LOWER EAST SIDE — Neighborhood and personal histories will be laid out on stage during a free storytelling event at City Lore on Friday night.
“LES is More: Stories of Growing Up on the Lower East Side,” will feature six local writers, performers and comedians who will all share true-life tales from their childhoods in and around the neighborhood, according to Bridget Bartolini of the Five Boro Story Project, which organized the event in partnership with the Laundromat Project and City Lore.
“They all have great stories,” she said.
The Five Boro Story Project showcases stories and art inspired by the city’s neighborhoods, she said. The project’s free events aim to connect neighbors, preserve local history and celebrate the city’s diversity, said Bartolini, who started the program.
“When people share personal stories it really has this incredible power to create connections between people,” she said.
During Friday night’s event, storytellers from the Lower East Side, Little Italy, Chinatown and the East Village will describe what city was like before green cabs, Citi Bikes and Vision Zero, Bartolini said.
“We see lots of stories that illustrate how New York City has changed. It gives us perspective on how rapid this change is in New York City,” she said.
The oldest performer, Dominick Ferraro, grew up in Little Italy in the 1950s, she said, while the youngest, Royal Young, grew up in the Lower East Side in the 1990s. The other performers are Jan Lee, Will Lee, Ray Muñoz and Eljon Wardally.
The Bowery Birds, a female singing ensemble whose songs are based on the history of the Lower East Side, will also perform, Bartolini said.
The audience can also take the stage after the performances, she said. Anyone can share memories, poetry or music during the event’s open mic she said, but there is a three-minute time limit.
“LES is More: Stories of Growing Up on the Lower East Side” will take place on Nov. 7 at 7 p.m. at City Lore, 56 First St. The event is free. Click here for more information.
