WE LOVED OUR FIRST HOUSE
Story by Bill Zarchy
at The Monkey House, Berkeley
We loved our first house in San Francisco … until we didn’t. What happens when neighbors aren’t neighborly.
Video: Telling ‘We Loved Our First House’ Read More »
A CHANCE ENCOUNTER
Story by Bill Zarchy
Tell It On Tuesday
at The Marsh, Berkeley
It’s not always obvious when it happens, but sometimes being in the right place at the right time can have life-changing consequences.
Video: Telling ‘A Chance Encounter’ Read More »
CAMPING WITH THE RUSSIANS
Story by Bill Zarchy
at The Monkey House, Berkeley
Camping in a state park is an exercise in trust. But who is there to enforce the regulations?
Video: Telling ‘Camping with the Russians’ Read More »
SWEET HOME SHENYANG
Story by Bill Zarchy
at The Monkey House, Berkeley
Sometimes we struggle to go somewhere. And when we get there, we wish we were home.
Video: Telling ‘Sweet Home Shenyang’ Read More »
COMMITMENT
Story by Bill Zarchy
at The Monkey House, Berkeley.
Involvement and commitment are not the same.
Video: Telling ‘Commitment’ Read More »
ANANSI THE SPIDER
Story by Bill Zarchy
at The Monkey House, Berkeley
One very hot day, Anansi the Spider, a trickster and maker of mischief, gets his comeuppance.
Video: Telling ‘Anansi the Spider’ Read More »
BATTLE OF THE BAY
Story by Bill Zarchy
at The Monkey House, Berkeley
Surviving the World Series earthquake. How do you decide who to root for, when your two favorite teams are playing each other?
Video: Telling ‘Battle of the Bay’ Read More »
THE MOON, THE SNOW, AND DR. ZHIVAGO
Story by Bill Zarchy
at The Monkey House, Berkeley
A wintry walk through Siberia.
Video: Telling ‘The Moon, the Snow, and Dr. Zhivago’ Read More »
ECSTASY AT THE ALTAR
Story by Bill Zarchy
Tell It On Tuesday at The Marsh, Berkeley
Odd things happen on our family trip to the Eiffel Tower and Chartres Cathedral in France.
Video: Telling ‘Ecstasy at the Altar’ Read More »
DOG YEARS
Story by Bill Zarchy
at The Monkey House, Berkeley
Pop, Sophie, and The West Wing: A Time of Triumph and Loss
Video: Telling ‘Dog Years’ Read More »
LIVING A LIE
Story by Bill Zarchy
at The Monkey House, Berkeley
Looking for Grandma’s House in New Zealand.
Video: Telling ‘Living a Lie’ Read More »
EVELYN’S STORY
by Bill Zarchy
at The Monkey House, Berkeley
Not all travelers are tourists. Some are immigrants. A cherished family story.
Video: Telling ‘Evelyn’s Story’ Read More »
Official release of the Audiobook version of Finding George Washington. We chose this date because it was George’s 290th birthday (and a good excuse for a party). It’s 2/22/22, a lucky date for sure.
Video: Official Audiobook Release on Washington’s Birthday Read More »
Launching my debut novel, Finding George Washington: A Time Travel Tale!
Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, my book launch and all promotional events for Finding George took place online. I was quite pleased that over 80 people showed up for this launch.
November 23, 2020
Book Launch Video—‘Finding George Washington: A Time Travel Tale’ Read More »
I found out later that Spicy Jew’s Ear was a type of mushroomy fungus, but it still didn’t sound like something that I wanted to eat.
Here’s the video from my telling Shanghai Lunch at Tell It On Tuesday at The Marsh in Berkeley on January 28th. Storytelling in the oral tradition. No notes, no text.
Closed captions available.
Video: Telling ‘Shanghai Lunch’ Read More »
She looked at me, wide-eyed, with a big smile.
I knew that getting stuck in an elevator was one of her worst fears.
