The latest Taboo Tales went off with many a hitch. The projector exploded. A storyteller broke her ankle the night before. The mic made weird and very distracting noises. One performer decided not to read the piece she submitted and rambled on for twelve minutes instead. One storyteller called another one an asshole. Another storyteller called that storyteller a cunt with a retarded kid.
It was mayhem. And all I wanted was someone to fix it. It sure sucks when you’re the one who is supposed to fix stuff. This is why I’m still on the fence about the whole adulthood thing. I thought all my anxiety about the show was unwarranted, especially because I met a medium a few days before the show who told me that creating Taboo Tales is part of my life’s work and that she heard that from… the other side. If I’d had my preference, I would have rather heard from my dad. Maybe a ‘Sorry. Love you. See you soon.’ Or, if he was busy, maybe a ‘BFF’ from Uncle Edmund. Still, I was happy about the message. I’ll take validation from anywhere. Hi five, deadlies!
I just wish those on the other side could have warned me about the weird energy in that theater last week. Something was off, making for a strange and almost sad experience. At first my ego, Lawrence, was upset because he wants everyone to think I’m perfect. This shit show proved to everyone in attendance (all 100, some even sitting on the floor) that perfect I am not. But, more than that, I felt like my security had been breached. Storytellers calling each other names meant that there was a lot of judging going on. I get that people judge. I do it. You do it. You think I shouldn’t be wearing these sweat pants right now. But the very idea of Taboo Tales is to provide an atmosphere free of judgments, where people can feel comfortable getting up in front of all those people and talk about their darkest places. I couldn’t control the breach of contract, but it happened before my eyes. I wanted to fix it, but there’s only so much you can control and fix. I know that now.
Fortunately, the audience was amazing. They filled the bucket of taboos with their honesty. They knew how to share and do so without judgment. And share they did. Thirty times. The following are the taboos we found in our big box of taboo. It’s kind of like Post Secret, only nobody has to get out the glitter. And somebody (me) has to say all these things. Out loud. In front of an audience. I’m getting used to talking about sticking your fingers in your butt on a stage now. I don’t know where that will get me, but I know it will be far. I can just feel it. (the getting far part. not the fingers part.)
More taboos at {TabooTalesTheShow.com}
UPDATE: LA Weekly reviewed the show and didn’t mention any of the bad parts! Score. Check it out HERE.
{ 38 comments }
Congratulations! Despite everything not going perfectly, what you did was awesome. It’s not easy to put together a pretty successful event and put yourself out there like that. So yay you! Don’t forget that. Yay you!
I know you’re trying to be all positive and junk but sometimes I just really hate people. Actually, most of the time I hate people. I’m bummed that the participants got all name-cally and judgmental. No one wants that negative energy at what is supposed to be an open and nonjudgmental event.
If I lived in Cali, I would totally have been there. Booing you. Just kidding. No booing. Only love. And support. Keep being awesome, Laurenne. You’re such a natural at it.
Laurenne, I was there and as uncomfortable as it was as the participants started judging it was exactly as it should have been. Taboos and feelings stirred up for all to see. I personally felt uneasy but isn’t that what it was about. Taboos are taboos and they hurt, they hide and they surface. I will come back for more. Love you and your energy to try this and truly it does work.
Even though things didn’t go according to (your) plan, it doesn’t mean it was a complete failure. If one person came away changed, feeling that they’re not alone, it was worth it. Keep up the great work. Love you much.
That’s a professional looking photograph. Looks like something LA Weekly would have taken. If they were there or something.
On another note, were we allowed to call other story tellers names? Because if I had known that was encouraged I would have had a scorched earth policy starting with myself. Tear myself down to make others looks good. Wait, that’s not the saying. WHATEVER. MY PARENTS ARE IMMIGRANTS.
One of these days you’re going to give yourself some credit for something instead of trying to be perfect. That will be a great day. Tweet me if you do. I want to retweet it.
I agree with Rahul. It will be a pretty awesome day. Tweet at me too!
Also, I think it kind of sucks ass that Rahul performed and I was out of the country. I would like a copy please to read in my underwear (because I rarely put clothes on before noon). Or video. That would be even better.
Rahul-your story was terrific. Also, I noticed Laurenne is not smiling in this picture and I always think of her as smiling and happy. Perfects are always disappointed. Just need to be good enough.
It’s so thoughtful of you to invite me to take part in your failures. Let’s be BFFs. Best failing friends. That’s what BFF stands for, yes?
I really wish I lived in Cali just so I could go to Taboo Tales. It sounds like a great experience, perfect or not. And that’s what will make people come back. I don’t like judginess, but I think it’s best to wipe that dirt off ya shoulder if it comes your way.
It’s such an amazing thing that you’re doing, I agree with “the other side”, you’ll go far. Even though I’m not near your aura, I like it. Weird?
PS – You have nice bone structure.
I think I probably would have crawled under a table and cried. Or ducked out the back and acted like someone else was in charge. Or stood there with my mouth open and figured out really great ways to deal with the situation several days later. Yeah, probably that last one!
I SO DAMN MUCH wanted to go to this one, but time and life (not the popular, edifying book series) got out of my delicate hands.
I’m sorry to hear that it was fully of creepy tension, but I admire your handling of it. I’ve no doubt that you were a major calming force in the room, the goat in the stable of agitated horses, as it were. I hope the next one goes far more smoothly.
It was all probably my fault, my first time reading in TT and the first time everything goes wrong…COINCIDENCE?
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