We return in June!
Over the last 10+ years, we have provided the space for OVER 700 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. |
3rd Thursday of Every Month Mrs. Murphy & Sons Irish Bistro 3905 N Lincoln Ave., Chicago 7:30 PM (Doors at 7:00) FREE 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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We will be following all current health and safety guidelines. At this time, vaccination status will not be checked and masks are not required, but welcomed. This will be updated if the situation changes.
June 16th Cast
Ruth Baerman
Ruth Baerman has been in the Chicago area for most of her life, other than vacations, and a couple of escapes. She did a year abroad after college, and a few months in Brasil between careers in the 80s. She has lived in Hyde Park and other areas on the South Side, as well as various locations on the North Side, Oak Park, and Evanston. Ruth has lived in the same place in “almost Evanston for most of this century - a block from the Evanston-Chicago border, on the Chicago side. Ruth went to a local elite university a Liberal Arts undergrad in the hippie era, when it was very inexpensive. In the 90s, she attended a totally different school, Columbia College Chicago, and received an Interdisciplinary Arts Masters degree. As for work, in her 20s, returning from abroad, she started in survey research, then slid into IT back when on-the-job training was mostly how people did it. Accompanying the seriousness of this job was a class in silent clowning, which she took on the road on vacations for a time, and training for actors. Much fun! After IT and Brasil, she got into sales via head-hunting and then job placement. Finally, there was a 20 year stint in the commodities industry, from which she retired in 2018. Giving new meaning to the term Late Bloomer, she got married in 2010 for the first time, and is married still.
Mark Belden
From a young age Mark Belden was told that he was destined to become a lawyer. That dream ended the summer he worked in the Clerk of Courts' office and witnessed firsthand what most lawyers did all week long and how it affected them. Since then he has worked as a furniture mover, Rush Street bouncer, busboy, bartender, commodities clerk, radio producer, courier, and landscaper. Mark started classes at The Second City when he moved to Chicago and eventually worked there as an actor, director, writer, creative director, teacher, and once again a student when a storytelling class was begun at the training center. In retirement he has taken up folk guitar and jazz singing.
Mark A. Child
Mark Anthony Child is a voice artist, actor, storyteller, and writer whose lived in Chicago since 2011. More recently, he began dabbling in music and wishes he could be the kid from Almost Famous for a job, but will settle for playing dive bars with a punkrocapella group called The Blue Ribbon Glee Club in addition to teaching himself banjo and honing his writing and voice based skills. He is also an election judge and political gadfly, who really hopes you know midterm elections are a thing and the IL primary is in June.
Rasa Gierstikas
Rasa Gierstikas hails from the southwest side of Chicago. She's lived in Chicago and also NYC. She owns a tripod dog named Sir III and fosters other dogs as well. She works in software development.
Catherine Harding
Catherine is new to storytelling having completed a class with Sean Ewert and TUTA theatre in February. She's lived her entire adult life in Chicago. Her first story is about a visit to Chicago in 1970. Catherine plans to uncover stories from this century as well.
Lauren Kee
- Lauren Kee is a Boston native and has been living in Chicago for the past six years. She entered the world of storytelling in 2021 by taking a class with Story Lab Chicago creator/host, Scott Whitehair, and has wanted to grow her storytelling skills ever since! Lauren works as an instructional designer for a nonprofit that empowers underrepresented college students to secure strong jobs and achieve economic mobility. Storytelling makes up a critical part of the nonprofit curriculum, and Lauren has been amazed by how storytelling can help young people get to know themselves, take up space, and share their gifts with the world. Outside of work, Lauren loves to play soccer, bike, practice/teach yoga, and dabble in various other activities like tennis, salsa, and rock climbing.
Scott Whitehair (Host)
Scott Whitehair is a storyteller, teacher, and producer living in Chicago, IL. He is the producer of This Much Is True, Chicago's longest running monthly personal narrative series, creator of Story Lab Chicago, which has put 700+ new storytellers on stage since 2011, and director of Do Not Submit, a grassroots network of open mics across the city bringing people together to connect with each other. Scott tells anywhere someone will listen, including The National Storytelling Festival Exchange Place, Steppenwolf Theater, the historic Green Mill, and on NPR, the Risk podcast, and Siruis XM. He is a frequent guest instructor at the city's top universities, and his personal narrative class has been selling out every month since 2012. Scott is in demand as a coach and trainer, spending his days helping individuals, companies, and non-profits develop their voices as storytellers. In 2014, he was the featured instructor at Hong Kong Story Worthy Week, headlined by David Sedaris, and in 2015 taught an intensive at All Hallows College in Dublin.
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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. |