Two Winners at Our First Story Slam of 2024

Congratulations to Kelsey Kman and Kate Prisby, who tied to win our January story slam. The theme was Great Escapes.

Kelsey (right) and Kate (left) are pictured here with with 2023 Grand Slam champ and this month’s emcee, Marianne Sheely.

Both storytellers won a prized Lancaster Story Slam pint glass and will each compete in our 2024 Grand Slam on December 3.

Tickets are on sale now for our February 27 story slam. The theme is Lost in Translation, and David Smith will be our emcee. Tickets are on sale now. We have been selling out each month, so get your tickets in advance before they’re gone.

Our Tenth Season Kicks Off January 23

Photo by Randy Flaum

We hope to see you on January 23 at 7 pm at Zoetropolis for this month’s story slam. The theme is Great Escapes and our emcee for the evening will be our 2023 Grand Slam champ, Marianne Sheely.

Tickets are on sale now. Please visit our Tickets page to get yours.

Doors will open at 6:30 pm that evening, and we start telling stories at 7 pm.

What type of stories fit the theme Great Escapes?

We’re looking forward to hearing stories about near misses, disasters averted, or breaks from our usual routine that changed our perspective. Maybe rock climbing is your great escape, or stamp collecting? What activity, hobby, creative outlet, or spiritual practice is your great escape? What brought you to it, and what is it you are escaping? We can’t wait to find out at the first Lancaster Story Slam of 2024.

However you interpret this month's theme, we look forward to hearing your true stories. If you have a story, sign in at the table in the back of the theater when you arrive.

Marianne Sheely Named Best Storyteller in Lancaster at Our 2023 Grand Slam

2023 Grand Slam champ Marianne Sheely (right) with LSS co-producer JJ Sheffer.

Marianne Sheely was the winner of our Twist of Fate-themed Grand Slam.

Thank you to everyone in our community who supported us this year - whether by being a storyteller, being in the audience, being a judge, or volunteering your time to help out at our events. Special thanks to our season sponsor Alex King of Caring Transitions of Lancaster.

The Grand Slam concludes our ninth season. We’ll be taking a break for December, but we’ll be back in 2024. Click here for our 2024 dates and themes.

Our Ninth Annual Grand Slam: Twist of Fate

It’s time for our 2023 Grand Slam! It will take place on Tuesday, November 28 at 7 pm at West Art Community Center.

Tickets are on sale now. They’re limited, so get yours while the gettin’s good.

The theme of the evening will be Twist of Fate, and our emcee will be Lancaster Story Slam founder and producer emeritus, Carla Wilson!

Our Grand Slam is the culminating event of the year where we bring back our monthly winners from this year to compete for the the title of "Best Storyteller in Lancaster," their name engraved on the Storytellers’ Cup, and a trophy to take home. Our finalists this year include:

Swapna Deshpande - January/Family Matters
Stephanie Eagleson and Jeremy Rubenstein - February/Are You Sure?
Marianne Sheely - March/Lost and Found
Steve McLean and Sib Nafziger Charles - April/Storm Clouds
Ashley Harbinson - May/Overqualified
Stephanie Kager - June/Easy Does It
Alison Kibler - July/FAQs
Beth Celley and David Ryan - August/Just Trying to Help
Tim McGuinness - September/Oops!
Doc Yoder - October/Potluck (open theme)

Here’s a playlist of all the winning stories from this season!

Doc Yoder Wins Our Final Open Mic Slam of the Year

Congratulations to Doc Yoder, who won our October story slam. It was an open-theme slam.

Doc is pictured here with with this month’s emcee, Stephanie Eagleson.

Doc won a prized Lancaster Story Slam pint glass and the last spot in our 2024 Grand Slam in November.

Save the date for our Grand Slam on November 28 at West Art Community Center. We announced the theme at the end of the October event: Twist of Fate. Tickets are on sale now.

Bonus Slam!

Join us at Columbia Crossing, in the pavilion overlooking the Susquehanna, for an evening of true stories about the great outdoors. We'll have featured storytellers and a few spots reserved for attendees to enter their name for a chance to tell a story.

This is not a competitive slam - no timer, bell, or scores.

This joint event is presented by Lancaster Story Slam and York Story Slam in partnership with Susquehanna National Heritage Area and Lancaster Conservancy. Proceeds will benefit all four partner organizations.

Tickets are on sale now.

Potluck Time!

Photo by Randy Flaum

We hope to see you on October 24 at 7 pm at Zoetropolis for this month’s story slam. The theme is “Potluck,” which means there is no theme.

