From Page to Stage—Angst to Bliss in < 48 Hours

By Bella Mahaya Carter

My chest tightened as I listened to fellow cast members perform their stories two days before the show. What am I doing among award-winning storytellers? I wondered. Must I follow a Moth GrandSLAM Champion and share a stage with professional actors?

I’m a writer, not a thespian. I’d planned to read a carefully crafted true story. An earlier version had been published in a literary journal. The director said, “No need to memorize, but definitely be familiar enough ...