STORIES
Angela shares stories through 3 distinct yet intertwined storylines:
My last day in the office as Executive Assistant to New Rochelle Mayor Noam Bramson will be Friday, Dec. 22nd. This has been the longest commitment of my professional life — a mid-life career change that I never anticipated would last seventeen years — and I will be forever grateful to Noam for giving me the opportunity to work alongside him. It has been an honor and privilege to serve the people of New Rochelle, where Tom and I raised our family, and a place that I will always consider my community.
In terms of “what’s next” for me, I am taking some time off in early 2024 for some much needed R&R and then spending the rest of the year pursuing my passions: writing, yoga and travel with keytothecastleworkshop.com and working on completing my full first draft manuscript, and the script to a corresponding one-woman-show by the end of 2024. There. I have put it out into the universe, and will be looking to all of you to keep me accountable throughout the new year 🙂
And, I will continue to use my storytelling platform to support my advocacy for those causes that are important to me. To that end, I hope you will find the time to watch this video clip from the documentary Surviving Voices about my experience as and AIDS Memorial Quilt panel maker in memory of my brother, Peter:
The Moth StorySlam – Theme: Traditions – at ArtsFest!
A huge thank you to all at The Moth, The New Rochelle Council on the Arts, Trinity St. Paul’s Parish, the close to two hundred fifty members of the audience, my amazing band of volunteers, and the brave storytellers who threw their names into the hat! By all accounts the evening was a huge success and I cannot thank you all enough for making my dream come true – to share the magic of storytelling on such a grand scale with the community I cherish, the city of New Rochelle. As my tenure working alongside the city’s mayor for the past seventeen years winds down, let me also take this opportunity to thank Mayor Noam Bramson for his support of my goal to bring The Moth to New Rochelle.
And, speaking of the end of this administration being near, I will be attending the NRDCC November 15th dinner honoring Mayor Bramson.
The Moth is a not-for-profit storytelling organization that has been around for 25 years. I have been on the Moth Mainstage with this story which was later featured on NPR.
And I had convinced The Moth to come to New Rochelle 🙂
Living my mission: “To help create a better social condition through my involvement in the arts, education and volunteerism.” (a mission I formulated while in Leadership Westchester, a program from which I graduated in 2009 and one which I very highly recommend). Learn more here.
All About the Arts Podcast
The Moth StorySlam – Theme: Envy
I didn’t win the StorySlam but was lucky to get my name picked to tell a story on the theme ENVY at the Moth StorySlam at the fabulous Midnight Theater in NYC. And, by the way, The Moth is coming to New Rochelle to help kick-off ArtsFest with a StorySlam at the historic Trinity St. Paul Church Parish Hall. The theme will be TRADITIONS. I hope to see you there. Save the date: Thursday, October 19th. Tickets go on sale two weeks prior.
Angela was a featured storyteller in June at Q.E.D.
On June 18th, Angela was a featured story teller with “New Tricks” telling her story “The Banana Man” on the Q.E.D. stage.
Writers Read at City Winery
Angela was be a featured storyteller with Writers Read at City Winery located at West Side Highway at 15th Street (right next to the Little Island) in NYC on Saturday, May 13, 2023. Angela told her story “Mom’s Big Move” in memory and in honor of Glo-girl.
2 Truths and a Lie
I was super excited to be a storyteller for 2 Truths and Lie on March 4th! There were 2 rounds with 3 storytellers in each round. 2 of the stories are true and one is a lie! At the end of each round, the audience has to guess who the liar is. Tickets sales were to benefit the Innocence Project.
Generation Women – Wild At Heart: Stories of Bold Moves and Big Choices
I was a featured storyteller with Generation Women on Friday, Feb. 3rd at Joe’s Pub 425 Lafayette St, New York, NY. The theme is Wild At Heart: Stories of Bold Moves and Big Choices.
StoryBOOM! Love is in the Air
I was a featured storyteller with StoryBOOM! on Sunday, Feb. 5th at North Street Tavern in White Plains. The theme is Love is in the Air. My story was Dinner & a Movie, the story of mine and Tom’s long distance romance before celebrating 26 years of marriage on February 1st! Tom was my guest in the audience and he had no idea I was telling that story – it was my Anniversary surprise 🙂
StoryBOOM! at Little Drunken Chef
Making new friends at Little Drunken Chef in White Plains as an open mic storyteller at StoryBOOM! on December 4th, 2022.
Key to the Castle Workshop Info Session
The next Key to the Castle Workshop info-session will be via Zoom on Monday, December 12th at 7pm. to register email me at: keytothecastleworkshop@gmail.com
Tales of Tradition Interrupted
Last month I had the pleasure of participating in the Tales of Tradition Interrupted event at the Katonah Museum of Art.
