Storytelling with Stories We Don’t Tell

Stories We Don't Tell logo

Recently I had the pleasure of sharing a story with Stories We Don’t Tell, a storytelling gathering in Toronto. I like their mandate: 

Stories We Don't Tell logo

“There are some stories that we get really good at telling, we tell them to our friends, our coworkers, and even strangers at parties. We tell them because they are a part of us, and in doing so they build up our sense of self.

There are also stories we don’t tell, maybe because they’re sad, or weird, or just a little too intimate. These truths are just as much a part of who we are, despite being erased from our day-to-day conversation.

The Stories We Don’t Tell is a monthly live event, held in living rooms across Toronto, and podcast that gives you a window into experiences that are so often left unseen.”

Here’s what I shared (and head over to their podcast to hear more stories!) it’s a piece from my one-woman show Everything But the Cat…

*Content Warning: swearing and talk of suicide

Everything But the Cat… at CMHA’s #MH4A17 Conference

Adrianna at CMHA MH4A17 Conference

Adrianna at CMHA MH4A17 Conference

I had the wonderful opportunity to do my not-so-one-woman show “Everything But The Cat…” for CMHA National #MH4A17 Conference and it was amazing! Met new amazing stigma fighters and even saw some familiar faces. The audience for my show was equally amazing, such great feedback and probably the world’s greatest hugs that ever happened in my life today. A special thank you to the AV team that hustled the conference room into a mini theatre, and to the team that puts together a great event to bring together stigma fighting warriors to learn from each other, inspire each other, and refuel on each other’s passion. Thank you to Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences #MindVine for having in as an impromptu guest, it was so great hanging out with you! And the love from Natalie from Art With Impact was so great just before I went into my presentation. 

And as always Stevie Baker is the best Stage Manager and had my back & made the show that much more awesome!

So thankful to share and connect. Thank you!

Stories Like Crazy presents: 2 one-woman shows!

Stories Like Crazy presents: 2 one-woman shows!

Once upon a time, Lori Lane Murphy met me online… I was stoked to be a part of her All In Our Heads storytelling event at The Paddock a while ago, and wouldn’t you know it – Lori was even cooler in person. I even met her husband Paul who I immediately wanted to be his sister! 

Fastforward past coffee chats and more storytelling events to when Lori brings this great idea of a mental health podcast that we should make together. Of course I am game! We create Stories Like Crazy We have a few episodes ready to drop for #MHW17 Mental Health Week May 1-7, but we don’t stop there…

Stories like crazy podcast presents 2 one woman shows by Adrianna Prosser and Lori Lane Murphy

We are teaming up to bring our one-woman shows about our true life stories dealing with mental health issues in our lives. Partial proceeds will go to CHMA’s #GETLOUD campaign for this year’s #MHW17

Get tickets and details here: www.universe.com/storieslikecrazy2017 

Follow us on social too:

www.twitter.com/storylikecrazy

www.facebook.com/storylikecrazy

See you in May!

Storytelling at Confabulations March 1

Adrianna is storytelling the first ten minutes of her one-woman show on March 1st at Confabulation Storytelling event “The Comeback” at the Burdock Music Hall:

http://www.confabulation.ca/events/toronto-the-comeback/ 

Date/Time
Date(s) – Wednesday, March 1, 2017
7:30 pm – 9:30 pm

Location
Burdock Music Hall

 

On March 1, 2017, join us, as Confabulation celebrates it’s 1st Anniversary in Toronto with THE COMEBACK — stories of rising up, landing on top, or falling to the bottom.

Line up to be announced soon!

#ConfabTO presents THE COMEBACK at Burdock
Doors open at 7pm, show starts at 7:30pm
Tickets: $10 (advance tickets coming soon!)

If you want to share a story at this, or future shows, submit your pitch here: http://www.confabulation.ca/tell-a-story/

Everything But the Cat… Workshop

Adrianna will be leading a Mental Health Workshop at a local public school during the 2015 Mental Health Week. She will be presenting an abridged version of her one-woman show Everything But the Cat… and then help 300 students fight stigma.

www.everythingbutthecat.net

A new Blog for a not-so-new conversation.

