Every month.
All ages.
All experience levels.
All backgrounds.
I first came to Story & Verse to be in the audience; I ended up in an unexpected community. Story & Verse is a joyful and loving alchemy of personalities and perspectives that on a monthly basis forms an inviting pop-up village in which people have the opportunity to freely express themselves. That there is always spontaneous applause when a participant says, 'this is my first time here', reveals the warm authenticity of the home we all create together each time we meet to share our poems, stories, and prose. To me, that welcoming applause says 'come be a part of us, let’s travel together through each other’s stories.' As a result of the community I found here, I feel more connected to the world of other people, and just a little more human.
Story & Verse provides a warm and welcoming spotlight for both emerging and established artists in our Solley Theater, an intimate space in the heart of Downtown Princeton.
Share your story, your poetry, or your prose, based on the monthly theme.
JOIN US AS A PERFORMER:
- Prepare a story, poem, or spoken word piece up to 5 minutes in length and (at least loosely) related to the theme.
- Arrive by 6:45pm to add your name to the hat. No previous experience or pre-registration necessary.
JOIN US IN THE AUDIENCE:
- Take the elevator or stairs to the Solley Theater, located on the top floor of our Paul Robeson Center for the Arts.
- Optional: participate from your seat with a Micro Story. Read the printed prompt based on the evening’s theme and respond with a super concise story (just a line or two!) that answers the question. Brass Rabbit will read your story at the mic, as time allows.
- Find a seat and enjoy the performances. We kick off shortly after 7pm.
upcoming events + themes
- November 21 – Open theme (your choice!)
- December 19 – The gift that keeps on giving
- January 16 – Glow up
- February 20 – Pivot
- March 20 – Open theme (your choice!)
Did you know that we proudly crowd-source our themes? Have an idea for an upcoming month? Shoot us a message!
story & verse is on YouTube!
Funding from the Poetry Foundation helps to make Story & Verse possible.
our host: brass rabbit
Brass Rabbit is an artist, contemporary curator, and arts administrator based in Trenton, New Jersey. Rabbit has been creating and hosting poetry, spoken word, and storytelling events in the tri-state area for over a decade. As a performer, the art of storytelling holds a very special place in her heart, but listening to and supporting others is where she feels most at home. Hosting the Story & Verse Open Mic at the Arts Council of Princeton could be called a dream job, but for Rabbit, the position completely lacks any “work-like” qualities and is more of an outstanding experience she looks forward to each month. Previously, Rabbit has hosted the Levitt Amp Music Series, Voice to Ear Festival, Word on Front Poetry Festival, independent poetry and storytelling open mics, and even curated an art exhibition celebrating the art of poetry.
our accompanist: Marc Weiner
Marc Weiner has been playing piano for a very long time. He came to Story & Verse on a cold February night and just stayed. In some peculiar yet organic way that no one really quite understands, he ended up behind the piano where—years of therapy notwithstanding—he is more comfortable than anywhere else in the world. While it’s true that he’s done other things in and with his life, at the moment, none seem particularly relevant.