When I sat down with Ryan Webster, I didn’t know what kind of introspective, philosophical banter I was getting into. Our conversation weaved over and under topics of learning, listening, culture, travel, and growth.

Ryan has risen to a bit of self-proclaimed celebrity status in his day-to-day—with over 10 years working at the Wisconsin Athletic Club, the members know him by name. He’s also taken on teaching meditation classes there; Ryan says meditation is a big part of who he is and has helped him discovered his sense of self and has led to finding peace in his daily life.

His passport is decorated with a diverse set of stamps: Tanzania, Korea, and Myanmar, to name a few. Long ago, he joined the PeaceCorps as a teacher in a rural African village. Years later, he taught English at a Buddhist monastery in Myanmar. These experiences allowed Ryan to build understanding of culture differences and communication cross vast diversity.

Ryan has has been on a 15-20 year journey “trying to be comfortable in the spotlight.” Along the way, he became an actor, an improviser at Comedy Sportz, and a musician, singing and performing 60s and 70s songs on his acoustic guitar for crowds in the Milwaukee area. Some of that growth in the spotlight has come from engagement with Ex Fabula. Ryan can frequently be found out and about in the crowd, chatting up the audience and peddling UltraShorts. He’s been in our community since 2016 and doesn’t see an end in sight.

MC: Do you remember telling your first story at Ex Fabula?

RW: Oh, definitely. I almost didn’t put my name in the hat. It was at the Times Cinema [with the theme ‘Forgotten’]. I ended up winning!

Ryan recalls the audience laughing so hard. Once nervous to be front and center on stage, Ryan developed some skills to overcome that. For example, he’s learned to focus on specific faces in the crowd; it helps keep him calm and comforted.

MC: What have you learned from being an Ex Fab volunteer?

RW: I learned a lot about myself. I learned what my strengths are, this is what I do on earth, I’m able to fully embody that as an UltraShorts volunteer.

Now, you might wonder how someone can get all that from handing out tiny sheets of paper for the audience to write their stories, but Ryan digs even deeper. He sees the value and an opportunity in the role to connect with community.

MC: What do you enjoy about being a volunteer with Ex Fabula?

RW: Doing the UltraShorts role. I like to say I’m gonna go warm up the crowd. It’s not just handing out papers for me; I like to take time to connect with people before the event begins, piece of paper is a gateway for connection. I like seeing how the crowd reacts. They already have a magical moment with me before the show begins. They also are able to recognize me time after time and those interactions make Ex Fabula memorable for them.

MC: What advice do you have for someone who wants to get involved in storytelling?

RW: It’s amazing to watch others get on stage and do that. [My advice is to] take tiny steps that are more manageable for you.

See here what others have to say about Ryan:

“I met Ryan at my first volunteer event with Ex Fabula. His warm smile and distinctive clap solidified our friendship. Ryan is simply the best!”

“Ryan and I go way back.  We’ve been on the stage together at more than one event.  Like me, he caught the storytelling bug and can’t walk away.  He’ll always be there.”

“I see Ryan as an example of calm waters running deep. He seems quiet, but there’s so much going on. Ryan has lived a life full of brave choices that have resulted in remarkable stories, which he’s generous to share.”

“Ryan always greets everyone with a smile and invitation to participate through UltraShorts. He is always working the audience in a positive and unobtrusive way, so he generates lots of US responses. And he is much fun to work with.”

We are so lucky to have Ryan in the Ex Fabula community. Look for him in the audience next time you want to share an UltraShort! Cheers to Ryan!