Hometown Curves

May 2013 Events

Two Front Parlor Evenings:

Tuesday, May 14 @ The Ale House (Troy) …that’s NEXT week.
Hosted by Abby Lublin
7:30 – 9:30 pm
680 River Street
Theme: “Learning Curves”

(Permission to break the props rule on this one if you want to draw your story, graphically.)

Tell about a time you experienced a crash course – Life 101 – in something, unexpectedly.  Sudden expertise?  Catapulted from novice status?  Twists and turns need not be neat.  Or maybe you are pleasantly riding a plateau.

Perhaps “learning curves” evokes driving lessons, your body, or someone else’s.  (Bra fittings?)  Whatever comes to mind, share your tale at the Ale House next Tuesday.  We promise these lessons won’t involve quizzes.

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Monday, May 20 @ The Olde English Pub (Albany)
Hosted by Gregor Wynnyczuk
7:30 – 9:30 pm
25 Quackenbush Square
Theme: “My Home Town”

We all come from someplace. And for better or worse that place probably shaped us in some way. Some of us couldn’t get away fast enough. And others couldn’t find any place like it. And others, well, they started again and claimed a new home town. Whether your home town is still your home town or whether you’ve created it for yourself, it is undoubtably the setting of some formative tales. Come out and share a pint and bring a story about your home town. The one that tells us everything we need to know about the town, or maybe the one that tells us everything we need to know about you…

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Share widely.

If you’d like to throw your name in the can to tell a story, and you know you’ll be a lil’ late, post a comment here.

See you ’round the mic. And as always…

Listening is an act of love.

Maddeningly Lost and Found

April 2013 Events

Two Front Parlor Evenings:

Tuesday, April 2 @ The Ale House (Troy)
Hosted by Abby Lublin
7:30 – 9:30 pm
680 River Street
Theme: “Lost & Found”

Sooner than you think!

On the first Tuesday this month, come listen or share a tale of loss & discovery.

Items?  Life’s paths?  Mapless adventures?   Find yourself at the Ale House this Tuesday for a roaringly good time.

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Monday, April 15 @ The Olde English Pub (Albany)
Hosted by Gregor Wynnyczuk
7:30 – 9:30 pm
25 Quackenbush Square
Theme: “Madness”

We’ve all felt it at one time of another – that sense that we’re losing our grip on reality.  It could be a little sleep deprivation or cabin fever.

We’re feeling that about now.  Or maybe you went off the deep end.  Did you lose your shit?  Or were you holding on while others lost theirs?

We want you to take us there.

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Share widely.

If you’d like to throw your name in the can to tell a story, and you know you’ll be a lil’ late, post a comment here.

See you ’round the mic. And as always…

Listening is an act of love.

“Madness” Postponed

We, the purveyors of Front Parlor, regret to inform you that

TOMORROW’s FRONT PARLOR (Monday) at the Olde English Pub is POSTPONED until APRIL 15.

(Gregor has a work gig out of town.)

That’s right. Finish computing your taxes and head over next month to the OEP for tales of madness.

Sorry for the last-minute change. If this announcement inspires rage, tell us about it on the mic in April.

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Tuesday, April 2 at the Ale House in Troy will be the next Front Parlor Storytelling event.
Theme: “Lost and Found”
7:30-9:30 pm
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In pursuit of

February 2013 Events

Two Front Parlor Evenings:

Tuesday, March 5 @ The Ale House (Troy)    
Hosted by Abby Lublin
7:30 – 9:30 pm
680 River Street
Theme: “In pursuit”

Holy smokes, that’s soon!  We’re holding Front Parlor – Troy on the first Tuesday this month, as the Ale House will be celebrating the St. Patrick’s holiday the following week.  Yes, week.  The declining Irish-identifying population in Troy is in inverse proportion to the degree of festiveness.

Burning desire to run to or from something?  Do you have an actual, sweat-inducing story of running to or from something?

Come tell or listen to tales of pursuit next Tuesday!  Anything goes: chase stories, ambition, happiness…

(Bonus points for the image reference, including what each wedge represents. Original version.)

