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If you’ve ever been to a StorySlam, you know how magical they can be. A frequently packed house buzzes with excitement while 10 audience storytellers take to the stage with their best stories on the night’s theme. Judges shout out the scores that determine the fate of some and the fortune of one – the one who will go to the Grand Slam to compete for the title of “Best Storyteller in Philadelphia.”
But there was no judging for one very special story last season that was particularly magical.
At the “Do the Right Thing” StorySlam this past June at the World Cafe Live, First Person Arts audiences witnessed the first-ever First Person proposal by Storyteller, Rodrick. After weeks of planning, Rodrick proposed to his sweetheart, Kendra on stage while the audience rose in a standing ovation applauding their special moment.
Watch the video of Rodrick’s proposal in the video below.
Storyteller, Rodrick, “Do the Right Thing” StorySlam
We followed up with our happy couple to see how they were doing, if they’d set a date, and most importantly, when we could expect an invitation to the wedding!
Rodrick reports, “As for wedding plans, Kendra and I have not set a date yet, but we plan to in
the near future.” When Rodrick told his story back in June, 2011, he had just graduated from Grad School and was planning to go on to Medical School. We asked him how things were going. “Medical School is going well for me and Kendra is hard at work applying,” said Rodrick.
Sounds like Rodrick and Kendra have got their noses to the grindstone. So for now, we’ll let the our lovebirds get back to their studies.
For anyone feeling inspired by Rodrick’s suave style and who is looking to take their relationship to the next level, the next Slam’s theme is “Best Ever.” Join us then next Tuesday, March 27th at L’Etage!
-Becca Jennings
Ever been to the heart of darkness? Evan says if you’ve ever gotten sick in a Philipino whore house, you have.
Travel business class half-way around the world with Evan, our winning and Audience Storyteller from last night’s “Around the World” StorySlam to the same place they filmed Apocolypse Now. Will it be the end of the world for our storyteller? Hear the full story in the video of Evan’s winning performance below and find out!
See what our friends at Philebrity had to say about Evan’s story here.
See Evan compete with all of this season’s winners at the Summer Grand Slam this May for the title of “Best Storyteller in Philadelphia.” Tickets on sale now!
Special thanks to all of our storytellers and to everyone who came out last night! Stay tuned for more “Around the World” stories coming soon to the First Person Arts YouTube channel.
Evan, Winning Storyteller, “Around the World” StorySlam
Join us for the next StorySlam!
Date: Tuesday, March 27th
Location: L’Etage (6th and Bainbridge Streets)
Time: Doors at 7:30PM, Slam starts at 8:30PM
Tickets: $10, $8 for First Person Arts members
Theme: Best Ever
-Becca Jennings
Jeanne’s Podcast Pick is a weekly First Person Arts blog post that lets Jeanne, the Marketing Intern, share with you a recent story that has sparked her interest from the World Wide Interwebs. Please feel free to comment if you are moved to do so!
Jeanne’s Podcast Pick is a weekly First Person Arts blog post that lets Jeanne, the Marketing Intern, share with you a recent story that has sparked her interest from the World Wide Interwebs. Please feel free to comment if you are moved to do so!
Twitter made it cool to be a “follower.” Facebook made “unlike” a verb. Myspace contributed a whole new movement to the history of self-portraiture. Ladies social groups no longer have to meet in person, but can share recipes, knitting tips, and fun cat photos from the comfort of their own homes with the popular online pinboard, Pinterest. And now stalker’s lives are easier than ever before thanks to the location-based social network, Foursquare.
Without a doubt, social media is transforming the world.
At last night’s StorySlam, ten audience storytellers told of the inspiring, hilarious, and complex ways that social media has affected their lives. The theme was “Social Network.”
Interestingly, two reoccurring themes were unexpected encounters with famous people and scabies.
Our winning story however, was scabies-free. Bring your library cards and do the shoulder shimmy with a world renowned economist (who may also be a god) in the winning story from last night’s Slam by Lansie. Watch the video of her winning and Audience Favorite performance in the video below. Click here to see what our friends at Philebrity had to say about Lansie’s story!
Lansie, Winning Storyteller and Audience Favorite, Social Network First Person Arts StorySlam
Congratulations Lansie! Thanks to all our storytellers and everyone who came out last night. Stay tuned for more videos of our “Social Network” stories coming soon to the First Person Arts YouTube Channel.
Be sure to get in with First person Arts’ Social Network by liking us on Facebook and following us on Twitter.
Next First Person Arts StorySlam:
Date: Monday, March 12th
Theme: Around the World
Location: World Café Live (3025 Walnut St.)
Time: Doors at 7:30pm, Slam starts at 8:30pm
All-ages, $3 Yuengling Draft Specials
If you want to guarantee a table at the Slam, make a reservation with World Cafe Live! Call 215-222-1400 after 10:00 AM up until the Monday of the Slam.
-Becca Jennings
Jeanne’s Podcast Pick is a weekly First Person Arts blog post that lets Jeanne, the Marketing Intern, share with you a recent story that has sparked her interest from the World Wide Interwebs. Please feel free to comment if you are moved to do so!
Jeanne’s Podcast Pick is a weekly First Person Arts blog post that lets Jeanne, the Marketing Intern, share with you a recent story that has sparked her interest from the World Wide Interwebs. Please feel free to comment if you are moved to do so!
This week has been all about love and love lost. Few of us go through life experiencing one without the other, that is why we at First Person Arts have had so much content relating to heart-ache. I thought I would continue this seasonal theme with my Podcast Pick of the Week!
What do a Rumspringa, a dub of weed, a flying rock and a diary have in common? They all support the uncertainty of love in the collection of stories aired this week on This American Life.
