'Summer Camp' will be the Theme of our July Story Slam!

Our July Lancaster Story Slam will be held on Tuesday, July 27th, with the theme of “Summer Camp.” You must register to attend. Once you register, we'll send you a confirmation email that includes your unique link to tune in on July 22nd. We will begin promptly at 7 pm that evening. You'll be able to see the storytellers as they share their stories; we will not be able to see the audience members.

Click here to register for our July ‘Summer Camp’ Story Slam!

What type of stories fit the theme, "Summer Camp?"

“This one time…” stories about summer camp. What summer camp did you attend as a kid? As counselor? We want to hear stories about the friends you made and the events that occurred - especially those ones where you swore what happened at summer camp would stay at summer camp!

The event is pay-what-you-can. No ticket fee will be collected when you register; we will gratefully accept contributions via Venmo (@cwilsonwilson) and PayPal (paypal.me/lancstoryslam) to cover the cost of our production and to help out our friends at Zoetropolis. (We miss them terribly and can’t wait to host LSS there again!) If you aren't in a position to give, no problem - please join us anyway.

If you would like to sign up to be a storyteller for the evening, please COMPLETE THIS STANDARD RELEASE FORM. We’ll send you an email with more details regarding our rehearsal on Monday, July 26, and participating as a storyteller on the Slam on Tuesday, July 27th.

Jamie Beth Cohen wins our 'Without A Doubt' Story Slam!

The winner of June’s “Without a Doubt” story slam was Jamie Beth Cohen with her story about how she became friends with a man convicted of murder.

Without a doubt, our stories for June’s story slam were captivating. Some were surprising and unexpected, others were funny, and some were deeply sincere, but all were great stories. Thanks to all our many talented storytellers and everyone who came out to cheer them on and be a part of our storytelling community. 

Our next Story Slam is themed "Summer Camp" and will be held on Tuesday, July 27th starting at 7 PM. Make sure to save the date and watch the Facebook page for updates! 

Check out Jamie Beth’s winning story below. To watch other stories told on the night, click on over to the Lancaster Story Slam YouTube Channel.

'Without A Doubt' will be the Theme of our June Story Slam!

Our June Lancaster Story Slam will be held on Tuesday, June 22nd, with the theme of “Without A Doubt.” You must register to attend.

Click HERE to register to watch ‘Without a Doubt’ Story Slam!

Once you register, we'll send you a confirmation email that includes your unique link to tune in on June 22nd. We will begin promptly at 7 pm that evening. You'll be able to see the storytellers as they share their stories; we will not be able to see the audience members.

What type of stories fit the theme, "Without A Doubt?"

Some things you just know. You’ve never doubted this knowledge and perhaps it seems quite obvious to you. We want to hear your stories of certainty. Or perhaps you question someone else’s lack of doubt? Either way, we’d love for you to share those stories. 

The event is pay-what-you-can. No ticket fee will be collected when you register; we will gratefully accept contributions via Venmo (@cwilsonwilson) and PayPal (paypal.me/lancstoryslam) to cover the cost of our production and to help out our friends at Zoetropolis. (We miss them terribly and can’t wait to host LSS there again!) If you aren't in a position to give, no problem - please join us anyway.

If you would like to sign up to be a storyteller for the evening, please COMPLETE THIS STANDARD TALENT RELEASE - SIGN UP FORM for more details. You will receive an email with a special ‘storyteller’ link and details about a short tech rehearsal on Monday, June 21st.

Steve McLean Wins our 'Home Run' Story Slam!

The winner of May’s “Home Run” story slam was Steve McLean with his story about his college music professor who taught him some very valuable lessons, and not just about music. Steve won the prized pint glass and a spot in our Grand Slam!

 To celebrate the beginning of warm weather and good old fashioned baseball, our theme for this month was “home run” and our storytellers did just that by hitting several home runs of their own with this month’s stories. 

Thanks to all our many talented storytellers and everyone who came out to cheer them on and be a part of our storytelling community. 

Our next Story Slam is themed "Without a Doubt" and will be held on Tuesday, June 22nd starting at 7 PM. Make sure to save the date and watch the Facebook page for updates! 

Check out Steve’s winning story below. To watch other stories told on the night, click on over to the Lancaster Story Slam YouTube Channel.

'Home Run' Will Be the Theme of our Next Story Slam!

Our May Lancaster Story Slam will be held on Tuesday, May 25th, with the theme of “Home Run.” Luanne Sims will be our emcee for the evening!

