Story Slam

Something new for HMTC is happening at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 3rd, at the Lil’ Brick Theater in old downtown Hanford! It’s called a Story Slam. Grounded in the principle that anyone can tell a story, members of the community are invited to share a true story at a microphone on our stage.

The only rule is a true story that lasts no longer than five minutes. It could be something that happened to you on your way to the theater or an unforgettable experience from the past.

In general, a story slam is an open-mic event. Participants take the stage and tell a true story in five minutes or less. The audience votes to choose a winner, and a prize is awarded. We will display a picture of the winner in our lobby.

According to Josh Broder from a firm called Ariel, “Stories create instant empathy between the storyteller and the listener. The reason is that the ‘mirror neurons’ in our brains cause the listener’s brain to fire in the same pattern as the speaker's.

I learned about story slams from good friends in Monterey, California, who said they always participate in them in their area. Upon investigating Story Slams, I discovered they are frequently held in cities like Oakland, Los Angeles, Cupertino, New York, New Jersey, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Denver, and internationally in London, England; Toronto, Canada; Amsterdam, Holland; and Melbourne, Australia.

What I particularly like about Story Slam is that anyone can do it. We welcome everyone to either listen to true stories by our community members or be a storyteller. It will be a fun event.

For a small fee for participation or viewing, pre-signup and tickets can be found on our website at www.HanfordMTC.com.