First Person Arts Seeks 'Hidden Talents' at Special Story Slam at World Cafe Live Mar. 3

First Person Arts will be looking for stories about Philadelphians' "Hidden Talents" with a special StorySlam in partnership with the Philadelphia Free Library and the Office of the Mayor. The event, which is part of One Book, One Philadelphia and One Film, will be Tuesday, March 3 at 8 p.m. at World Café Live, 3025 Walnut Street. The theme is "Hidden Talents," which echoes the theme of both the book and film that Philadelphians are encouraged to read and watch this year. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for the Slam and food will be available. Tickets cost $10 and are available at World Café Live and online at www.worldcafelive.com. "Hidden Talents" will be hosted by WXPN DJ Robert Drake. Guest storytellers for the event will be 2008 GrandSlam champion Ryan T. Barlow and January 2009, "Bad Idea" winner Eun Strawser.

In this year's One Book, One Philadelphia selection, The Soloist, violinist Nathaniel Ayers has hidden his talents in plain sight on Skid Row. A fateful meeting with reporter Steve Lopez changes his life forever and helps this musical virtuoso bring his skills into the world. In the One Film choice, Julian Schnabel's Basquiat (1996), Jean-Michel Basquiat journeys from graffiti writer to star of the international art scene and faces difficult choices along the way. At this StorySlam, First Person Arts is looking for personal stories about secret abilities or even the surprise when someone discovers a hidden gift of someone else's.

Everyone with a true story and a little sense of competition is encouraged to participate. Storytellers are invited to interpret the theme as inventively as they'd like, as long as the tale is true and relates to the theme. At each Slam, ten people are randomly selected from those who sign up to step up to the mic and tell a story within a five minute limit. Contestants are rated by three randomly chosen volunteers from the audience. Each month's high scorer is invited to compete in the Grand Slam for the title of Philadelphia's Best Storyteller at the eighth annual First Person Festival of Memoir and Documentary Art in November 2009. A new twist this year is that audience members can keep score and submit their ratings. A crowd favorite is revealed the following day on the First Person Arts website.

.Along with the series of special event StorySlams, First Person Arts hosts a monthly StorySlam series at L'Etage cabaret. On the fourth Tuesday of every month, standing room only crowds gather to share stories in this wildly popular series. The next monthly StorySlam will be March 24 with the theme, "On My Street." The next special event StorySlam will be April 18 and will pit Philadelphia storytellers against storytellers from Chicago as part of the Free Library Festival. The competition will feature the theme, "Mortified."

First Person Arts is a nonprofit organization and producer of the annual First Person Festival of Memoir and Documentary Art and other programs that tap into the power of personal stories and speak to diverse audiences, including people whose voices are not often heard. First Person Arts is guided by the belief that the sharing of personal experience is a powerful way for people to celebrate uniqueness, bridge differences, and find common ground. For more information, please visit www.firstpersonarts.org.

 

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