Love can lead us into twisted circumstances. It can challenge our sense of reason and have us act in a way that seems ludicrous in hindsight. In a special This American Life Valentine’s Day episode called What I did for Love, the storytellers share to what extreme they went for the sake of love. The stories raise questions about choice, commitment, deception and the price of snooping to discover the truth.
My Pick of the Week: What I did for Love
Jeanne Lyons
First Person Arts “slammed” Valentine’s Day at last night’s second annual anti-Valentine’s Day StorySlam. Back for the second year by popular demand, the Slam drew a packed house at World Café Live. Couples and single folk alike came out to enjoy a night of tales inspired by love, lust, and romance lost. The theme was “The Ex-Files.”
Ten audience storytellers introduced us to an impressive cast of exes including “Hand Job Bob” and the boyfriend with the bedside pee-bucket.
Our winning story starred not one — but three exes who all had one thing in common: a bedroom. There comes a point in every relationship where things become humdrum, old hat, even routine. It can be tough to keep things fresh. Experience dating déjà vu with last night’s Winning Storyteller, Anissa in the video of her winning performance below. Click here to see what our friends at Philebrity had to say about Anissa’s story.
Andrew’s ex-girlfriend loved animals…but had a terrible habit of hitting them with her car. Hit the road with Andrew and watch his Audience Favorite story below. Be careful – Don’t end up road kill!
Congratulations Anissa and Andrew! Special thanks to all of our Valentines who came out to celebrate with us. Stay tuned for more videos from all of our “ex”ceptional storytellers coming soon to our YouTube channel.
Mark your calendars. The next StorySlam is Tuesday, February 28th at L’Etage (6th and Bainbridge Sts.) The theme is “Social Network.” 21+, $4 well drink specials.
Winning Storyteller, Anissa, 2012 “The Ex-Files” StorySlam
Audience Favorite, Andrew, 2012 “The Ex-Files” StorySlam
-Becca Jennings
Jeanne’s Podcast Pick is a weekly First Person Arts blog post that lets Jeanne, the Marketing Intern, share with you a recent story that has sparked her interest from the World Wide Interwebs. Please feel free to comment if you are moved to do so!
In a favorite TedTalk of mine called Try Something New for 30 Days, computer scientist Matt Cutts inspired me to incorporate new healthy habits into my life. Cutts suggests that aspiring small and sustainable changes increases the likelihood that those changes will stick.
My first habit change: Have a glass of water first thing in the morning. Success! My next habit: Stretch for 10 minutes a day. Failure. One day, having not stretched before bedtime and feeling warn-out, I chose to sleep rather than to stretch.
It is easy to slip-up when no one is holding you accountable but yourself. To come out on top you must have the capacity to finish a goal simply because you’ve defined it as such. Some find this process excruciating and look for other means of motivation like a Commitment Device.
Steve Levitt describes a Commitment Device as a deal one makes with the current self and the future self. It is an incentive to stay on track because the Commitment Device is a steep punishment should the current self flounder.
In the Freakonomics podcast episode Save me from Myself, authors Steven J Dubner and Steve Levitt explore the effectiveness of Commitment Devices. They present several case studies including Adam Scott, author of The Cold Turkey Diaries, who was determined to give up 42 vices for 30 days or else mail a check for $750 to someone he despises: Oprah.
My Pick of the Week: Save me from Myself
Jeanne Lyons
Karina’s Pick: Clueless
With my first broken heart in my hands, the result of a nasty breakup in my sophomore year of high school, I sought solace in the Vallery Girl mannerisms and superficial splendor of Cher from Clueless. In fact, I seem to recall watching it everyday for about a week.
It was silly without being dumb, and reminded me that new love is right around the corner, possibly in the form of your step-brother. (Which always weirded me out a little, but if Paul Rudd was my step-relative, I’d probably relax about that too).
Liz’s Pick: High Fidelity
Because John Cusack’s character is such a mess, he makes you feel better about every mistake you ever made and every weirdo you ever dated. Love wins in the end, but it’s hard won, so it’s not annoying.
Other reasons: that Beta Band song, that chick from the Cosby Show, that moment when John Cusack hugs Laura from behind at the end, appearance by The Boss, and my one and only – Jack Black.
Bridget Jones’s Diary
It’s funny and cheesy and Renee Zellweger’s character is a hopeless romantic, haphazardly falling though life. She’s unsatisfied with herself, her career, and her love life and finds herself caught in old habits that die hard. Don’t we all have a few moments where we feel like that?
Jeanne’s Pick: Atonement
Beautiful actors, a dramatic soundtrack, gorgeous costumes, a gut-wrenching love story and me sobbing on the couch: These are the things that get me through tough times like a break-up.
I want to be comforted by the fact that there are more tragic circumstances than the one in my own life. Atonement exemplifies my criteria for a break-up flick. Be sure to have a hanky near by!
Dan’s Pick:
Hedwig and the Angry Inch
It’s about a young boy who makes a huge sacrifice for someone he loves – only to be abandoned, thrown over for someone else. But that breakup is just the beginning of the story, which I won’t give away here – suffice it to say that no matter what you’re going through, or what you’re trying to get up the courage to do, Hedwig will make you feel better, and inspire you to do what needs to be done.
Becca’s Pick:
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
I’m not a big time movie watcher, and the movies I do catch are not usually ones that fall under the ‘break-up’ umbrella in terms of theme. But…one I have seen and do enjoy is Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
Non-linear and character driven narratives always score points with me. Plus, those potato head dolls are adorable. And midnight ice skating dates on non-regulated natural ponds are hot. I appreciate the idea of memory as a weave that can be unraveled – a net in which we are all individually and relationally suspended. What happens when one thread gets cut? Cut? Gets cut? When one. Thread gets cut. Cut. Cut! CUT!
Jeanne Lyons
