Hero

 




This blog is going to be my attempt to get you to fall in love with Kevin Kling. He is my hero. My literary idol. Not to say there aren’t others, but his is the voice that speaks to my cold midwestern heart, in a joyful voice. Those of you that know him already, and know that thick Minnesota twang that he speaks with, may be saying, “really? That voice? Specifically?” and my wholehearted response would be, “Oh gosh, ya, fer sure. Definitely. 100 percent. You bet.”

A gal can't give much higher praise than that really.

So first - a little journey. Welcome to my lecture on why Kevin Kling is storyteller legend, and why storytellers matter. It's a long road, but I'll cite my sources, and you can choose how long you want to stay on the tour. To start watch this video that will give you a great overall intro into who he is and what he does. Pause here. Watch the video. When it's over, if you wish to learn more, which I am confident you will, because he's just that compelling! I shall take you on a further tour. So come on back. It's worth it I think.

Chapter One: Meet Kevin.

This video is 8 minutes and change. It gives you a great intro into who he is and what he does. If this is all you watch, I am happy. I feel like this is an 8 minute story worth watching; he truly is a treasure. 

Still here? Curious for more? 

Chapter Two: I meet Kevin.

My digital scrapbook begins with this: 21A

In middle school I wanted to be a theater kid so bad. The fundamentalist religion of my parents forbade any kind of afterschool activity that wasn’t knocking on doors, but I was nothing if not charismatic as a child, so I worked my audience; namely my parents. My dad was a school teacher. He knew these teachers who led the theater program as co-workers, and also that childhood psychology bore out that extracurricular activities could be healthy. Then there was my mom. She was a small town girl starved for art culture. They really didn’t even know what hit them. I played the card that being on stage would prepare me to knock on doors and talk to strangers about Jehovah A peace accord was quickly reached. I could try out for the one-act play in middle school, but it was not to interfere with going to church two nights a week, and knocking on doors Saturday and church on Sunday. DEAL!

I sometimes wonder now if they were pushovers in this regard because Jenny had died. For all the things she would miss out on, what was the harm in our kid trying out. She might not even get a part. 

I tried out, and the play we did was 21A. That was my first exposure to Kevin Kling. I’m in 8th grade. It’s 1993. I love the Smashing Pumpkins, and I am going to channel the unfortunate perm my mom gave me in 3rd grade and the bullying Orphan Annie trauma into my future career on Broadway! Just kidding…I didn’t really want that, I was a quiet nerd who was shy as hell. I was just really hormonal and wanted to read poetry and seem smart and get a boy to like me. Swoon. Jane Austen. Oscar Wilde. I've read Keats and I'm only 13. I am deep, I tell - DEEP!! Also words are pretty. And if I can read someone else's then it's easy. And the room is dark. It's not so scary at all actually.

I play Gladys. It's a one-man show, but our theater teacher re-cuts it so each person is a part. It's amazing. I love every minute of it. But rehearsals are every night after school. And I have to miss Tuesday and Thursday because church. So no one really want's to cast the kid who only shows up for like 65% of rehearsals? My career on the stage is short lived. 

Fast forward – I am in college. I am re-introduced to Kevin Kling by still secretly wanting to be a theater nerd in Minneapolis. He’s on NPR on that show my parents listen to. I listen too, and I really like him. He’s funny and reminds me of funny uncles, and oh yeah, he did that one-man play as a show…that one I was in…in 8th grade. He's on the news every once and a while, mostly channel 2, a.k.a PBS. And I still love what he says. He's talking about my childhood. He's talking about my relatives. I've eaten those hot dishes! I've been to that State Fair! I love that his stories bring me in with a "Oh yah, I relate."

I check out his books, I listen to his CD’s. His stories fill me with nostalgia for my family, but also a deep love for the quirky part of the country that I live in that I love so much. He's talking about towns I've been to. He knows my neighbors. He describes the churches, bars, VFW's I grew up around.

Here is one of my favorite pieces of his: Beaver in a Box
I am pretty sure I have drank at this bar, and met Whispering Jesus and Scotty. Great folks. It's a five minute story. It quintessential Kevin, and I love it. 

Chapter Three: No I really meet Kevin.


Fast forward again. I am having my first midlife crisis in my late-thirties. The Trump presidency is on the horizon, so lord knows I was feeling desperate for connection and meaning and signs that things would be ok, so yeah - Yoga and Writing sounded real good. (I am sure I'll have more...mid-life crises that is, not Trump presidencies...I hope.) I find out about this Writing and Yoga workshop somehow, someway? Maybe on Facebook? I am a foundling in the yoga world at best at this point, (and still am to a large extent) so that's not the pull. The main attraction for me is that one of the three people leading the three day event is Kevin Kling. Oh man.

I am a shy nerd. This is not my jam. Talking to new people? In a place I've never been? Oh god, where is the parking? What if there is no parking?! *Breathes into paper bag* I'm going to be doing yoga in front of strangers? On purpose? Oh god...why is everything going dark...

But I challenged myself. I wanted to go so badly. I fancy myself more a writer than a theater nerd. Go Joanna. Write something. At the very least you'll meet an idol, hear some of his amazing stories in person and maybe come out with a decent idea for a blog.

I never did end up writing about the workshop experience itself. Suffice to say, life changing for many reasons. So many connections made in myself and in the others who were in the class, seriously the best non-therapy therapy I've ever done. Anyway - here is the by-product of that retreat. It's small, but is still the truest thing I've ever written and I love it, and I am proud of it.
Wobegon Girl: Prairie Keeper 

References:

For more of Kevin's work that is utterly amazing I highly recommend any of his books, or CD's, heck - just check out some of his spoken word stuff on youtube.

In particular I would draw your attention to these:

For Advanced Study:


Epilogue:

In conclusion, if you get the chance to meet your heroes do it. Do the thing that scares you. Tell your story as only you can. It's the only way any of this makes sense, any of this thing we call life, and brings us connection and healing.

I hope this inspires you to think about your own story. Your internal and external stories and what they mean on your journey home.





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