The Bloom Stage & Storytelling

The Bloom Stage and Storytelling

Story is an important tradition that connects our communities, holds a mirror up to life lessons and helps chart where we are going. In our current golden age of storytelling, people are becoming more aware of how sharing their personal narratives function as a pathway to physically healing experiences and to achieving their goals. Stories elicit powerful emotional responses and are useful tools. Your story is your power!

The Bloom Stage offers quarterly events that bring a blend of storytelling, poetry, music, and art to the Murfreesboro stage. The series is produced by storyteller and personal coach Kara J. Kemp with assistance from poet and writer Kory Wells and partnership with Poetry in the Boro. This series celebrates the ability of art to honor both the diversity and commonality of human experience, and to satisfy a vital human need for connection. It seeks to present established and emerging storytellers, poets, performers and artists and to encourage unity among communities whose stories often go unheard. Each show presents a broad theme for artists to build upon, such as “Defibrillator” for a February Valentine’s show, “Cornbread and Casseroles” for Mother’s Day and “The Dog Days” for an August show on furry friends, summer’s end and school’s beginning. Live musicians weave the stories together throughout the series as well as visual artists on exhibit.

Don’t shrink. Bloom.

Next up!  The Bloom Stage presents “Winter Chill, Wonder & Awe ” December 5 at Walnut House in downtown historic Murfreesboro, TN.

Embracing all that winter represents, this edition of the Bloom Stage invites you to contemplate awe and wonder—and the subtleties between these related emotions—through storytelling, poetry, music, and art. From a field of frost flowers to a fireside toast, from a cozy kitchen to a bone-chilling bluff, from city sidewalks to the silent stars, rediscover a reverence for mystery and the warmth of connection. Co-produced with Jacqui Swift, join us as our performers summon winter’s breath and stir the timeless, the ordinary, and the remarkable into joy that flows like jazz—playful, profound, and sometimes unexpected- where every shared breath lingers like a tune and reminds us of our essential, collective spark.

Bloom Stage is a quarterly event curated by myself, with the invaluable assistance of Kory Wells, Poetry in the Boro, and other community arts leaders. Together, we’re dedicated to creating a space of connection and community through the arts. This show is made possible by a grant from the Tennessee Arts Commission and the support of Historic Rugby.

TELL YOUR STORY ON THE BLOOM STAGE

2025 Season show dates will be announced at our December 5 show!

Have a story to tell? The Bloom Stage is always in search of new storytellers. No experience required, just a great story and a willingness to collaborate. Performers have an option to work with a coach to be performance-ready.

Tell Your Story on The Bloom Stage

• Name*
  First Last
• Email*
• Artistic Genre*
  • Poetry
  • Story
  • Spoken Word
  • Visual
  • Art
  • Music
• The Pitch*
• CAPTCHA

SPONSOR THE BLOOM STAGE

Click on any poster for a link to a past production.

“True belonging requires meeting real people in real time in a real space. Story helps you find your real.” – Kara J. Kemp

Kara’s storytelling performances have also been crafted for energetic events such as United We Style benefiting United Way, The Ghostly Gathering in historic Rugby, Tennessee, The Moth Nashville and custom story workshops. Kittens on the Keys is a full-length production that resonates with audiences as “a unique mix….at once sophisticated and homespun” which explores the complexities and charm of growing up Southern and what we do with our past in order to shape our futures. Kara is available for customizing workshops or private coaching sessions to help tap into real power for simply sharing, performance or corporate presentations.