SPARK! An Evening of Storytelling September 20, 2007

A unique evening of storytelling, "Spark Celebrates Six Years" features seven personal stories culled from the best stories performed over the last six years at SPARK's regular monthly series at The Powerhouse Theatre. The event will be recorded for SPARK's debut CD, the first in a collection, and will be followed by a reception with the cast and producers. Admission is Free.

Since its beginning in 2001, SPARK has attracted audience members from across the Los Angeles area to its resident space at Santa Monica's Powerhouse Theatre. Each month the producing team invites seven individuals to write and perform personal narratives (read: true stories from their lives) around a particular theme. Because the topics lend themselves to such different and varied interpretations, the theme links the stories in a unique way that audiences love to follow while also providing continuity to each evening.

"We've found that the public has a thirst for real, true stories," says Jessica Tuck, actor and founder of SPARK. "People are yearning to hear others talk about their personal experiences, in the spirit of oral tradition, and our series cultivates an authenticity that is inspiring."

As a result, SPARK often presents storytellers who have never before been on stage, and who, in writing and sharing their personal stories, reveal their most intimate selves - candidly, humorously and with heart. SPARK's producers work with these storytellers to help shape and edit their pieces.

"Most participants are not professional writers," explains Karin Gutman, one of the producers who is a writer by profession. "For us, it's about great stories, and most of the time they write themselves."

Over the past six years, SPARK's monthly shows at The Powerhouse Theatre have garnered a regular and enthusiastic audience, some of whom have also appeared on the SPARK stage. Many have compared the series to NPR's popular radio program, This American Life.

At the Santa Monica Library, the seven storytellers sharing their personal essays include Grant Albrecht, Joel Alpers, Tamar Brott, Ernessa Carter, Mike Lambert, Cheyenne Rothman and Ed Spielman.

"SPARK! Celebrates Six Years" is made possible in part by the City of Santa Monica Community Arts Grant Program and the Santa Monica Arts Commission.

"SPARK! Celebrates Six Years" takes place on Thursday, September 20 at 7 pm. The show's running time is approximately one hour, no intermission. The Santa Monica Public Library (Martin Luther King Jr. Auditorium) is located at 601 Santa Monica Blvd. (at 6th Street) in Santa Monica. Admission is free and open to the public. No reservations - first come, first served. Parking is available in the library parking lot for a nominal fee (50 cents/half-hour). For further information, please call Spark at The Powerhouse Theatre: (310) 396-3680 ext 5#. To learn more about SPARK, email [email protected].