Judging by the number of storytelling events that have spread across the city where people stand up and share their experiences with appreciative audiences, it would appear Vancouverites have a lot to get off their chests. And like a similarly formatted meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous, the true tale events build a sense of community.

"The fiction side of things and the world of media and technology has made stories almost infinite," said Sean Cook, co-host and co-producer of Telling Tales at the New Bohemian restaurant. "The kind of safe footing now is local, real stories about real people that can really generate that sense of connectedness and warmth that seems to be missing from folks who are just sitting at home watching pixels change colour."

Cook, a playwright, producer and high school English teacher, co-founded Telling Tales this spring with freelance writer Soren Burch and Ivo Staiano, co-owner of the West Broadway restaurant that hosts the twice-monthly event.

They hold an open mic practice session for storytellers on the first and third Sunday afternoon of each month and select the best stories to be told again the following night. Telling Tales runs on the first and third Monday of each month and the fall launch is Sept. 20.

Stories at Telling Tales need to be told without the aid of notes, in under eight minutes and have to be true.

At Telling Tale events a retired engineering CEO spoke of donning luxurious, traditional black-and-gold robes and dining on sheep brains in Kazakhstan, a local comedian disclosed a story of sharing an unexpected dance among the needles and condoms on Commercial Drive, a draft dodger from the Vietnam War explained how he sued the U.S. Secretary of Defense, and a "housewife" has entertained with the tale of her foray into flamenco dancing.

Most of the audience members hail from the West Side, and Cook says the shared stories give residents a newfound appreciation for and something to talk about when they bump into their storytelling neighbours.

It's a sentiment shared by Joel Wirkkunen and Deb Williams, who launched The Flame monthly true story event last November.

"We're so inundated, especially in living in this age of fast-forward and technology, just getting back to the basics and what's more simple, no rules, just someone sitting there telling you a story," Wirkkunen said. "That's why we call it The Flame, kind of just gathering around a fire, real simple."

With Wirkkunen and Williams' background in the arts, The Flame has attracted writers and performers, but Wirkkunen said they're encouraging first-time storytellers by offering the services of a story consultant to help newbies shape their anecdotes.

Elsewhere, writers Karen Pinchin, Lizzy Karp and Elianna Lev brainstormed The Rain City Chronicles last October and held the first chronicles last December.

The timing doesn't surprise Wirkkunen. "There's a real groundswell, all over North America, we found," he said.

He calls the American storytelling series The Moth "ground zero."

Poet and novelist George Dawes Green, who missed spinning spellbinding tales on his friend's porch in Georgia when he moved to New York, founded The Moth, a non-profit storytelling organization, in New York in 1997. The first iteration of The Moth was held in his living room and quickly grew to larger venues, today conducting eight ongoing programs and a podcast that have brought more than 3,000 live stories to over 100,000 audience members.

Pinchin says she was interested in creating the seasonal Rain City Chronicles for similar reasons.

"Some of the best moments at the Rain City Chronicles have been at the intermissions, when audience members who have never met before, two totally different people, start sharing stories of their own," she said. "We just wanted to provide a comfortable, cozy venue where people feel comfortable relating to each other. That's the kind of community I think most people want to live in."

The Sunday Story Jam at the New Bohemian runs 3 to 5 p.m. at 3162 West Broadway. Telling Tales runs from 8 to 10 p.m. The $5 admission is waived for the Sept. 20 show, which features Australian storyteller, comedian and Fringe Festival performer Jon Bennett.

The next Rain City Chronicles is part of the Olio festival, Sept. 24 at the ANZA Club, 3 West Eighth Ave., at 8 p.m. It will feature writer, performer and event organizer Sara Bynoe, comedian Emmett Hall and author and CBC Radio host Grant Lawrence, among others.

The Flame runs the first Wednesday of every month with the next show Oct. 6 at the Cottage Bistro, 4470 Main St., at 7 p.m.

crossi@vancourier.com