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Monday, March 18 @ The Olde English Pub (Albany)
Hosted by Gregor Wynnyczuk
7:30 – 9:30 pm
25 Quackenbush Square
Theme: “Madness”

We’ve all felt it at one time of another – that sense that we’re losing our grip on reality.  It could be a little sleep depravation or cabin fever.

We’re feeling that about now.  Or maybe you went off the deep end.  Did you lose your shit?  Or were you holding on while others lost theirs?

We want you to take us there.

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Share widely.

If you’d like to throw your name in the can to tell a story, and you know you’ll be a lil’ late, post a comment here.

See you ’round the mic. And as always…

Listening is an act of love.

Trojan Gravity

February 2013 Events

Two Front Parlor Evenings:

Tuesday, February 12 @ The Ale House (Troy)
Hosted by Abby Lublin
7:30 – 9:30 pm
680 River Street
Theme: “Troy Stories”

This month marks the two-year anniversary of the Front Parlor Storytelling Series!   Birthed on the Hallmark-manufactured Day of Love, Front Parlor is giving love back to this fair city.

Come share your Troy-related story.  Your first encounter with this place?  Your favorite defense of or challenge to the reputation?  The moment you fell in love with this place?  Your  desire to be elsewhere?  Preferred alternative to the “Tell Right On You” acronym?  Memorable experience with The Iliad?  Historical Troy tidbit that only you know?

Come share the magic and mystery of this lil’ gritty city, or anything else Troy-inspired.

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Monday, February 18 @ The Olde English Pub (Albany)
Hosted by Gregor Wynnyczuk
7:30 – 9:30 pm
25 Quackenbush Square
Theme: “Falling In: Stories of Love and Gravity”

You always here about people falling in love. Like they were just walking along and suddenly whatever was beneath their feet was gone leaving them plummeting downward out of control. Gravity is serious shit. It’s also a great metaphor. Has love pulled the floor out from under you? Or has it left you blithely floating like the cartoon coyote that hasn’t yet realized it just walked off the cliff?

Either way, get ready to bring it! It’s February and you’ve never needed the warm glow of love stories beside the Olde English fireplace more than you do right now…

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Share widely.

If you’d like to throw your name in the can to tell a story, and you know you’ll be a lil’ late, post a comment here.

See you ’round the mic. And as always…

Listening is an act of love.

Happy New Dream

January 2013 Events

Two Front Parlor Evenings:

Tuesday, January 8 @ The Ale House (Troy)
Hosted by Abby Lublin
7:30 – 9:30 pm
680 River Street
Theme: “Fresh”

Conversation is going ’round
People talking ’bout the girl who’s come to town
Lovely lady pretty as can be
No one knows her name she’s just a mystery
I have seen her maybe once or twice
The one thing I can say thought she’s very nice
She’s a lady one I really want to know
Somehow I’ve got to let my feeling show

CHORUS
She’s fresh exciting
She’s so exciting to me
She’s fresh exciting
She’s so inviting to me yeah

Ok.  So we know what’s fresh to Kool and the Gang.

What’s fresh to/for you?  Fresh powder everywhere?  Fresh start?  Work in the food service industry?  Ever been accused of having a fresh mouth?  New take on freshman year?

…and in case anyone needs a re-fresh: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zYLOWU76KM

Come share your freshness and kick off 2013 sharin’ and listenin’.

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Monday, January 21 @ The Olde English Pub (Albany)
Hosted by Gregor Wynnyczuk
7:30 – 9:30 pm
25 Quackenbush Square
Theme: “I Had a Dream…”

Albany’s own Gregor Wynnyczuk hosts a super special Front Parlor at the OEP!

Martin Luther King, Jr. dreamed about a future where people would not be judged by the color of their skin. His articulation of this dream had a powerful impact on the world.

How have your dreams impacted the world around you? Or perhaps the events of your waking life have had an impact on your dreams?

Either way, come out to celebrate the power and mystery of dreams on Monday, January 21st at 7:30pm.

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Share widely.

If you’d like to throw your name in the can to tell a story, and you know you’ll be a lil’ late, post a comment here.

See you ’round the mic. And as always…

Listening is an act of love.

Play Santa and 51 3rd Show

Reminder!

