(un)Told
A room full of stories. Yours included.
(un)Told is a monthly gathering built around a simple idea: everyone has a story worth telling, and storytelling is something you learn by being in the room.
This is a cross-cultural, come-as-you-are night of real, personal stories told live in ten minutes or less. No notes, no sets, no props, and no pressure to perform. Some people share. Many listen. All of it counts.
Listening is welcome
Many people just come to listen. There’s no expectation to share.
Sharing is arranged in advance
If you’d like to tell a story, contact Brad ahead of time so we can make sure it’s a good fit.
Everyday stories are valued
Your story doesn’t need to be polished. Ordinary moments often resonate the most.
Support is available
Story coaches are usually present. Coaching is available and informal.
Learning happens by listening
Even if you never tell a story, you’ll learn how storytelling works.
No judgement
The room listens, not critiques. Applause is encouragement, not evaluation.
What to expect
Fourth Sunday of each month at 7:00 PM EST
Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre
355 Cooper Street, Room 14
Join the room. Listening is welcome.
(un)Told is free to attend.
No tickets or seat reservations are required.
Note: (un)Told focuses on personal stories, not speeches, debates, or advocacy. If you’re unsure whether your story fits, Brad is happy to speak with you about it.
Event details
At (un)Told, you’re always free to tell the story you want to tell. There is no required theme or topic each month, your story can be funny, moving, messy, surprising, serious, or anything in between.
But sometimes the hardest part is figuring out where to begin. If you’re looking for a little inspiration, we’ve chosen an optional story prompt for each month. Use it, ignore it, interpret it loosely, or take it somewhere we never expected. It’s a starting point, not a rule.
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Tell us about a time you were brave, even if you didn’t feel brave at the time.
This could mean taking a stand, facing a fear, speaking up, making a difficult decision, or simply getting through something.
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Tell us about a time you got fooled, embarrassed, made a fool of yourself or somehow got the last laugh.
April gives you permission to go lighter. The source material specifically suggests stories about being fooled, embarrassed or laughing at yourself.
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Tell us about a choice that changed everything—or a small decision you had no idea would matter so much.
One of the stronger prompts in the material is about the small decisions that quietly change the direction of our lives.
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Tell us about a place you’ll never forget and the story of why it still matters to you.
A park bench, childhood bedroom, another country, a cottage, a street corner, somewhere you escaped to—or somewhere you never want to see again. The prompts include places tied to comfort, important conversations and major transitions.
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Tell us about an adventure where the plan went completely out the window.
Road trips, vacations, camping disasters, getting lost, unexpected detours the source material has plenty of summer-ready possibilities in this territory.
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Tell us about a moment you wish you could go back to not necessarily to change it, but just to experience it one more time.
A good end-of-summer prompt built around nostalgia and looking back; the source material repeatedly suggests memories, places and experiences that take on different meaning with time.
Thinking about telling a story?
Hosted by:
If you’re considering sharing a story and want to talk it through first, reach out to Brad. This isn’t an audition or a commitment - just a way to make sure (un)Told is the right fit for you and your story.
To help Brad understand what you’re thinking, include:
What your story is about (a sentence or two)
Why this story matters to you right now
Whether you’d like any support (optional)
Email Brad at: untold@ottawastorytellers.ca
un)Told is hosted by Brad Denys
(un)Told Story Prompts
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Tell us about a teacher, mentor, or unexpected person who taught you something you’ve never forgotten.
A natural back-to-school prompt, and the source material has several variations on influential teachers and people who changed how we see ourselves.
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Tell us about something strange, spooky, unexplained, or a moment when you almost believed in magic.
October deserves something with a little mystery. The prompts include experiences with magic, the paranormal, and the unexplained.
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Tell us about a kindness you didn’t expect, or a time someone showed up for you when you needed it.
A chance to explore gratitude without making the month entirely about gratitude.
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Tell us about a family tradition, holiday memory, celebration, or the year everything went completely off the rails.
The source prompts include family traditions and holiday celebrations, but I’d keep the wording broad enough to welcome both warm memories and disasters.
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Tell us about a fresh start, a second chance, or a time you had to start over.
January is an obvious fit for beginnings, reinvention and the things we decide to change.
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Tell us about love: falling into it, falling out of it, friendship, heartbreak or a relationship you still don’t quite understand.
Romantic love certainly works, but this keeps February open to friendships and other relationships too.
(un)Told began in 2012 as a space for stories that don’t fit on a stage or into everyday conversation. Over time, it became clear that simply being in a room full of real stories is one of the most effective ways to learn storytelling. (un)Told exists to lower the barrier between listener and teller, remove the fear of not being “good enough,” and offer a welcoming place where people can discover their voice through shared experience.Why (un)Told exists
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