StorySlam

A couple years ago I heard about this organization called "The Moth".  It was based out of NYC and it's mission was to grow the art form of story telling by hosting Story Slams- storytelling events based on the poetry slam model.  People gather together, a few volunteer to tell a story in a finite amount of time and then they are judged.  There is a storytelling winner.

Well, I like story telling and I like competitions, but I never dreamed those two interests would overlap.  I mean, competitive storytelling?  Who would have dreamed.  But it is a reality- and now there is a satellite operation here in St. Paul.  I took my dad to one of the events last spring as the theme that night was 'fathers'.  It was sweet.  A sold out event- people paying money to come together and listen to everyday joes tell their tales.  And then judge them.  That night the stories were poignant and funny.  My dad and I laughed and cried and a few times laughed until we cried.  I decided that someday I would return and put my name in that hat to see what would happen if I got picked to go up on the stage.

Last night I did just that.  Amy and I bought tickets for the November event- and I learned that the theme was "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles."  Wow.  Right up my alley seeing as I have a tale (or two) about a certain large orange van that went travelling down the highway without me.  But I was nervous.  The room was full.  My estimate is 300-400 people.  And even though I'm quite comfortable in front of a classroom full of teens- adults scare me.  But I threw my name in that hat and listened nervously through the first 6 storytellers.  There was one who really stood out- the rest were nervous and lost their threads here and there.  Then my name was called and I got up there and did it.  I only had five minutes- and that's not much time to tell a bunch of strangers about how your parents abandoned you, twice.  But I got it in.  Made people laugh.  Had some laughs myself.  And ended up with a second place finish.  I do believe I may do it again.