Report: True Stories Told Live, Tuesday April 29th

(Photo to come!)

Stories not for the faint this month!

Bryan Spitz began with the astonishing story of how, aged 31 – and perfectly healthy – he had a heart attack. There were so many striking parts but the one that stood out for me was how surreal he found it, hearing distant ambulance sirens and knowing that they were coming for him.

Next, Rob Norman melted each of us (and made us snort laughing through our “aw”s) by telling us about his first big love crush – and how she reacted when he declared it to her. He’s now with someone else… though this first may have had an influence. You can find out more about his AMAZING comedy group, Mantown, at mantown.ca.

Our musical turn of the night was the magnetic Jeni Walls, who talked us through her first big musical crush and proper rock concert, and why Alanis is responsible for her current career choice. You can keep up with her shows by following her on twitter, here: @Jeni_Walls.

After the break, Erin Rodgers made the entire room simultaneously weep with laughter and fall wildly in love with her, as she relayed her attempts to haul herself out of depression by going to her first ever burlesque class. In sweatpants and two cardigans. While singing the Rocky theme song to herself. Erin runs AMAZING events and mixers, which you can learn more about at 42plusone.ca.

We topped the show with our first ever story that had a warning attached to it, for the squeamish or easily nauseated. Ted Morris told us the fascinating – and, let’s be honest, pretty gross – story about his summer spent working at a slaughterhouse. Thankfully, he avoided getting thrown in the blood pit. (There was a blood pit). Ted is also a WONDERFUL stand up – you can hear him telling more funny stories (many about his day job as a vet) here: tedmorris.ca.

The night, as ever, was hosted by me, Marsha.

Thanks so much to you lot for being such an awesome audience, truly the best one in Toronto. Thanks also for your game-ness when it came to taking part in one of my videos for YesYesMarsha.com. You can see yourself screaming about your Dork Goblin, here:

Next official show at The Garrison will be Wednesday July 30th at 8pm.

If you want to get notifications of the shows (and a reminder the day before), then you can join the (very infrequent) email list by clicking on this sentence.

You rule!

xMarsha