Ten storytellers. Five minutes. Belly-rumbling comedy, soul-crushing sadness and exhilarating excitement. One after another after another.

This epic emotional rollercoaster known as the West Chester Story Slam takes off at 8 p.m. on the second Tuesday of every month downtown at Side Bar & Restaurant, according to a feature in West Chester University’s The Quad.

“The Story Slam has become a community event, especially for people who are into writing, storytelling and the arts,” writer and creator Jim Breslin said in the article. “One of the things I truly enjoy is when people who come to the story slam just to watch end up getting up on stage and telling an epic story themselves.”

With public speaking and storytelling workshops available from Breslin, the thrill of performing on stage is within reach for anyone interested.

“West Chester Story Slam gives me the opportunity to make friends with people who tell all different stories,” Breslin said.

Read more about the story behind West Chester Story Slam in The Quad here, and check out podcasts of previous performers or get tickets for the next gathering on the event’s website here.