We give you a mic and 8 minutes. You tell us a story.

 "More stripped-down than spoken word, more intimate than a reading, less frantic than stand-up, less showy than theater, [live lit is] essentially a reader and a mike and a room full of people. Live lit is verbal seduction, polemic, rhythm and lyric, bedtime story, bombast, and lament all at once.” - ​Chicago Reader story on Story Club 

What is Story Club?

Story Club is a nonfiction storytelling show. The goal of Story Club is to mix the spontaneity of an open mic with the experience of live theater. Each show has both open mic and featured performers.

​Story Club was started in Chicago by Dana Norris in 2009 and now exists on/in Chicago's North Side, Chicago's South Side, Boston, Minneapolis, Columbus, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh.

Who can read 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. There is a timer on stage with the performer, counting down. Once the timer goes off, the story is over. Story Club loves having new storytellers on stage. We encourage everyone to sign up and show off what they've got!

What kinds of stories are told at Story Club?

Story Club is a forum for nonfiction stories.  Each performer has 8 minutes to do their thing (about 1300 words). Stories can be read or memorized and should incorporate the evening's theme. The best stories quickly tell us where the story is taking place, who it involves, and what's at stake. If you're uncertain if your work is appropriate, we recommend reading a couple stories from Story Club Magazine. ​

Who are the featured performers?

Featured performances are curated for each show by the Story Club production team. Featured performers write towards that month's theme, provide drafts of their stories, work with our producers to refine their tales, and are paid. Want to be a featured performer? We're always looking for intriguing nonfiction stories to bring to our stage. There are only two steps required to becoming a featured performer: (1) Attend a Story Club show. (2) Email a nonfiction story to the producers. 
Host/Producer - Alan Olifson
Producer - Kelly Flanagan Dee