BALTIMORE STORY FEST 2026:
From the Page to the Stage!
Curated and Directed by Phill Branch
A mic, spotlight and a good story is all you need to take a room full of people on a journey.
Now in its third year, Baltimore Story Fest, curated and directed by Phill Branch, continues to spotlight some of the most compelling storytellers in the region, artists who use personal narrative to move audiences, build connection, and bring lived experience to the stage.
Over the past two years, as the festival has grown, so has a different kind of response. Audiences haven't just asked to hear stories—they've asked how to tell their own.
In response, Branch is expanding Baltimore Story Fest in 2026 to include a three-day writing and storytelling intensive, designed for artists, writers, and anyone interested in shaping personal narrative.
"People kept asking how the stories are made-on the page, on stage, in real time," says Branch. "This felt like a natural next step. A way to open that process up and invite people into it."
Grounded in the same approach that informs his debut memoir, The Double Dutch Fuss, which has received critical acclaim including a starred review from Library Journal, the intensive focuses on helping participants move from memory to manuscript to performance.
At a time when expression can feel both urgent and uncertain, the expansion reflects a broader commitment: to create space for people not just to listen, but to find and use their own voice.
Accessible, practical, and rooted in lived experience, the workshop offers an opportunity for participants to engage deeply with storytelling without barriers, and in community.
The Story Workshop Structure
Friday, May 1st - 7:30pm
Day 1: Writing the Personal Narrative — Finding the Story
Participants begin by identifying the stories that matter most.
Focus areas include:
- Mining memory for meaningful narrative material
- Writing beyond chronology—finding emotional entry points
- Voice development and authenticity
- Understanding what makes a story worth telling
Participants will leave with the foundation of a personal essay rooted in lived experience.
Saturday, May 2nd - 7:30pm
Day 2: Craft & Structure — Shaping the Work
Day two focuses on transforming raw material into intentional narrative.
Participants will explore:
- Structure in memoir and personal essays
- Scene-building, tension, and pacing
- Balancing reflection and action
- Revision as a creative practice
By the end of the day, participants will have a more fully realized piece of nonfiction writing.
Sunday, May 3rd - 3:00pm
Day 3: From Page to Stage — The Art of Storytelling
The final day shifts from writing to performance.
Drawing on his experience as a Moth GrandSLAM Champion and live storyteller, Branch guides participants through:
- Translating written work into spoken narrative
- Presence, pacing, and audience connection
- What changes when a story is told out loud
- Performing with clarity and intention
Participants will have the opportunity to share their work in a supportive, workshop-style environment.
Special Event: Pre-Launch Book Reading and Live Podcast
Join us for a live taping of @butmakeitbookspod, hosted by Niccara, in conversation with Phill Branch about his memoir The Double Dutch Fuss (Amistad – June 2, 2026).
The memoir is already receiving critical acclaim, with Library Journal calling it “an engrossing account of the pressures of performing masculinity” in a starred review. Branch explores the powerful pull between fathers and sons, and the quiet, radical act of choosing to exist on your own terms.
Don’t miss this special pre-launch event.
*Tickets are non-refundable.
**Tickets are also available at the door beginning 45 minutes prior to each workshop.
