We give you a mic and 6 minutes. You tell us a story.
What is Story Club PGH?
Story Club PGH is Pittsburgh's premiere live storytelling show, where real people share real stories on stage. We blend the raw energy of an open mic with the experience of live theater, creating an unforgettable night of connection, humor, and heart.
We host at two amazing venues:
Story Club was started in Chicago by Dana Norris in 2009 and now exists in Chicago's North Side, Chicago's South Side, Boston, Minneapolis, Columbus, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh.
We host at two amazing venues:
- City of Asylum: A curated mix of open mic storytellers and Spotlight storytellers who’ve refined their personal narratives in advance.
- Bottlerocket Social Hall: A lively, open mic-only experience featuring spontaneous storytelling and live music.
Story Club was started in Chicago by Dana Norris in 2009 and now exists in Chicago's North Side, Chicago's South Side, Boston, Minneapolis, Columbus, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh.
Who tells stories at Story Club?
Anyone. We have open mic slots at each show. Open mic participants sign up before the show and and are chosen randomly during the show. Each storytellers has 6 minutes to tell their story. Story Club loves having new storytellers on stage.
What kinds of stories are told at Story Club?
Story Club Pittsburgh is all about true, personal stories told live, on stage, in 6 minutes or less. The storyteller should be the main character in the story: something you lived through, witnessed firsthand, or were right in the middle of.
We love stories that have a clear beginning, middle, and end, and that give us a sense of where it’s happening, who’s involved, and what’s at stake. The best stories zoom in on a specific moment—or a few connected ones—and show us how something shifted: your situation, your thinking, your world.
You are welcome to bring notes to help stay on track (we get it—nerves are real), but stories should be told not read.
If it happened to you, we want to hear it.
We love stories that have a clear beginning, middle, and end, and that give us a sense of where it’s happening, who’s involved, and what’s at stake. The best stories zoom in on a specific moment—or a few connected ones—and show us how something shifted: your situation, your thinking, your world.
You are welcome to bring notes to help stay on track (we get it—nerves are real), but stories should be told not read.
If it happened to you, we want to hear it.
Who are the Spotlight storytellers?
Spotlight is an opportunity within Story Club Pittsburgh to workshop your story with a coach, build your storytelling skills, and better craft your story for the stage. Stories are pitched through submitted written drafts and 2 storytellers are selected each month.
At Story Club Pittsburgh, we believe in amplifying a diverse range of voices and creating a space for stories that resonate across backgrounds and experiences. Spotlight gives individuals the opportunity to refine and share their personal stories on stage. We aim to bring different perspectives and lived experiences to the forefront, helping build a more connected and empathetic community.
Guidelines for pitches:
At Story Club Pittsburgh, we believe in amplifying a diverse range of voices and creating a space for stories that resonate across backgrounds and experiences. Spotlight gives individuals the opportunity to refine and share their personal stories on stage. We aim to bring different perspectives and lived experiences to the forefront, helping build a more connected and empathetic community.
Guidelines for pitches:
- Must be true
- Must be about you/your story to tell
- Must be on theme
- Must in its final form be about 6 minutes in length
- Must (have the potential to) be a story (a beginning, a middle, an end, you’ve grown or changed in some way because of it)
- Has not been published or featured elsewhere
- Has not been a featured teller in the last year
Host/Producer - Alan Olifson
Spotlight Producer - Kelly Flanagan Dee
On-site Producer - Jacob Williamson
Spotlight Producer - Kelly Flanagan Dee
On-site Producer - Jacob Williamson