WILDCARD February
WILDCARD: A Live Storytelling Open Mic
Presented by In a Nutshell Storytelling
WILDCARD is our monthly participatory storytelling night — a welcoming place where anyone can step up to tell a true, personal story out loud in front of real humans.
This isn’t stand-up or poetry.
This isn’t a polished mainstage show.
It’s something in between: open, focused, and genuinely fun to be part of.
Audience members are invited to put their name into the NOT HAT, and 10 storytellers are drawn at random each night to share an eight-minute true story. There’s no theme, so the night becomes what we all make of it — funny, tender, surprising, sometimes all of the above.
WILDCARD exists so storytellers can try, experiment, stretch, and grow while being supported by an audience that actually listens. Some people tell their first story here. Others test new material, build confidence, or simply enjoy being part of a room where stories matter.
Each night includes:
🎤 A participatory storytelling portion (names drawn from the NOT HAT)
⭐ A featured storyteller
🧡 A supportive audience that wants you to succeed
☕ A cozy, casual vibe at Old Soul at the Alley (with sips and nibbles!)
Stories are true, personal, and told without notes. They can be funny, heartfelt, awkward, or unexpectedly beautiful. Eight minutes is perfect. Perfection is not required. (But we are timing you this year!)
As WILDCARD grows this year, we’re shaping the night into more show-focused experience while keeping it welcoming and participatory. Same spirit, same openness — just a little more focus and shared attention.
WILDCARD is hosted by Keith Lowell Jensen, with Amy Bee as storyteller-in-residence, and produced by the In a Nutshell team. We’re building a real, in-person storytelling community here in Sacramento, and you’re invited to be part of it — whether you tell a story or just come listen.
Come put your name in the NOT HAT.
Or come cheer for the people brave enough to do it.
Either way, you belong here.