The First Person Festival of Memoir and Documentary Art is our annual celebration of real life stories shared across multiple art forms: theater, storytelling, spoken word poetry, film, and more. Our 2011 Festival was our most ambitious ever, featuring more than 30 events over 11 days and five venues. Everyday people, emerging artists, and award-winning performers came together to share personal tales at events ranging from food tours to one-woman shows to author readings. Stay tuned for more details as we finalize our 2012 Festival. To get all of our updates, sign up for our email list.

2011 Festival Highlights

Liberty City- April Yvette Thompson’s powerful one-woman show, takes place at the end of the 1970’s Black Power Movement in Miami. Liberty City weaves a rich story of family, race and understanding one’s history while forging one’s own path. With chameleon-like skill, Thompson deftly brings to life the many people that shaped her experience, including her progressive, Cuban-Bahamian father and African-American mother. The show climaxes with the infamous Liberty City riots and the journey a young girl must take to protect her family. Co-written and directed by Jessica Blank. Originally produced by New York Theater Workshop and developed by 651 Arts. Watch clips here.

The Adam Wade from NH Show- Storyteller Adam Wade, a hit at Slam Nation and a record 17-time Moth StorySlam winner, returns to Philly. His one-man show, a Time Out New York Critic’s Pick, features brutally honest and comic stories from his adolescent years in New Hampshire. Adam “came of age” three times, thanks to a vivacious restaurant hostess, his best friend/family cat, and a girl whose father traveled the countryside in a peanut butter delivery truck. Accompanied by embarrassing home videos and music, Adam delves into the sweetly awkward moments of youth. Listen to Adam’s interview with WHYY’s Peter Crimmins about Slam Nation.
With a special opening act by local comedian and storyteller, Hillary Rea.

A Small Act- This critically acclaimed film follows one small act as its impact changes lives throughout the world. Forty years ago, when Hilde Back sponsored a young, rural Kenyan student for $15 a month, she had no idea what difference her support would make. For Chris Mburu (pictured left), that support helped him fulfill his goals of attending Harvard Law School and becoming a human rights lawyer for the United Nations. Inspired by Hilde’s gift, Chris starts his own scholarship program to help the children of Kenya realize their educational goals. He decides to track down the stranger that changed his life and the two forge an incomparable friendship as Chris launches his program and names it in Hilde’s honor. Watch the trailer here.