Skokie's Inaugural 'Story Slam' Wants Your Yarns

SKOKIE, IL — A new storytelling event is kicking off Friday at the Skokie Theatre, as the first-ever Skokie Story Slam offers members of the community a chance to tell true stories based on a one-word inspiration in front of a live audience. Everyone is invited and everyone has a chance to participate, as each of the 10 volunteer performers will have five minutes to present a story based on a "word of the month."

"Story slams" are a form of competitive live storytelling open mic events. They're judged to reward both what you say and how you say it, while fitting into the time limit and set theme. The most famous such event is New York-based The Moth, which has grown since 1997 to include monthly shows in more than two dozen cities. But the Chicago area has many other popular storytelling events, like This Much Is True, Story Club, Do Not Submit, We Still Like You and more.

"There's storytelling all over Chicago right now, it's really become the rage," said Skokie Theatre owner Wendy Kaplan. She's hoping for a healthy crowd of local storytelling fans eager for a more convenient option than travelling to Evanston, where The Moth holds events at SPACE.

Kaplan was inspired to bring a monthly storytelling series to Skokie by her friend Ann Tennes, who said she's been attending nearby Moth events for about the past year. A video Tennes posted of a story she told caught Kaplan's attention, and the idea for the event was hatched.

"So we got together and we started talking about it and Wendy has come with me a couple times since then," Tennes said. "And I was delighted when I heard she was going to make it happen in the Skokie Theatre."

The theme for this week's inaugural Skokie Story Slam is "distraction."

"Have you ever been distracted? Is it a possible or a negative distraction? Some people could talk about a car accident, some people could talk about falling in love," Kaplan said. "It's just one of those themes that could be positive or negative depending on how the person relates to the word."

Kaplan said she picked the theme while stranded in Puerto Rico by Hurricane Maria.

"We were desperately trying to find things to distract us," she said. Kaplan later organized a benefit performance at the theater which brought in more than $7,500 to support hurricane relief, she said.

If you're interested in participating as a storyteller or a member of a panel of judges, try to show up closer to 7 p.m. Three-member groups of judges rate each story, and winners of the monthly event will receive a meal at a local Skokie restaurant.

"Anything that brings positive energy and attention to downtown Skokie – or really anywhere in Skokie – is important to me," Tennes said. "I believe that the Skokie Theatre is a tremendous asset to downtown Skokie, and adding storytelling tot he repertoire of events on offer will only enhance downtown Skokie."

In April, a "Grand Slam" event will be held between the winners of the first four Skokie Story Slams. It will also feature stories from professional storytellers as each of the previous months' winners square off for a grand prize.

The inaugeral Skokie Story Slam will be held Dec. 1 at 7:30 p.m. — Admission is $10 at the door. — Call 847-677-7761 for more information or visit the Skokie Theatre online

_{Top Photo Credit: Kane Reinholdtsen via Unsplash}