The audience is the catalyst
Storytelling stuff worth sharing
I have to brag on my beloved Rebecca for a sec. She got me one of the coolest Christmas presents ever… a one-liter oak barrel in which to age cocktails!
I promptly read all the instructions and filled it with water to cure it and waited an intolerable five days before pouring out the water and gleefully filling it back up with a batch of Old Fashioned (rye, brown sugar simple syrup, orange bitters).
Then I waited ANOTHER intolerable five days before popping off the top to let air flow. I dribbled out a little taster. It was so so so smooooth… but not quite ready! So I popped the top back in, gave it another little shake, and set it oh so lovingly back on its stand.
And now I’m waiting ANOTHER intolerable seven days for it to age to perfection.
Then I’ll pour the whole batch back into the bottle (which I have labeled with a quickly purchased glass marker) and refill the barrel to begin the intolerably wonderful process all over again.
There’s something potent about the idea of time and storytelling in there, and I’ll tease it out in future newsletters, but I’m too distracted by anticipation right now!
I mean, seriously, just check this sucker out…
Storytelling tip o’ the week
Working on updating my website the last several weeks (and that’s JasonCannon.art, by the by), I was reminded of something I had written in my anthem on art and story, THIS ABOVE ALL.
I was editing and noodling and rewriting and swapping out pics and second-guessing every little choice… color? font? spacing? columns? links? gaaaahhh!
And as long as I didn’t press “publish,” the site wasn’t live. My story wasn’t told. I was writing (and rewriting) the heck out it, but if I didn’t put it out there… if I didn’t do the actual TELLING… then no one would read it. It would be inert. Safe inside a bubble. Doing no one any good.
There’s a chapter in my book called “The Necessity of the Audience.” I share that (lightly edited) excerpt with you here…
I know my way around a screw gun. I’ve built many a set-piece. I’ve hung lights, sewn buttons, dug up props. Programmed a light board. Curated a list of sound cues.
These activities live in the tangible world. They are facts. They build upon each other. But none of them unto themselves are the story. They create what we call “the world of the play.” The given circumstances. The unalterable facts that the director, designers, actors, and ultimately the audience all agree upon.
Walk into a theatre on some afternoon when there’s no matinee. Just the ghost light burning. Flip on the house lights. What do you have? Nothing. The set is inert. The world is not inhabited.
Walk into a theatre on some afternoon when the cast is doing a run-through. Heck, a full dress rehearsal. What do you have? Well, there’s activity, that’s for sure. But still, you will not see or hear a story being told.
However, if you were to sit down and lend witness to that dress rehearsal, you know what would happen? The actors would feel you there. Everything and everyone would… lift. Your presence would transform the rehearsal into performance.
A story is not told until it is received. Otherwise it is inert. An unopened book is a doorstop. An unplayed DVD is a coaster.
The audience is the catalyst for the story.
MY CURIOUS LIFE
A big ol’ shout out to Ibis Books author BOB DANNA. Not only did Kirkus Reviews proclaim Buy the Book, but his memoir—MY CURIOUS LIFE—was named a finalist for the 2024 Goody Business Book Awards (Career Success category).
Geez, Bob. As if being successful in your career weren’t enough. :)
You can hear Bob himself talking about his life and the book at Blog Talk Radio.
And if the title isn’t clear enough, yes, this man is supremely curious. You might even say intolerably curious!
But if you’re feeling at all a bit overwhelmed or directionless, Bob’s story will inspire and galvanize you. Give him a look/listen/read.
If you’re near Columbus, Ohio…
Next week I’m traveling with the amazing LAST OUT team to Columbus, Ohio. Our next tour stop presenting this incredible play is at the Proscenium Theater on the campus of Ohio State University (apologies to my beloved Rebecca and all her Michigan-born-and-raised family!).
So if you’re near Columbus on Friday, January 17, you can get tix HERE.
The Page&Stage Podcast: Expression is Second Nature
Season 2 of the Page&Stage Podcast kicks off next MONDAY with my tallest guest yet! From a young boy full of fear to a man destined to influence arts advocacy, Cedric Hameed's journey has seen him engage in significant soul-searching, especially about his relationship with art. He chats about the thrill of playing basketball with legendary NBA stars and how he transitioned from athletics to spoken word poetry, influencing lives and shaping futures along the way. He also talks about the creation of his first published book of poetry, BALANCE, and the power of self-expression for poets and non-poets alike.
Thanks as always for reading, and have a great weekend!
Jason “Intolerably Patient” Cannon
Thanks so much, Jason, for another thoughtful and funny newsletter. I really appreciate you mentioning me and my book. Yes, curiosity does drive me every day to continually learn and explore. Curiosity can manifest in one’s life in three ways: curiosity about the world around us, curiosity about other people, and curiosity about oneself. Now in my 74th year, I expect that will always be the thing that gets me up in the morning and powers every minute of my day. I hope your readers also check out our fun SubStack conversation. I think they will see what we are talking about.