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Wordslingers Way

Wordslingers Way is an intimate venue for live spoken word entertainment, featuring a blend of poetry, storytelling, comedy, and other spoken word performances.

CONvergence 2025 Information Coming Soon!

Below is information from CONvergence 2024 for your reference.

Welcome to Wordslingers Way

Connie dressed as the shadow duel-wielding microphones

Do you love poetry, storytelling, stand-up comedy, and other spoken word performances? You will not want to miss visiting Wordslingers Way, CONvergence’s dedicated performance space for spoken word artists!

Wordslingers Way is located on the 4th floor of the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis Hotel.

Things to Know

  • Some Wordslingers Way events are adults-only. Please have your ID ready to be admitted to 18+ performances
  • We must clear the room of all audience members after each act has concluded. Seat saving is not allowed between shows
  • For the best chance at getting into our most popular shows, we recommend arriving early and being prepared to wait in line

For information on the CONvergence Poetry Slam, visit the Poetry Slam page.

To see Wordslingers Way’s most up-to-date performance listings, check CONvergence’s online schedule.

2024 Wordslingers Way Schedule

Thursday

Films on the big screen, streaming on the small, 2023 had much to celebrate–and we’re here to trivialize it. Bring a smart device and a team of up to four savvy human brains to prove your worth as the pop-culture experts of the last tumultuous year!
Cory Damone Enriquez

Friday

An autistic author and film critic dissects how autism is portrayed in film and how it can be found in places without explicitly neurodivergent characters.
Mark James McPherson

Stories from other places, other times, and other universes? Find your new favorite author, sharing their tales of worlds that can’t, should, or mustn’t exist, in this imaginative hour of storytelling!
Elizabeth Ess, Aimee Kuzenski, Danith McPherson, Catherine Schaff-Stump, Joan Marie Verba

Whether you prefer exploring the final frontier or a galaxy far, far away, come compete in a social gaming experience with giveaways, your clever answers, and a whole lot of celebrating the stars!
Cory Damone Enriquez

  • 5:00 pm: Full Color Futures: T. Aaron Cisco Reads Excerpts by T. Aaron Cisco

An award-winning author and former CONvergence Guest of Honor reads excerpts from his latest books and shares stories from his multifaceted career as a Black author, musician, and television broadcaster.
T. Aaron Cisco

Enter a lottery to perform six minutes of a real-life story as part of the 2024 CONvergence Story Slam!

Compete with six minutes of a real-life story about your most epic Magic battle, cosplay gone wrong, finding love over a board game, meeting your nerdy heroes, or anything on the theme ALL GEEKS WELCOME HERE!
Allison Broeren, Dan Marlow

  • 9:00 pm: He-Man Is the Devil: A Satanic Panic Tale by Kyle B. Dekker

A story of experiences odd and traumatic – essential in creating a worldview, nerdy hobbies, and a contentious family relationship. Tales of demon possession, religious fanaticism, and learning to be yourself.
Kyle B. Dekker

Saturday

Author Naomi Kritzer reads from her work.
Naomi Kritzer

  • 12:30 pm: Carlos Hernandez and C.S.E. Cooney by Hernandooney

Join authors Carlos Hernandez and C.S.E. Cooney as they share readings from their works and answer your questions about them.
C.S.E. Cooney, Carlos Hernandez

  • 2:00 pm: Press Your Luck by Joshua Lane

The classic game-show format of “Press Your Luck” finds its way to CONvergence, as six players try to avoid the Whammy on their way to the Big Bucks in two 30-minute shows filled with fun and surprises!
Joshua Lane

A random-draw, short-form improv show where you never know what might happen – because neither do we!
Garrick A. Dietze, Kelvin Hatle, Jason Kruger, Hedy Rand-McKay, Andrea Ropella, Eric Thompson, Rouge Zastera

Delve into the mysticism of 19th-century Oregon territory along with an amnesiac cowgirl, her harsh mentor, a dead body, and a Bigfoot-hunting missionary in this world-premiere staged reading of a fantastical new script!
Jonathan Fondell, Brad Krieger, Laila Sahir, Christine Stoffel, Matthew Stoffel

Enter a lottery to perform two three-minute poems as part of the 2024 CONvergence Poetry Slam!

Vogon poetry. Bilbo’s Walking Song. Nevermore. The CONvergence Poetry Slam is here to celebrate words and nerds in an exciting competitive format! Show up, sign up, and if the lottery gods are kind, you may be drawn to read two three-minute poems.
Allison Broeren, Dan Marlow

Six comedians compete in a format lifted from the infamous British comedy game show, “Big Fat Quiz!”
Alison Anderson, Mike Dee, Jhax Faer-Berryhill, James Fairbairn, Angela Fox, Eric Thompson

Like what you see? Check out Wordslingers Way on the CONvergence online schedule and app to add your favorite performers to your personal schedule!

Perform at Wordslingers Way

Interested in performing at Wordslingers Way? Maybe you have a poetry or storytelling act, or another idea? We’d love to work with you! Please see our Wordslingers Way Performer Information page or the Musicians/Performers page for information on performing at CONvergence in general!

Questions & Comments

Have questions or comments about Wordslingers Way or spoken word performances at CONvergence? Contact Wordslingers Way!

Connie reclining