Elysha and I produced a Speak Up storytelling show on Saturday night.
It was quite the evening.
Before the pandemic, we routinely drew audiences of 150 with ease — often closer to 250 — and when we were producing shows at the Infinity Music Hall in Hartford, we would sell out all 500 seats.
Following the pandemic, we’ve been getting back on our feet and drawing audiences of more than 100, but last night, the Connecticut Museum of Culture and History nearly ran out of seats and approached its capacity of 200 for the first time in a long time.
Adding to the nostalgia was the return of two Speak Up fan favorites, Ron Apter and Valerie Gordon, who haven’t been onstage since the pandemic. Joining them onstage was my storytelling partner and friend, Jeni Bonaldo, a newly minted Speak Up regular from New Hampshire named Heather Daly, first-time storyteller Kristin Yoshida, who came all the way from Houston to perform, and me.
The theme of the night was “Cheat Cheat Never Beat.” We heard stories of hilarious road races, sibling rivalry, Jewish post-mortem rituals, the power of Chicago’s Peter Cetera’s voice, marital contingency plans, and conquering fear of roller coasters.
Hilarity and heartache all night long.
I also learned that while I was playing golf in Arizona, Elysha watched the popular show “Heated Rivalry” but had not told me so until she told the audience at the show.
In fact, she watched the last episode twice.
The secrets a wife can keep.
I also saw lots of old friends — many of whom read my Substack on the anonymous attack on my career in 2007 and couldn’t wait to talk to me about it.
I even received more information from that period from an audience member.
I also had the honor of signing a few books people brought to the show, met some new storytelling fans, and, best of all, watched my wife entertain an audience with her humor and heart.
Sometimes I think we founded Speak Up just so I could watch her perform.
But here is what I loved the most:
When I arrived at the museum for the show, it was 6 degrees according to my car’s thermometer, making the wind chill well below 0, and yet we had a full house. Based on attendance, nearly everyone who bought a ticket online showed up, and lots of folks paid at the door.
I love this, and it has nothing to do with filling seats, the popularity of storytelling, or Speak Up.
It’s my joy to see people not let the bitter cold stop them from having a good time in the company of others.
Since the pandemic, it’s become quite popular for folks to stay in the comfort of their homes, watching movies on the couch, ordering takeout and having it delivered right to the door, and donning sweatpants and pajamas as quickly as possible.
People even brag about it. They extol the virtues of sitting on their couches in slippers and eating a delicious dinner without ever having to set foot in the restaurant.
“Bah!” I say.
And on Saturday night, so, too, did a whole bunch of people who came to listen to people tell stories despite sub-zero temperatures.
I love these people.
For a long time, people have asked us to offer a streaming version of our shows, and at times I’ve been tempted. We have former Speak Up audience members all over the world today, and many wish they could still attend our shows, but their foolishness in moving to dreadful places like Miami, San Diego, Austin, and Washington, DC, prevents them from attending.
Many of them have asked me to consider streaming the show for them.
Part of me would love to bring Speak Up to their faraway homes. When we were producing shows online from our kitchen during the pandemic, we grew a worldwide audience that would likely return if we streamed our live shows today.
But another part of me loves the primacy of a live show. The necessity to get off the couch and out the door to be present for a thing that will only happen once in this way and never again. The joy of sitting amongst others and watching people perform.
On Friday night, I hosted and performed stand-up in Massachusetts.
On Saturday, Elysha and I produced Speak Up.
On Sunday, Elysha and I went to Broadway to see “All Out,” featuring Sarah Silverman, Craig Robinson, Hedi Garnder, Jason Mantzoukas, and the band Lawrence.
It was a busy weekend. We were constantly on the go. We managed to squeeze in a family viewing of SNL on Sunday night, but otherwise, we had no time to sit on the couch.
No time for pajamas, slippers, or takeout.
But we saw live shows. We watched human beings stand before audiences and perform their hearts out for us. We created the kinds of memories that flannel pajamas, throw pillows, and Netflix cannot.
I loved each and every person at our Speak Up show on Saturday. I loved them for their love and enthusiasm for storytelling, but I also loved them for their willingness to ignore temperatures that made their faces hurt to come to the show.
