A crowd gathered at The Sofia on March 31 to watch four writers and comedians perform stand-up sets for the “In a Nutshell: Storytelling” series. The event was part of a monthly seminar, in which different comedians come to tell personal stories with a humorous tone.
Started in January this year, “In a Nutshell: Storytelling” is hosted and curated by comedian Keith Lowell Jensen, author Aaron Carnes and writer Amy Bee, with the latter having her own presentation in the series.
The series features different storytellers going on stage to tell personal stories with a dramatized spin. Each month, the event has a different theme that performers base their stories on.
As a co-founder of the event, Jensen said he and other co-founders thought that Sacramento is missing this type of entertainment, inspiring them to create this event.
Jensen said there are both benefits and challenges in storytelling compared to something people are more familiar with, such as traditional stand-up.
“There’s the challenge since everyone knows comedy,” Jensen said. “But at the same time, we don’t have as much competition in town since we’re the only ones doing this type.”
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Jensen said he tried to shift from delivering his stories in an amusing way to storytelling with all kinds of emotions.
“At first, I’m not used to hearing people be silent for five minutes. All my instincts are to make them laugh,” Jensen said. “Now I want to try other things – to make them cry, for example. I feel like I’m growing as a performer.”
March’s theme was “Unwritten Rules,” and it was opened by Brooklyn-based stand-up comedian Turner Sparks, who told a witty story about his blunder when proposing to his wife.
As a comedian, Sparks noticed the difference between a comedy crowd that he often gets to see compared to this storytelling crowd.
“The crowd was so warm and welcoming,” Sparks said. “A different atmosphere compared to a comedy crowd, where people will pretend like they want to fight you.”
Sparks was followed up by writer and storyteller Amy Bee. With her Girl Scout cookie-selling debacle, the story simultaneously made listeners feel empathetic and entertained.
The contrast of her more subdued storytelling style following Sparks’ energetic approach created an enticing juxtaposition of mood.
The tertiary performer was Diana Medina, a poet and educator from Los Angeles with a more serious story. It articulated how a normal day at work turned into an emotional meltdown.
Medina said she enjoys the human aspect of communication via storytelling.
“Storytelling is for community connection. This is a practice of our ancestors,” Medina said. “A fun thing about storytelling is it helps you heal or unburden things.”
Medina also said that, post-pandemic, individuals are used to being disconnected. She said coming to this type of event will help to share emotions and build bridges between people.
The “In a Nutshell: Storytelling” sessions are hosted monthly at The Sofia in Downtown Sacramento, with the next show taking place on April 30.
The April show includes playwright Marga Gomez, storyteller Regina Stoops, comedian Maryam Moosavi and storyteller Beau Ryder Davis. The night’s theme is a double-edged sword, focusing on when a blessing was a curse.
If you are interested in attending any of the upcoming In a Nutshell Storytelling shows, be sure to visit The Sofia’s website to buy tickets.
