Storytelling Spotlights

Without the people who share their stories, there would be no Story District. Throughout their 25 years, more than 3,000 storytellers have taken Story District stages across the District to perform. Whether divulging an embarrassing dating story, reflecting on a lost loved one or recalling a favorite childhood memory, local performers keep us entertained with their talent, wit and charisma. Here are three veteran storytellers on their experiences with Story District.

Mike Kane 

A storytelling veteran involved since SpeakeasyDC days, Kane has told 16 stories and is a favorite of Story District.

District Fray: How has Story District evolved from its SpeakeasyDC days?

Mike Kane: The irony is that Story District themselves really hasn’t grown that much. It’s a testament to [Amy] Saidman and a surprisingly small staff who manage to keep evolving the organization year after year. I believe they continue to remain relevant and continue to find larger audiences because they’ve never strayed from their promise of teaching and showcasing the art of autobiographical storytelling. Even as they do new shows, launch podcasts and collaborate with different artists and groups, they never lose sight of their central mission.

Out of all the stories you’ve performed, what is one of the most memorable?

I’ve told quite a few stories about my shortcomings as a parent, trying to put a comedic layer on top of some pretty awkward experiences. I performed a story about the time my 9-year-old daughter asked me about sex and I absolutely blew it by going into way too much detail.

Do you have a pre-performance ritual?

I like to get to the venue as early as possible. Ideally, I’m even the first one there. I like to see the audience gradually trickle in and the house slowly fill up rather than walking in cold to a packed house. It’s much less overwhelming.

What is one performance from another storyteller that still sticks with you?

One of my all-time favorite storytellers is a guy named Adam Ruben. He tells a story about entering a local Scrabble tournament as an adult. He does such a great job making this ridiculous event feel so lofty and important. In the story, he becomes so obsessed with winning (a local Scrabble tournament, mind you) that he cheats to defeat a 9-year-old kid. I’ve seen Adam perform that story four or five times and die laughing every time.

How has telling stories impacted you?

It’s impacted me in countless ways and provided me with so many fun and unique experiences I would never have had otherwise. But most of all, getting involved with Story District opened the doors to a whole community of creative and brilliant people in the D.C. area I never knew existed. Some of my closest friends are people I’ve met through storytelling over the past 14 years.

What has Story District brought to the D.C. community?

Unique voices for so many different groups to tell their stories in creative and compelling ways. “Out/Spoken,” Story District’s annual LGBTQ+ Pride show, performed for the twelfth year this May. They also put on a show during Teacher Appreciation Week in which all the tellers are teachers. My daughter was recently one of the tellers in a Story District show which specifically featured young women storytellers. Their “Breaking Bread” show shared the stories of eight celebrity chefs and industry insiders. These are stories I’m not sure everyone would hear if it weren’t for Story District providing the platform for the tellers to share. Hearing first-hand, personal stories about cultures, lifestyles or industries you might not otherwise experience really brings people together. I see proof of that through Story District’s work.

Follow Mike on Instagram @mike_kane_instafame.

Diana Veiga 

After getting her start at Story District, Veiga has since branched out to start her own series. She recently did her first solo show, “I’m Just Doing My Job: One Woman Show by Diana Veiga,” at Capital Fringe. Beloved in the storytelling community, she has hosted some Story District shows, collaborated with them on projects for Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library and is currently in their teacher-training program.

District Fray: When did you first hear about Story District? What made you apply or want to join?

Diana Veiga: I’m not really sure when I first heard about Story District; it just seemed like it was always there. I applied to tell a story after my Auntie Janice passed away. She was one of the best storytellers ever. One day I was riding around listening to “The Moth” and there was a great story playing. I thought, “I could do that!” I thought it would be a cool way to honor my aunt’s memory. I applied in January or February 2018 for a show that wasn’t happening until July. I got the email in May telling me I had been selected and the rest, as they say, is history.

Where do you get inspiration for your story ideas?

It just comes from living life and having a variety of interesting, funny, sometimes wild experiences. Sometimes it will feel like I’m out of stories to tell and then I’ll remember something random that happened and I’m like — well! That’s another story to tell one day.

What is the best place in D.C. to unwind?

Well, my favorite bar DC Reynolds closed during the pandemic (buy one, get one free drinks, anyone?) and I haven’t really found a good replacement. But if it’s not bar related, I love taking walks through the Takoma Park neighborhood.

How has telling your stories impacted you?

It’s just changed my whole world. After I told my first story, I thought, “Well that was a fun bucket list thing to do.” I really didn’t have any plans on telling another story on the stage. Then my first story made it into Story District’s “Top Shelf” in January 2019. After that, Story District folks just kept encouraging me to tell more stories. By the third time I was on stage, I was hooked. It’s made me more confident, helped me become a true performer, helped me realize the value in sharing my stories with others and most importantly, there’s a joy I feel knowing my stories make people laugh (and feel other emotions).

