Observer Editor
36th Annual Storytelling Festival: The Ark.
Feb. 24–26 (different programs; the Feb. 26 family show is listed with the Kids events). This year’s festival includes traditional storytelling shows for adults (on Saturday) and families (on Sunday afternoon), but it opens tonight with the Ark’s First Annual Liar’s Contest. Six contestants—Larry Castleberry, Jennifer Otto, Rich Swanson, Jeff Doyle, Genot Picor, and Mike Cox—each tell a well-crafted, entertaining 10-minute story designed to seduce listeners into crediting it as an accounting of fact. The winner gets a $100 bill, a trophy, and bragging rights as the area’s best liar. Emcee is Amir Baghdachi, host of the Moth’s local monthly storytelling shows. Judges are 3 area folks, each with different kinds of experience on the receiving end of fabrications masquerading as fact: Kathleen Daniels (wife of actor Jeff Daniels), retired District Court judge Karl Fink, and Ann Arbor mayor Christopher Taylor. 8 p.m., The Ark, 316 S. Main. Mask required if, per the Washtenaw County Health Department, the county is at a high community level for Covid-19. Tickets $10 on Fri., $30 on Sat., & $15 (kids, $10) on Sun. in advance at the Michigan Union Ticket Office (mutotix.com) & theark.org, and at the door. To charge by phone, call 763–TKTS.
Add this event to your calendar: Google Calendar | iCal
