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| Special guest Gus Rancatore of Toscanani's tells his story! |
The Enormous Room crowd was small on March 13th, but the stories loomed large as ten spirited tellers told their personal tales about brushes with death and the inevitability of taxes. Massmouth co-founder Norah Dooley and ice cream king Gus Rancatore of Toscanani's entertained the audience while the judges worked their magic. Gus delighted the crowd as he matter-of-factly shared more than one near-death experience in the 1980's as a small business owner in Central Square before it became the funky, college-student-filled hub it is today.
The rest of the stories were equally delightful, even though the subject matter was sometimes quite serious. Avoiding taxes while invading Iraq and shopping for the military, connecting with loved ones as they walked through their final days with dignity, and reliving a near-death car accident almost twenty years after it occurred were just a few of the stories shared on Sunday night. The stories were so good that at the end of the night one of the judge's announced they had "a terribly difficult job" deciding and "were] filled with admiration for [the] tellers." The judges did decide, however, and two ladies took home the honors.
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| Yana Sherman and Elissa Davidson show off their t-shirts. |
First time teller Elissa Davidson won the top prize for her story about Eggbert the "good, but not great" goldfish who lived for four years and traveled fourteen years before being properly laid to rest and eulogized. Elissa's dry wit and keen observations added humor to an already colorful storyline. For her win, Elissa took home a $50 gift certificate to The Enormous Room, a massmouth t-shirt, and the opportunity to honor Eggbert once more at The Big Mouthoff in Rabb Hall at the Boston Public Library on April 26th.
Second place went to veteran storyteller Yana Sherman for her story about how her brother's struggle with and ultimate death from lung cancer brought them closer together. Yana won a massmouth t-shirt and the opportunity to compete in the massmouth gala semi-finals at the Coolidge Corner Theater on April 14th.
Do you have a story to tell? Ever felt "down and out" in your life and want to share your experience? Come to Bella Luna on Sunday, March 20th, but get there early as this venue has been standing room only since the new year.
Or, maybe you grew up somewhere interesting that shaped your life. On Monday night, March 21st, you will have the opportunity to share your story at Kennedy's Midtown on the theme "Where I'm From." See you there!
