Local stories on stage at the Valley Players Theater this weekend

April 6, 2023  |  By Waterbury Roundabout 

Storyteller and Valley Players board member Doug Bergstein. Photo courtesy Photos by Kintz

Storyteller and Valley Players board member Susan Loynd. Courtesy photo

Nine storytellers will take to the mic on Saturday evening at the Valley Players Theater for the Third Annual Mad River Story Slam. 

Hosted by Valley Players board members Doug Bergstein and Susan Loynd, the show begins at 7:30 p.m. Masks are optional.

This year's theme is “Dys’fun’ctional Families” featuring stories on topics from holiday gatherings to dealing with “morning chaos.” Organizers expect them to “bring laughter, understanding, and maybe a tear or two... all to remind us that we are really one big human family.”

Bergstein said the Valley Players are eager to continue this new tradition hosting the storytelling event. “There is no better way to understand someone than to hear one of their stories,” he commented. 

Storytellers scheduled to appear are Larry Guild and Charlotte Robinson of Warren; Barb Garvin, Erika Nichols-Frazer and Shevonne Travers of Waitsfield; Susan Loynd of Fayston, Dennis McSorely of Burlington, Bill Nowlan of Moretown, and Sue Richardson of Beverly, Massachusetts.

The presenters participated in two workshops in March to learn tips from Suzanne Schmidt, host of Burlington’s MOTH, and experienced storyteller, Susan Loynd. In these workshops, they learned about the storytelling process and got feedback to refine their stories for the Slam.

Get tickets and more information online at valleyplayers.com or call 802-583-1674. The theater is located at 4254 Main Street (Rt. 100), Waitsfield.