Tue, Apr 01
|Upper Jay Art Center
SpeakEazy Storytelling Open Mic
An evening of community storytelling...
Time & Location
Apr 01, 2025, 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Upper Jay Art Center, 12198 Rte 9N, Upper Jay, NY
About the Event
Join us in the Lounge for an evening of storytelling! Come and share, or just listen as community members and visitors from all walks of life, backgrounds and orientations come together and connect through the sharing of personal stories in a safe, supportive environment free from pressure or judgment. Hosted by Mac MacDevitt and Sara Strope.
No experience necessary.
Any story is perfect: from your life story to what you saw on the bus last week. Family stories, funny stories, heartbreaking stories – anything you want to share. Participants are welcome to tell from the head and heart, or to bring paper up with them if they need it. When your name is called, the stage is yours for seven minutes.
$5 Suggested Donation
TIPS FOR PREPARING YOUR STORY:
SCENES: Think in terms of scenes: distinct locations where something happens. Scenes distinguish a story from an essay, or op-ed, or sermon. Let your audience do the meaning-making. Guide them to it, with your edits and presentation, but don't unpack it for them too much.
STAKES: Make it clear that you are the main character. This is about you: a true story as you experienced it. And you can leave out anything you don't want to share or that doesn’t serve your story.
No one is going to fact-check you.
Write/craft your story to be delivered, not just read.
Use dialogue as much as possible, especially to tell the audience things that would otherwise be exposition.
Count on your voice and delivery to do the adjectival heavy-lifting. No need to say, "he stammered..." if you can deliver it, "H-he-hello!" And you don’t need adverbs! Really! Basically none!
Think about what your story is about (themes), beyond what happens (plot, facts). This helps keep you streamlined and edit out the stuff that may be good, but isn't necessary.