BALTIMORE STORY FEST

BALTIMORE STORY FEST

by Phill Good Stories

A mic, spotlight and a good story is all you need to take a room full of people on a journey. Storytelling is one the most entertaining and impactful forms of live performance. Baltimore Story Fest will highlight the best and brightest storytellers in the region. Storytellers create a tapestry with their words that bring audiences into their worlds. Sometimes you laugh. Sometimes you cry. Sometimes you do both.

EACH DAY OF THE FEST IS ALL NEW!
Curated by different storytelling producers, every show will be unique. See all four shows and immerse yourself in the art of storytelling!

Thursday, May 16th
The Stoop Storytelling Series
Hosted by Jessica Henkin and Aaron Henkin

Everyone has a story. What’s yours? The Stoop Storytelling Series is a Baltimore-based live show and podcast that features “ordinary” people sharing the extraordinary, true tales of their lives.

Friday, May 17th
Perfect Liars Club: the storytelling interrogation show
Produced by Cara Foran & Pierce McManus

Four people tell a story. Three are true but one is a lie. Listen. Laugh. Interrogate. Vote.
Can you spot the liar?

“Storytelling at its finest” – Washington Post
“Delightful” – DC Metro Theater Arts
“Our favorite night of the month” – TokyoCheapo

Saturday, May 18th
Mortified
Produced by Alex Hewett and Adam Ruben

Witness a night of adults telling stories about their lives by sharing their most mortifying childhood artifacts (diaries, letters, lyrics, poems, home movies)… in front of total strangers.

Sunday, May 19th
The Goode Practice presents: What I Learned in Therapy
Produced by Ronald Young Jr. and Tuere Ganges

Listen to stories that range from heartwarming to the absurd, as storytellers examine their experiences with therapy, healing and wellness.

The Goode Practice provides culturally aware and clinically responsive care to clients and offers services to expand the knowledge of therapists in the community. We are the premier practice for nurturing therapists who wish to deepen their expertise in working with clients of color, and gender and sexual minorities. We strive to provide a healing space for clients, staff, and community.

In addition to the 4 evenings of storytelling, there will also be a Solo Storytelling Short Film Showcase at 2pm on Saturday, May 18th. Join us for an afternoon of short films featuring solo storytellers, telling true stories. Screenings will be followed by a discussion on the impact of storytelling across all genres.

About the Founder/Creative Director:

Phill Branch is the founder and Creative Director of Baltimore Story Fest. Phill is a storyteller working in film, creative nonfiction and theater. An alumnus of the American Film Institute, he recently directed the documentary “Hampton University: One of the Wonders of the World ” about the history of HBCUs. The film is currently streaming on PBS. His previous film, “Searching for Shaniqua,” a documentary about the impact names have on our lives, won the HBO Best Documentary award at the 2016 Martha’s Vineyard African-American Film Festival. His upcoming memoir tentatively titled “The Double Dutch Fuss” will be released by HarperCollins/Amistad in 2025. The book examines the ways that rigid notions of masculinity impacted Phill’s life. He is a 2023 recipient of the Maryland State Arts Council’s Creativity Grant and a 2019 Rubys Artist Award grantee for storytelling and performance. He was the 2018 GrandSLAM Champion of The Moth in DC. His debut solo storytelling show “Juneteenth Tilapia Rainbows” premiered at Baltimore Theatre Project in 2021. He has performed all around the country and appeared on podcasts with many storytelling organizations including Story District, The Stoop, Story Collider, Perfect Liars Club, and Dear Diary, Currently, Phill is a Resident Artist at the Howard County Center for the Arts.