ABOUT
Everything you need to know
York Story Slam is a monthly gathering where anyone can take a turn at the microphone and tell a TRUE story based on that month's theme.
Our series is part of the growing regional offering of open mic story slam events that began with West Chester Story Slam in 2010 and has grown to include Lancaster Story Slam, Harrisburg Story Slam, and the most recent addition, Shippensburg Story Slam. If you're a fan of The Moth, NPR's This American Life, or Philadelphia's First Person Arts Story Slam, you're going to love having this monthly event on your calendar.
You can come and simply listen to other people tell stories, or you can sign up to tell your own story. Storytellers register upon arrival and we'll draw 10 names from a hat to tell their stories according to the following rules:
Digital Ephemera Photography
Story should reflect the theme of that evening
Story should be true to the best of your recollection
Should be your story - you are the/a central character
Story should be about five minutes long
No notes, no props - just you and the microphone
Three judges are chosen from the audience and each storyteller is given scores based on content and presentation. We don’t take the competition part too seriously - it’s all about having a fun night together hearing each other's stories - but the storyteller with the top score at each event wins an exclusive York Story Slam journal set from our friends at Story Supply Co and earns a spot in our Grand Slam at the end of the season.
In addition to the live event, we'll post the stories to our YouTube channel and feature selected stories from each event in our monthly podcast (available for free wherever you get your podcasts). Storytellers must sign a release granting us permission to post their performance in order to participate; they retain all rights to their stories.
York Story Slam live events take place in downtown York on the third Tuesday of the month at 7 pm. Join us to listen and perhaps share your own story.
FAQ
If I Come To York Story Slam, Do I have to Tell a STory?
Nope. You're welcome to attend and be entertained by those who do. We'd love for you to put your name in the hat, but we'll never pressure you to do so.
Can The Same Person Win More Than Once in the Same Season?
No. If someone has already earned a spot in our Grand Slam, they are welcome to tell more stories during the season, but they will not receive scores for any stories they tell after their initial win. We call it the "Brad Jennings Rule." (Clarifying because we goofed on this the first time it happened.)
What if there is a tie?
Good question. In the event of a tie during a regular season Story Slam, the event producers will choose one of the following:
Announce there is a tie, and then have the judges independently cast secret ballots as to which story they deemed best.
Declare the Story Slam a tie and award each of those tied a spot in the Grand Slam.
Are Your Story Slams Curated?
No. They're open mic events, so storytellers sign up when they arrive at the event for a chance to tell a story. We pull 10 names and if your name gets pulled, you share your story. We do not know ahead of time what any storytellers are going to share, so the content and language may not be suitable for young audiences. The only stories we do not allow are ones that include racism, homophobia, misogyny, or any form of hate speech.
Are there age requirements to attend and/or tell a story?
Alcohol is available for purchase at our events. The PLCB rule is that anyone under the age of 21 must be accompanied at all times by someone who is 25 or older.
We do not know ahead of time what people are going to say, so it's up to parents to use their own discretion as to whether they're comfortable bringing their teenager along.
I’ve Never told a Story at a Story Slam Before, BUt I’d Like To. Any Tips You Can Share?
Make sure what you’re going to share is actually a story, with an arc - a beginning, middle, and end.
Be ready with your opening line and closing line, and know the points you want to cover along the way. You should know your story, and it may be helpful to practice ahead of time, but don’t script and memorize it.
The Moth has an excellent list of tips and tricks for telling a good story, along with what to do and what not to do. Their info is a great place to start if you’re new to story slams. Click here to check it out.
