A 'life-changing' experience for $6: Vancouver Story Slam celebrates 20 years
Out of all the tales that have been told at the Vancouver Story Slam over the past 20 years, the most romantic to emerge from the event may be the one shared by the hosts.
Susan Cormier, a Métis writer with a fashion style as revered as her prose, recalls meeting Bryant Ross at the competition back in 2006.
“You could say that Bryant and I were rivals, not necessarily enemies, but we were both gunning for the championship,” Cormier explains.
“I remember thinking, ‘That’s a beautiful woman—but way out of my league,’” adds Ross, a burly storyteller who recently retired from a 41-year firefighting career.
Their rivalry eventually blossomed into a romance, and when the couple learned the event was at risk of ending in 2015, due to a lack of hosts, they stepped in and saved the day.
“We said, ‘Oh heck no,’" says Cormier. “We had a bigger vision for the show.”
On the second Thursday of every month, the couple drives from their Langley home to Hero’s Welcome on Main Street, the long-time venue of the Vancouver Story Slam.
It only costs $6 to attend, and no experience is needed to sign up to compete; you just need to tell an original story between four and six minutes long.
“Any story outside these times will be disqualified—and we are merciless,” Ross reminds participants and attendees each month during his routine, pre-show introduction.
Three winners are picked by audience vote, and the prizes range from cold-hard cash to a bagged lunch, packed by the hosts.
At the end of the year, the 10 storytellers who have racked up the most points compete for a Stanley Cup-sized trophy in the championship show.
'A story to tell'
Stand-up comedian and hairstylist Soo Jeong has won that trophy twice.
Her first winning story in 2019 was about a time she went snorkeling, despite not knowing how to swim, and ended up feeding the fishes with her sea-sickness.
“I didn’t think anyone would care about my silly vomit story, but they did, it brought them laughter,” Jeong says.
“We all have a story or many stories to tell, but often you don’t feel like that’s your place until you see something like this."
Compared to the comedy world, Jeong finds the VSS audience more supportive and receptive.
“At the Story Slam, people are there to experience life with you,” she explains.
Community goes a long way
The hosts agree that the best thing about hosting the show is the community it’s fostered.
They love watching performers blossom on stage, and seeing strangers seated at the same table, only to return the next month as friends sharing a pizza.
“On a regular basis, we get an email from someone saying this show has changed their life,” says Ross.
Cormier says she feels blessed to be able to create a safe space where people feel welcomed and at home.
“In urban centres like this, having an event where you can get up and tell a story and be a part of a community is very important to our mental health, to our souls and to our creative expression,” she explains.
Big anniversary plans
While the annual championships typically take place at the Rio Theatre, a 420-seat venue that sells out each year, Cormier and Ross have bigger dreams for the 20th anniversary.
They’ve booked out The Vogue, which has triple capacity.
The competition’s co-founder, Sean McGarragle, is astounded by its evolution.
“You have to understand, we just wanted to build a little community initially, something that was a way for all of us to feel good, appreciated, heard and also exchange stories,” says McGarragle.
When he and his friend, Johnny Frem Dixom, first launched the event in 2004, it took place in the defunct Mount Pleasant café Our Town, which can host up to 40 people.
Today, the Vancouver Story Slam is believed to be the longest-running event of its kind in Canada.
Despite its immense growth, the slam community feels like a close-knit family to McGarragle.
“You come in here and you sort of feel like you’re coming to Sunday dinner,” McGarragle says, seated in a packed Hero’s Welcome ahead of February’s slam.
“It’s almost like this show has become sort of a Linus blanket for all of us.”
Tickets to the 2024 finals are available online for $20. To catch one of the regular shows, head to Hero’s Welcome on March 14 with $6 in cash—and maybe even a story.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Here are the signs you're ready to downsize your home
Amid the cost-of-living crisis, many Canadians are looking to find ways to save money, such as downsizing their home. But one Ottawa broker says there are several signs to consider before making the big decision.
A 12-year-old girl is accused of smothering her younger cousin over an iPhone
A 12-year-old girl in Tennessee has been charged with murder, accused of smothering her eight-year-old cousin as the younger girl slept. A relative said they had been arguing over an iPhone.
Workplace habit of 'coffee badging' prompts reported new policy at Amazon
The term 'coffee badging' has gained some new significance this week with multiple outlets reporting Amazon is allegedly taking measures to counter the workplace trend it refers to.
More B.C. heat records broken as wildfires intensify
Daily high temperature records were broken in more than a dozen B.C. communities Saturday, as hot and dry weather continues to cause a surge in wildfire activity.
Small businesses grapple with global tech outages created by CrowdStrike
Businesses from airlines to hospitals have been grappling with a faulty software update that caused technological havoc worldwide on Friday, and its repercussions continued through the weekend.
'Shoot for the stars': Indigenous contestants in Miss Universe Canada on the importance of representation
More than 60 women, including some Indigenous participants, will compete for the top spot at Miss Universe Canada.
'I took a bullet for democracy': Trump holds first rally after assassination attempt
Donald Trump is holding his first campaign rally since he survived an attempted assassination, returning to the battleground state of Michigan alongside his new running mate.
The Secret Service acknowledges denying some past requests by Trump's campaign for tighter security
The U.S. Secret Service has acknowledged it denied some requests by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's campaign for increased security at his events in the years before the assassination attempt on him at a recent rally.
Canadian musicians struggle to get visas to perform in the U.S., some cancel shows
Backlogs and processing delays of temporary U.S. visas required by entertainers, athletes and artists has forced some Canadian bands to cancel U.S. tour dates because paperwork wasn't processed in time.