You must register to attend. Once you register, we'll send you a confirmation email that includes your unique link to tune in on May 25th. We will begin promptly at 7 pm that evening. You'll be able to see the storytellers as they share their stories; we will not be able to see the audience members.

CLICK HERE to register to watch our ‘Home Run’ Story Slam!

What type of stories fit the theme, "Home Run?"

In baseball, hitting a home run is a big deal. Outside of baseball, the phrase home run indicates success or a wise choice. Whether your story involves the game of baseball or a big win you scored in some other area of life, we want to hear your home run tales! 

The event is pay-what-you-can. No ticket fee will be collected when you register; we will gratefully accept contributions via Venmo (@cwilsonwilson) and PayPal (paypal.me/lancstoryslam) to cover the cost of our production and to help out our friends at Zoetropolis. (We miss them terribly and can’t wait to host LSS there again!) If you aren't in a position to give, no problem - please join us anyway.

If you would like to sign up to be a storyteller for the evening, please COMPLETE THIS STANDARD TALENT RELEASE FORM.

Swapna Deshpande wins our 'Lights Out' Story Slam!

The winner of April’s “Lights Out” story slam was Swapna Deshpande with her story about her family’s scooter, ice cubes, and a night of unrest.

Our storytellers this month interpreted the theme of “lights out” in a variety of ways. Mark Lentz shared the story of the time his face met a tree, PK Hill shared her tale of passing out and forgetting what country she was in, and  Jonathan Lopes shared his experience seeing Wrestlemania live in Florida. 

Thanks to all our many talented storytellers and everyone who came out to cheer them on and be a part of our storytelling community. 

Our next Story Slam is themed "Home Run" and will be held on Tuesday, May 25th starting at 7 PM. Make sure to save the date and watch the Facebook page for updates! 

Check out Swapna’s winning story below. To watch other stories told on the night, click on over to the Lancaster Story Slam YouTube Channel.

'Lights Out' Will Be the Theme of our April Story Slam!

Our April Lancaster Story Slam will be held on Tuesday, April 27th, with the theme of “Lights Out.” You must register to attend.

Click here to register to watch “Lights Out!”

Once you register, we'll send you a confirmation email that includes your unique link to tune in on April 27th. We will begin promptly at 7 pm that evening. You'll be able to see the storytellers as they share their stories; we will not be able to see the audience members.

What type of stories fit the theme, "Lights Out?"

The phrase “lights out” can have many meanings: bedtime, getting knocked out, or literally turning out the lights. However you choose to interpret it, we want to hear your “lights out” story.

The event is pay-what-you-can. No ticket fee will be collected when you register; we will gratefully accept contributions via Venmo (@cwilsonwilson) and PayPal (paypal.me/lancstoryslam) to cover the cost of our production and to help out our friends at Zoetropolis. (We miss them terribly and can’t wait to host LSS there again!) If you aren't in a position to give, no problem - please join us anyway.

If you would like to sign up to be a storyteller for the evening, please complete this STANDARD TALENT RELEASE FORM. You will receive an email with a link to use for both a short tech rehearsal on April 26th, and the Story Slam on April 27th.

Steph Holmes is the winner of our 'Next Time' Story Slam!

The winner of March’s “Next Time” story slam was Steph Holmes with her tale of the connection she felt to an elderly dementia patient.

Steph Holmes, winner of our ‘Next Time’ Story Slam, is pictured above virtually accepting her prized pint glass!

Our storytellers this month did an outstanding job. In particular, we had two first-time storytellers, who both were awesome! We heard stories of mentors, life lessons, and confessions, as well as COVID birthdays and losing baseball teams.

Thanks to all our many talented storytellers and everyone who came out to cheer them on and be a part of our storytelling community. 

Our next Story Slam is themed "Lights Out" and will be held on Tuesday, April 27th starting at 7 PM. Make sure to save the date. Watch our Tickets page and our Facebook page for updates! 

Check out Steph’s winning story below. To watch other stories told on the night, click on over to the Lancaster Story Slam YouTube Channel.

'Next Time' Will Be The Theme of our Next Story Slam!

Our March Lancaster Story Slam will be held on Tuesday, March 23rd, with the theme of “Next Time.” Luanne Sims will be our emcee!

Click here to register to watch our ‘Next Time’ March Story Slam!

Once you register, we'll send you a confirmation email that includes your unique link to tune in on March 23rd. We will begin promptly at 7 pm that evening. You'll be able to see the storytellers as they share their stories; we will not be able to see the audience members.

What type of stories fit the theme, "Next Time?"