What is one performance from another storyteller that still sticks with you?

There’s a story Shawna Renee told about being diagnosed with breast cancer and doing different treatments for it, and then eventually talking to this holistic-type healer who tells her what she needs to let go to be healed. Eventually she is healed from breast cancer and also meets her husband. It’s just an amazing story of her journey toward physical and emotional healing and finding love.

What advice do you have for people interested in wanting to share their stories publicly?

Go for it. We’ve all lived unique lives which means we all have unique stories to tell. Your [stories] deserve to be heard just as much as anyone else’s. You don’t know what telling your story will do for someone else.

Follow Diana at dianaveiga.com and on Instagram @dianaveigatells.

Jay Dev 

Dev has played almost every role within Story District: volunteer, student, storyteller, board member, DEI task force member and chair of the strategic planning committee. Now he’s in the teacher training program. His most recent story was a hit at “Sucker for Love” in April 2022.

District Fray: When did you first hear about Story District? What made you apply or want to join?

Jay Dev: I moved to D.C. fresh out of undergrad and I was really motivated to try new things and find my community. I did theatre and improv in college but was always interested in staged storytelling like I heard on podcasts. I had a couple friends who told stories with Story District and they suggested I check them out. With little experience and plenty of enthusiasm, I began volunteering (my first introduction was stuffing envelopes for the end-of-year drive). I immediately felt at home.

Out of all the positions you’ve held within Story District, which have you enjoyed most?

I first fell in love with the organization as a volunteer, so that time holds a special place in my heart. I’ve met so many wonderful, thoughtful, funny people and have made lasting friendships through the storytelling community. I think Story District’s role in building and sustaining a community, along with a number of other groups in the region, sets D.C. apart. Over the years, I have taken on responsibilities to help connect others to this wonderful community.

How long does it take you to work on a story and then perform it? What does that process look like?

It usually takes a few weeks to take a story from general outline to performance-ready. I usually take an outline of the main story points and form it into a script that I then practice and tweak to sound less written and more spoken. And I try to test it out on friends to get their honest feedback.

What is one performance from another storyteller that still sticks with you?

One of my favorite stories I’ve seen on the Story District stage was Morgan Givens’ debut performance at the 2015 “Out/Spoken” show. I remember how the audience hung on his every word thanks, in part, to the uniqueness of his performance style. The twist in his story is unreal. I recently re-listened to the episode of the Story District podcast, “Story District Presents,” that highlights the story. I got chills down my spine again.

How has telling your stories publicly impacted you?

I think the most gratifying experience I’ve had after telling a story is someone coming up to me after a show and saying they’ve not only had that experience, but they hadn’t heard someone talk about that on stage before. I like putting small details in my stories that are specific to being the child of immigrants. It makes me really happy when someone else who grew up first- or second-generation American picks up on them.

What has Story District brought to the D.C. community?

In addition to bringing together and maintaining a wonderful community of creative people, I think Story District has helped document different parts of the city’s culture. Folks who are not very familiar with D.C. may have narrow preconceptions of what life and residents of the city are like. The range of different stories I’ve heard at Story District events and shows over the years is a testament to the diverse lives we live.

As a transplant, I’ve always found it especially grounding to hear stories from D.C. natives. It’s helped me learn and respect the city and communities that existed here before my arrival. That culture and history needs to be celebrated and preserved, and the communities from which they originate deserve to be maintained through policies and in Story District’s case, art.

Follow Jay on Twitter @Jaydev_.

Sasa Aakil. Photo by Cindy Kane Photography.

Great stories can be told by anyone at any age. Story District works with youth storytellers to hone their skills and introduce them to performing on stage. Here are two stand-out performers from their ongoing youth series.

Sasa Aakil

What made you first interested in sharing stories through Story District?

I am a spoken word poet so have always loved speaking and conveying a message, but as a poet, I never explored speaking in a narrative form. I was interested in learning how to story tell as opposed to perform and story district provided the perfect opportunity. In addition, I felt like I had something worth sharing, so I found a way to do that.

Where do you find inspiration for your stories?

Everything inspires me! Which is a cliche answer but true. The inspiration for the story I got to share was the real events of my life but any and all aspects of everyday life inspire my writing, poetry, storytelling, and art.

What advice do you have for people interested in wanting to share their stories publicly?

Embrace your nerves and understand that the stage is yours. Take useful advice. Hold within yourself a firm belief that your story is worth telling (even if you have to lie to yourself). Then tell it.

Zyah Brown. Photo by Cindy Kane Photography.

Zyah Brown

Nicole Schaller