Tickets are on sale now. Please visit our Tickets page to get yours.

Doors will open at 6:30 pm that evening, and we start telling stories at 7 pm.

This slam is dedicated to all those members of our storytelling community who tell us that they will step up to the Lancaster Story Slam microphone, “When I have a story that fits the theme.” This is their night—there is no theme. Any true story, about five minutes long, told without notes, props, or music is perfect.

If you have a story, sign in at the table in the back of the theater when you arrive.

Tim McGuinness Wins Our September Story Slam

Congratulations to Tim McGuinness, who won our September story slam. The theme was Oops!

Tim is pictured here with with this month’s emcee, Beth Horenkamp.

Tim won a prized Lancaster Story Slam pint glass and will compete in our 2023 Grand Slam in November.

Tickets are on sale now for our October 24 story slam. It is an open theme (meaning there is no theme), and it’s our final open mic event before November’s Grand Slam. Tickets are on sale now. We have been selling out each month, so get your tickets in advance before they’re gone.

Oops!

Photo by Randy Flaum

We hope to see you on September 26 at 7 pm at Zoetropolis for this month’s story slam. The theme is Oops!

Tickets are on sale now. Please visit our Tickets page to get yours.

Doors will open at 6:30 pm that evening, and we start telling stories at 7 pm.

What type of stories fit the theme Oops?

The wrong word said at the wrong time. The wrong gift given or received. Misunderstood intentions initiated and rebuffed. A wrong turn taken; a wedding ring not available at the ceremony; a risky investment made or an opportunity missed. Any phase of your life in which you made or were affected by an error will fit this topic.

However you interpret this month's theme, we look forward to hearing your true stories. If you have a story, sign in at the table in the back of the theater when you arrive.

Beth Celley and David Ryan Win Our August Story Slam

It’s a tie! Congratulations to David Ryan (left) and Beth Celley (right), who won our August story slam. The theme was Just Trying to Help.

Our winners are pictured here with with LSS co-producer and this month’s emcee, Tony Crocamo.

David and Beth each won a prized Lancaster Story Slam pint glass and will compete in our 2023 Grand Slam in November.

Tickets are on sale now for our September 26 story slam. The theme is Oops! Tickets are on sale now. We have been selling out each month, so get your tickets in advance before they’re gone.

Just Trying to Help

Photo by Randy Flaum

We hope to see you on August 22 at 7 pm at Zoetropolis for this month’s story slam. The theme is Just Trying to Help.

Tickets are on sale now. Please visit our Tickets page to get yours.

Doors will open at 6:30 pm that evening, and we start telling stories at 7 pm.

What type of stories fit the theme Just Trying to Help?

Good intentions are said to be the primary paving material to Hades. Have your attempts to help someone or something gone awry? Have attempts to help you turned out badly? Did the less-than-positive results make you question whether the would-be Samaritans really intended to help? As a child, did you ever sincerely, and perhaps secretly, attempt to help a parent or adult, only to create an urgent need for them to address a greater problem? It’s OK to tell us about it, you were just trying to help.

However you interpret this month's theme, we look forward to hearing your true stories. If you have a story, sign in at the table in the back of the theater when you arrive.

Alison Kibler Wins our July Story Slam

Congratulations to Alison Kibler, who won our July story slam. The theme was FAQs.

Alison is pictured here with this month’s emcee, David Smith.

Alison won a prized Lancaster Story Slam pint glass and will compete in our 2023 Grand Slam in November.

Tickets are going fast for our August 22 story slam. The theme is Just Trying to Help. Tickets are on sale now. We have been selling out each month, so get your tickets in advance before they’re gone.

Frequently Asked Questions

Photo by Randy Flaum

We hope to see you on July 25 at 7 pm at Zoetropolis for this month’s story slam. The theme is FAQs.

Tickets are on sale now. Please visit our Tickets page to get yours.

Doors will open at 6:30 pm that evening, and we start telling stories at 7 pm.

What type of stories fit the theme FAQs?

Why is it never Frequently Answered Questions? The acronym would not change, but the alteration is never made—it’s Frequently Asked Questions every time. FAQs can come from parents, children, bosses, police, strangers, store clerks, grocers, mechanics, instructors, gurus, loved ones, and our inner voice. What are those questions? Why are they asked? And what are the answers?

However you interpret this month's theme, we look forward to hearing your true stories. If you have a story, sign in at the table in the back of the theater when you arrive.

Stephanie Kager Wins our June Story Slam

Congratulations to Stephanie Kager, who won our June story slam. The theme was Easy Does It.

