News from Whitcomb’s

Final Applause for SpeakEazy Storytelling at Whitcomb’s

Wednesday, May 15 at 7pm
In 2021, longtime Essex resident Mac MacDevitt created the local storytelling phenomenon SpeakEazy at Whitcomb’s, part of the Whallonsburg Grange.  The event, where community members tell true stories from their lives in 7 minutes, caught on and crowds came from as far as Crown Point, Plattsburgh and beyond.  

Mac describes the fundamentals of a SpeakEazy:  “It takes courage to stand up in front of a group and speak – whether your story is simply amusing or deeply personal.  My main goal is to try to create a safe space for people to tell their stories.  There is no judgment.  At the beginning of each show, my co-hosts and I tell people that every story is perfect.   We promise to be obnoxiously supportive.  As each teller approaches the stage, we slow clap them up, until the audience explodes into a frenzy of clapping as they reach the microphone.”  After SpeakEazy events, people often circulate informally – sharing ways that they personally connected to a story.  

Mac first discovered the concept when he moved to Chicago.  Missing his friends from the North Country and struggling to form strong connections, he stumbled onto a Open Mic storytelling.  Though he’d always been a “storyteller and BS-er” in his daily life, he was surprised how different and thrilling it was to share stories from the stage.  “You really feel the connection to the audience… and you feel more comfortable because you know they came to hear your stories”, he says, mimicking the groans and rapt expressions that he sees in the crowd as he tells his stories.  “And at my age, it also serves as kind of life review.  It’s wonderful to realize how many stories I have to tell.”  

When Mac moved back to Essex during the pandemic, he set about building a community of tellers.   They met out-of-doors, sometimes in the snow around a fire, and workshopped their stories.  Amy Heffner attended these early sessions and learned “that telling and retelling a story is like peeling an onion. Each retelling can get us closer to the deeper meaning. Sometimes there’s an ah ha! moment along the way.”

As Covid receded, they opened the group to the public and partnered with the Whallonsburg Grange to hold events at Whitcomb’s. 

For frequent teller Heather Maxey, “Open mic storytelling has become a true highlight of my month. We get to peek into each other's lives, learning about everything from growing the perfect tomato to the feeling of driving off a bridge during an earthquake… we discover the richness of experience through the simple act of telling stories.”  Colin Powers noticed that “my comfort level talking in front of a group went up surprisingly quickly.  After just one story my adrenaline didn’t go through the roof.”  

Mac recruited seasoned storytellers from Chicago to keep building the local storytelling community.  He brought in Nestor Gomez, who has won over 60 Moth Grand Slams, to perform a show based on his life as an undocumented immigrant. Professional storyteller Scott Whitehair offered a weekend of workshops for storytellers and would-be storytellers.  SpeakEazy co-host Andy Wekin attended the workshops. “I’m usually spontaneous in my storytelling.  The workshops helped me really hone in on what makes a compelling story and piqued my interest in the art and craft of storytelling.” 

Now, after 30 consecutive months of SpeakEazies, Mac is ending his run at Whitcomb’s. “Whitcomb’s was the perfect place to launch SpeakEazy and I’m grateful to have had the support of the Grange.”  He will now focus his efforts on widening the pool of committed storytellers here in the North Country.

Towards that end, Mac founded Bell Fire Arts, a collective of artists dedicated to creating and publicizing “spirited events” in the North Country.  They recently launched a monthly SpeakEazy at the Old Soul taproom in Plattsburgh, where Mac appreciates the great variety of storytellers – from dramatic theater majors to people down on their luck and looking for a human moment.  

This summer, Bell Fire Arts will pair up with Essex Community Theater to offer a variation on the SpeakEazy format. They also plan to bring pop-up shows to communities around the North Country.  

Whitcomb’s will continue to offer occasional storytelling events and welcomes new collaborators.  Mac says he would be happy to coach a community member if they’d like to keep the tradition alive at Whitcomb’s.

Come to Whitcomb’s on Wednesday, May 15 at 7pm for the final Speakeasy at Whitcomb’s (for now) AND an afterparty to celebrate a fantastic run!