Excited about telling a story at Milk and Cookies’ monthly storytelling open mic night? We’re excited too! These guidelines are here to let all you storytellers and budding storytellers know just what to expect at our open mic night. We hope they are helpful and that we haven’t missed any important questions you might have… but if we have, just contact us and we’ll get on it! We don’t have many rules at Milk and Cookies, but we ask that you abide by the few that we do when planning your stories… they are there to ensure that we all have the best evening possible. Milk and Cookies loves you.
At a Milk and Cookies open mic night, who can tell a story?
Absolutely anyone , experienced or not, can tell a story at Milk and Cookies! We loves you and wants to find out what stories you have to tell! Each open mic night has a featured storyteller or two, which we select because we think they are amazing, but anyone can put their name down to tell a story on the night. Of course, there is no requirement to speak – anyone can come to be part of the audience.
How and when do I sign up to tell my story?
To make sure that everyone gets an equal chance to tell their story, we do not take advance bookings. So, if you would like to tell a story at our open mic night, just come along to our event and sign up on the night. The sign-up sheet will be in the care of one our very friendly receptionists.
We’re really sorry, but we can’t guarantee that that we will have time for everyone who signs up to tell their story at one of our events… but we will do our bestest best to squeeze as many people in as possible! To give as many people as possible the opportunity to tell their tales, top priority is given to new storytellers (that is people who have never performed at our event) and to people who we didn’t have time for at our previous open mic night.
What kind of story should I tell?
What kind? Whatever kind you want! Milk and Cookies welcomes stories of all kinds, whether they are truth or fiction, happy or sad, funny or terrifying. At past Milk and Cookies events, we have had children’s stories, true life tales, folk tales from around the world, “documentary” storytelling, stories from the imagination of our tellers… and so much more. Whatever kind of story you have to tell, we want to hear it!
To inspire creativity, our events will sometimes have a theme -’end of the world’ stories, bedtime stories, elephant dreams, mad science – which will be announced well in advance. Themed stories are encouraged, but it’s perfectly okay if you have another kind of story you’d like to tell… though priority wil be given to anyone who made that extra bit of effort to come with a themed story!
We do not advocate censorship at Milk and Cookies. One little thing, should there be children in the audience, we do ask that speakers show discretion and to please refrain from material of a very violent or adult nature. Thank you!
How long should my story be?
You might have a two minute anecdote about something that happened to you on the bus on the way in, or an epic confession of your darkest secrets that you’ve yearning to share for years. Either way, we want to see you on stage! We do ask that people tell one story only and stay within ~10 minute time limit- because we want to give as many people as possible the chance to tell their story! So if you plan to tell a story at our open mic, please keep our time limit in mind when you are choosing your story.
How will I know when it’s my turn to tell a story?
One of the MCs will call you up on stage… we’ll do our best to give you some idea beforehand when you can expect to be called up, but please forgive us if things don’t always go quite to schedule.
How will I know if I’m going over time?
Just watch for the Cookie and listen for the Milk! Once you are drawing close to the 10 minute time limit, one of the very friendly Milk and Cookies Crew will wave an odd looking cookie-shaped sign in the air. Please note, this doesn’t mean you have to stop telling your story and leave the stage… We are just reminding you to wrap your story up in the next 2-3 minutes.
We know it’s hard to keep track of time when you are up there on stage, adrenalin pumping, telling a story for the first time ever. We’ve done our best to find the least disruptive and scary way to remind of our time limit… We think it’s pretty hard to be scared by a giant waving cookie on a stick – and we hope you think so too.
If you are running severely over our time limit, that is more than 5 minutes, this where the Milk comes in… Members of the Milk and Cookies Team will sound some fun noisemakers (we haven’t bought them yet, but we’re hoping for some glorious mooing cows!) to remind you that you must absolutely wrap up in the next minute or, unfortunately, we will have to go without hearing the end of your story…
Can I perform my comedy set or read my poetry at Milk and Cookies?
Milk and Cookies open mic night celebrates the art of storytelling! We ask that all performances, whatever the theme or the medium, be a story. So with that in mind, we just want to remind you that Milk and Cookies is not poetry reading or a comedy night – but should your story come in the form of a poem or should you have a comic story (or an animated story, or a dance story, or a musical story!) to tell, you are absolutely welcome to do so.
Can I read a story at Milk and Cookies?
Yes, you can. Stories can be told or read at our open mic night, although we think proper storytelling is great and therefore encourage it wherever possible!
Tell your story!
Don’t be shy, and don’t worry if you’ve never done it before. We firmly believe that everyone, whether they know it or not, has story to tell. Your story doesn’t need to be a soul-changing one or an epic one… all you need to do is tell your story with a little bit of passion and enthusiasm and people will listen…
Tell your story at Milk and Cookies open mic night! We want to hear you! (We are super-friendly.) Milk and Cookies is your show… come and make it happen!