Night of Songs and Stories

The second Tuesday of each month, the Rehoboth Beach Writers’ Guild sponsors a Night of Songs and Stories. The evening features original readings (300 words or fewer) by guild members and music by local musicians, Stuart Vining & Amy Felker.

Each month a theme is posted (previous examples include “addiction and obsession” “blue or blues” and “letters” ) and both the writers and musicians write/perform pieces that in some way connect to this theme. A variation of this is when the featured musicians post the titles of five songs that they will perform, with readers signing up to write a short poem, essay, or story that somehow incorporates the song’s title or lyrics into their piece. For example, the Simon and Garfunkle song “The Boxer” prompted one writer to recall a story of his father, who boxed, and another writer to recall the time her husband met—and shook hands with—Muhammad Ali.

​Themes are announced one month prior to the event. Readers can sign up by emailing Maribeth at
fischer.maribeth@gmail.com and are accepted on a first-come-first serve basis.
Next Night of Songs and Stories
Aug 14 (Second Tue of the month)
Fish On, Villages of Five Points, Lewes
7-8:15 p.m.
Cover charge at door: $5 members; $7 non-members
Theme:  Unintended Consequences (no politics or religion please) 
​Music By: Amy & Stuart
Make a Reservation
RSVPs a must. Email Maribeth at 
fischer.maribeth@gmail.com to reserve your space(s). Please be sure to notify her if you need to cancel so those on the waitlist may attend. 
New Process Starting with September Reading
(You will have two weeks to let Maribeth know if you would like to read)

It thrills us that the number of writers who would like to read in response to our monthly theme continues to grow. To enable new writers and seasoned pros to consider and perhaps draft their work before committing to read, we have created a new process that we will implement for the Sep reading:
  1. We will continue to announce the theme for the next month the first Saturday after Night of Songs and Stories.
  2. Writers will continue to email Maribeth at fischer.maribeth@gmail.com if they would like to read.
  3. Rather than first come, first serve, we will collect the names of writers who would like to read for two weeks. For Sep, that will be until Sep 1st.
  4. We will give slots to new readers and those who have not read in the past year—as we have been doing for several months.
  5. For the remaining slots, we will draw names from a hat and notify those chosen to read.
  6. We encourage everyone who may want to read to start writing when the theme is posted as that is what prompts are all about—inspiring as many writers to write as possible—whether or not they read at an event.
We hope this process makes it easier for everyone to participate in writing to the monthly prompt, and in reading to our wonderfully appreciative audience.
​August Event Sponsored by​
Guild Member Linda Federman
and Evan Federman
  in recognition of the
Cape Henlopen Food Basket
 and their efforts to help meet the emergency needs of families in our community. Please bring a non perishable (canned or dried) food item to donate to the pantry.
Sponsoring
​A Night of Songs and Stories
Sponsor a Night of Songs and Stories for $250. This covers most of the costs for the musicians and our sound guy, so it’s enormously helpful and we are very appreciative.
 
In return for the sponsorship we will put a blurb in our weekly email (sent to more than 580 people), on our website, on Facebook and on the program the day of the event naming the sponsors as well as what or who they are honoring with the sponsorship. Some have sponsored in honor and support of the Guild, as a way to celebrate a birthday or an anniversary, or promote a business. Others have sponsored as a way to promote a charity or organization that matters. Our only request is that religion and politics not be a part of these events.
 
At the reading, Maribeth will publicly thank the sponsor. Sponsors may place a brochure or flyer or single sheet of information at each place setting.

Sponsors do still pay the cover fee at the door for themselves and guests. While we do everything we can to accommodate the sponsor and make them not only feel special but know how grateful we are, we don’t change the reading or the actual show beyond giving the sponsors who are Guild members the opportunity to read at that event and the opportunity to go either first or last in the line-up. Sponsors still need to RSVP for guests and if the event is full, we’ll move those guests to the top of the wait list, but can’t promise a seat, so it is best to let Maribeth know about your plan to sponsor as far in advance as possible. 

Contact Maribeth at fischer.maribeth@gmail.com to sponsor a Night of Songs and Stories.