Have you heard of The Moth? It's something of a movement for live, unscripted storytelling that was founded in New York City by a writer who missed the summer night tales that he and his friends shared. The Moth has expanded fast--it is a live event in eight cities, it is a radio hour, a storyslam, and a podcast. It boasts of having brought more than 3,000 live stories to over 100,000 audience members.
And it charms me. I listen to it via the podcast, and I really love the variety of voices telling true stories about their lives. They are often hilarious and disarming and moving. Which is why I was so pleased to hear that The Moth was expanding its live events to include the stories of Chicago and my own city of Detroit.
Not only that, but the storytelling is going down at one of my very favorite places in the city--Cliff Bell's, a stylish art deco jazz club. It seems right that a club that embraces improv and innovation with music would do the same with words.
So, Detroiters, I know you have stories to tell. And I sure want to here them. Here's the (ahem) word:
Detroit StorySLAMsDetroit SLAMs are on the first Thursday of each month at:
Cliff Bell's
2030 Park Avenue
Detroit, MI 48226Upcoming SLAMs in Detroit:
November 5: Blunders
December 3: Cars
7pm Doors/7.30pm Stories
$5 at the door
Learn more about how to prepare your true, 5-minute story and sign up for the Detroit mailing list - we'll send you a note one week before every Detroit StorySLAM with tips and tricks on how to come up with the best story.
What, feeling nervous to give it a try? Or feeling ambivalent about stopping by for the stories? Remember the beating heart behind The Moth project:
The Moth is dedicated to promoting the art of storytelling. We celebrate the ability of stories to honor the diversity and commonality of human experience, and to satisfy a vital human need for connection. We do so by helping our storytellers to shape their stories and to share them with the community at large. One goal of The Moth is to present the finest storytellers among established and emerging writers, performers and artists; another is to encourage storytelling among populations whose stories often go unheard.
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