The first time we try something new can involve a lot of trial and error. We often walk away with a better understanding of what to do “next time.” Maybe after your first experience with something, you decided there won’t be a next time. Is there something you’ve been putting off, always saying, “next time”? What would you change? Would you want to go through the same experience again? 

The event is pay-what-you-can. No ticket fee will be collected when you register; we will gratefully accept contributions via Venmo (@cwilsonwilson) and PayPal (paypal.me/lancstoryslam) to cover the cost of our production and to help out our friends at Zoetropolis. (We miss them terribly and can’t wait to host LSS there again!) If you aren't in a position to give, no problem - please join us anyway.

If you would like to sign up to be a storyteller for the evening, please COMPLETE THIS STANDARD TALENT RELEASE FORM. You will be contacted with more details.

How a Story Can Keep Delivering Good News!

If you attended our Story Slam themed ‘Overdue’ in January, then you will remember this awesome winning story from Doc Yoder:

After he concluded his story that evening, our emcee Luanne Sims said, “Oh, I’m crushed. I was so hoping you were going to say that you ran into her at the mall or something and explain it…. we have to make go viral and send it around! [so that we can find Mrs. McGowan]”

A few days later I received a delightful update from Doc. I’m going to let him pick up the story from there:

“After telling my story in the January Story Slam about my awful note to Mrs. McGowan at the end of my fourth grade year in Kalona, Iowa, I posted a link to it online. A friend and former 4th grade classmate named Marcus Miller who lives in the community where I grew up spent about an hour online and was able to find someone that he thought might be Mrs. McGowan by first finding her full name in old issues of the Kalona News that are now posted online. He then found a 2017 newspaper article about a shop called the Spice and Tea Exchange in Naples, Florida that was owned by a K. McGowan who was from southwest Iowa and had been a teacher for many years and was probably about the right age.

I looked up the spice and tea shop online only to find out that it had closed, so I contacted the newspaper that had run the article. I got a response the next day with a phone number which I called late at night on January 31 and left a message saying who I was, my phone number and email address, and that I was looking for my fourth grade teacher from 1967-1968 in Kalona, Iowa who was named Mrs. McGowan. I am sure that my message was not very smooth and coherent and I probably said my phone number at least three times. I felt like that fourth grade boy all over again. I got an email the next day from Mrs. McGowan's daughter saying that I had the right Mrs. McGowan, that she was pleased to hear from me, that she would contact me soon, and that the spice and tea shop was moving to a new location and would reopen soon.

Doc Yoder found Mrs. McGowan!

Mrs. McGowan and I started texting back and forth. She did remember me - her exact words were, "You hid your feelings well as I always thought you were judging me and my lack of teaching experience...you were such a bright kid and presented a challenge.", but she fortunately didn't remember the note that I had written to her. She also remembered many of my classmates and their descriptions and characteristics.

I got to have a long phone conversation with the now Ms. McGowan on February 21. She still has a wonderful sense of humor and was fun to talk to. I don't know if I'll ever get her on a Zoom call with other fourth grade classmates who would also like to talk with her, or will get to visit her in her shop in Naples; but I do know that she didn't carry the weight of my note for all of these years, and that I don't have to carry it any longer!”

How awesome is this story and how it continues to unfold?! Just this morning Doc reached out again to say that one of his classmates from fourth grade, Nancy, had found a copy of their class photos. I’ve added a frame around Doc’s photo and some hearts around Mrs. McGowan’s photo.

As a Story Slam producer it’s exciting to hear the developments after a story has been told. I believe that this demonstrates how a story can keep delivering good news. Even though we haven’t met Mrs. McGowan, I’m certain she lives in our hearts with all our favorite teachers.

Thank you to Doc for sharing his stories! Here is his follow up story at our February Slam.

David Smith wins our 'Oil and Water' Story Slam!

The winner of February’s “Oil & Water” story slam was David Smith with his story about the nocturnal escapades of his college roommate. 

Pictured is this month’s winner, David Smith, virtually accepting the prized pint glass!

For this month’s  “Oil & Water” Story Slam we had several regular storytellers as well as two first-time storytellers who both did an excellent job. We heard stories of sibling rivalry and stories that reminded us (for better or worse) of the old saying, “opposites attract,” and a number of outrageously funny stories. Thanks to all our many talented storytellers and everyone who came out to cheer them on and be a part of our storytelling community. 

Our next Story Slam is themed "Next Time" and will be held on Tuesday, March 23rd starting at 7 PM. Make sure to save the date and watch our website and Facebook page for updates! 

Check out David Smith’s winning story below. To watch other stories told on the night, click on over to the Lancaster Story Slam YouTube Channel.

'Oil and Water' is the theme of our February Story Slam!

