Cumberland County Edition
July 2015
Vol. 16 No. 7
Jim Breslin Has Stories to Share Story-Sharing ‘Competitions’ Draw Local Storytellers By Jason J. Tabor It may be a family member’s old yarn about growing up in a bygone era, repeated at every family gathering, or the knee-slapper of a tale that a friend proudly recites at parties. Everyone has at least one good story to tell, pulled from those funny, poignant, meaningful moments that happen in life. Writer Jim Breslin has created a forum to bring together storytellers and those who like to hear them. The Story Slam is a live storytelling competition inspired by events such as the Windy City Story Slam, the Philadelphia First Person Arts Story Slam, and NPR’s This American Life program. During the Slam, participants get up on stage and share their stories in front of a live audience. “It’s fun. We don’t take the competition too seriously; it’s more about sharing stories,” says Breslin, who held his first local Story Slam at his house in November 2009. “We heard 13 stories and had so much fun that I went to a local pub and asked about using a room on Tuesday nights,” he says. “The first two years we had a cult following, but then as word spread, the audience grew.” In its five-year run as a monthly event, the Story Slam stage has been home to more than 550 personal stories, some touching and some hilarious. please see STORIES page 17 Photo courtesy of Michelle Johnsen Photography
Jim Breslin on stage during a Story Slam storytelling event.
Inside:
Share Your Memories of V-J Day page 11
William Shatner’s Trek through Fatherhood page 14