Six University of Connecticut students performed their stories, spanning topics of identity and connection, at Story Slam. The event was held at the Black Box Theatre in the Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry on March 27.
Anna Mae Duane, director of the UConn Humanities Institute (UCHI) and an English professor at UConn, started by describing the program. The students were chosen as ambassadors for UCHI and came from different educational backgrounds. Each student was assigned to an experienced coach who helped them write their stories and practice their performances.
Then, the story coaches, Jonathan Adler and Gillian Epstein, spoke about the program. They emphasized how hard the students had worked and reiterated the relevance of stories for our growth and in our everyday lives.
The first student to perform was Hannah Dang, a sixth-semester English major. Her story, “Full Load,” began by describing the convoluted process of getting laundry done in her house and the tension between her parents.
Dang then broadened the focus, examining gender dynamics in relationships. She concluded by bringing in her own college experiences, reflecting on the values instilled by her family.
Instead of a literary reading, she and the other students gave an animated performance of their stories, bringing them to life. Dang’s reading came with a melodic cadence, but she embellished certain moments and dialogue from others with dramatic or humorous emphasis.
Next, Myles Tate-Alsgaard, a general studies major, performed his story, “Some Kind of Blue.” Tate-Alsgaard recounted his experience playing the bass and how it helped him find community.
It had allowed him to come to terms with his identity, and he reflected on how that changed after he stopped playing the instrument. He spoke with a poetic rhythm that worked with the introspective nature of the piece.
Martine Remi, a sixth-semester digital media and design major, then presented their story, “Quiet on Set.” Their story focused on how the bustling energy of filmmaking nullified the unwelcome silences at home and the distance between them and their mom after coming out.
They took solace in the creative environment, surrounded by an accepting community, motivating them to help others distressed by alienating silences. Their reading was solemn, reflecting the seriousness of the piece.
Then, Aisha Hashimi, a fourth-semester allied health sciences major, presented her story, “With a Little Ginger.” She recounted the many memories of making and drinking chai with her family, with moments like learning recipes passed down generation to generation from her mother and gatherings where everyone bonded over the drink.
Hashimi conveyed how being a first-generation college student can be isolating and scary, but she could always take solace in family, where chai makes everything easier. Hashimi got emotional towards the end, speaking to the power and personal nature of her story.
Natasha Khetan, a fourth-semester allied health sciences and disability studies major, followed with her story, “Houston, We Need a Doctor.” She expressed her difficulties navigating her life with undiagnosed endometriosis, where people saw her as weird but would not acknowledge her struggle either. She brought up how isolating it felt and the shortcomings of the healthcare system.
Khetan finished by emphasizing how her difficulties taught her empathy and inspired her to make a change in the healthcare field. While the subject matter was heavy, she infused the performance with enthusiasm and plenty of jokes to lighten the mood.
The final performance came from David Cabeceiras, who recently graduated from UConn with a degree in English, with his story “Punching Up.” He related a story of when he shared a poem to a creative writing class about boxing and the criticism it received from a peer.
While the boxing narrative itself reflected on masculinity and his urge to fight, or lack thereof, the creative writing layer focuses on his writing itself, with a meta-approach.
Cabeceiras gave a brazen, immersive performance. He spoke loudly and mimed the fight movements as they came up in the story, giving his words energy and authority.
After the performances, Khetan elaborated on her experience in the program. She said it started in January and performance practices were held online, which made the in-person event stressful.
“Learning to stand in front of people, stand at the mic, without having that actual practice for like weeks and weeks and only having those calls was definitely a jarring experience,” Khetan said.
“This morning I had my rehearsal and I was like, man, this is not gonna go well, but then it did, it worked out,” she said.
Dang said she felt similarly apprehensive about performing but also found the new experience fulfilling.
“Performing was probably the part that I was most nervous about, but it was the most exciting for me because it’s the part that I have the least experience in,” Dang said.
Gabby Wincherhern, a sixth-semester ecology and evolutionary biology major, found the event impressive, as a writer who does not usually perform her stories in dramatic ways.
“I really like the part where they [said] anyone can do it, like this is something that you could hypothetically share,” Wincherhern said.
“I was like, wow, everyone here is so cool, everyone has such cool things to say,” she said.
Before the event ended and the audience got refreshments, Duane returned to the stage and asked everyone to reflect on something that stuck with them. She said Story Slam and other UCHI ambassador opportunities for students will return next year.