Bill Skiff Story Slam

Announcing the 1st ever Bill Skiff Story Slam!

Our theme is HOPE
 

5 p.m., Saturday, February 10, 2024

(doors open at 4:30)

We're excited to invite storytellers and story lovers alike to a friendly themed storytelling competition named in honor of the founder of the Williston-Richmond Rotary Club, a consummate storyteller.

All profits from the event will go toward local home heating fuel assistance.

We all could use some HOPE!
 
Join us for our friendly competitive storytelling event on the theme of hope. Be prepared to share your true, original five-minute story--or just come to enjoy listening!
 
Event Description
 
This open-mic storytelling event promises to be fun and inspiring for storytellers and audience members alike. Participants prepare a five-minute true story about themselves around the theme of hope: What have you achieved by not giving up? When has someone helped you to see what's possible? When have you looked for hope but struggled to keep going? When did you get what you hoped for and wished that you hadn't? How have you inspired someone to pursue something better? Funny, sad, moving, life-changing--share your best take on hope in your life.
 
The event honors Bill Skiff, the founder of the Williston-Richmond Rotary Club, a retired longtime educator and consummate storyteller. Bill will be attending the event and will share a short personal story of his own.
 
Be a part of this community gathering!
 
Sign up for a chance to tell your story--up to 10 stories will be shared--or simply enjoy listening.
 
Tickets will go on sale online January 10, 2024.  A small number of tickets will be retained for sale at the door.
$20 ticket includes refreshments.
Doors open at 4:30 p.m. - Storytelling begins at 5:00 p.m.
 
The inaugural Bill Skiff Story Slam is a fundraising event for the Williston-Richmond Rotary Club charities. Profits will support home heating fuel assistance for neighbors in need.
 
Please email RotaryClubofWillistonVT@gmail.com with any questions.
 
How It Works
 
  • Storytellers prepare 5-minute personal stories to share on the theme of HOPE.
  • Upon entering the event, those who would like to tell a story place their name in a bucket. Names will be drawn in random order throughout the event.
  • Each story must be true to the storyteller's best recollection.
  • Stories must be told, not read. They should delivered from memory without notes or cheat sheets. 
  • The 5-minute time limit will be enforced.
  • A panel of judges will rate each story and a winner will be declared at the end of the event. Judging criteria will include story content (adherence to the theme, personal interest); organization (capturing audience attention, clear story flow); and delivery (rapport with audience, voice projection, expressiveness).
     
Storytelling Tips and Tricks, Dos and Don'ts
 
The Moth, NPR's competitive storytelling program, serves as inspiration for the Bill Skiff Story Slam.  We strongly encourage those who plan to tell stories at our event to review the tips, tricks, dos and don'ts offered by The Moth here: https://themoth.org/share-your-story/storytelling-tips-tricks.
 
Additional tips for telling a successful, engaging story include
  • Make sure the story is about you and make the audience care about what is happening to you and how you are changed.
  • Have a beginning, middle and end.
  • Be prepared enough that you can have fun telling your story.
IMPORTANT: Please practice civility and respect. Please don't include racism, homophobia, misogyny or any form of hate speech.