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For the past 7 months, First Person Arts has been holding monthly Story Slams. This is how it works: there is one topic that is pre-disclosed to the public. Then interested participants, friends, and strangers gather in a bar. There are two hats that you can put your name in if you wish to participate; one to be a storyteller, and one to be a judge. Next drinks are consumed, people fight for seats, (as these events were popular) and soon the names are picked from the hat. Three judges, ten storytellers. Each storyteller will have exactly 5 minutes to tell their story on the topic of the month, the judges scale them from 1-10 and at the end of the night there is a winner. On November 10th, the 7 winners of the previous slams will compete in the Grand Slam as part of the First Person’s Festival. From now until the Slam, we will be featuring the participants answers to a short Q and A as a preview for the event.

Eric Thomas won for his story on the topic of “Miseducation”

What inspired you to participate in the story slam?

I’m a big (secret) poetry slam fan, but lacking a certain gravitas and verve, I’ve stayed off the poetry slam stage. The story seemed right up my alley–requiring creativity and a performance aspect without requiring me to be as smooth as Mos Def. Because I’m not.

Was your story for the slam pre-written or rehearsed?

I wrote an outline and practiced it ad nauseum trying rein in my habit of extemporaneous commentary… that effort failed.

What’s your day job?

I’m a manager at Pod in University City. I LOVE it! Come in and sit at the sushi bar; it’s like eating Pan Asian cuisine inside the spaceship from 2001:A Space Odyssey…

More after the jump!

Where do you live in Philadelphia, and for how long have you lived in the city?

I live in South Philly. Like real South Philly. Above the cell phone store. I’ve lived there about 2 years.

If you had to plan a day for someone who had only one day in Philadelphia and had never been here before, what would it be?

Although I’m not from Philly originally, I’m a firm believer that the Philly experience doesn’t have much to do with the Liberty Bell or Pat’s vs. Geno’s. My Philly day would, however, involve a time machine as we’d have to go back to this year’s New Year’s Mummers Parade, which was on the most impossibly pleasant January day ever. Following the parade route, we’d eat at John’s on South Street, walk up to Center City through Queen Village, which has some really nice architecture, have a drink at XIX just for the view, then dinner at Buddakan. We’d then hit up the Khyber for their amazing Sunday night drink special… and the requisite hipster watching (sorry hipsters).

How has participating in the story slam affected your feelings about your own role as storyteller and/or writer?

I’m a playwright but, sadly, not a very good actor. Participating in the story slam has opened up a way for me to speak my own words on stage, which is really exhilarating.

Grand Slam
November 10th 8pm – 11pm | $10

Harmelin Media Stage
2111 Sansom St, Philadelphia, PA 19103
www.firstpersonarts.org

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