- And now introducing your host for the night.

Give it up for Mr.

Brendan Kennedy.

- Thank you so much.

How we doing?

Push comedy theater.

My name is Brendan Kennedy.

I'm gonna be your host for the evening and I am super duper excited for this show I have, I've hosted storytelling shows here in the past and I'm so glad to be doing it again.

I'm so glad to be working with WHRO.

This is gonna be so nerdy, but hanging a round of applause for public media.

- We wanted to plan events that celebrated those principles of community building, of belonging.

We kind of examined the climate, the political climate, the social climate, right?

And we wanted to plan an event that ultimately we could bring everybody together and celebrate our differences.

And we landed on storytelling because the shortest distance between two people is a story.

- I grew up not knowing my real dad.

The last name house was my stepdad's.

Why am I about to cry?

This is a good story.

- I come from a big, loud family and if you wanna be heard in my family, you better come with a story.

The highlight of the show is we're trying to bring a group from Ukraine to the tattoo and you can't get a military band 'cause all the men are fighting the war.

But we found this incredible group of young women that danced and drummed called the Ukrainian crazy drummers, and they reached out and they wanted to come, but they said, how in the world can we come?

There's no flights out of Ukraine.

US embassy's closed.

We can't get visa.

So I love telling stories.

I love listening to stories, and they come and they crush it and they're so welcome.

And they have a week to forget about the war.

There's some things I like to tell people and in the best way I know how to do it is through a story.

But I'm now the longest tenured producer, director of a military tattoo anywhere in the world.

And I found a home.

Who would've guessed it.

Thank you.

- Give it go guys.

Scott Jackson.

That was fantastic.

- So yeah, I was inspired by the idea of home.

Some days felt like a final notice.

Others like, welcome home.

- Another theme of the night is home.

This is my home.

- Home equals house plus love I felt at home.

I am already home.

And listening to the rain trickle down the gutter as we sip our Ethan T Arms storytelling, it kind of encapsulates the overall culture a lot since your first night away from your family home.

This type of environment where we can all come together and kind of share our stories is crucial to togetherness like community.

It is kind of more intimate and you get that real connection to know that although change is good soon enough, safety, routine and peace of mind will be all they will ever know.

Thank you.

- It was time to find foundational answers.

So I located my real dad.

I got his phone number and I know those stories.

I've heard where the kids reach out to the parents and it's a negative outcome.

So I simplified my intent.

I just wanted to hear his voice.

And so I dialed the number and he answered hello and I hung up on him.

He was an overwhelmed reaction, but I called back and we talked.

I told him about me, but I asked him more about himself and I couldn't absorb his information fast enough.

And when the call ended, I was satisfied.

He was kind, - He was kind, glancing at the world around me, filled me with gratitude and love.

We all have a story to tell.

We all have a history to our life.

And I think when you have your own story to tell, there's always something valuable that comes from that.

There's always something that other people can gain from that.

I felt whole and complete with an abundant overflowing cup.

Thank you.

Woo.

Thank you.

I value hearing other people's truths and authenticity and vulnerability.

- I am most surprised by the reaction of the audience when they hear people's stories - And we have children.

And when I had our first, our daughter, I made sure that when I would cuddle with her at night before laying her down in her crib to put her ear to my chest so she could hear the thump bump of my heart because I finally found a home in myself that was comfortable and complete becoming home for her.

- It's really growing storytelling in our region and I love that.

So I hope we can continue to keep this going.