Celebrate Women With Storytelling Arts of Indiana

Storytelling Arts of Indiana celebrates Women’s History Month with two accomplished storytellers showcasing their diverse heritages.

Arts Council of Indianapolis has already named “Bold Lineage” a top pick for cultural entertainment. Minton Sparks and Indy’s own Manón Voice will dazzle audiences with stories, music, poetry and spoken-word artistry.

Audiences can enjoy the performance in person while wearing masks and after showing proof of vaccination. They also have the option to watch the livestream from home.

Tickets are $20 for an individual online or in person, $35 for a household to watch online and can be purchased online at Storytellingarts.org.

Open Casket

by Minton Sparks

A spoken-word artist who fuses folk music and poetry, Minton Sparks creates her own genre of artistic storytelling to give a unique voice to the modern, rural South. Sparks comes to the stage with a vintage handbag full of family characters she infuses with life through her voice, presence, and the occasional buck dance. No matter the subject, Sparks’ work captivates her audiences with its provocative and melodious tone. Some poems tell humorous tales of great aunts who charge facelifts to credit cards, while others more sorrowfully explore Southern women’s social roles in a different, but not-so-distant age. Visit her website here.

The Idea of Ancestry

by Manón Voice

Etheridge Knight wrote the 42-line poem “The Idea of Ancestry” in 1968. The title signifies the subject of the poem – the poet’s connection to his family, birthplace, and culture. Using this title and context for inspiration, poet and spoken-word artist, Manón Voice, will weave a narrative through storytelling and spoken word that celebrates and pays homage to the bold lineage of Black women writers and the many mothers who shaped her as a poet, writer, and woman. Learn more here.