The Ale House is running a toy drive this month for children at the Sunnyside Center, serving families in North Central Troy.  Please bring a new, unwrapped toy to the Ale House to help make this holiday season brighter for some of our youngest neighbors.

Front Parlor theme: “End Times.”

 

Also, Front Parlor (Troy) will start promptly this month.  (Yep, house lights down, start emcee shpiel at 7:30 pm.)  Abby is keeping banter light this month (hold her to it, please) for folks who wish to attend both Front Parlor and the “Everything is Terrible!” show at 51 3rd Street that begins at 9pm.

 

See you ’round the mic on Tuesday.

When Ira Glass came to town…

…someone left in an ambulance.

Our stories are (mostly) non-contact.

December’s Events

Two Front Parlor Evenings:

Tuesday, December 11 @ The Ale House (Troy)
Hosted by Abby Lublin
7:30 – 9:30 pm
680 River Street
Theme: “End Times”

End of the year?  An era?  Final days of your [anything]?  Apocalyptic visioning?

Come tell your last tale next Tuesday in Troy.

(Or a story of misrepresenting Mayan history and culture.)

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Monday, December 17 @ The Olde English Pub (Albany)
Hosted by Tim Dawkins
7:30 – 9:30 pm
25 Quackenbush Square
Theme: “Making Merry”

Stories about being (or trying to make other people) happy.  Stories of holiday cheer and spirit (or lack thereof).

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Share widely.

If you’d like to throw your name in the can to tell a story, and you know you’ll be a lil’ late, post a comment here.

See you ’round the mic. And as always…

Listening is an act of love.

Two Front Parlor Events This Week!

Maybe you’re a regular attendee, or maybe you’ve only been once. Maybe you’ve never experienced a live storytelling event, and you’re curious. Whatever category you fall into, this is your chance to have the Front Parlor experience on both sides of the Hudson River two days in a row! Can you handle it?!

Join host Tim Dawkins tonight in downtown Albany starting at 7:30 PM at The Olde English Pub at 25 Quackenbush Square (just one block away from the Palace Theater)  for “A Family Affair: Stories about the important people in our lives (biological or not).”

Tomorrow night head on over to The Ale House at 680 River St. in Troy to join host Abby Lublin, the person who got this ball rolling in our area so many months ago, starting at 7:30 PM for “Pooped (interpret as you will).”

Remember, these events depend on you. Without an audience, live storytelling is just some weird guy standing in front of a microphone talking to himself. So bundle up, hop in your preferred form of personal transportation, and join us on this train as it leaves the station. Telling a story is not required. We like good listeners, too! And bring friend. We’re continually trying to grow these events (especially Albany), and you are key in getting the word out.

We hope to see you there. You never know who you’ll meet! I mean really….what else do you have to do on a Monday or Tuesday night in November?

Back-to-Back Front Parlor Nights!

November’s Front Parlor Storytelling:

We’re kicking off the winter season with a storytelling blitz!

**PLEASE NOTE: Front Parlor (Troy) will be the THIRD Tuesday this month.  (Sorry, scheduling conflict.)

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Monday, November 19 @ The Olde English Pub (Albany)
Hosted by Tim Dawkins
7:30 – 9:30 pm
25 Quackenbush Square
Theme: A Family Affair

It’s beginning to look a lot like… that time of year when we break bread (and pie. Lots of pie) with those who know us best. We can pick our friends, we can pick our noses, but we can’t pick our family. Or can we? Come on down to Quackenbush Square and share your story at the Olde English Pub. No wet willies, we promise!

Remember – spread the word far and wide. We’re trying to grow our monthly Albany event, and only you make this happen! See you there.

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Tuesday, November 20 @ The Ale House (Troy)
Hosted by Abby Lublin
7:30 – 9:30 pm
680 River Street
Theme: “Pooped”

We seem to be on a bodily functions flow (groan) these days.  The thing is, what could be more universally human?!  If egestion makes you squeamish, consider other interpretations.  (“Pooped out?!”)

 

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Share widely.

If you’d like to throw your name in the can to tell a story, and you know you’ll be a lil’ late, post a comment here.

See you ’round the mic. And as always…

Listening is an act of love.