Our seventh season of Lancaster Story Slam continues on Tuesday, February 23rd, with the theme of “Oil & Water.” You must register in order to attend. Once you register, we'll send you a confirmation email that includes your unique link to tune in on January 26th. We will begin promptly at 7 pm that evening. You'll be able to see the storytellers as they share their stories; we will not be able to see the audience members.

What type of stories fit the theme "Oil & Water?"

Oil and water just don’t mix! Maybe it’s a person that rubs you the wrong way or a clash of personalities you’ve witnessed in action. Or perhaps it’s even more literal than that and you have a tale about cooking or chemistry gone awry. We want to hear your stories about whatever doesn’t mix well for you. 

The event is pay-what-you-will. No ticket fee will be collected when you register; we will gratefully accept contributions via Venmo (@cwilsonwilson) and PayPal (paypal.me/lancstoryslam) to cover the cost of our production and to help out our friends at Zoetropolis. (We miss them terribly and can’t wait to host LSS there again!) If you aren't in a position to give, no problem - please join us anyway.

If you would like to sign up to be a storyteller for the evening, please COMPLETE THIS STANDARD TALENT RELEASE FORM.

Doc Yoder is the winner of our 'Overdue' Story Slam!

Congratulations to Doc Yoder! He was the winner of our “Overdue” Story Slam. Doc shared a story about having a crush on his 4th-grade teacher and an overdue acknowledgment of how much he adored her. 

Doc was a great kick-off to our 2021 season by welcoming a new storyteller to our stage and hearing from several returning storytellers. John Teske told of his overdue acceptance into his wife’s family, PK Hill shared about an overdue traffic ticket, Karen Foerstel shared about her father who was a librarian, and Sarah Steinhauer shared her story of an overdue retirement from teaching.

Thanks to all our many talented storytellers, the judges, and everyone who came out to cheer on our storytellers, and be a part of our storytelling community. 

Our next Story Slam is themed "Oil & Water" and will be held on Tuesday, February 23rd starting at 7 PM. Make sure to save the date watch the Facebook page for updates! 

Check out Doc Yoder’s winning story below. To watch other stories told on the night, click on over to the Lancaster Story Slam YouTube Channel.

Our Seventh Season Launches on January 26th with the Theme 'Overdue'

We are excited to launch the *seventh* season of Lancaster Story Slam! Our first Story Slam of 2021 will be held on Tuesday, January 26th at 7pm via Zoom. The theme of the evening will be OVERDUE. Our emcee will be Luanne Sims.

You must register in order to attend. Once you register, we'll send you a confirmation email that includes your unique link to tune in on January 26th. We will begin promptly at 7 pm that evening. You'll be able to see the storytellers as they share their stories; we will not be able to see the audience members.

The event is pay-what-you-can. No ticket fee will be collected when you register; we will gratefully accept contributions via Venmo (@cwilsonwilson) and PayPal (paypal.me/lancstoryslam) to cover the cost of our production and to help out our friends at Zoetropolis. (We miss them terribly and can’t wait to host LSS there again!) If you aren't in a position to give, no problem - please join us anyway.

If you would like to sign up to be a storyteller for the evening, please complete this Standard Talent Release form. All storytellers will need to attend a tech rehearsal on Monday, January 25th.

Steve McLean is the winner of our 2020 Grand Slam!

The 6th annual Lancaster Story Slam Grand Slam theme was “Silver Linings.” 

Steve McLean was the winner of our “Silver Linings” Story Slam. Steve shared the story of how he found the silver lining in losing his husband of almost 40 years.

If you missed watching our livestreamed event, you can watch here.

Thank you to everyone in our community who supported us this year - whether by being a storyteller, being an audience member, being a judge, or being a sponsor! Your help keeps the show running! Special thanks to LancLiving Realty for their continued support into 2021!

The Grand Slam concludes our sixth season. We’ll be taking a break for the holidays, but we’ll be back in 2021. Watch the Lancaster Story Slam Facebook page for 2021’s dates and themes.

Grand Slam will be livestreamed on November 24th!

On November 24th at 7pm we will livestream our 6th annual Lancaster Story Slam Grand Slam. The theme of this year’s Grand Slam will be ‘SILVER LININGS.’

The livestream will happen via a YouTube premiere on our YouTube channel. You will not need to register in advance to see the Grand Slam!

We will be livestreaming our storytellers telling their stories from the stage at Zoetropolis! We’re sad that you won’t be able to join us in person, but you can pretend you’re in the theatre with us. Order some curbside pick-up or take out from Zoetropolis and enjoy watching the Grand Slam in style from your living room!

