JACKSON, Wyo. — Attending a Teton County Library’s Cabin Fever Story Slam is akin to watching a jazz musician improvise nuances of a song, on the spot, in real time. As a performer or storyteller, it challenges the mind to remain sharp with a level of personal investment to convey a powerful moment. That exposition of character and the idea that no two stories are alike, even the same story, is what has kept audiences returning to the pandemic version of this ongoing local event: online Story Slams. The 35th Cabin Fever theme is “Win or Lose” and is scheduled for tonight, Tuesday. Interested storytellers are encouraged to throw their name in the virtual bucket.
“The first online slam we did during lockdown back in May, was a curated event with selected storytellers, kind of like the All-Star slams we’ve done,” explained Leah Shlachter, Teton County Library’s Adult Program Coordinator. “Ever since, we’ve tried to make the online slams resemble the in-person slams as much as possible—storytellers throw their name in the bucket, and we even managed to design a system for the anonymous mad libs which are a fun way to participate without having to tell a story.”
Though the Story Slams are more-or-less uncensored by adept moderator Jeff Moran (less sexist or racist leanings), there are a few rules to keep in mind: tell a true story about you, without notes, in five minutes, and incorporate the theme: Win or Lose. To participate, login with Zoom credentials at 7 p.m. and let the moderator know in the chat that you would like to throw your name in the bucket. Moran will pick five or six names out of the bucket to tell stories and special guest judges will judge and award prizes. If the zoom room is full, you can still watch via the Youtube livestream, which will be posted on the library website and the library’s Facebook page.
Cabin Fever was designed to take place in the darkest coldest months, when interactions and connections are most needed. This winter, there will be monthly Slams through March. And while audiences have been smaller than the packed Pink Garter Theatre of last winter, there’s been an unexpected bonus to moving Slams in the virtual space.
“Friends and family from out of town can participate!” Shlachter said. “In the November slam, the winner was a woman from Denver who used to be in and out of Jackson pre-pandemic, and Jeff’s mom told a story too. It’s cool to have the slams tied to the Jackson community with the ability to reach beyond.”
Even for the introvert or the newbie storyteller, there’s encouragement to participate in what was described by last month’s winner, Hayley, as “a friendly environment.”
“We naturally know how to tell stories!” added Shlachter. “We don’t have to overthink it, although practicing does help. And the connections created by sharing our stories build friendships and community, and the effects of this are immeasurable.”
Cabin Fever Story Slam: Win or Lose, 7-8 p.m. tonight (Tuesday) online via Zoom.
