What’s a StorySlam?

A StorySlam is more than a storytelling competition. It’s an invitation to share five minutes of your life in a room full of people who appreciate a well-told tale. Audience storytellers take to the stage with real life stories on the theme of the night. Winners get a $100 prize and the chance to compete in the season finale GrandSlam. Got five minutes? Come and lend an ear, or share an experience.

 

FAQ
 

What is a Virtual StorySlam? A Virtual StorySlam is our regular StorySlam but online. We will randomly choose five storytellers who submit their names in the virtual bucket to share their stories via the Zoom platform. The audience will be able to watch and interact with the host through their viewing platform!

Why only five storytellers? At our live events, we usually draw ten storytellers with an intermission between the first five and the second five. We want you to create the MOST engaging and interactive experience for you and found that five was the best number.

What about audience judges? Judging has never been easier! In the chat box at the start of the show, we will provide a link to the digital audience survey form.
In this form, you will rank each storyteller based on a scale of 1-10 (more info on this can be found here) and then you can choose which storyteller is your favorite! The storyteller with the highest accumulated score will win the $100 prize and the storytelling with the highest favorite ranking will be the audience favorite!

How can I tell a story? We are trying something new in this area. We want to select who will tell their story in advance so that we may better promote the StorySlam and give folks the opportunity to share their appearance broadly! We have the same release forms in digital format for you to fill out and we are asking for some additional information IF YOU HAVE IT TO GIVE! If you do not yet know what your story will be, it will NOT preclude you from being selected. Everyone will have an equal opportunity to be selected from the Virtual Bucket. Approximately two weeks before each StorySlam, we will announce who the upcoming storytellers will be on the website and social media platforms.

I just want to be a judge! NO STAGE FOR ME! We will use guest judges and audience judges. If we use an audience judge, you will be on camera and therefore will need to fill out a release form when you sign up. If you are interested in being an audience judge, we will let you know one week before the StorySlam so that we can get you the appropriate ZOOM access. **You still need to purchase a ticket to be an audience judge. Proof of purchase will be required to be selected as an audience judge, so hold onto your confirmation emails!**

 

Future StorySlam Dates!

 

January 19, 2021 - Return to Sender  |  February 13, 2021 - Ex-Files  |  March 16, 2021 - I'm Out  |   

April 20, 2021 - Keep it Movin'   |   May - GrandSlam

Stories from Past Slams

See More Stories
##
##
##
##
##
##
##
##
##

How does a StorySlam work?

Each month, we set a theme and invite up to 10 people from the audience to share a personal story from their lives that relates to that theme. And, if you're in the audience, you get to participate, too.

Step 1 — At the Door

Throw your name into a bucket at the door if you'd like to share a story, or if you'd like to judge the stories told. We draw 10 storyteller names and 3 official judges.

Step 2 — On Stage

Each storyteller is given 5 minutes on the mic to tell a story and win over the crowd. Sorry folks, but no props or notes allowed.

Step 3 — Voting

The judges score each storyteller on Content and Presentation using a ten-point scale.

Read more about scoring.

And the Winner is...

First Place

The highest scoring participant wins 2 free StorySlam tickets and an invitation to perform in the Grand Slam, where he or she will vie for the title of "Best Storyteller in Philadelphia" and free StorySlam admission for life.

Audience Favorite

The entire audience rates each performance, and the storyteller with the highest audience score at the end of the StorySlam season wins a spot at the Grand Slam.

Scoring a StorySlam

Content
A measure of the story itself.

Plot The story has a plot with a strong beginning, absorbing middle, and it drives right through to the end, with a strong arc.

Theme It relates to the theme of the Slam.

Presentation
A measure of how well the story is told.

Connection The storyteller must bring the story to life and connect with the audience.

Length The story is 5 minutes or less.

Tips for Storytellers

  1. All stories must have a beginning, a middle, and an end. Know your plot points.
  2. Tell your story from your point of view.
  3. Know your first line and last line when you step on stage. Knowing what point A and point Z are will help you get through the rest if you get nervous.

Straight from the Storytellers

Stories – the best stories – are about when the joke’s been on us… the times we’ve failed. There isn’t much that’s more entertaining or enriching than stories of failure, regret, and humiliation. And nothing in the world is more exhausting than listening to someone’s good news. So be ugly. Be ugly and dopey and vile. Because when you’re ugly, you’re sincere. And sincerity is what makes everyone want to listen.

 

AndrewStoryteller

Just because I’m making people laugh doesn’t mean I’m telling a good story. Stringing together funny anecdotes with some exposition and calling it a story results in failure/audience boredom.

 

EvanStoryteller

Do your best to look like *you* are enjoying the telling of the story. Enthusiasm is contagious.

 

ChrisStoryteller

A dear friend and stand up comic once told me: ‘the minute you try to impress or look good you will die a humiliating death. Don’t worry about the audience, just connect with your emotional truth and have fun.’

 

MarjorieStoryteller

Establish high stakes as quickly as you can.

 

DianaStoryteller

Always connect directly with the audience. Acknowledge them! They are human beings.

 

SM ShrakeStoryteller

The beginning and the end reunite in a moment where people think, ‘Oh that’s where she/he was going with that!’

 

KateStoryteller

What makes a good story:
A good lede. That’s what we call it in print, anyway. The beginning of the story should draw people in right away with something compelling and pungent.
Strong delivery. A sense that the storyteller is comfortable, confident, and that we’re in good hands.
An arc. A feeling that something is building, that we’re going somewhere.
A powerful ending. Maybe something that makes us pause before we clap. Or something so funny, that we erupt with applause.

 

Liz SpikolWriter & former Grand Slam Judge