REAL PEOPLE REAL STORIES (RPRS), a pillar of Ancram Center for the Arts’ seasonal programming, returns to the theater’s mainstage Saturday Nov. 21 at 3pm. For a decade, this twice-a-year series has coaxed community members into sharing true stories in front of a room full of strangers – live, and without notes. “Our goal is to illuminate the stories that reflect the lived experience of our community, and to deepen connections through the power of personal storytelling,” said Paul Ricciardi, Co-director of the Ancram Center and developer of RPRS.
The 2026 Fall Edition of RPRS will feature these three area residents:
Frédérique Abramovici, a resident of Ancram, will recount the unexpected moments of connection she made while swimming at Jacob Riis Park Beach on a scorching July day in 1972.
Carol Morley of Castleton-on-Hudson read a newspaper notice for a photo exhibit in 2007. Her story is about how remembering that old newspaper notice opened up possibilities for happiness during the 2020 Covid lockdown and changed her plans for the future.
Ancramdale’s Marty Schwartz will share the very unique challenge he faced while growing his business.
The storytellers have participated in Ancram Center’s free storytelling workshops, developing and shaping their stories for the stage with guidance from program director Paul Ricciardi and lead teaching artist Sarah Katan.
The success of the RPRS program has extended beyond the walls of the Ancram Center into local educational institutions such as Taconic Hills Central School and the Webutuck School District. Teachers report that the program has had a remarkable impact on students’ literacy development: shy students become more comfortable speaking in front of peers, those who struggle with writing find success, and students who have previously excelled find a deepened joy in the art of creating a personal narrative. Senior teaching artist Katan said, “On the first day of the program, we were discussing why storytelling is important and a Webutuck 5th grader said, ‘No one can narrate your own story better than you.’”
“The thing I’m proudest about with REAL PEOPLE REAL STORIES,” said Ricciardi, “is watching the satisfaction people get from experiencing something in community with others. Storytelling is a collective experience, whether you are the person telling the story or listening to the story. At a time when people are digitally connected but may feel emotionally disconnected, the simple act of telling stories brings people together and reminds us what it means to be truly human.”
The performance is at 3pm. Tickets are available at ancramcenter.org. Ancram Center for the Arts is located at 1330 County Route 7, Ancram NY, 12502.
Ancram Center for the Arts is an award-winning theater located in New York’s Hudson Valley. Housed in an historic Grange Hall, Ancram Center is dedicated to presenting risk-taking productions and new work by nationally recognized theater artists in an intimate performance space. For tickets and more information visit www.ancramcenter.org.