One Blue Wall, the publication staff responsible for Manual’s literary magazines, hosted an open mic night on Friday, Sept. 26 in the YPAS Experimental Theater.

Only about ten people attended the event, which was meant to promote the upcoming literary magazine Labyrinth.

Due to the small outcome, the open mic only consisted of seven performances. Organizers Marissa Booker (12, J&C) and Braden VanMeter (12, J&C) managed to keep the event going with activities such a musical improvisation, paper clipping and a Socratic Circle.

During the paper clipping activity, participants gathered in a circle and said the most nonsensical phrases they could think of as dramatically as possible.

“Paper clipping is just like another version of improv, where you say something really dramatic and it doesn’t necessarily make sense,” said Booker. “It’s kind of like an ice breaker thing. It allows people to become more comfortable.”

Afterward, Booker asked participants to gather in a Socratic Circle. During the discussion, topics ranged from male privilege to friendship, relationships, expectations and identity.

The modest turnout did not deter Booker, VanMeter or participant Stephanie Little (J&C, 10).

“I think they handled the lack of people well. With open arms, in fact,” said Little. “Even though the group of people may not have been people who have previously been grouped together, we all just kind of seemed to fit in a group. It kind of seemed like the sort of conversations you’d have at 4 a.m.”

“We definitely didn’t think that we would have that many people come, and I like that not a lot of people came, because I got to experience something I’ve never done before and I feel close to the people that I’ve never talked to before, and some of the people that I have talked to, I know more about their lives now,” said VanMeter.

“I think that we’re very fortunate to have a very small outcome,” said Booker. “ I like small crowds and I like being able to do things that are really adaptive and different. And this was definitely an adaptive and different situation.”