Our next story slam is scheduled for Tuesday, June 12th. The theme of the night will be Paid Vacation! Think of the best vacations you’ve ever had. Maybe your vacation was a working vacation – paid for by your company. Or maybe things went terribly wrong and you were reimbursed for your vacation. There are any number of ways to take this theme of Paid Vacation and make it your own. We hope to see you in June!

Our story slam will be on Tuesday, May 8th at 8 pm. If you have a party of eight or more, you can make a reservation through Victory Brewing Co. We recommend you come early for dinner and a beer, and make sure they seat you in the back room for the slam! And – if you have a story to tell – come sign up at the front once you arrive!
In the meantime, as you think of your story, here’s the inspiration for this slam – the song Teenage Kicks by the Irish powerpop band The Undertones.

Special Guest Storyteller and Author Kelly Simmons told an engaging story of how her efforts to save a possible suicide while riding in the quiet car of a Septa train led to a confrontation, and she shared a message for all the men in the audience. During intermission, Kelly signed copies of her two novels, Standing Still and The Birdhouse.

Many of the “Rise Above” stories were tales of airborn adventures. From the opening story, in which Brad vividly described flying a small airplane with an airsick dog as his cargo, to Celeste’s panic attack while parasailing, to Langdon’s story of his first and only time in a glider, these stories truly rose above. David James also told the hilarious story of being stuck on a plane with a trio that formed an impromptu and unwarranted musical composition.

Peter Cunniffe and Patrick Carmody both told moving tales of their praise for their respective sisters. Check back to see videos of several stories which will be posted over the next few days. Also – check out the West Chester Story Slam podcast on iTunes.

Our next slam is May 8th and the theme is Teenage Kicks – stories about the developing teen years could include teen love, teen learnings, teen stupidity, teen angst, and teen spirit. What are those stories you don’t want to tell your teens? Remember, that for parties of eight or more, call ahead to make reservations and it’s best to arrive early to secure a seat.

We’re also excited to have novelist Kelly Simmons as a Special Guest at our April Slam. Kelly is the author of two books, The Birdhouse and Standing Still, both published by Random House. The New York Journal of Books calls Kelly’s The Bird House, “a smart, simmering page turner.” Kelly’s first book Standing Still is about a woman who suffers from panic disorder and has to overcome her own adversity after being kidnapped. Kelly is also the president of bubble advertising and an engaging public speaker with a great sense of wit. She’s also a member of the Philadelphia Liars Club. We’re looking forward to hearing her “Rise Above” story.

Our Story Slam is Tuesday, April 10th at 8pm at Victory Brewing Company in Downingtown, PA. Groups of 8 or more can call for reservations. Arrive early for dinner and a beer as seats go fast.

Before the event, we recorded greetings for our friends who are starting their own storytelling event in Ryazan, Russia. We’ll be posting our Good Luck video soon. We heard nine fun stories last night, including one from our youngest storyteller to date, Daniel Olivieri! We heard stories on how communication breaks down due to technology, cultural differences and decimal points. Stories will be posted over the next few days and our podcast will be on iTunes by April 1st. No fooling.

Our next story slam is April 10th and the theme is “Rise Above!” 8PM at Victory Brewing Company! We hope to see you there! Until then, take a look at Patrick’s winning story!

Our next Story Slam is themed “Communication Breakdown” and will be on Tuesday, March 13th at 8pm. What’s your story?

All our slams this season are being held at Victory Brewing Company in Downingtown, PA.

Terry was one of twelve storytellers on the night. We also heard great stories about blind dates, first dates, prostitutes, hot looking tutors, parents that think their daughter is a lesbian, and a jalopy RV. We had over 100 people in attendance at the February Slam. Thanks to everyone who attended and cheered on our storytellers – and thanks to those who told their tales.

Our next Story Slam is themed “Communication Breakdown” and will be held March 13th at 8PM at Victory Brewing Company.

I believe most, if not all of us, have experienced a type of love, romance, infatuation, or crush on someone that altered our perception of the world. Charles Bukowski said, and I’m paraphrasing here, love is fog. A fog that eventually burns off and we see reality again.

Ideally, stories will be about how love changed one’s perception of reality. Also – this doesn’t have to be about romantic love. The story can be about love of mankind, love of family or friends. So a few questions for this slam is:

- Have you ever been in love with someone you shouldn’t be in love with?
- Have you found a love so good you pinched yourself because you didn’t believe it?
- Have you ever had your understanding of love tested?

Our themes are meant to be rather broad in scope so as to encourage folks to stand up and tell their story. If your story has any aspect about infatuation, crush, stalking, love, etc, come on up and tell it!