From torn penises to 11-year-old knit bombers, Syrian refugees to octogenarian saxophone players, Lizzy Karp has heard it all. And no, she’s not a journalist, or psychologist, or anything of that ilk. She’s the cofounder of Rain City Chronicles, a local storytelling series that draws true, highly personal encounters and experiences out of the unlikeliest of speakers. She even wants to hear from you.
“It’s about showing Vancouver to itself, in a way,” explains the 29-year-old. “And giving lots of different people an opportunity to tell their own story in a way that’s authentic and immediate, not digital.”
The Rain City events, which are held every six to eight weeks, were initially a solution to a conundrum Karp was facing. New to Vancouver, there was nothing among the plethora of creative writing groups that offered quite what she was looking for. So she teamed up with journalist Karen Pinchen to create an evening of storytelling in inspiring spaces, where anybody could speak.
“Some people who have had years of experience teaching or on stage are very nervous about telling their own story,” she explains, “and I’m always really inspired by the idea that, even though we’re constantly telling short stories online about ourselves, we don’t often go deep within, and look inside to give meaning to a specific experience. And then have a room full of people go, ‘Oh yeah, me too.'”
Five years later, Rain City stories have been told under the moon at the UBC Botanical Garden and on the airwaves of CBC’s Definitely Not The Opera. During the Grand Hotel exhibition at the Vancouver Art Gallery you could find Chroniclers across the street at the Hotel Vancouver swapping travel and hotel stories. When she discovered the Alpen Club German Haus, Karp invited storytellers to share German language stories between bites of Bestie bratwurst, amidst the ruckus of a live German band. There’s even a podcast.
“I’m really inspired by giving community members a space to tell their story, but also really immerse the audience in that story, whether it’s through food, music, or space and the different layers of that experience,” says Karp. “That will really drive the work that we do in the next few years.”
For the fifth anniversary next week, Karp put out the call for stories about “the day that changed your life.” You’ll hear from Chelsea Rooney, Elise Duncan, Steven Rathwell, Jo Sita Dworschak, Stacey McLachlan, Christine Bortolin, Danny Ramadan, Bill Marchant, Jane Slemon, and Grant Lawrence (who holds the distinction of being the first speaker at the first-ever event in 2009). Folk pop singer Jasper Sloan Yip will provide the tunes, chef Annabelle Choi of Matchstick Coffee fame will provide the treats, and arts & crafts authority Collage Collage will provide the party favours. And, like any good birthday, there will be surprises in store as well.
Rain City Chronicles: The Day That takes place Jan. 16 at 6:30pm at the Grandview Legion (2205 Commercial). Tickets are $28 available at Eventbrite or RainCityChronicles.com.
– Article by Kelsey Klassen (originally published on Westender)
