Last night, I had an experience with five strangers that profoundly changed my self-perspective. While that may sound hyperbolic (and perhaps a little dirty) to most people, anyone that has experienced the Spillit project live knows what I’m talking about. This unique production group, inspired by a podcast called The Moth, provides individuals the chance to open up in a safe space and tell personal stories.
Sometimes people spill their wisdom in a humorous way and sometimes they share a secret life experience. Universally, they all reveal a raw part of themselves that the average world never sees. It’s a captivating experience for the listeners and (probably) a cathartic release for the storytellers. Altogether, it comes out to the best $10 I’ve spent in a very long time.
All of the Spillit storytelling events focus on a central theme. Last night, five women shared various identity crises they have experienced. As a woman going through my own identity transformation, I knew this theme would appeal to me. It’s only by chance that it was also an all-female cast, but I think that added poignancy also. While every story was different from the one before, the evening as a whole came down to self reflection in the face of life’s challenges. There were laughs and there were tears. By the end of the night, I felt like the spillers were friends that I just hadn’t seen in a very long time.
The location was also a big draw for me. Amurica is the name of Jamie Harmon‘s studio as well as his signature photo-booth-trailer. This distinct teardrop trailer can be spotted at all sorts of swanky, well-planned Memphis events. I learned that most of the Spillit events are held down the street in the Crosstown Arts performance space, but the kindness of fate landed us in Jamie’s lovably peculiar space for this event. Hanging out there inspires creativity simply by being.
The Spillit events organized by Leah Keys (founder) and Josh Campbell (creative director) are held quarterly in three different formats. First there’s Center Stage, which I experienced last night. For these, designated people have prepared to tell their 10 minute story based around one central theme. The stories are unscripted, but everyone meets with Josh beforehand to develop a structure for their time and refine the central details of their experience. The end product is a powerfully concise group of authentic tales that will never be repeated quite the same way again.
The other formats are Slams and Grand Slams. A slam is a more informal night where everyone that is willing puts their name in a hat and people are called up randomly to share a 5 minute story. I haven’t been to one of these yet, but I can imagine that the air is electric with eagerness and anticipation. The next one is scheduled for July 11th and the theme is Education. Anyone from Memphis should have an interesting story to tell on that subject. As far as a Grand Slam? I’ll speculate that it’s a slam on steroids. The good kind that help cure illnesses – not the kind that revokes gold medals.
The mood was set early on by musical guests Caroline Keys and Izaak Opatz while the crowd filtered in and greeted each other. Around 8PM everyone settled into a kooky variety of seats and a warm introduction was given by Leah and Josh. after that, five women – Laney Strange, Megan Hanna, SJ Smith, Aimee Lewis, and Leah Keys – approached the microphone with different levels of apprehension.
As someone who suffers from crippling stage fright, I can empathize with uneasiness from facing an audience. What I didn’t know is that the trepidation for these performers goes much deeper than simple bashfulness. The stories they tell are true and personally significant. When confronting that rare type of vulnerability, the sympathetic nervous system literally compels angst. But it’s the good kind of stress, that results in a beautiful outcome.
Laney shared a story with us that delved into her identity as a professional and the choices she has made to get where she is today. Megan revealed a humorous perspective on how physical appearance can define who you are. SJ drew on her varied life experiences to explore families and how they affect our sense of self – the family we are born into and the family we choose to keep.
Aimee delighted everyone with a take on names and how what we call ourselves influences our personality. The last story, by Leah, was an intensely personal examination of her identity as a wife, mother, and individual.
I could try to summarize the stories themselves, but I won’t. Condensing the narratives feels wrong, like I am trivializing the magnitude of what we, the audience, were privileged to witness. I’m just going to tell you that this is something you need to see if yourself. Once you have, I won’t be surprised if you want to get up and tell your own story. I know I will.