Phuni Meston is one of seven storytellers who will speak in Burlington this weekend. Image (edited) courtesy of Chandreyee Lahiri.

You can’t hate someone whose story you know. —Margaret J. Wheatley

What happens when seven people join together to tell stories from the stage about their lives? At a Voices storytelling show, what happens is connection, fellowship, and an understanding that might never have happened otherwise.

Produced by the Off Kendrik experimental theater troupe, Voices is a biannual storytelling show, modeled after The Moth, that brings South Asian speakers to the stage to share stories themed around their experience as immigrants. And this time, Voices is coming right to our doorstep.

On March 2 and 3, 2024, head over to the Academy for Creative Arts here in Burlington to enjoy an afternoon of true stories told by the people who experienced them. Some stories will move you to laughter; some will move you to tears; all of them will leave you with something to think about.

“We believe this is an important step in building community and reflecting the true diversity that is around through entertainment and empathy,” says Chandreyee Lahiri, who curated the stories for this round of Voices and helped coach the storytellers. “Our attempt is to move the needle past stereotypes and help build a sense of community through entertainment and shared empathy.”

Off Kendrik has its roots in Bengali street theater has worked to bring this Indian style of performance to American audiences. Artistic Director, Dr. Sankha Bhowmick, conceived of the Voices storytelling arm in 2016 to achieve the same aim of bringing people from different backgrounds together for a unifying purpose.

“We can learn from each other’s stories,” Lahiri says, “without othering each other.” She hopes these stories serve as a reminder that we can all have different experiences, opinions, and viewpoints—and what a boring world we’d live in if we didn’t!—and still respect each other as humans. When we share our lived experiences, she says, it opens a window into someone else’s world, illuminating both the similarities and the differences and fostering greater understanding.

This year’s cast members come from India, Pakistan, Tibet and Sri Lanka, and their stories will explore issues such as coming out to a conservative society, implicit bias, parenting and work culture wars, a hiking trip with a memorable epiphany, overcoming abuse, unexpected kindness, and others.

Come listen to these South Asian stories, and leave with a stronger connection to all of humanity.

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