I recently started a new blog over at Everything But the Cat…’s Website about all things mental health in hopes that people will share their stories. Storytelling is a lost art and I want to do my part to bring it back: it is a great tool to connect people to people, to build community and help others feel they belong. By sharing stories of loss, bereavement, depression and how people are coping, thriving, LIVING – I want others to hear they are not alone.

I am really keen on having guest bloggers as it can’t be a one sided conversation. I already have The Stress Kit’s author lined up, Ashley Gibson who is a constant inspiration – and even the team behind EBTC… is going to share their stories of how they cope, deal, live, promote their mental health.

I hope you join me, join us, and if you were interested in posting as a guest blogger I hope you reach out too! Drop me a line adriannasemail @ gmail. com or through one of the contact forms on these here websites.

Thanks, and remember: you’re awesome.

-Adri

You made me cry and that’s a good thing.

I feel like such a grown-up! I bought my first ever theatre subscription this summer! It is for Tarragon Theatre and I get all 5 of their Mainstage shows for their season. I was lucky enough to be able to get to their “Social” and see Daniel MacIvor’s “The Best Brothers” in a tech/dress rehearsal.

So yesterday was the first time I got to do the whole subscriber thing and show up and pick up my tickets and oh- wait – what’s this? I got a present with my tickets:

Susan Coyne Postcard A hand written postcard from Susan Coyne! As a playwright I was floored! As an actor I was gushing! And as a Canadian I was all the above. Such respect for this woman and her work!

Alright – enough exclamations…

But seriously that is just too cool.

Then the show, Joan MacLeod‘s “The Valley” happened:

If you know me then you already know I am deeply involved in suicide prevention and advocacy for mental health awareness. My show “Everything but the Cat…” is currently in pre-production for a 2014 tour of high schools in Ontario. So here I am, sitting in the audience with my Education Consultant as my seat buddy and this play unfolds about a late teen boy who can’t seem to make the transition into university – he’s deeply depressed and unmotivated and wants to hide away from the world. Even though it’s not the money; he got a full scholarship to go to Uni, and his family is super supportive…  Hmmm. Where have I heard that before? Soon enough the parallels with my brother were too much and I was on the edge of my seat.

At one point of the play one of the characters is compelled to attempt suicide. It was well staged, well acted, well written. I was in tears. And not pretty hollywood tears when you see someone upset on tv, no, I was weeping.

But then I cried even harder because the boy in MacLeod’s story has a hopeful if not happy ending. I wept for that happy ending that my family never got. In an alternative universe Andrew doesn’t go through with it. He tells me. He tells my family. He tells someone and they listen. Really listen. They become his rock and he leans on us and that’s okay. He hits rock bottom, but that’s okay because that’s us and we don’t mind. We will stick around to be the solid ground he has to stand on to get better. And in that alternative universe my brother comes home for Christmas.

So I would like to thank the cast and crew behind The Valley – especially the playwright who not only made me feel extra warm fuzzies that this was set in Canada, but that she “went there”. MacLeod allowed for some choice acting moments and thanks to the cast for not commenting on the depression or anxiety written into their characters. A brave role for a young actor who plays Connor and has a psychotic break onstage… But everyone was solid. My focus was drawn to Susan Coyne though – maybe it was the postcard that has me hyper aware of her onstage – but her mothering was lovely to watch. My step-mom walked with her in that show, in that parallel universe where she gets to participate in saving her son.

Both my seat buddy and I walked out of there with wet eyes and a huge smile. We have a meeting this Sunday about “Everything But the Cat…” and the next steps on taking it on tour and it seems kismet that we were able to come together and see this show – not even knowing the content would be so close to home, to our hearts.

This is a pretty high bar you have set Tarragon. But so far, I am loving this whole subscriber thing and being exposed to new works of theatre and then being catapulted into inspiration and ideas.

Thanks.

Upcoming Events