Join the Storytelling exchange at 7:00 PM (ONLINE via ZOOM and FREE!) the First Thursday, of every month, April 1, 7-9 pm, (April Fool’s Day can be great inspiration for storytelling.)
Details
What kind of stories? The emphasis is personal stories to share the human experience. Participants with fictional or historical stories are welcome too! We encourage professional tellers, amateurs and listeners to join us. Stories can bring clarity on how we see each other and ourselves. During the exchange participants share a story, a part of a story, a story idea or attend just to listen. Test out a piece, receive help developing it if you wish and listen to the stories of others. Discover what makes a story compelling.
Nina’s approach to the story telling is to jump right in. Novice to experienced presenters are welcome. Tell a practiced story, pitch a new story idea. Ask for feedback from a supportive creative group. Or listen in to a night stories.
Thursday April 1, 2021, 7-9 pm Join Zoom Meeting
We are delighted to feature our first guest artist, Sheila Arnold, a renowned professional storyteller, character interpreter and teaching artist, Sheila Arnold is visiting the Bridgeport Art Trail Story Exchange on Thursday, Feb 4th at 7:00 PM. She will perform stories on the theme “Love and History”, then share valuable insights about discovering story ideas, story crafting and sharing stories.

This FREE Zoom session meets the first Thurs of every month from 7-9pm.
Zoom Link https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88559170664
After a successful introductory storytelling program during the 2020 Bpt Art Trail, City Lights/Bpt Art Trail will sponsor a monthly BAT Storytelling exchnage. CL/BAT executive director, Suzanne Kachmar is thrilled that popular, local storyteller Nina Lesiga has agreed to lead this project and to support the storytelling exchange, especially to capture stories from 2020. “What a great way to stay socially connected and process the challenges of 2020.”
Why storytelling for adults? Nina explains, “Stories make us feel, they spark understanding and they connect us.”
What kind of stories? Any kind – personal, historic, fictional, or folk. Tellers of all experience levels and listeners. During the exchange participants share a story, a part of a story, a story idea or attend to listen. Test out a piece and receive help developing it, (if you wish). Participants discover what makes their story strong
Read More
Introducing: Sheila Arnold
Sheila is also an Historical Consultant for museums, historical societies and organizations. She also has received the honor of being selected as a Mt. Vernon Research Fellow and a 2019 Hewnoaks Artist Colony summer residence Noted Artist. In the past she has worked as a Drama Ministry Director; Colonial Williamsburg employee; Substitute Teacher; and Social Worker for aggressive teens with emotional problems
Sheila lives in Hampton, VA, near her son, Krisstopher; her grandson, Brooklyn; and, her father and stepmother, Wallace & Vera Arnold. She communicates often with her Atlanta-based sister, Stephanie.

About Nina Lesiga
Nina Lesiga’s passion is taking a leap or two out of her comfort zone and uplifting those around her as she uplifts herself. Nina’s a professional storyteller and a ukulelist. She tells personal stories of uncommon adventure from her youth in Brooklyn, NY to her present life in Connecticut.
Nina’s performed on PBS’s “Stories From the Stage”,“The Story Space”,“Generation Women”, ‘Artists Standing Strong Together”, “True Tales LIve” and “The Story Barn”. She’s been featured at “Sharing the Fire”, “The White Mountain Storytelling Festival and the “Granite State Story Swap”. Nina has presented storytelling workshops at conferences, libraries, museums, senior centers and adult continuing education programs.
Nina is a member of the Story City Troupe (Middletown, CT) and she’s one of the organizers of PechaKucha Night Bridgeport, a visual storytelling event in downtown Bridgeport, CT. In November 2020 Nina launched the Bridgeport Art Trail Story Exchange, a monthly online spoken story gathering for adults sponsored by the Bridgeport Art Trail and City Lights Gallery in Bridgeport, CT.
Some reads about storytelling
Locating Storytelling Events
Northeast Storytelling Calendar
https://www.nestorytelling.org/calendar/National
National Storytelling Network Event List
https://storynet.org/nsnevents/
Connecticut Storytelling Center
https://www.connstorycenter.org/festival.htm
The Story Space
https://www.storyspace.org/Home.asp
Stories from the Stage
https://worldchannel.org/show/stories-stage/
Facebook Group: Northeast(ish) Storytelling
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1066455676764116
Facebook Group: NYC Storytelling
https://www.facebook.com/groups/NYCStorytelling
Facebook Page Bridgeport Art Trail Story Exchange
https://www.facebook.com/Bridgeport-Art-Trail-Storytelling-Exchange-106780331422980
Storytelling Organizations
International Storytelling Center
https://www.storytellingcenter.net
Artists Standing Strong Together
https://www.artistsstandingstrongtogether.net
Timpanogos Storytelling Institute
Story Circles
The Bridgeport Art Trail Story Exchange
https://www.facebook.com/Bridgeport-Art-Trail-Storytelling-Exchange-106780331422980
The Institute Library Story Share
https://institutelibrary.z2systems.com/np/clients/institutelibrary/eventList.jsp
Hempsted Tellers