Over the last 7+ years, we have provided the space for over 500 people from every walk of life and experience level to share their true personal stories with packed houses of attentive listeners. Each show is an unpredictable mix of the hilarious and the heartbreaking featuring memorable tales from your friends, neighbors, and fellow Chicagoans.
Come hear what people are saying, then get involved. |
Third Wednesday of Every Month
Mrs. Murphy & Sons Irish Bistro 3905 N Lincoln Avenue 7:30 PM FREE! (Doors at 6:00. Please arrive early if you are dining.) New Voices Telling New Stories
Join us for an intimate evening of storytelling in the cozy back room of one of Chicago's best pubs. Each month, an entirely different lineup of up-and-coming storytellers will share their stories. Hosted by Scott Whitehair.
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THERE WILL BE NO SHOW IN NOVEMBER
DUE TO THANKSGIVING.
We return on Wednesday, December 19th,
Featuring ...
Julie Danis
Julie Danis is a storyteller and writer of essays, commentary, and marketing insight personas. Her career resembles a long and winding road with some twists, detours, and even dead ends. She studied social policy before going to business school but after studying theater. As a business humorist, Julie wrote a Chicago Tribune column called "It's a Living," and contributed commentary to Marketplace radio. She practiced humor on the job at places like Frito-Lay and Mondelez, the maker of Oreos and in roles such as Director of Mind and Mood. Julie also taught consumer, and insights and behavior at Northwestern’s Integrated Marketing Communications program. She's also a graduate of the Second City School of Improvisation and has told stories at live story telling events in Chicago, such as The Moth, Story Club, and now Story Lab, next year with 2nd Story. Currently she’s working on a documentary film script for “The Girl Who Wore Freedom”, which she hopes gets produced and wins many festivals.
Francine Friedman
Francine Pappadis Friedman, a former English and journalism teacher, is a professional writer of fiction and non-fiction. Her first short story was published in Story Quarterly; and her essays and articles appeared for years in Greek Circle, a national magazine. Friedman was an invited guest blogger in 2016/2017 for the American Writers Museum, and she currently reviews plays. Friedman’s memoir, MATCHDOTBOMB: A Midlife Journey through Internet Dating, won two first-place awards for non-fiction in 2008 from both the Illinois Women’s Press Association and the National Federation of Press Women. And it was reviewed in dozens of publications and on radio and television shows across the country. Friedman recently completed her first upcoming novel, BEYOND THE GREEN, an urban drama set in Chicago in 1998, depicting both the city’s beauty and its mean streets. Her novel describes its “have” and “have-not” characters as they cross the lines of class, age, sex, and race, dispelling common stereotypes. Hopefully it will be published soon, as it’s very timely.
Al Jacobson
Born in Chicago, and have lived in the close suburbs or the city all of my life. From day one, I've had a sense of adventure, and my hobbies are indicative of this......urban exploring, hiking and backpacking, reading and living history, photography, writing, drawing, world travel. My jobs have been less career moves than opportunistic work that I fell into. Driving a taxi, freight forwarding, both air and ocean import, owning 2 companies, London Town Chimney sweeps (all and everything to do with fireplaces, repairs, ect. and animal removal, both live and dead :). I also owned Atlas Interior Removal ("We'll BID your old interior a GOOD-BUY), other contracting jobs, and working on ships. I'm on my way to Tahoe now to see about work as a Captain for several tour boat companies. I'm a recovering alcoholic with 23 years sobriety, suck at relationships because I'm never around for my girl, and consider myself very lucky to be part of my wonderful family, 3 sisters and my Mom. I'm currently working on putting together basically a world slide show to put on internet, working with my friend Darren on my upcoming story and other cool things, and am writing a short story (Tooley's Pond) with about 3 other writing projects after that. I've had my work published.
Alison Murphy
Alison Murphy is a writer and military brat, who spends most of her time teaching creative writing, taking her 10-year-old basset hound Murray to the park, and finishing up her first novel, about the second intifada in Israel and the Iraq War. She recently moved from Boston to Chicago, and likes Chicago better.
Jerry Specht
By day, I work as a computer systems analyst; by night, I scour the Internet for poems, art, literature to be included in my websites: A Poetry-Lover’s Guide to the World-Wide Web and the Humanist Art Homepage. I have three grown children. I love playing Scrabble, which I do each Wednesday evening at the Rogers Park Public Library Scrabble Meet-up.
Alan Briskin
Raconteur. Bon vivant. Social Butterfly. Government agent from Absurdistan, Briskin has a wealth of experiences to share. Despite youthful good looks he did not recently fall off the turnip truck but rather bears the scars of many battles won & lost. A refugee from the world of finance (Morgan Stanley) he visited such garden spots as Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Turkey and Israel as well as most of Central and South America. They liked Americans back then. The epitome of his adventures may be the unwitting Running With The Bulls in Pamplona, Spain during the Festival Of San Fermin ... or maybe the bus ride through the Khyber Pass on top of an old American school bus painted turquoise (to ward off evil spirits) with a handful of Balucchi Pakistanis ... or maybe ... Briskin is putting together a geriatric memoir with the temporary title of "Too Old For Snapchat. Too Young For Life Alert."
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Drink and Dine
Mrs. Murphy & Sons generously offers a $10 burger and beer special on show nights. No better way to enjoy stories than with a full stomach and a cold one in your hand. |
Tell YOUR Story
Story Lab Chicago is open to anyone wanting to share his or her story, regardless of experience or background. Click here for more details on getting started. |
Take a Class
Do you feel like you need a little more guidance and experience before taking the stage? Click here for more details. |