I went to The Abbey, (100 S Eola Dr #100, Orlando, FL 32801) to sketch Orlando Story Club which is an evening of stories based on the theme of “Can You Keep A Secret?” At this unique story telling series everyone can share their stories. Participants drop their names in a hat. The host pulls names from the hat to see who tells their story next. Three judges are picked from the audience. The only requirement to be a judge is that the person is new to Story Club. The judges award prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners. A guest story teller headlines every show with its own theme, food, drinks and laughter are available in abundance.
Orlando Story Club was founded by storyteller and film maker Robin
Cowie (“The Blair Witch Project”). After participating in the national
storytelling series The Moth, Central Florida based Cowie sought out to
produce the same event here and so Orlando Story Club was born.
The most memorable story for me was told by Banks Helfrich, a local filmmaker. He told a story about meeting a woman and really connecting with her. He described the warmth of her hugs when they parted. Each encounter seemed more intimate. One day she explained that she needed to tell him something. It turned out that she had a long term boyfriend. This bit of news came as a complete shock.
The May charity partner was Victim Service Center of Central Florida. Since 1999, the Victim Service of Central Florida has been aiding victims of sexual assault, violent crime and traumatic circumstances. The center is designed to provide 24 hours a day, 7 days a week support to victims. They are the only certified rape crisis center for both Orange and Osceola County. Their vision is to continue to transform victims’ lives and stop violence in the community. Through their vision and mission, the Victim Service Center of Central Florida strives to keep assisting victims of these circumstances and provide a safe outlet for them to seek counseling and support.
Orlando Story Club will continue on the first Wednesday of every other
month this year (November 1, 2017 and “Best Of” December
13, 2017).