BALTIMORE STORY FEST 2026

From the Page to the Stage

Curated and Directed by Phill Branch

May 1 – 3

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.

Saturday, May 3rd

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

The festival will culminate with a reading and conversation featuring Branch. He will share excerpts from The Double Dutch Fuss and discuss the journey from memory to memoir, followed by brief Q&A. Preorder the book HERE.

About Phill Branch

Phill Branch is a writer, live performance storyteller, and regional Emmy Award-winning filmmaker whose work explores identity, masculinity, and the power of personal narrative.

He is the author of The Double Dutch Fuss (HarperCollins/Amistad, 2026), a debut memoir that has received critical acclaim including a starred review from Library Journal.

Branch is a GrandSLAM Champion of The Moth and has performed nationally and internationally. He is a recipient of the Maryland State Arts Council’s Creativity Grant and the Council’s highest honor, the Individual Artist Award for Solo Performance. A Lambda Literary Emerging Voices Fellow, he is also the founder and Creative Director of Baltimore Story Fest.

An alumnus of the American Film Institute, Branch holds an MFA in Screenwriting and a BA from Hampton University, where he later returned as a professor in the English department. He is currently a Resident Artist at the Howard County Center for the Arts.

Showtimes:
May 1 @ 7:30pm – FINDING THE STORY
May 2 @ 7:30pm – SHAPING THE WORK
May 3 @ 3:00pm – THE ART OF STORYTELLING

Tickets:
General Admission: $15