The Canned Sardine, Stage East’s storytelling event, returns to the Sutherland Amphitheater on Saturday July 24th at 4pm. Storytellers of all stripes are encouraged to come share their tall tales, myths, autobiographies, or gut-busters with audience members as a part of the Eastport ArtWalk’s Passport Weekend.
Last month’s inaugural Canned Sardine saw story topics ranging from UFOs to Spaghetti-O’s and spanned the coast from Florida and back to Maine. “We had eight storytellers which was more than I had anticipated.” noted organizer, Mark Macey. “I hope to top that at this next event. Once people see others tell their stories and come out of it alive, they think, ‘Hey, I could do that too!’”
Audience member Anne Moody remembers the event well: “I loved the spontaneity and how the storytellers were so open about quite personal things. The event was thoroughly entertaining. I could have listened to many more stories. It was an authentic, completely unrehearsed moment. I remember the stories still!”
Prizes for all participants are included; the top three storytellers win goodies from local businesses. Interested parties can sign up by contacting mark@eastportartscenter.org.
To prep for the event, a storytelling workshop will be available at Eastport Arts Center from 2:30-3:30 pm on the 24th. Mark Macey will help storytellers craft attention-grabbing openings, captivating middles, and satisfying endings.
Please note that the workshop and Canned Sardine events will recur on Saturday, August 28, during the finale Eastport ArtWalk Passport Weekend.
The work of Eastport Arts Center is funded in part by a grant from the Maine Arts Commission, an independent state agency supported by the National Endowment for the Arts.