By Laura McCormick
It is the world’s oldest art form, yet even with the proliferation of social media and instant messaging, storytelling remains at the heart of effective communications.
On November 7th master storyteller and Greenwich resident Bonnie Levison will show how authentic storytelling can have a profound impact on building connections, trust and stronger community bonds at Greenwich Historical Society’s Story Barn. Now in its 14th year, the funny, touching and uplifting sessions attract people of all age groups and neighborhoods, leaving participants feeling a greater appreciation for what makes Greenwich a special and unique place.
“In our world saturated with data and fast-action screen time, we need to step back and look into other people’s experiences for making sense of our own lives and providing guidance for the future,” says Levison. “We are hard wired to connect with stories.”
Levison is uniquely qualified and interested in helping residents of all age groups to share their stories. She is Story Barn founder and a producer and coach with The Moth, a non-profit organization that celebrates the art and craft of personal storytelling to audiences worldwide.
The concept of The Moth storytelling originated in the south, where the founder experienced joy in sharing stories on hot-summer nights on a screened-in porch. Moths would break through a tear and fly around the light. “He started The Moth because he knows that people are drawn to stories the way moths were drawn to that light on the porch,” said Levison. The concept took off and today The Moth hosts storytelling sessions worldwide.
For Levison, it is a privilege to collaborate with people from Greenwich whether at the Historical Society or Christ Church where she also hosts annual story telling sessions.
Her inspiration was peaked while on the Board of the Historical Society at a time when she started to work with The Moth for corporate clients. “The Historical Society was focused on stories about the history of the town. Since the stories we tell today are our history of tomorrow, it made sense to try a session. The first one was hosted in the Barn, so we decided to call it Story Barn.”
It took off. “The early days were exciting Levison recalled. People who grew up in Greenwich were interested in sharing their stories, especially since the town has changed so much. Many recalled a time when Greenwich Avenue was a two-way street, which seems inconceivable today.”
The format is intimate and friendly. Five volunteers go on stage to share their experiences in a 5-minute talk on a preselected theme. To ensure they are effective, Levison provides coaching sessions in advance, either in person, via zoom or a call.
The November 7th theme of “This Old House’ is designed to explore cherished memories and significant experiences that residents have had from their homes and how they have enhanced their lives and the greater Greenwich community. These stores can come from owners, builders and anyone with a touch point to the homes.
The theme is inspired by the Historical Society’s new exhibition, The Holley Boarding House: Inspiring American Impressionism which celebrates the way members of the Cos Cob Impressionist art colony were inspired to create some of the greatest American art while visiting Holley House in the late 19th century.
For Levison, the theme is a jumping off point. “To be effective, the stories should be about how the speakers’ homes changed them. Whether it is about family, generations of relatives, cooking, art, whatever it was that was memorable and impressionable that took place in their homes. It is not a list of features. I am looking for a moment! The stories need emotional impact for audiences to be uplifted and feel the warmth of our clever and insightful community.”
“Just imagine the tales Holley House proprietors Josephine and Constant Holley could share as they worked hard to make their boarding house special and inspirational to so many prominent artists. Their stories would rock the audience!”
Levison compares effective story telling with creating short movies with words:
“We are bringing personal stories to life. For a story to connect with an audience, the speaker should be present, talk in his or her own voice and allow themselves to be vulnerable. Great stories are like oxygen and water. There is a scientific reaction to storytelling. People love stories!”
In reflecting on past sessions Levison recalls many heart-felt stories. “There was an Italian immigrant who shared his appreciation for coming to this country and all the opportunities Greenwich had given him. A100-yearold woman who grew up in an orphanage; a sailor who almost drowned off Greenwich Shores; our First Selectman on growing up in Cos Cob, and the time when a prominent Greenwich resident shared how he fell in love with his wife. He was forced to step out of his comfort zone. The audience was moved to tears!”
In her corporate Moth sessions, Levison cites an experience with high tech executives she coached on the power of stories to explain what they do. “They are datadriven engineer types who need to weave a narrative to explain their work and make it more memorable. Brene Brown, a research professor on human emotion reinforced this concept in a TED Talk on ‘The Power of Vulnerability’ when she famously said: ‘Stories are data with a soul and emotion’.”
As technology continues to evolve, authentic storytelling will endure. Whether for personal or business-centered purposes, the most successful approaches share values, and experiences for relating to audiences.
Levison’s parting advice for Story Barn participants: “Think about it as a conversation with friends around a table. No matter how many people there are in the audience, just be present and yourself!”
Story Barn begins with light bites and drinks at 6:30pm. The storytelling starts at 7:30pm. For more information and to register, visit Historical Society website: https://greenwichhistory.org/event/story-barn-this-old-house/
