By Ash R. (with many thousands of thanks to Krystal M. for note-taking)
The house was packed at Sugar Maple. The atmosphere was electric inside Sugar Maple, where the audience had squeezed in to hear the season-opening storytellers. This wasn’t just a crowd; it was a community ready to listen, especially since the lineup was filled with courageous newbies.
The event was hosted by two polished MCs, YoMo and Shannon, who immediately set a tone of welcome and respect. They didn’t waste any time getting to the heart of the night’s theme…the courage it takes to share a truth. As one storyteller would later share, the key is to “lean into what brings fear.”
The evening’s reflections centered on the battle to overcome life hardships and proving that a person can truly grant themselves a second chance. We heard from Clair, a new college graduate who spent years filled with self-doubt and finally pushing through fear to earn her degree. They shared their journey of reclaiming lost youth and learning to play again. They survived a period of profound darkness using internal affirmation, noting that while vulnerability isn’t always safe, this mindset helped them feel secure and find hope.
This theme continued with storyteller Paul recounting their escape from a manipulative relationship. Having known what physical abuse looked like in childhood, they weren’t prepared for gaslighting. They eventually used free counseling to realize they were “paying the abuse forward,” finally breaking the cycle to find lasting commitment after years of serial dating with a strict three-month limit.
Sometimes the most meaningful fresh start comes from an outside encounter, proving that we can be surprised by the people we think we know or don’t know at all. This played out beautifully in the relationship between a hospice nurse, Julie, and a dying patient. This hospice nurse’s commitment was a second chance for the patient to find peace, leading to the surprising discovery that the patient was the same police officer who had saved her life decades earlier when, as a kid living in the Chicago suburbs in the ‘70s, she was briefly abducted.
The importance of unexpected connections was also seen in a lighter moment: one storyteller, D, while skipping school at 15, expected a friend to pull out drugs, but instead, the friend pulled an accordion out of the closet. The humorous lesson was clear: Do accordions, not drugs!
The stories of healing were powerful and reserved for fighting illness or repairing broken family ties. We heard the story of Su, a Stage 3 breast cancer survivor who felt like a warrior through 33 treatments. Her neighbor was her rock and drove to her chemo appointments. The hardest part, however, came afterward, when the support vanished, which left her struggling with brain fog and four serious falls while searching for the “new normal.” Her journey to being cancer-free was like an ultramarathon.
There was a theme of generational healing in the powerful father-son story of storyteller Andy. After his dad’s 2nd DUI shattered their relationship and Andy had his own car wreck, he feared he was destined to “be like his dad.” But his father’s move to rehab after a 3rd DUI gave them both a fresh start. During the hard, shared labor of finally building the mini-bike they had planned for years, Andy heard the ultimate validation: “You two make a great team.”
The stories proved that while life is full of despair and unexpected heartbreaks, we are ultimately defined by the chances we choose to give to others, and importantly, to ourselves. The audience was reminded that a true space for hearing new stories often comes from storytellers. Audrey, one of the storytellers, shared how she found the library to be the safest place in high school, and her love for stories came from an unforgettable, “larger than life” teacher there.
As a former student who found safety in the library, Audrey’s story resonated deeply with me. The teacher even read a story called “Big Plans” that captured that defiant, joyful Home Alone vibe in my mind. To anyone who has felt despair from being bullied, judgment, or degradation, do know this: always find your people who stay real to you, lift, and support you. We, at Ex Fabula, champion the hope that future and recurring storytellers who share stories can offer a sense of belonging.
The night concluded with Brian, one of our storytelling members and a coach for Ex Fabula Deaf Stories Project, sharing the honest story of meeting his wife. Having grown up on sitcoms, he relished the opportunity to say something funny in social situations. Early in their relationship, when his now-wife’s professor asked how the two had met, he quipped that she was an intern– “but not a [Monica] Lewinsky intern.” He was grateful that she gave him a second chance, and shared that they’ve since been married for nineteen years.
The first StorySlam of Ex Fabula’s 17th season is in the books! Thanks to the evening sponsorship from Lulu Cafe. As a venue, Sugar Maple lived up to its name: the atmosphere was sweet, fun, and everyone was giddy for the new season of storytelling.
Again, this is what community storytelling is about: getting honest, getting uncomfortable, and proving that by sharing your singular truth, you enable others to believe in their own second chance. We invite you to share your story with us. Everyone’s story does matter! Interested? Please reach us with questions!
Be sure to come and check us out at our upcoming StorySlam event happening on October 28th at Next Act Theatre. More information and tickets are available at exfabula.org/tickets/
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