Bring Telling to Your Town

What we can offer

The Telling Project is driven by performances – veterans and their families standing up and ‘telling’ their stories.  We want this to happen in as many communities as possible.  To facilitate this, we have a few different options, depending on your needs and resources.  Below are a few models for possible “Telling” presentations.  We are also very open to adapting to your needs.  Please take a look at what we have to offer, and then contact us at info@thetellingproject.org.  

PERFORMANCES: 

NEW PRODUCTIONS are the cornerstone of The Telling Project: veterans and their family members speaking to their communities.  Every production of Telling begins in its own way, in collaboration with veterans, with veterans’ support organizations, in response to community needs or through a simple outpouring of generosity.  Regardless of how it starts, every production is founded upon the efforts of a few motivated individuals.  If you feel you are such a person, and want to know how to get a production started in your community, contact us at: info@thetellingproject, and we can start the process of making “Telling: Your Town.”

REMOUNTS are performances of already existing productions, and depending on your needs, location, budget and our availability, might be a more appropriate option.  Remounts will be less expensive, involve less time, and still deliver the tremendous impact of a live performance.  Talk-backs, panel discussions and seminars are available in conjunction with a remount, making them an excellent option for conference presentations, and for colleges, universities and other institutions interested in raising their awareness of veterans’ and veterans family members’ experiences.

FILM

In November of 2011, with the generous partnership of the Oregon Humanities Center, we wrapped on the film “IN THE TELLING: THE MAKING OF TELLING: EUGENE.”  A two year effort involving hundreds of hours of footage and thousands of hours of labor, IN THE TELLING follows the process of putting together the very first production of “Telling,” in 2007-8, from interview through performances.  In addition, IN THE TELLING follows up with 8 of the original participants 3 years later, as they continue forward in their post-military lives.  IN THE TELLING provides both insight into the workings of a production, and into the process of remembering, reconciliation and reflection involved for the veterans who undertake this journey.

SCREENINGS of the film are available for virtually any size venue.  The presence of founder Jonathan Wei and cast members from “Telling: Eugene” can be arranged in conjunction with screenings, for talk-backs, panel discussions and presentations.  If you are interested in creating a staged performance, a screening is an excellent way to generate interest and exposure.  IN THE TELLING is also a powerful stand-alone look at the lives of 8 of our country’s service people and an excellent conversation and curricular piece for addressing veterans and veterans’ issues.

DVDS and BLU-RAY discs are also available for purchase.  If you are a college, university or for-profit institution that wishes to make the film available to your employees and students, we include curricula and supplemental materials in your purchase.  We have a reduced priced for non-profits.  We also have the film available for purchase by individuals for private, home use.

PRESENTATIONS

‘Alumni’ of “Telling” productions have a great deal to offer in addition to their performances.  Comfortable on stage, familiar with many of the questions and concerns that are widely held concerning veterans, experienced with answering questions and in many cases eager to continue the work they did with the performances, these men and women have presented in a variety of situations outside of – but arising from – their appearance in “Telling.”  Presenters at conferences, in classes, for businesses and professional organizations, for governmental organizations and in the media, they offer valuable and very intimate perspectives on many of the larger “issues” they have come to represent.  Depending on needs and availability, arrangements can be made for these alumni for informal presentations, talk-backs and panel discussions, as well as excerpted performances.

Founder and executive director of The Telling Project Jonathan Wei has presented at the National Association of Personnel Administrators Conference (2009), the Northwest Networks Conference(2009), the Oregon Student Veterans Conference(2009), Be The Change: Mission Serve(2009), TedX Iowa City (2010), and is scheduled to present at the The 32nd Annual Hostage Negotiator Seminar(2012) and the Arts and the Military Conference (2012).  Wei has spoken on a variety of topics, among them: organizing and networking in the veterans’ community; the impact of public disclosure on individuals and communities; working as a civilian among veterans; scripting from interview; the art of the interview; ‘Telling” theatre and war literature.

As mentioned above, these are examples of what we have to offer.  Combinations of these offerings, adaptations – even entirely new permutations are encouraged. Please contact us at:

info@thetellingproject.org

We look forward to hearing from you.