In case you missed the live show (or can’t wait to see it again!), here’s the video of my story, “The Elevator in Rome,” from Tell It On Tuesday at The Marsh in Berkeley last month. Storytelling in the oral tradition. No notes, no text.
Video: Telling ‘The Elevator in Rome’ Read More »
I gave a talk on Storytelling at my 50th Dartmouth College Reunion last month. Following is the text of my ten-minute introduction. If you want to see the whole, one-hour presentation, including video clips and stories, click on the video player below. Closed Captions (CC) available.
I never wanted to be a performer until I discovered storytelling.
About two-and-a-half years ago, a friend of mine had a gig playing classical guitar at The Marsh, a club in Berkeley that was hosting a monthly storytelling night called Tell It On Tuesday. She urged me to come along. After she finished playing, five people, all roughly my age, stood up in turn and told stories.
A Storytelling Journey Read More »
I guess gratuitous self-promotion pays off, eh? Every single chair was in use. I was so pleased with the turnout and the enthusiasm of the audience, even if most of them were friends!
They laughed a lot, usually at appropriate moments, and applauded each story. What fun!
Part 2 includes these stories:
BILLY SOLO Video — Part 2 Read More »
My solo storytelling show last Friday was amazing, a real peak experience!
What a fun evening! I had a terrific time and feel wonderful about having challenged myself like that. I did eight stories, about 75-80 minutes of material in all.
The place was packed. About 48 people in a medium-smallish room.
Part 1 includes these stories:
BILLY SOLO Video — Part 1 Read More »
About two years ago, I went to a storytelling event at The Marsh in Berkeley and watched six people tell six very different stories. Some personal, some historical, all about 10-15 minutes long.
My first reaction: I can do that.
Little did I know.
A Writer’s Debut As a Storyteller Read More »
As we pass the 30-year mark in our home next week, the tall tree in the right rear corner of the yard, an Incense Cedar, stands tall and true, more than twice the height of the house. When we moved in, there were two tall trees. The left rear corner held a Monterey Pine, so
Video of a presentation by Bill Zarchy at Northbrae Community Church, Berkeley, California on 2/3/16. The author reads excerpts from four of the stories in his book, Showdown at Shinagawa: Tales of Filming from Bombay to Brazil.” He also discusses the ins and outs of self-publishing, as well as his background as a globe-trotting cinematographer. The
Video: Showcasing ‘Showdown at Shinagawa’ Read More »
San Francisco rock musician Chuck Prophet has released a new video: Part II of a musical tour of San Francisco, named for his newest album, “Temple Beautiful.”
After recording his last album in Mexico City, says Chuck, “I was looking to make a record closer to home.”
Part I of Chuck’s Temple Beautiful video tour was released in February. In Part II we visit Chuck’s home and studio and many of his old haunts in the Mission and North Beach.
Temple Beautiful — Part II of Chuck Prophet’s Musical Tour of San Francisco Read More »
Recently I was honored to give a TEDx Talk on creative problem-solving.
Using examples from three different film projects, I talked about thinking on your feet, adapting to change, and improvising solutions—valuable skills in any era, especially our digital age. It’s not just about mastering the gear, I tell my students. It’s about releasing your creativity. The ability to acquire and propagate images with ease doesn’t make you a Spielberg, any more than learning to write turns you into Shakespeare. But creativity, inquisitiveness, and collaboration will never go out of style.
TEDx programs are independently organized TED-like events.
My TEDx Talk: Problem-Solving and Adaptation in a Digital World Read More »
Rock musician Chuck Prophet has released a new video, Part I of his musical tour of San Francisco.
The video features scenes of Chuck playing cuts from his new Temple Beautiful album and chatting about songs inspired by various iconic settings in the City by the Bay.
“If ever Cain and Abel went into business together, it would probably be something like the O’Farrell Theater,” he says in front of the Mitchell Brothers’ porn paradise.
New Video from Rocker Chuck Prophet: ‘Temple Beautiful’ Tour of San Francisco Read More »