By Skye Anderson 

On Oct. 16, the campus bookstore Freddie’s Books and More held their Halloween-themed event, Freddie’s Frightful Open Mic Night, at which students could showcase their talents in music, poetry and comedy. 

The event was a collaboration between the bookstore and the university’s MADE program. In addition to the open mic performances, there was a raffle for free bookstore merchandise. 

Campus bookstore manager Hannah Wilder came up with the event in hopes of bringing more students to the bookstore, initially planning it as a poetry reading before deciding to open it up to other kinds of performances. 

“There’s a lot going on. A lot of people feel helpless or just alone in how they’re feeling,” Wilder said. “Poetry, songs, skits, even stand up—they all have a place in expressing our emotions to other people.” 

Aubrey O’Bryant performed improvisational comedy in character as senior citizen Robert, who said he had thought the open mic was a speed dating event for seniors. Robert donned a gift from his granddaughter: a Bumble hat. “My hat was really popular,” he said. “People really like bees.” 

As Robert, O’Bryant answered questions from the audience and provided advice for the younger generation, using stories as an outlet. He said that among the more serious performances, he figured people would want to hear “some good old-fashioned anecdotes.” 

Claire Temple sang an Appalachian folk song and read an original poem dedicated to overlooked middle-aged women in society. She said the open mic felt like a safe space for creatives to express themselves: “to not be perfect, and to have your voice crack, and to lose your spot in your book… Everybody was super encouraging.” 

Students who signed up for the open mic were given five minutes each. Because many of the scheduled performances ran under five minutes, there was time at the end for performances from people who hadn’t had a chance to sign up. 

Wilder, dressed in a Hannah Montana costume, performed “The Climb” as one of the last sets. She chose the costume as a nod to her first name and said most of the outfit consisted of pieces she already owned. 

Wilder said she hopes to put on another open mic event at the bookstore in the spring and invite Montevallo alumni to attend.