Wednesday, November 04, 2009

Relax here: Speakeasy Stories at Cornelia Street Café | Own This City | Time Out New York:

One outlet for them might be Cornelia Street Café’s (29 Cornelia St between Bleecker and W 4th Sts; 212-989-9319, corneliastreetcafe.com) semimonthly Speakeasy Stories ($10 plus one drink/food item minimum), a chance for NYC storytellers to have their moment in the spotlight and spin their favorite yarns.

Host Sherry Weaver, who puts on these events out of a sheer love for storytelling, will informally audition anyone who’s interested in sharing their own winning anecdotes—just send her an e-mail at sherry@speakeasystories.com, meet her at a café for a glass of wine and gab away! Past Speakeasy Stories performers have included Mike Daisey, Jonathan Ames, and Reno, although really anyone who can enrapture an audience for twenty minutes is eligible. Official lineups can be found beforehand at speakeasystories.com.

The storytellers and listeners congregate downstairs in the café from 9 to 11pm; make it a late dinner and order from the café’s menu, which is offered until 10:45pm. In fact, bring a date. The burden of conversation will almost certainly be lightened.