Glow in the dark shoes.
“The shoes always tell the story,” said the shoe poet.
“Not always,” I countered.
“Yes, always. Your boots, they are expensive, well-made. That tells me you come from a wealthy family. But the style is one meant for an older woman. That tells me they probably belong to your mother. A mother sacrificed her boots for her daughter. That tells me you are loved, my dear. And your mother is not here, so that tells me you are sad, my dear. The shoes tell the story.”
― Ruta Sepetys, Salt to the Sea
What story do your shoes tell?
Your shoes are more than footwear—they are witnesses to your life. A walk across a desert, a climb up a mountain, a reflective journey inward—each pair holds a story of tough decisions, intense emotions, vivid scenes, and moments of truth.
At THE bEAR, we invite you to let your shoes take center stage in an evening of storytelling. Whether you're an audience member with a story scribbled on an anonymous slip of paper or a storyteller daring to throw your name in the hat, we welcome tales that feature a shoe—or two.
Got a story? Step onto our stage and share it!
Want feedback before the spotlight? Send your audio, video, or script to hello@thebear-storytelling.de and we’ll help you prepare.
What to Expect
For newcomers to THE bEAR, prepare for a warm, cozy atmosphere where live music, lively interaction, and heartfelt stories set the tone. Whether you’re sharing or simply listening, you’ll leave more connected through the shared magic of human experience.
“Go there and find out the magic of storytelling: it’s about you. And you. And you.”
—Vincent Wibier, story listener
At the end of the evening, the audience will vote for their Favorite Story. The winning storyteller will earn a spot at our Eve of the Champs in June 2025.
Shoes tell the story.
What’s yours?
Bring an extra shoe on December 6th for a special surprise.
DATE: Friday, 6. December at 8 pm
VENUE: Theatersaal in ZENTRUM | Danziger Straße 50 | 10435 Berlin
HOST: Wendy Husser
MUSIC: James Harper
TICKET DONATION: 12,50 (all proceeds pay for this event to happen, as well as the True Stories Berlin podcast)
First time on stage at THE bEAR storyteller Veronica Louis; Video still from Michael Rost
Show Host
WENDY HUSSER
Wendy Husser on stage at THE bEAR “Eve of the Champs”; photo: Emmi Mascher
is a native of Denver, Colorado who came to Germany in 1987 and landed in Berlin in 2008. She is a trainer for Business English, a coach for Public Speaking/Presentations and has been a moderator at events like TEDx Potsdam and the 1st International Urban Mobility Dialogue (Berlin 2017). Creating and holding space for the words and stories of others is at the heart of Wendy's work - a job and a CALLING done with devotion.
She is co-founded and regularly moderates True Stories Berlin podcast as well hosts the “live” storytelling shows at THE bEAR.
Say ‘hello’: weewall@gmail.com
Musician
JAMES HARPER
is the creator of award-nominated podcast Filter Stories, a show that uses our morning coffee as a lens to understand the world. His narratives explore history, science and sustainability, and he writes the piano music that underscore the stories.
His podcasts have been heard hundreds of thousands of times, and he has produced narrative podcasts for a wide array of clients, including Porsche (Driven Minds), Duolingo (Spanish Podcast), World Coffee Portal (5THWAVE), Specialty Coffee Association (World Coffee Championships), and others.
Growing up half Italian in Sydney, he’s lived in Hong Kong and Rome and began his career working for the Bank of England in 2009. However, his passion for coffee was simply too strong to resist, and in 2016 moved to Berlin to become The Barn Coffee Roaster’s Wholesale Manager, and then in early 2018 hopped on a flight to Guatemala to dive deeper into the world of specialty coffee as a documentary podcast producer.
When he is not traveling around the world, James generously accompanies storytellers at THE bEAR adding another delicious layer to our evening.
THE BEAR presents is made possible by the generous performances of our storytellers, our team of volunteers, and the “Verein zur Förderung der Kunst des biographischen Geschichtenerzählens e.V.” .
Special thanks to our partners Berlin Erleben on Youtube and the public speaking training company Moving Speaker.
Informative videos @ Berlin from 35-year experienced city guide Michael Rost.
Why just speak? Inspire! Training in storytelling & public speaking that moves listeners to action.
If you miss this show, you can have front row seats to beautiful stories made by THE bEAR with love on our bi-weekly podcast wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.
Stories connect us.
Because we all have stories to tell.
Please support our mission to bring compassion into our communities through the Art of Autobiographical Storytelling.
We thank you for your generosity.
Verein zur Förderung der Kunst des biographischen Geschichtenerzählens e.V.
IBAN: DE25 8306 5408 0005 2236 28
Or you can buy the team some cups of coffee for those long nights… Thank you.