Some of these stories were humorous, such as the account of an aspiring tattoo artist. Others were more serious, such as the story of a student who had to make tough choices after the death of her mother.
Each speaker talked for about five minutes during Wednesday’s StorySLAM, presented by the Moth, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the art of storytelling.
The Moth hosts live events and a nationally broadcast program called “The Moth Radio Hour,” which is a series of podcasts that also feature storytelling.
The Moth had two-day workshops with 60 students Nov. 2-3. They worked in groups and one-on-one with the instructors to learn about how to craft their stories.
Selected participants told their stories based on the “choices” theme. The storytellers signed up before the performance by putting their paper in a bag, and 10 were selected at random.
The stories were scored by three groups of judges.
The audience also had the opportunity to participate by filling out slips that stated “Tell us about the last choice you made — good or bad.” The host, David Crabb, read the slips in between stories.
The Liberation Music Collective, a socially conscious jazz band who performs music about contemporary issues, performed as the audience filtered into the theater.
Crabb began the show with a comedic speech about coffee and his visit to Bloomington.
The most important thing in life is coffee, Crabb said, and as a coffee snob from New York, he was pleased with the coffee in Bloomington.
“You can throw a rock and hit a coffee shop,” Crabb said.
Kirsty Bennett is a producer at the Moth and the manager of its college program. She said the Moth teaches the students about narrative arch, story structure and ways to shape their story.
The students also learned about the Seven Principles of Moth Storytelling, Bennett said, which is a way for students to look at their stories, condense them into five minutes and turn them into art.
Bennett said working with the students had been absolutely wonderful.
“They came in with a lot of enthusiasm,” Bennett said.
Bennett said it is amazing how many of the students did not know each other before coming to the workshops but received the opportunity to share intimate details about their lives and get to know each other at these events.
Bennett said they wanted to create an authentic Moth experience, rather than something edited for a college setting. She said there is a lot of high tension and high energy because students do not know if they will be selected, but it is a fun event for both participants and the audience.
“The audience gets really passionate about the stories,” Bennett said.
Senior Mary Fata said she had heard about the Moth before participating in the workshops but had never listened to their podcasts before. She was not sure what to expect before she started the process, she said, but she thought the experience was great.
There was also a level of uncertainty because she did not know whether she would be performing.
“I’m kind of nervous,” Fata said before the show. “If I knew I was going I think I would be less nervous.”
Fata said she was looking forward to listening to stories she had not heard yet.
Freshman Yassmin Fashir said she was nervous about the performance, but she enjoyed participating in the workshops.
“I thought it was really fun,” Fashir said. “I met amazing people.”
The workshops and StorySLAM build many important skills, including public speaking, story construction and editing, Bennett said.
It is also valuable on a social and personal level, she said.
“It helps them build connections with peers,” Bennett said. “It’s also reflective upon experiences and how these experiences made you who you are today. That’s a healthy thing for everyone to do.”
