Karaoke Storytellers brings stories, music together in a vulnerable performance
David Woulard stepped onto the stage at Schubas wearing a black beret and camouflage jacket.After his first deployment, Woulard needed to find coping mechanisms, he said. One night, he was walking past a bar near Chicago’s Union Station and realized karaoke was going on. He decided to go inside and sing.
Woulard stomped his foot, played air guitar and at one point dropped to his knees as he sang “All These Things I’ve Done” by The Killers, rarely paying attention to the lyrics on the screen.His performance was one of seven that night at Karaoke Storytellers’ 38th show. The show is a combination of storytelling and karaoke, where performers tell a story tied to a song then sing the related song.
After some initial burnout and sometimes very small audiences, followed by the pandemic that canceled and postponed shows for almost two years, Gorman is finally seeing his vision through.“Karaoke Storytellers has been a grind for much of its history,” Gorman said. “I’ve always felt like it wasn’t necessarily getting the opportunity it deserves.”
Juneteenth is new to a lot of Americans, and it shouldn’t be a holiday that only Black people celebrate, Thomas said. Participating in diverse and positive events, such as Karaoke Storytellers, is his way of celebrating the holiday with a wider range of people.“I fancy myself as someone who knows what’s cool in Chicago,” he said. “So I was just happy to, one, be informed about it and two, to definitely be involved. I just thought it was a really impactful idea, and creative.
He thought his involvement with the show would be a one-off event and he has always been confident in his ability to command a stage with his storytelling and public speaking. Cochran said there was something about his feeling anxious and nervous while singing on stage that led him to agree to host the show, and watch other performers tell their stories.
Connor Gorman, who goes by the stage name"Franny Giroux," performs karaoke at Brando's Speakeasy in downtown Chicago on June 8, 2022. Karaoke Storytellers performers are always recorded with their consent. Gorman also makes sure performers are aware that he and sometimes others are performing a character and telling stories as those characters.Franny Giroux, played by Gorman, performs at every show. And while the stories are made up as part of the history of Franny’s character, Gorman said his personal story often relates to the heart of Franny’s stories.