Our finalists will compete for the title of 2020 Lancaster Story Slam Best Storyteller in Lancaster and will win a trophy, bragging rights and have their name added to our Storytellers Cup!

This year’s finalists include Swapna Deshpande (January / Blank Canvas), Steve McLean (February / #adulting), Tony Crocamo (March / Luck), Beth Horenkamp (April / Ink), Tom Bottiger (May / Not What I Intended), Paul Armstrong (June / Identity Crisis), Jamie Beth Cohen (July / Gifts), Randy Schulz (August / Firsts), Mark Lentz (September / All Grown Up), and Doc Yoder (October / Unmasked).

Here is a link to the playlist of all the winning stories from this year!

Doc Yoder wins the 'Unmasked' Story Slam and earns a spot in Grand Slam!

Doc Yoder was the winner of our “Unmasked” Story Slam. Doc shared the story of a charity event where he performed as a clown.

Pictured above is Doc Yoder, winner of our ‘Unmasked’ Story Slam, accepting his virtual prized pint glass from Carla!

Our “Unmasked” Story Slam included stories about hidden identities, being discovered, and attempts at concealing true identities.

Thanks to all our talented storytellers and everyone who took time away from their quarantine to cheer on our storytellers and be a part of our storytelling community. 

Our next Story Slam will be our November Grand Slam. This year’s theme for the Lancaster Story Slam Grand Slam will be “Silver Linings” and will be held on Tuesday, November 24th starting at 7 PM. Make sure to save the date and watch our Facebook page for more information! 

Check out Doc’s winning story below. To watch other stories told on the night, click on over to the Lancaster Story Slam YouTube Channel.

Our Grand Slam theme to be 'Unmasked' at our October Story Slam!

Click here to REGISTER for our October Story Slam!

Luanne Sims will emcee our ‘Unmasked’ Story Slam and unveil our Grand Slam theme at the end of the evening!

From the Lancaster Story Slam team:

Just a year ago we gathered in a sold-out auditorium at the Ware Center and laughed and cried and clapped like nobody’s business! You remember the hush of the crowd during a poignant moment, the “you got this” called out in support of a nervous storyteller, and the standing ovation when the winner was announced. That is Lancaster Story Slam Grand Slam! 

In our 6th season of LSS, we’ve been hosting our slams virtually, every 4th Tuesday of the month even during the COVID-19 shutdown because, well, stories must be told.  Our time together during our virtual slams has been different, no doubt, but the stories are just as real, just as powerful, and just as necessary. We feel the community we build together over shared experiences is too important to give up on and we hope you feel the same. 

Be sure to join us at our final slam, Tuesday, October 27th to learn who will earn the final spot at the Grand Slam, AND the announcement of this year’s Grand Slam theme!  We have an amazing group of winning storytellers lined up in the virtual wings ready to wow you at this year’s Grand Slam on November 24th, and we can’t wait to feel the love from our story loving audience again! More details to follow!

'Unmasked' is the theme of our October Story Slam!

Our October Story Slam, “Unmasked”  will be held on Tuesday, October 27th.

Click here to REGISTER for our October Story Slam!

This will be the last regular Story Slam of this season, as our Grand Slam will be held in November. Luanne Sims will emcee the evening. We will unveil our theme and announce some exciting plans for a special Grand Slam. You won’t want to miss this one.

You must register in order to attend. Once you register, we'll send you a confirmation email that includes your unique link to tune in on October 27th. We will begin promptly at 7 pm that evening. You'll be able to see the storytellers as they share their stories; we will not be able to see the audience members.

What type of stories fit the theme "Unmasked?"

We’re looking for your stories of superheroes and mysterious identities. Do you have a story about someone hiding behind a mask? Maybe you have a story about someone showing who they really are. Perhaps you have a revealing story you’d like to tell? So come out of the shadows and unmask yourselves (figuratively, of course)!

We’d love for you to join us!

Mark Lentz wins our 'All Grown Up' Story Slam!

Mark Lentz was the winner of our “All Grown Up” Story Slam. Mark shared the story of how he finally grew up enough to pass organic chemistry.

Our “All Grown Up” Story Slam included stories about learning to hold one’s tongue to prevent arguments, learning to speak up for yourself and others, and earning the respect of others.

Thanks to all our talented storytellers and everyone who took time away from their quarantine to cheer on our storytellers and be a part of our storytelling community. 

Our next Story Slam is themed "Unmasked" and will be held on Tuesday, October 27th starting at 7 PM. Make sure to save the date and watch our Facebook page for more information!