First Person Arts Blog

Phil Jackson will present a selection of photographs from of his life-long documentary of the people surrounding him in the subculture of skateboarding. As a child he was drawn to skating by its lack of rules and authority figures.  This attraction, combined with the fact that skateboarding is outlawed in almost every major city, has led to a scene made up of freethinking and often delinquent youth who have all learned to run from cops at an early age. Skateboarding served as a raw, bloody escape from the trite banality of a suburban upbringing. Having spent over half his life as a skateboarder, he has earned the respect of his peers and acquired the skills to chronicle the lifestyle that comes along with it.  His work illuminates an alternative way of life to that of mainstream America.  You can see more of his work here and hear from the man himself at the July 8th Salon!  (Buy tickets here, the fees are on us, so it’s just 8 bucks.)

He’ll be joined by these three artists, presenting unique projects of memoir and documentary art:

Poet Lynn Levin who will present a reading entitled For Better or For Verse, a series of reflections on 29 years of marriage. (More about Lynn Levin)

Writer Jeff Bender will read from his newest memoir writing, La Reforma. (Jeffbender.net)

Writer and Photographer Ellie Brown will share her collaborative work on a short-duration conceptual relationship. (sevendayrelationship.blogspot.com)

The Salon takes place at the Laurie Beechman Cabaret (601 S. Broad St. in the Philadelphia Arts Bank) on July 8th and runs from 7:30pm to 9:30pm.
Admission is $8, seating is limited, and we typically sell out.

Please buy your tickets in advance!

Here’s a hilarious story from Sean in which a pigeon comes in for a little mistreatment. It’s not the first time a pigeon has met an untimely end on the StorySlam stage…

Good stuff to put your long hot July out of its misery:

July 3rd: Storytelling exhibition at the Lincoln200 Celebration

July 8th: Salon at the Laurie Beechman Cabaret

July 15th: Extended deadline for our First Person America competition!

July 28th: StorySlam at L’Etage — “Against the Rules”

At the July 8th Salon, Poet, writer, and translator, Lynn Levin will give a spoken-word performance entitled For Better or for Verse: Poems, Comic, Romantic, Dramatic about her 29 year marriage.  Though not self-evidently love poems, they cover a spectrum of emotional tones – tart, comic, passionate, affectionate, anxious.

Levin is the author of three collections of poems, Fair Creatures of an Hour (2009), Imaginarium (2005), and A Few Questions about Paradise (2000), all published by Loonfeather Press. Imaginarium was a finalist for ForeWord Magazine’s Book of the Year Award. Lynn Levin’s poems have appeared in Ploughshares, Washington Square Review, 5 AM, and Boulevard. She teaches at the University of Pennsylvania and at Drexel University, where she also produces the award-winning TV show, The Drexel InterViewTM.

You can see Levin read on July 8th along with three other incredible memoir and documentary artists:

Photographer Phil Jackson will show work documenting his lifelong love of skateboarding and his engagement with its robust and creative subculture. (PhilJacksonPhoto.com)

Writer Jeff Bender will read from his newest memoir writing, La Reforma. (Jeffbender.net)

Writer and Photographer Ellie Brown will share her collaborative work on a short-duration conceptual relationship. (sevendayrelationship.blogspot.com)

The Salon takes place at the Laurie Beechman Cabaret (601 S. Broad St. in the Philadelphia Arts Bank) on July 8th and runs from 7:30pm to 9:30pm.
Admission is $8, seating is limited, and we typically sell out.

Please buy your tickets in advance!

Here’s a surprising little gem from this week’s StorySlam, Do It Yourself. Anne ends this one with a lovely song:

And tune in to the CW tonight at 10pm for a story by Nicole Brewer about the StorySlams!

Jonathan McEuen!  With his story of third grade Aztec antics…

The judges last night picked Adam Weitzman’s hilarious anecdote from his medical school days:

You can see a list of all of the upcoming StorySlams here or see other First Person Arts events at our calendar! Or you can sign up for our mailing list below:

Sign up for our Email Newsletter

Host Ed Tettemer

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Thanks to everyone who joined us last night for the StorySlam!  We’ll have the winning story up shortly and announce the audience favorite by 4:00pm!

At the last Salon, Nathan Manske and friends treated us to a compelling selection of stories from his celebrated new website ImFromDriftwood.com.  Fortunately for you, if you missed it, we’ve got them on video!

I’m from Southbend, Indiana (Bob R.)

I’m from Galveston, Texas (Patrick Hanley)

I’m from Deep River, ON, Canada (Robin K.)

I’m from Fairless Hills, PA (Christopher Cuttone)

I’m from Spring, TX (Matt R.)

I’m from Bohemia, NY (Ray Parisi)

And finally, here’s Nathan Manske describing his inspiration for founding the website:

Add your own story to ImFromDriftwood.com.

“Ten Days in the Capsule”

It all started, as some of the best stories do, with a Craigslist advertisement.  Zach Webber and Ellie Brown embarked on what they called a capsule relationship: meeting, courting, marrying, having a child and divorcing in the space of less than two weeks.  Though fictional at its core, the performance blends into real life–kind of a reverse-method-acting or method living?–resulting in real emotional attachments:

Ellie Brown will share photos and writings about her conceptual relationship at the Salon on July 8th.  You can read about her experiences and the project more broadly here.

Brown will be joined by these three incredible memoir and documentary artists for one night only!

Photographer Phil Jackson will show work documenting his lifelong love of skateboarding and his engagement with its robust and creative subculture. (PhilJacksonPhoto.com)

Writer Jeff Bender will read from his newest memoir writing, La Reforma. (Jeffbender.net)

Poet Lynn Levin will present a reading entitled For Better or For Verse, a series of reflections on 29 years of marriage. (More about Lynn Levin)

The Salon takes place at the Laurie Beechman Cabaret (601 S. Broad St. in the Philadelphia Arts Bank) on July 8th and runs from 7:3opm to 9:30pm.
Admission is $8, seating is limited, and we typically sell out.

Please buy your tickets in advance!

A friend of Doug posted this video of his winning story from Saturday night’s Slam at the Kimmel Center:

Join us for tonight’s StorySlam at L’Etage (6th and Bainbridge)

The theme is “Do It Yourself” and advertising maven and devoted shunpiker Ed Tettemer will host.  And we’ll have a guest story from 2007 Grand Slam participant R. Eric Thomas!

Doors at 7:30 and the slam begins at 8:30.
21+ only and admission is $8 at the door.

Your audience votes have been tallied from Saturday night, and you agreed with the judges in selecting Doug Didyoung as the winner!

Congratulations once again!

Please join us for the next storyslam TOMORROW NIGHT at L’Etage Cabaret (6th and Bainbridge).
As usual, doors at 7:30 and the slam begins at 8:30. Tickets are $8 at the door.

Hosting: Ed Tettemer
Guest Storyteller: R. Eric Thomas
Theme: Do It Yourself
Cost: $8
21+ only (L’Etage is a bar.)