From PRX, this is the Moth Radio Hour. I'm your host Jennifer Hickson.

In this hour, three storytellers with vastly different approaches to telling stories.

Each teller has their very own method for shaping, learning and presenting their stories.

As you've heard, there are no notes allowed on stage at the moth.

Our first story is by Dion Flynn.

Dion is a very funny and tender-hearted actor, teacher, and writer.

When he wrote to say, I think I have an idea for a story. I waited about zero minutes to give him a call because I truly delight in

hearing whatever he's up to. Dion works on his stories using something he calls a

story map. He does a lot of improv and linear memorization doesn't work for him.

His story map looks like streets in a village with words on each avenue and cul-de-sac.

When he tells, he careens and sometimes leaps from one street to the next.

The order of how his story unfolds is a little different each time.

In New Jersey, where we partnered with the South Orange Performing Arts Center,

here's Dion Flynn.

See, about six years ago, I got an email,

and it said, our mother is dying, it's complete strangers, our mother is dying and

we need Barack Obama to come to brighten up her deathbed.

I don't know Barack Obama.

I don't work for him.

But for 10 years I was a Barack Obama impersonator. So it made sense, you know, that they're writing to me.

He wasn't just out of the blue.

Anyway, so, yeah, I did Obama on the, you know,

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