I told a story from my Just a Waitress series, Christmas 1979, which references the now somewhat famous Lasagne that was served at my grandmother’s NYC restaurant. You can see the story here and find the recipe for the lasagne below.
Lunch with the Mayor
Video credit: Barbara Occhino
Angela was back in Westchester for a storytelling event on July 14th with WRITES & BITES at the Rye Free Reading Room. The evening began with wine & nibbles while mingling with the storytellers. Theme for the evening was Good Boss/Bad Boss – Old Boss/New Boss and the title of Angela’s story is “Lunch with the Mayor”. Listen and watch to get the answer to your long standing question, “How did you get that job?”
Every Family’s Got One
Pre-show photo with my amazing storytelling cast mates: from top left: Ax Norman, EFGO co-founder Barbara Herel, Tony Mennuto, Kim Como and from bottom left: Johanne Pelletier, Me, Sandi Marx, Ronna Levy. Photo credit: Neil Kramer Photography. Our stories will eventually be available for listening on the EFGO podcast. Please keep an eye (and both ears!) out here: everyfamilysgotone.com
Angela performed “Finding Yia Yia: A Greek Tragedy” with Every Family’s Got One (A Story That is) at the Southampton Cultural Center, Saturday, June 25th.
Peter’s Quilt
June 12th, 2022 would have been Peter’s 78th birthday. Here is his quilt panel making team at Golden Gate Park at the 35th Quilt anniversary display just after having a birthday picnic. Please go here: aidsmemorial.org/quilt to learn more about the ongoing advocacy and activism behind the Quilt and please consider making a donation in memory of my brother, Peter Zullo. In the photo are: on the left – Bill Simpich and Queenie, Ann Wettrich, Regan Nadelberg. And on the right – Me, Genevieve (Genny) Buehler, Alicia Dougherty-Wold. Not in the photo but definitely there in spirit having left her earthly body at the very end of last year is Gwenyth Rosemaydance Dietrich, and of course, My brother Peter Zullo. Photo credit: Brenda Hailey
This past Memorial Day, Monday, May 30th, marked the 22nd Anniversary of my brother, Peter’s death. For twenty years after his death, I dreamed of creating a panel for the AIDS Memorial Quilt in his memory. My dream came true during the 2020 Covid-19 shutdown wherein I spent many days on Zoom with a small group of Peter’s friends discussing and designing a quilt panel. And now, that panel is officially a part of the AIDS Memorial Quilt, to be displayed for the very first time, as part of the Quilt’s 35th Anniversary display, in San Francisco – Peter’s home for 30 years and his final resting place – over the weekend of June 11th & 12th – which would have been Peter’s 78th birthday. Of course I am going to be there! And, I will be part of the ceremony as an “unfolder.”
In memory of Peter, and in celebration of Pride Month, I hope you will take a few minutes to view my 5 minute story, “From AIDS to Ashes“, from my 2017 debut with Read650.
StoryBOOM!
Angela Derecas Taylor was live at StoryBOOM! on Sunday, May 15, 2022. The event took place on Salsa Picante’s rooftop lounge in White Plains, NY. The theme of the night was Mothers & Fathers.
NRCA Talent Showcase
Angela D. Talor was at the NRCA Talent Showcase on March 20th where she will performed Envy: An original story written and performed by Angela Derecas Taylor, a reprisal from her March 9th debut with Generation Women, representing Team 60’s on the theme Unlady-like Behavior.
Generation Women Live
On Wednesday March 9 I took the stage @Generation_Women LIVE. The show was a unique, multigenerational literary salon, and I shared an original story on the theme “Break the Bias: Unladylike Behavior”.
MY Story on the Moth Radio Hour
Thanks to all who tuned in this past week to hear my story “Finding YiaYia: A Greek Tragedy,” on The Moth Radio Hour.
If you missed it on the radio, you can listen on demand here at your leisure. I am one of 4 storytellers on the broadcast. My intro and segment begins at 20:00 and ends at 35:00 with a mention of my support of My Sisters’ Place, NY, a not-for-profit organization that provides housing and other vital services to victims of domestic violence.
I hope you will please consider a donation to mspny.org in memory of my grandmother, Maria Anastasiou Derecas.
“Finding YiaYia: A Greek Tragedy”
“The Turkey Shoot”
“Angelina’s”
“From AIDS to Ashes”
Reprising Crazy Joe at IAWA
It’s been awhile since I publicly read my short story “Crazy Joe” but the Italian American Writers Association 2nd Saturday open mic event at the Sidewalk Cafe on October 13th seemed like a good time to share how I learned to play Black Jack from Crazy Joe Gallo.