Stephanie is pictured here with this month’s emcee, Doc Yoder.

Stephanie won a prized Lancaster Story Slam pint glass and will compete in our 2023 Grand Slam in November.

Tickets are going fast for our July 25 story slam. The theme is FAQs. Tickets are on sale now. We have been selling out each month, so get your tickets in advance before they’re gone.

Easy Does It

Photo by Randy Flaum

We hope to see you on June 27 at 7 pm at Zoetropolis for this month’s story slam. The theme is Easy Does It.

Tickets are on sale now. Please visit our Tickets page to get yours.

Doors will open at 6:30 pm that evening, and we start telling stories at 7 pm.

What type of stories fit the theme Easy Does It?

Hard work, say many, is the key to success. Yet Easy Does It is regularly invoked as the way to go. A light touch is called for in many of life’s situations—but we aren’t always up to the task of being as delicate and measured as necessary. Easy Does It might have been your approach to avoiding being discovered as you slipped in or out of your childhood home without waking parents. Or it might have been your intended approach to starting conversation with a loved one. When has an Easy Does It approach worked, or failed, in your life?

However you interpret this month's theme, we look forward to hearing your true stories. If you have a story, sign in at the table in the back of the theater when you arrive.

Ashley Harbinson Wins our May Story Slam

Congratulations to Ashley Harbinson, who won our May story slam. The theme was Overqualified.

Ashley is pictured here with this month’s emcee, Amos Stoltzfus.

Ashley won a prized Lancaster Story Slam pint glass and will compete in our 2023 Grand Slam in November.

Tickets are going fast for our June 27 story slam. The theme is Easy Does It. Tickets are on sale now. We have been selling out each month, so get your tickets in advance before they’re gone.

Overqualified

Photo by Randy Flaum

We hope to see you on May 23 at 7 pm at Zoetropolis for this month’s story slam. The theme is Overqualified.

Tickets are on sale now. Please visit our Tickets page to get yours.

Doors will open at 6:30 pm that evening, and we start telling stories at 7 pm.

What type of stories fit the theme Overqualified?

Sometimes life’s vagaries take a positive aspect—ample capabilities—and turn it into a negative—overqualified. Have you ever been seen as or even thought yourself to be overqualified for a job, a relationship, a responsibility? Or have others sometimes seen you as having skills, knowledge, and capabilities beyond your actual ability? It’s rare when our abilities are a perfect match for every aspect of our lives. Our stories begin with those mismatches. However you interpret this month's theme, we look forward to hearing your true stories.

If you have a story, sign in at the table in the back of the theater when you arrive.

It's a Tie! Two Winners at Our April Slam

Congratulations to Steve McLean and Sib Nafziger Charles, who tied to win our April story slam. The theme was Storm Clouds.

Steve (left) and Sib (right) are pictured here with this month’s emcee, David Smith.

Steve and Sib each won a prized Lancaster Story Slam pint glass and will both compete in our 2023 Grand Slam in November.

Tickets are going fast for our May 23 story slam. The theme is Overqualified. Tickets are on sale now. We have sold out the last few events, so get your tickets in advance before they’re gone.

Storm Clouds

Photo by Randy Flaum

We hope to see you on April 25 at 7 pm at Zoetropolis for this month’s story slam. The theme is Storm Clouds.

Tickets are on sale now. Please visit our Tickets page to get yours.

Doors will open at 6:30 pm that evening, and we start telling stories at 7 pm.

What type of stories fit the theme Storm Clouds?

Trouble ahead, a warning, or advance notice of a refreshing downpour that will clear the air? Who knows what storm clouds portend. Events and situations can sneak up on us. Conversations, actions, choices, and misunderstandings gather and coalesce eventually becoming noticeable thunderheads on the horizon—ominous warnings. Yet warnings are a kindness, allowing us to prepare as best we can for life’s inevitable pitfalls. Tell us of storm clouds heeded or ignored, or unseen. However you interpret this month's theme, we look forward to hearing your true stories.

If you have a story, sign in at the table in the back of the theater when you arrive.

Marianne Sheely Wins our Lost & Found Story Slam

Congratulations to Marianne Sheely, who won our March story slam. The theme was Lost & Found.

Marianne is pictured here with LSS co-producer and this month’s emcee, Tony Crocamo.

Marianne won a prized Lancaster Story Slam pint glass and will compete in our 2023 Grand Slam in November.

Save the date for our April 25 story slam. The theme is Storm Clouds. Tickets are on sale now.