Stories & Comedy @ SXSWi

UPDATE - The park is rained out. We are still doing this, but now at the Hilton Garden Inn in Downtown Austin, just a few blocks from Palm Park. We'll be on the 18th Floor, in the Colorado and Red River rooms

Here's the address:
500 North IH-35, Austin TX

The hotel is on the corner of 5th and I-35/Frontage Rd (2 blocks towards the highway past Red River). Note that this is NOT the... [read more]

UPDATE - The park is rained out. We are still doing this, but now at the Hilton Garden Inn in Downtown Austin, just a few blocks from Palm Park. We'll be on the 18th Floor, in the Colorado and Red River rooms

Here's the address:
500 North IH-35, Austin TX

The hotel is on the corner of 5th and I-35/Frontage Rd (2 blocks towards the highway past Red River). Note that this is NOT the Hilton immediately beside the convention center, but just a few blocks away.

Here's a link to a map: http://bit.ly/zVPAHd

All the event times and content will remain the same:

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The folks behind And I Am Not Lying - the blog and live show in Brooklyn, NY - are a group of storytellers, comics, and communications experts with experience ranging from appearances on This American Life and The Moth podcast, story coaching with the Smithsonian and Stanford Innovation review, writing for the Onion, and appearances on Conan O'Brien, AMC, and Bravo.

We are presenting an entire day of programming based around standup comedy, improv, and storytelling from in Palm Park at SXSW Interactive from 11 AM to 6PM, all day long. That programming is predicated around this one simple concept:

Stories are ancient and awesome, everyone loves to laugh, and Web conferences – even the best Web conference in the world – can get SO. FRICKING. BORING.

The And I Am Not Lying tent will be in PALM PARK next to a tent sponsored by Miller. Miller will be giving badgeholders 2 free beers apiece. So there’s that to look forward to.

For info, follow us on Twitter: @andiamnotlying, #notlyingSXSW, or Tumblr at andiamnotlying.tumblr.com

Here's a breakdown of the events:

11AM - 12PM: PANEL DISCUSSION -- “From Basement Burlesque to the Boardroom: What Makes Your Story Great and How Can You Make it Even Better?”

Storytelling is both the second-oldest art form and a hot "new" form of entertainment -- thanks to This American Life, The Moth's podcast and live shows, and tons of shows cropping up around the country, storytelling's making a big comeback. It's making a comeback in the boardroom, too. And if we are honest with ourselves, it's just about to join "leverage" in the marketing d-bag's haggard sack of buzzwords. "Leverage storytelling to activate your customers," "learn story techniques," -- you're going to hear a LOT of that at SXSW this year.

You know what you're not going to hear anyone else talk about?

"What makes a great story?" or "How would I know a good story?"

Good stories are a little like good porn: you know 'em when you see 'em. But we're going to peel that hood back together and examine what makes a story good -- and how to amplify and condense that.

Join an interactive discussion with storytelling experts from across a wide range of disciplines - from NPR's This American Life, NYC storytelling show producers and accomplished solo performers with The Moth, Story Collider, TOLD!, Real Characters, And I Am Not Lying and other shows, as well as an expert in organizational narrative - and hack through the marketing hype to find out what really makes a good story.

Panelists include

Thaler Pekar (Smithsonian, Stanford Innovation Review)
Cyndi Freeman (The Moth, Hotsy Totsy Burlesque)
Brad Lawrence (The Moth, Hotsy Totsy Burlesque)
Seth Lind (This American Life, TOLD!)
Jeff Simmermon (This American Life, The Moth, Time Warner Cable)

12-1: BASICS OF COMEDY IMPROV WORKSHOP

Learn to open yourself up to sudden, new possibilities – and seize the potential from everything that’s right in front of you. You’ll learn the rewarding art of creative play, how to surprise yourself and yank your inner comic out of the closet. In this workshop, you’ll learn how much fun it can be to say “yes” to everything, to stop being ashamed of your own ideas and to easily improvise a hilarious comic scene. Discover how letting go actually provides you with great control in seemingly crazy situations (applicable to daily life, guaranteed).

Coached by Eliza Skinner (Showtime’s PopTudors, Late Night with Conan O’Brien, LA's Diamond Lion and Magic Bag)

1-2PM: STORYTELLING WORKSHOP

Everyone’s got at least one story in them – whether it’s a pitch, a plan, or a tale of love gone horrifically wrong. Join Cyndi Freeman (Moth outreach instructor, storyteller, burlesque performer) and Jeff Simmermon (host, producer of And I Am Not Lying, blogger at andiamnotlying.com, award-winning storyteller) and hone your chops. Practice telling your story, identifying the change and heightening your stakes. You’ll learn how to identify stakes, own your mistakes, and create a compelling narrative.

Presenters/coaches are:

Jeff Simmermon – (This American Life, The Moth, Time Warner Cable)
Cyndi Freeman- Cyndi Freeman (The Moth, Hotsy Totsy Burlesque)

2-3PM: STORYTELLING OPEN MIC

Have you been dying to tell the world a story? Are you tired of keynotes talking at you and dying to have other people listen to YOU for a change? Here’s your chance! This is partly an optional follow-on from the storytelling workshop at 1PM, and part full-on open mic, this is a time for anyone to tell stories to friends, enemies, and complete strangers. Gentle critique is available and totally optional for anyone who wants to tighten their story and tell it better than ever.

Hosted/facilitated by

Jeff Simmermon – (This American Life, The Moth, Time Warner Cable)
Cyndi Freeman- Cyndi Freeman (The Moth, Hotsy Totsy Burlesque)
Brad Lawrence (The Moth, Hotsy Totsy Burlesque)

3-4 PM: THE WORLD’S FIRST CROWDSOURCED VARIETY SHOW

Play the Battle Hymn of the Republic on dual kazoos, read the best parts of your manifesto, flog your book or flip your unicycle: all you have to do is tweet, retweet and share information about the And I Am Not Lying tent at SXSWi. The 5 folks who reach the most people win 8 minutes of stage time to perform any old messed-up PG-13 stunt their heart desires.

4-6 PM: AND I AM NOT LYING – LIVE

The folks from the And I Am Not Lying blog (yes, this one) are cock-rocking the NPR crowd in their new monthly residency in Brooklyn with the best underground comedy, storytelling, burlesque and sideshow acts. This whole thing is about getting together and getting EXCITED, turning the phones off and participating in something that’s temporal, raw, and real, cramming a whole aircraft carrier’s worth of fun into one tent that’s right next to the FREE BEER TENT. Talent will include storytellers, comedians and surprise drop-ins.

Confirmed talent:

Jeff Simmermon – (This American Life, The Moth, Time Warner Cable)
Cyndi Freeman- Cyndi Freeman (The Moth, Hotsy Totsy Burlesque)
Brad Lawrence (The Moth, Hotsy Totsy Burlesque)
Seth Lind (This American Life, TOLD!)
Eliza Skinner (Showtime’s PopTudors, Late Night with Conan O’Brien, LA's Diamond Lion and Magic Bag)
Andy Ross (The Onion, Mad Magazine, Real Characters)

Additional talent will be announced via

Twitter: @andiamnotlying, #notlyingSXSW,
Tumblr: andiamnotlying.tumblr.com

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