The Big Picture
People in Austin are telling real-life gossip onstage at Spill It, a three-minute storytelling show that leans into chisme and audience participation. The event ran in September at East End Ballroom and sold out at 650 tickets, drawing listeners who cheer, gasp and chant "chisme!" between short personal stories about workplace drama, cheating, and other scandals.
What Changed
Spill It began in April at Lefty's Day & Night and has since moved to different venues and themes; the September show focused on workplace tea. Founder Beverlyn González started the series after seeing a storytelling event at South by Southwest and stripped the format down to short, approachable gossipy bits with a cultural nod — she encourages the crowd to chant "chisme" between stories. The series has expanded beyond Austin: it is currently touring cities including Los Angeles, San Diego and Houston over the next few weeks.
What's Next
Spill It is planning to return to Austin in December. Ticket prices vary by city; the event's Instagram is the listed source for updates and for information on how to sign up to share a story. The September show included audience-voted awards (a $25 prize and a trophy for categories such as "funniest spill").
Only we would note that the only thing more Austin than telling a story about someone else’s terrible job is getting a trophy for it.