Carapace Atlanta

Come out of your shell!

A place for story connoisseurs…

Carapace is a monthly event of true personal stories at Manuel's Tavern in Atlanta, every fourth Tuesday of the month (except December). While the show begins at 7p, we encourage people to get there early to meet their neighbors and enjoy a meal before the mic goes live.

Raconteurs + Rapt Audience
= Really Good Time!

Every fourth Tuesday of the month, ordinary raconteurs tell true, personal, five-minute (or so) stories on a pre-selected theme. Topics have included, for example, "Scars," and "Feuds & Rivalries."

Our hilarious host, Cris Gray, guides us through.

Names are drawn from a hat. No one is required to tell a story; attendees can just listen. It's free.

Learn More

Next Month’s Theme: Wish You Were Here

Tuesday, March 28, 7p, Manuel’s Tavern

You're familiar with the postcard sentiment, which is sometimes tossed off without much sincerity ... and sometimes with so much sincerity that the sender (and/or the recipient!) can hardly stand it. The phrase calls out yearning. Heartache. Loneliness. Or maybe just: “Hey, this is a nice beach. I know how you like swimming.”

Dive right in, storytellers. Bring us your five to seven-minute story that conveys absence, hope, the lack – hurting or simply wistful – of a particular someone.

Feel free, as always, to go wide with our theme. Your story could involve, for example, an angry letter from jail to the person who landed you behind bars: “Wish you were here instead of me.” Plenty of fodder here for the imagination.

Come down, throw your name in, or just listen. No notes, no poetry, political rants or stand-up comedy. It’s free, with no judging, at the friendliest bar in town.

See you at Manny’s!

P.S. Outline the “shape” of your story, but don’t script it all out word-for-word. This is brain science. One side of your brain is dedicated to written language, the other to your lived experiences, therefore making it twice as hard to coax those words to come out of your mouth. As we’ve recommended before, do know your first & last line, but maybe just outline the rest?

P.P.S. We recognize our room has been very full the last couple of months. Definitely more than just two lost souls swimmin' in a fishbowl (year after year). We'll continue to monitor for a few months, but may consider moving to the big room if trends continue.