An adage of 20th-century journalism asserts that a good reporter can pick a random name in an old-fashioned telephone book, call them for an interview, and report a great story. And the power of the story lies in the skill of the storyteller. Body-culture critic, live storyteller, and self-described weight-lifting lady Mikala Jamison has found a terrific collection of storytellers for The Body Show, which explores body image by digging into how each of us feels about and manages life in bodies that don’t always look, feel, or act as expected.
This second iteration of The Body Show, after a 2022 Capital Fringe hit appearance, asserts the importance of what Jamison calls “body stories”: “Our bodies inform so much about how we move through the world and understand ourselves and other people. They help us have empathy for them and, maybe, we’ll feel better about our own bodies in the process of listening.”
Jamison’s own body story starts with toe walking as a child, then follows her through memories of living with a body that “wasn’t quite right.” Then she discovered that while she couldn’t run a mile in high school, weight lifting was where she excelled and found her strength, in body and confidence.
Sheri Denkensohn-Trott is no stranger to the storytelling stage as a Moth (a storytelling organization with a popular program on NPR) Grand Slam winner. Denkensohn-Trott, who happens to use a wheelchair following a teenage diving accident, swiftly noted this significant life-changing moment before sharing a far more mundane story about a bad hairdresser experience that left the lawyer a platinum blonde.
Rajesh Mirchandani, a broadcaster by trade, told a tale of a double hernia and how it revealed his love language, while health reporter Chelsea Cirruzzo’s story of emotionally healing from an assault via online role-playing games was both intimate and instructive in acknowledging that power in the game ‑— and beyond doesn’t derive from violence and kills, but in taking back your character’s body.
Former investigative reporter and private investigator Jamie McElhatton offered their experience in coming to terms with “they/their” pronouns while working as a grocery store clerk. Laura Nichols engaged the audience with the story of how she sent herself to “fat camp” as a 13-year-old, where she ultimately learned that her body is not the enemy.
Retiree Jon Etherton discussed his adventures in learning violin in his sixth decade rather than as a six-year-old. Because he lives with a type of dwarfism that makes his fingers and hands stubby, far from ideal to play such a refined string instrument, the violin becomes more challenging. By the end, Etherton found an amenable teacher and overcame his feelings of embarrassment to share his rudimentary, but inspiring violin recital piece. Like Etherton, each storyteller revealed the music in their personal stories.
Running Time: 60 minutes
Genre: Solo/Comedy
Dates and Times:
- July 19 at 6:55 PM
- July 20 at 4:45 PM
- July 21 at 2:45 PM
Venue: Cafritz Hall, 1529 16th St NW
Tickets: $15
More Info and Tickets: The Body Show
The complete 2024 Capital Fringe Festival schedule is online here.
SEE ALSO:
2024 Capital Fringe Preview: Bestseller ‘The Body Show’ is back (by Mikala Jamison, June 26, 2024)
