A sell-out program at the Philadelphia Book Festival for two years running, this year’s Third Annual First Person Arts Inter-City StorySlam pits a team of top Philadelphia storytellers against Boston’s finest raconteurs from the storytelling organization massmouth. In honor of the Philadelphia Science Festival and the impact of science on our daily lives, all tales take their cue from the theme “Experiments.” This year’s Philadelphia team is made up of 2010 Grand Slam competitors, Michael Minard and Bernardo Morillo; recent StorySlam winner Marla Burkholder; and last year’s Best Storyteller at the Philly vs. Washington D.C. StorySlam, Michael McCarry. Philly is 1-1 in the series, having beat Chicago in the contest in 2008, but succumbing to Washington, D.C. during last year’s competition.

Philadelphia performer Beth Nixon, co-creator of Pig Iron Theatre Company’s Cankerblossom, hosts, and acclaimed science writer, Mary Roach—who’ll be in town for the Science Festival to speak about her latest book, Packing for Mars—will serve as a guest judge and storyteller.

A joint production of the Philadelphia Book Festival, the Philadelphia Science Festival, and First Person Arts