Tag: Sokunthary Svay

Episode 56 – Precious (Part 1)

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The top five answers are on the board – name something that is Precious. Our first story delivers us right into the mind of its author. But this seemingly humorous daydream leads her to recollect lost lives and haunting memories that have shaped the way she lives and copes.

Written by Heather Quinlan and read by Sokunthary Svay, here is, “Survey Says”

As you will hear, we asked each of our storytellers to draw and present three grocery items (other than toilet paper) that have become precious to them since we last rehearsed in March when we had to postpone our original show as COVID-19 cases surged in NYC.

What became clear is how much we all have gained a new appreciation for basic necessities.

Top: Sokunthary Svay; Bottom: Heather Quinlan

Switching it up, we’re headed down to the Paradise City where two Cambodian refugee adolescents stumble upon Guns’n’Roses and experience a means of catharsis from Axl’s screeching voice.

Whether searching the library or recording cassettes, the discovery and pursuit of music lead the narrator to find her own voice, even if it takes a lifetime.

Here is “I Heard Some Chords” written by Sokunthary Svay and read for us by Heather Quinlan.

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 15, 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: , , , , , ,

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: , , , , , ,

Meet “Precious” Storyteller Sokunthary Svay

Dec 10 2020 @ 7:00PM

Brush up rehearsals begin this week for our “Precious” show!

The storytellers have traded their true-life tale and will each be working with a NYTI director to step into their partner’s shoes and give their story some theatrical oomph on the virtual stage.  Let’s meet our next storyteller, Sokunthary Svay!

Sokunthary Svay was born in a refugee camp in Thailand shortly after her parents fled Cambodia after the fall of the Khmer Rouge regime. They were sponsored to come to the United States and resettled in the Bronx where she grew up. She is a performer, collaborator, and writer. She was also a founding member of the Cambodian American Literary Arts Association (CALAA), the recipient of the American Opera Projects’ Composer and the Voice Fellowship for 2017-19, and the 2018 Emerging Poets Fellowship at Poets House. Currently, she is poetry editor for Newtown Literary, a doctoral student in English at the The Graduate Center, CUNY and teaches college writing at Queens College. Svay’s first opera, “Woman of Letters” (in collaboration with composer, Liliya Ugay) received its world premiere at the Kennedy Center in January 2020 as part of the Washington National Opera’s American Opera Initiatives. Her poetry collection, Apsara in New York (2017) is available from Willow Books.

More at: www.sokunthary.com / Twitter: @SokSrai

Event Information

Dec 10 2020 @ 7:00PM

ZOOM Meeting ID: 973 9881 8640 Passcode: storyswap

March 9, 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: , , , , , , ,