief Group

Click here to donate directly. When donating use the dropdown to indicate Covid 19 Sunnyside/Woodside Food Distribution (or Venmo @KellyJean-Fitzsimmons who will collect and donate).

No, YOU Tell It! “Precious” is made possible (in part) by the Queens Council on the Arts with public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.

Event Information

Dec 10 2020 @ 7:00PM

ZOOM Meeting ID: 973 9881 8640 Passcode: storyswap

November 10, 2020 Post Comment Live Shows Tags: , , , , , ,

2020 QAF Grant and First Show of 2020!

Mar 12 2020 @ 7:00PM

Proud to share that No, YOU Tell It! is a recipient of a 2020 Queens Arts Fund Arts Access Grant. Our first show of 2020 No, YOU Tell It! “Precious” is coming up soon.

Join us on March 12th at Sunnyside Plays at 7 pm. For this special Queens edition, four storytellers have come together to develop their own stories inspired by the theme “Precious” on the page. They will then trade tales to present each other’s story on stage.

top left: Sokunthary Svay, top right: Gail Thomas, bottom left: Heather Quinlan, bottom right: Nita Noveno

Storytellers include:

Nita Noveno (co-host, Sunday Salon)

Heather Quinlan (documentary producer and director, If These Knishes Could Talk)

Sokunthary Svay (poetry editor, Newtown Literary)

Gail Thomas (storytelling instructor, The Story Studio, Legal Outreach)

One drink minimum (beer, wine, and non-alcoholic beverages available)
$10 suggested donation

No, YOU Tell It! “Precious” is made possible (in part) by the Queens Council on the Arts with public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.

Event Information

Mar 12 2020 @ 7:00PM

Sunnyside Plays (43-09 48th Avenue, Queens, NYC)

February 27, 2020 Post Comment Live Shows Tags: , , , , , , ,