First Person Arts Festival Announces Full Lineup


A scene from "Bad Kid."

A scene from “Bad Kid.”

“We are liking, favoriting, following, commenting, and connecting across platforms and devices like never before,” said First Person Arts’ Executive Director Jamie Brunson. “These trends reaffirm to us that people want to share life, and everyday people are becoming documentarians of our age through technology, which is really an exciting and empowering concept. This year’s Festival is a tribute to this movement—to sharing life, and maybe even making new friends and understanding ourselves a little better along the way.”

Indeed, the theme for the 14th Annual First Person Arts Festival is “Share Life,” and there’s something for just about everyone on tap throughout the 12-day celebration of personal storytelling and narrative that runs from November 4th through the 15th.

Some highlights this year include a “First Person Arts Family Dinner” hosted by Patty Jackson at Warmdaddy’s, an evening with Philly poet, activist, and artist Ursula Rucker titled My Father’s Daughter, Sonia Sanchez‘s Women on the Revolution, the Philadelphia premiere of Bad Kid starring David Crabb, a special LGBTQ performance by Out/Spoken, and the second installment of BEyond Expectations. Also, the creators of Welcome to Night Vale: The Novel, Joseph Fink, Jeffrey Cranor, and Cecil Baldwin will be presenting a special evening of entertainment.

The full schedule is listed below. Tickets go on sale to the general public today. For more information, visit the First Person Arts Festival website.

First Person Arts Family Dinner, Warmdaddy’s; Wednesday, November 4; Doors at 5:30PM, Dinner at 6PM; $35 before Oct. 23, $40 after Oct. 23, $32 for FPA members.

The 15th Season FPA Grand Slam, World Cafe Live, Downstairs; Thursday, November 5; Doors at 7PM, Show at 8PM; $19 before Oct. 23, $22 after Oct. 23, $17 for FPA members.

Ursula Rucker

Ursula Rucker

My Father’s Daughter, Plays & Players Black Box Theater; Friday, November 6; Doors at 7:30PM, Show at 8PM; $13 before Oct. 23, $15 after Oct. 23, $12 for FPA members.

First Person Arts Podcast LIVE!, Christ Church Neighborhood House; Tuesday, November 10; Doors at 7:30PM, Show at 8PM; $13 before Oct. 23, $15 after Oct. 23, $12 for FPA members.

Women on the Revolution, Christ Church Neighborhood House; Wednesday, November 11; Doors at 7PM, Show at 7:30PM; $13 before Oct. 23, $15 after Oct. 23, $12 for FPA members. Presented in Partnership with Art Sanctuary.

First Person Arts in Concert, Christ Church Neighborhood House; Thursday, November 12; Doors at 7:30PM, Show at 8PM; $19 before Oct. 23, $22 after Oct. 23, $17 for FPA members.

Post Traumatic Super Delightful, Christ Church Sanctuary; Friday, November 13; Doors at 6:30PM, Show at 7PM; $13 before Oct. 23, $15 after Oct. 23, $12 for FPA members.

Bad Kid, Christ Church Neighborhood House; Friday, November 13; Doors at 8:30PM, Show at 9PM, $13 before Oct. 23 $15 after Oct. 23, $12 for FPA members.

Out/Spoken Presented by Story District,  Christ Church Neighborhood House; Sunday, November 15; Doors at 6:30PM, Show at 7PM, $13 before Oct. 23, $15 after Oct. 23, $12 for FPA members.

BEyond Expectations: Engaging Males of Color, Annenberg Center Live: Zellerbach Theater; Saturday, November 14; More info to come at firstpersonarts.org.

Welcome to Nightvale: The Making of a Storytelling Sensation, Annenberg Center Live: Zellerbach Theater; Wednesday, November 11; Doors at 7:30PM, Show at 8PM, $19 before Oct. 23, $22 after Oct. 23, $17 for FPA members.

Jeffrey Cranor

Jeffrey Cranor

Kid Athletes, Christ Church Neighborhood House; Saturday, November 14; Doors at 4:30PM, Show at 5PM, $13 before Oct. 23, $15 after Oct. 23, $12 for FPA members, 2 children under the age of 15 per adult admitted for free.

Outcry! Opening Reception, Christ Church Neighborhood House; Thursday, November 12; 6:30PM, free.

Creating Your Own Solo Show, Christ Church Neighborhood House, Nov. 7, 8, 14, and 15; Four-day class meets 10AM-2PM each day; $225 before Oct. 23, $250 after Oct. 23, $200 for FPA members.

True North: The Art of the Personal Essay, Head House Books; Saturday, November 7 and Sunday, November 8; Two-day class meets 11-3PM each day; $110 before Oct. 23, $125 after Oct. 23, $100 for FPA members.

Quirk Books Presents: The Business of Publishing, Head House Books; Saturday, November 7; 3:30-5PM; $13 before Oct. 23, $15 after Oct. 23, $12 for FPA members.

Brain Friendly Presentations: Storytelling for Business, Christ Church Neighborhood House; Saturday, November 14; 12-4PM; $13 before Oct. 23, $15 after Oct. 15, $12 for FPA members.

Sex, Death, and Memoir, Head House Books; Saturday, November 14 and Sunday, November 15; Two-day class meets 11AM-3PM both days; $110 before Oct. 23, $125 after Oct. 23, $100 for FPA members.

Standup Storytelling: From Craft to Performance, Christ Church Neighborhood House; Saturday, November 14 and Sunday, November 15; Two-day class meets 11AM-3PM both days, $135 before Oct. 23, $150 after Oct. 23, $120 for FPA members.