Themes of “Cohabitation” @ First Person StorySlams, Sept. 25th
Philadelphia Author Angel Hogan to host competitive storytelling series
WHEN: Tuesday, September 25th; doors open at 7:30 p.m., slam begins at 8:30 p.m.
WHERE: L'Etage; 6th & Bainbridge Streets, Philadelphia
ADMISSION: $5 admission, ages 21+. For more information, contact First Person Arts at (267) 402-2056 or www.firstpersonarts.org. For information about participating, email storyslams@firstpersonarts.org.
WHAT: On Tuesday, September 25th, First Person Arts’ wildly successful First Person StorySlams series returns with Philadelphia’s take on the theme of “Cohabitation.” Since April 2007, the monthly competitive storytelling series has captivated the city’s creative community, giving sold-out audiences a chance to tell and hear engaging real life stories. “Like TV's American Idol or So You Think You Can Dance, StorySlam turns a fun pastime into a tension-filled competition,” reports the Philadelphia City Paper. With only two slams remaining before November’s Grand Slam, the competition is heating up with storytellers vying for the last two spots to compete for the title of Philadelphia’s Best Storyteller.
Local Philadelphia writer and storyteller Angel Hogan will host the September Slam. Everyone with a true story and a little sense of competition is encouraged to participate. Storytellers are invited to interpret the theme as inventively as they’d like, sharing with the audience tales about live-in lovers, bad roommates or any real life experience that relates to the theme.
Previous slam competitor Ben Drinen took home the StorySlam Golden Ticket at the August slam with his poetic story springing from his experiences in social work. Other champion storytellers include R. Eric Thomas, who told a story with many twists and turns about coming to terms with coming out, Raeann Drew, who recounted a time in which she exploded beyond the "boiling point”, Kendra Gaeta, who disclosed how she appropriated a pair of undergarments from a certain My So Called Life starlet, and West Philadelphia resident Juliet Wayne, who recounted the bizarre occurrences on a new job.
Ten participants at each slam have the chance to step up to the mic and tell a story within a five minute time limit. Contestants are judged by their peers, and each month’s highest scorer wins an invitation to November’s Grand Slam, to compete for the title of Philadelphia’s Best Storyteller. The Grand Slam will be held during the sixth annual First Person Festival of memoir and documentary arts, November 7-11, 2007. To ensure admission and a chance to compete in the challenge, both participants and audience members are encouraged to arrive early.
First Person Arts is a nonprofit organization and producer of the annual First Person Festival and other programs that tap into the power of personal stories and speak to diverse audiences, including people whose voices are not often heard. First Person Arts is guided by the belief that the sharing of personal experience is a powerful way for people to celebrate uniqueness, bridge differences, and find common ground. For more information, please visit www.firstpersonarts.org.
First Person Arts StorySlams Events
Upcoming StorySlams Events
Tuesday, September 25; theme: Cohabitation
Tuesday, October 23; theme: Horror Stories
Saturday, November 10; GRAND SLAM – theme: “Musical Moments”
All StorySlams are held at L’Etage, 6th & Bainbridge Streets
Doors open at 7:30 p.m., slams begin at 8:30 p.m.
$5 admission, ages 21+
For more information, contact First Person Arts at (267) 402-2056 or www.firstpersonarts.org. For information about participating, email storyslams@firstpersonarts.org.
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