LOCAL

Join Southwest Florida Storytellers Project and share your love story on a Naples stage

Ashley Collins
Naples

Who doesn't love a good love story?

It's always exciting and isn't short on drama. 

Look at Romeo and Juliet. Jack and Rose. Danny and Sandy. Darcy and Elizabeth. OK, maybe some of those fictional relationships end tragically, but you get the idea. 

Scenes from the Southwest Florida Storytellers Project on Thursday at the Sidney and Berne Davis Art Center in downtown Fort Myers. "Tattoo Tales" was presented by The News-Press and The Naples Daily News. Go to news-press.com to watch videos of the stories.

Stories about romantic love are timeless. 

We at the Naples Daily News love writing love stories. Whether it's about an elderly husband and wife whose love has spanned decades or a young couple tying the knot. 

Old love:After two strokes, Naples man perseveres to dance on his 87th birthday

Young love:Young and in love: Catching up with couple who got engaged at Marco Marriott last year

Frank Montemurro met Sandi Badash for the first time 27 years back on a dancefloor. "She was perfect," he said. "She was intelligent and she loved to dance." Montemurro remembers dancing several nights away with Badash, falling in love with each step. Nearly two decades and two strokes later, all Montemurro wants to do is to continue to dance with her.

But love is hard work. And not always as extravagant as it's often portrayed in movies. 

And there are many types of love.

Between a man and a woman. An African-American woman and a Caucasian man. Two women or two men. A long-distance couple. 

And often times love starts off unconventionally. Maybe you met your significant other via an online dating app or on a blind date. 

Related:Storytellers Project returns with ‘Hurricane Stories’ in Cape Coral

Related:Storytellers Project: Restaurant pros tell of learning, connecting 'Behind the Kitchen Door'

Collier resident Taylor Sanders, winner of the opening season of the Food Network's "Kids BBQ Championship," speaks during the inaugural Storytellers Project event, put together by the Naples Daily News.

Whatever your love story is, we want to hear it. 

This 2018-19 season, Naples Daily News is joining News-Press in Fort Myers to organize and host Southwest Florida Storytellers Project nights at beautiful venues in Naples, Fort Myers and Cape Coral. 

News-Press began the season early October with locals sharing their "Hurricane Stories" at the Cape Coral Yacht Club.

Come January, Naples is hosting a "Modern Love" themed night at Naples Botanical Garden. 

Other Storytellers Project nights lined up this season include themes like "The Great Outdoors" and a reprise of last season’s popular "Tattoo Tales" and "Food & Family."

Angela Page shares the story behind her tattoo on Thursday at the Southwest Florida Storytellers Project at the Sidney and Berne Davis Art Center in downtown Fort Myers. "Tattoo Tales" was presented by The News-Press and The Naples Daily News. Go to news-press.com to watch video of Page's story and others.

As modern love is our next theme, we want to hear from you lovebirds.

  • If you have a love story, please send an email to our regional features editor Dave Osborn; dave.osborn@naplesnews.com. You can also submit a form at www.storytellersproject.com/naples/speak/. Be sure to select Naples as the city.

Dave and our storytelling coaches will listen to your story and get you stage-ready by January. 

What is Storytellers Project?

The Southwest Florida Storytellers Project combines oral storytelling with our journalism in a creative way to connect with the Southwest Florida community. Our mission is to serve and reflect the passions of our audiences in a unique way through a series of themed storytelling nights.

The Southwest Florida series is part of the national The Storytellers Project, which started in 2011 at Phoenix newspaper The Arizona Republic. Since then, the program has spread across the country to other USA Today Network news organizations in Nashville, Cincinnati, Indianapolis and elsewhere.

Check out videos of past storytellers nights by visiting www.storytellersproject.com/fort-myers/. 

IF YOU GO

What: Southwest Florida Storytellers Project — "Modern Love"
When: 7-8:30 p.m., Wednesday Jan. 30. Doors open at 6 p.m.
Where: Naples Botanical Garden, 4820 Bayshore Dr.
Cost: $15 per ticket; $8 for students and military veterans. Light refreshments will be offered
Tickets: tickets.naplesnews.com/

News-Press arts and entertainment reporter Charles Runnells contributed to this story.