Bring Your Own

Series produced by Bring Your Own

Series image

Bring Your Own is a nomadic storytelling series in New Orleans that takes place in living rooms, backyards and other intimate spaces within the community. Each month, eight storytellers have seven minutes to respond to a theme. BYO airs on NPR member station WWNO and is a biweekly podcast on WWNO.org. Listen to stories at bringyourownstories.com or susbcribe on itunes.

ing Your Own is a live storytelling pop-up series that takes place in living rooms, backyards, after-hours storefronts and other intimate spaces within the New Orleans community. Each month, seven storytellers have seven minutes to respond to a theme. Stories are told live, unscripted, and true to the teller.

Bring Your Own was founded by Liam Daniel Pierce in March of 2012. Storytellers volunteer prior to the event and are judged by three audience members to determine a winner, whose story is guaranteed for radio production. Winners subsequently choose the next month’s theme.

As a pop-up organization, our events rotate and put previously unknown, underutilized and private spaces on the public map. Each event takes on the character of its environment; the success of the night is as much about the tone that is set as it is about the stories that are told.

Bring Your Own serves as a hub and community for writers, filmmakers, radio makers and photographers where everyone leaves their premiere artistry behind and dives into a medium that lies at the core of everyone’s art forms. Whether you ask a screen writer, a reporter or a photojournalist, the piece at the heart of each of these crafts is a good story.

Bring Your Own is produced by Laine Kaplan-Levenson and Nina Feldman. Hide full description

ing Your Own is a live storytelling pop-up series that takes place in living rooms, backyards, after-hours storefronts and other intimate spaces within the New Orleans community. Each month, seven storytellers have seven minutes to respond to a theme. Stories are told live, unscripted, and true to the teller.Bring Your Own was founded by Liam Daniel Pierce in March of 2012. Storytellers volunteer prior to the event and are judged by three audience members to determine a winner, whose story is guaranteed for radio production. Winners subsequently choose the next month’s theme.As a pop-up organization, our events rotate and put previously unknown, underutilized and private spaces on the public map. Each event takes on the character of its environment; the success of the night is as... Show full description


Additional Files

9 Pieces

Order by: Newest First | Oldest First
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This story was told live on April 17, 2013 at the Old Firehouse on Mandeville Street, and later produced by Natalie Yahr. The theme was "Jackpot", ...

  • Added: Nov 02, 2013
  • Length: 06:11
Caption: Abe graduates from College!
New Orleans Resident Abe Handler tells of the temptation in his immediate post-collegiate struggle to find a career, and what he found instead. Thi...

  • Added: Jul 17, 2014
  • Length: 05:53
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This story was told on Feb. 28, 2013, at the Community Book Center on Bayou Road. The theme of the Evening was "Giving Up", and Will Bowling tells ...

  • Added: Apr 14, 2013
  • Length: 05:12
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At the tail end of a long journey traveling in South America, Giles runs out of money and has to get home to his mother, waiting for him in London ...

  • Added: Feb 25, 2013
  • Length: 03:54
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When activist/educator Erin Wilson loses track of a borrowed computer, she's worried she'll be ridiculed by her fellow organizers for her chronic a...

  • Added: Feb 25, 2013
  • Length: 06:00
Caption: Amy Allison Shipley Pictured with Dahn Yoga members
This story was the was voted the winner at Bring Your Own on June 6th, 2012. The theme that night was Undercover, where storytellers told of their...

Bought by KFAI Minneapolis


  • Added: Nov 15, 2012
  • Length: 06:16
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Storyteller Elizabeth Steeby
This Story was told on July 10th, 2012 at Aubrey's Place in the Treme neighborhood of New Orleans. Here, Elizabeth Steeby reminisces on the horrify...

  • Added: Sep 24, 2012
  • Length: 07:00
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The warmth of sharing cultural identity among strangers turns to ashes when the unstoppable prejudices of others invades. This story was told at th...

  • Added: Oct 10, 2012
  • Length: 03:27
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This piece was recorded live on June 5, 2012 at the Pauger House and later produced by Natalie Yahr. The theme of the evening was "Undercover," and...

  • Added: Oct 14, 2012
  • Length: 05:23