Michelle Johnsen
Okay, so two things right off the top that I want to let you know. One: There’s a statistic in the business world that says that a majority of new hires, new employees, make a decision within the first seven days of employment whether to stay with a company long-term. And the second thing is that my full first name is Brad. That’s it. It’s not Bradley. It’s just Brad.
This is the beginning to Brad Jennings’ winning story at York’s inaugural Story Slam and the beginning of a new chapter in the region’s creative community. On a chilly Tuesday night in January, one week before blizzard Jonas hit, I walked into Holy Hound Taproom on Beaver Street with a few friends. We had pre-ordered Story Slam tickets the week we heard it was coming to York, having attended Lancaster’s Story Slam in December. Every month, Tellus 360 fills with people anxious to tell their stories or to listen to the stories of their neighbors. The stage is lit, every table occupied, most seats at the bar taken–it’s comparable only to St. Patrick’s Day. Though this was York’s first event, it had only been mildly publicized, and many people were preparing for Jonas as if it were coming the next day. Our expectations were not so high.
However, when we opened Holy Hound’s doors, the taproom was crowded from bar to windows. We snaked and excused our way through the crowd simply to reach the back room where Story Slam takes place. The makeshift stage took up little space, but every other corner, along with every table, was filled with community members ready to share in the storytelling experience. A Story Slam volunteer walked about the bar, asking attendees if they were thinking of telling a story that night, even though his list of names was already overbooked. We found a small opening near the back of the room and began listening to the personal, honest stories of our neighbors.
Story Slam came to the region in January of 2015, beginning in Lancaster. Carla Wilson, co-owner of Wilson Media Services, was inspired by West Chester Story Slam and approached its founder, Jim Breslin. Breslin loved the bonding of creative thought occurring at urban slams and in podcasts such as “The Moth” and NPR’s “This American Life.” He followed that passion by hosting mini slams in his living room, inviting friends over to relish one another’s words and company. In 2010, Breslin started West Chester Story Slam, and the event has grown over the past six years, branching into slams in Lancaster, York, Harrisburg and the Lehigh Valley.
After Wilson and Breslin met and planned the model, Wilson launched Lancaster Story Slam. About one year later, JJ Scheffer brought the event to York. Scheffer says she “fell in love with the concept of story slams” by listening to “The Moth” and other storytelling podcasts. She began seeking that experience in the local community just as Wilson launched Lancaster Story Slam. Wilson and others involved in the Lancaster event helped Scheffer to plan and organize a York chapter that followed the same model as Lancaster and West Chester.
Scheffer said that each local slam pursues a common mission. “Storytelling is a great means to discover commonalities among diverse audiences,” she says. “When people share their personal stories, it makes people feel more connected to each other, helps us to better understand and respect our differences and recognize similarities in experience, perspective and values. Beyond this altruistic idea of fostering a sense of community, these events are simply entertaining. It’s a really fun night out.”
Certainly, this was the case on that Tuesday back in January. We didn’t look so much at faces, ages or backgrounds; we listened to voices, some joyful and some melancholy, but all with a story that enlightened a piece of the audience in some way. Brad Jennings continued to tell the story of his first day working for a large newspaper in a city other than his hometown. His name plate and badge were printed “Bradley”; his lunch was “a bad, high-school loner cliché” eaten in the corner of a cafeteria; a fellow employee became disgruntled over a situation involving celebratory cake. He was questioning the statistic about the decision to stay with a job after seven days, and said:
I don’t think I decided on Day One. I might have decided on Day Two, which was my first night shift in the sports department. It was 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. The cafeteria closed by then, but it was time for my dinner break, where I realized that [neither] our break room, nor anywhere else in the building, had any utensils whatsoever. So that forced me to eat my reheated chicken parmigiana and spaghetti with my bare hands, which was witnessed by at least one colleague... And at the end of the night, I tried to leave at 2 a.m. and realized that my cool Bradley Jennings ID card didn’t open up the gate to the employee parking lot. And I also realized that there’s not a lot of help to get the gate open at 2 a.m.
At this point in the story, every audience member was not only respecting Brad’s perseverance but also empathizing with the uncomfortable first day experiences that we try to forget. His new beginnings themed story reminded us why new beginnings can be both exciting and excruciating. Scheffer says that the organizers chose themes that are “broad enough to be interpreted in a number of ways.” For May, York Story Slam’s theme will be “best intentions” and Lancaster’s will be “brush with fame.” Scheffer said that York Story Slam typically sells out far in advance and attracts about 80 people. In March, tickets sold out in less than one week.
“We knew it would be well received,” she says, “And we are thrilled with how coveted the tickets have already become. The only nerve-wracking part was waiting to see how many people would put their names into the hat to tell a story.”
That has proven to be no problem. At the beginning of each event, anyone is able to enter his name for a chance to tell a story. Each person whose name is drawn tells a five-minute true story that reflects the theme of the night and uses no notes or props. The storytellers are scored on content and presentation, and the highest scorer earns a spot in the Grand Slam in November. Last year’s West Chester Grand Slam attracted an audience of 280 people.
Lancaster and West Chester Story Slams also offer workshops for those looking to develop their storytelling skills. Once a year, Lancaster hosts a “Late Night Story Slam” that is held at 10 p.m. and delves into more risqué topics. This year’s occurred in March with the theme “Sex, Drugs and Rock n’ Roll.” Scheffer says that York organizers are hoping to add workshops to their agenda eventually, as well as tackle more difficult themes such as faith and race.
Overall, Scheffer is thrilled with how Story Slam showcases important voices in the region’s creative circle and how it serves as a common ground for the diversity in those voices. She says, “There is a palpable sense of community at our events. We love being a part of York’s growing list of cultural amenities, and we love that we’ve been able to gather in one of our favorite places on a night they may not have otherwise been busy.”
Listening to the stories at January’s York Story Slam, it was clear that the community cared just as much about expressing their culture. Every attendee shared in laughing with storytellers, some crying and always applauding. It is an experience that reminds us that growing as individuals can sometimes only happen with the help of a strong community, and one that may be best summarized in Brad’s ending to this story:
Six weeks later I left that job at the large [city] newspaper and I came back to York, back to a job in management that I’ve had for ten years at The York Daily Record where they are well aware of two things. One: the onboarding process for new employees is very important, and two: my first name is Brad.
York Story Slam is held at 7 p.m. on the third Tuesday of every month at Holy Hound Taproom. Get more info at www.yorkstoryslam.com.
Lancaster Story Slam takes place at 8 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of every month at Tellus 360. Learn more at www.lancasterstoryslam.com.
Untitled is a free story slam/story telling event in Harrisburg. Upcoming events will occur quarterly on the second Thursday of July and October at 7 p.m. at Zeroday Brewing Co. More info at: www.untitledhbg.com.
Photos courtesy Michelle Johnsen (Michelle Johnsen Photography)
Bonus: Read more winning stories
Photo by Digital Ephemera Photography
Watch storytellers talk on themes of “hunger” won by Eileen Joyce and “luck” won by Heather Klinefelter at York Story Slam’s two most recent events.
http://www.yorkstoryslam.com/
Watch Lancaster Story Slam’s Grand Slam winner Cliff Lewis tell his “heroes” story here.
Also from Lancaster Story Slam, Beth Horenkamp tells her winning story from March. The theme was “caught."
