Intoxication was the theme, and our host was appropriately buzzed for the event, or so she told us. The tables were packed early for the season’s opening night of Speakeasy at HR-57, a monthly event featuring storytellers of all talent levels, from captivating veterans to nervous amatuers.
It was standing room only by the time Reuben Jackson, associate curator at the National Museum of American History, took the stage at eight sharp. A master storyteller, he immediately turned the jazz club into his childhood bedroom, where he vividly recalled his first exposure to Marvin Gaye over the old AM radio on his bedstand, and the complete devotion and awe to the Motown singer’s great talent that he succumbed to for decades, up to and through Gaye’s death in 1984.
The intoxication wasn’t just Jackson’s; he had the audience hanging on his every word, fearful it would end too soon, when we would immediately miss his soothing voice, cleverly placed one-liners, and colorful descriptions of the who, what, where, when, and why.
The Speakeasy experience is a hit and miss one. While there are a few great wordsmiths who will take to the barstool on stage and transport you to a Mötley Crüe concert or a creepy jungle cabin with their opening line, the open mic portion makes for a much different experience. Listening to the first-timers can be downright painful, making you cringe at the mis-timed joke or the over-the-top description of a stormy night. But then there’s the witty barb from left field or the spot-on analogy in the closing line and you’re suddenly thrilled you stuck through it.
HR-57 runs the Speakeasy the second Tuesday of each month, which means you can catch it tonight from 8 to 10 p.m. The $5 cover is a pittance for the entertainment value you get back. Bring your own wine for a $3 corking fee, or enjoy the beer and wine bar and whatever they’re serving up for dinner (I regret not trying the fried chicken, it smelled delicious). If your friends are constantly asking you to tell the story about that time you saved your dog from the monkey attack in Costa Rica, then give the open mic a try by contacting Amy Saidman (amysaidman [at] yahoo [dot] com).
Photo by Flickr user mybloodyself used under a Creative Commons license.
