How important is a storyteller?

when listening to a story, are we listening to the words? Are we listening to the tone of the story? or are we listening to the way in which the story is told. We experimented with this during our lesson. Listening to the story of "the 12 sisters" I realised that the storyteller is the most important part of a story. Molly contrasted two different types of storytelling when reading this short story to us, she spoke in a relaxed format, then all of a sudden, changed to a more strict and decisive tone. The way in which I was listening to the story completely changed as Molly changed. This made me think about how important my role is in devising theatre for a community. How should i go about presenting my ideas? Is it important to know your community in depth before creating a piece of theatre for them; particularly when talking about cardboard citizens, (a company completely led by those who have experienced aspects of homelessness.) Do i have the right to create a piece of theatre for the homeless if i have never experienced homelessness? Will i stereotype and come across as patronising or will i be able to create a piece of theatre that is appreciated by such a community?