Exceptional “Hell Gate” Evening

What an unforgettable No, YOU Tell It! “Hell Gate” show!! Thank you to everyone for such an amazing evening of Hell Gate Bridge history, storytelling, art, poetry, and music.

Visit the show program here. Photo credit: Yui Kitamura

Podcast episodes featuring the live story swaps coming in October! 

Follow @noyoutellit and subscribe to the No, YOU Tell It! podcast on your preferred platform.

Special thank you to:
~Our storytellers, Alicia, Jackie, Mia, and Ashley, for sharing such beautiful stories and giving incredible performances.
~Everyone who came out to see the show!
~Grove 34 for the space to have such a special evening.
~Ashley, for creating your Hell Gate-inspired art and music to inspire us all.
~Greater Astoria Historical Society for teaching us so much about the history of Hell Gate and our neighborhoods.
~Bob Singleton for his poetry and insights into the history of Astoria.
~Natalia ‘Saw Lady’ Paruz for her special, beautiful *birthday* performance.
~Brooklyn Book Festival for including us as a Bookend Event once again.
~Flushing Town Hall, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, New York Foundation for the Arts, and New York State Council on the Arts for making this possible.
~Our amazing creative team, Erika, Kelly Jean, Chenda, and Tim, for everything to make this possible.

Stay tuned for more photos and clips from the show and to hear what we’re up to next season.

In the meantime, check out the full list of #bkbf Bookend Events and the main festival this weekend!

2024 Queens Art Fund Recipient

I’m excited to announce that No, YOU Tell It! is a 2024 Queens Arts Fund recipient!

This project-based grant will enable us to bring NYTI “Left My Heart” in partnership with the Greater Astoria Historical Society to Grove 34 in Astoria on June 5 and a second show in September.

Get your June tickets here.

Thank you to the New York Foundation for the Arts and New York City Department of Cultural Affairs for helping to support this work!

Click here for the full 2024 Queens Arts Fund award announcement.

Be sure to follow #QAF2024 for details on when and where you can experience the arts in Queens this calendar year!

Queens & Me: Personal Writing Workshop

Want to explore writing personal essays? Interested in learning more about Queens’ history? Do both!

Join our own Kelly Jean Fitzsimmons on April 17th (6:30-8 pm) at The Astoria Bookshop for a FREE workshop inspired by our May 2023 No, YOU Tell It! “Here & Gone” show. Space is limited. Click here to reserve your spot today.

Engage with this stunning piece by Astoria-based artist Yelena Tylkina depicting history highlights – Westinghouse Time CapsuleNorth BeachAstoria Pool Sentinels, and The First Photocopy – from the Greater Astoria Historical Society archives, and tell your story!

Get the Queens “Here & Gone” image and view more of Yelena’s artwork via Fine Art America.

Copies of the No, YOU Tell It! Ten-Year Anthology will be available at the workshop.

Unforgettable “Here & Gone” Show!

Thank you, Thank YOU to everyone one who came out to our No, YOU Tell It! “Here & Gone” show. It was a lovely evening that I won’t soon forget.

Left to right: Olena Jennings, Rosalie Chandler, Ellie Dvorkin Dunn, Lakshmi Gandhi, Dan Jessup. Photo by Sachyn Mital

Check out the show program here and more photos on our Facebook page.

SPECIAL THANKS to:

  • Our amazing storytellers for boldly sharing their words and embodying their partners’ stories.
  • Yelena Tylkina for her stunning Queens “Here & Gone” artwork.
  • Ellie Dvorkin Dunn for being the best host.
  • Grove 34 for the perfect venue.
  • The Greater Astoria Historical Society for partnering with us on this special theme.
  • Flushing Town Hall, the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, and New York Foundation for the Arts for your grants and support.
  • Sachyn Mital, for the photos!
  • The whole NYTI creative team for all your work behind the scenes.

I can’t think of a better way to have celebrated my birthday!!

Story coaches Pichchenda Bao, Tim Lindner, and me

Look! “Here & Gone” Program

Our Greater Astoria Historical Society team-up show hosted by Ellie Dvorkin Dunn is TONIGHT! In-person at Grove 34 ($10 tickets here!).

  • 7:00 – 7:30: *Reception featuring Queens “Here & Gone” artwork by Yelena Tylkina
  • 7:30 – 9:00: Switched-up Storytelling!

*Drinks and snacks available for purchase.

We’ll also be streaming the show LIVE from our Facebook page at 7:30 if you want to join virtually. 

TAKE A LOOK at tonight’s program to learn more.

Bonus Birthday Celebration for ME (and more)! With CAKE.