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.
August 18th Cast
Chris Bergin
Chris Bergin is originally from Metro Detroit but went to Northwestern the last 5 years where he played football, graduated with a degree in economics, and a masters in sports administration. He began his career as a walk-on in 2017 and went on to become the first walk-on in school history to not redshirt, played in a school record 58 consecutive games, finished 8th all time in program history in tackles, a 2x Burlsworth trophy semifinalist, a captain in 2021, a first team all-big ten linebacker, and was the 2021 NCAA statistical national champion in both total and solo tackles. He became interested in story telling because his idol Kobe and he feels like he is just a kid with a story to tell. When not playing football he is a certified yoga instructor, and loves few things more than shoes and movies.
Colette Martin-Wilde
Colette is a NYC transplant of 40 years, gleefully married to the greatest guy in the world & the father of their 3 amazing, all grown-up, living on their own, citizens of the world. Having recently arrived at the crossroads of “work or retire?” she’s opted to take her recent layoff as a sign from the universe that there’s something really big for her to do in this final lead-off to the great beyond. Until she can convince the powers that be to hire her, Colette has decided she has some stories to tell in the meantime, and can’t wait to experience the stories that haven’t even happened yet.
Abby McNear
Abby is a storyteller of longstanding, gifted with a dogged determination to try what scares her (eating jellyfish, going into a coal mine, traveling somewhere unusual) and then tell other people it wasn’t so bad. Abby has lived in Evanston for 30 years, where she and her husband raised their two kids, assorted dogs, gerbils, hamsters, hermit crabs, and fish. The kids were far and away the best - she doesn’t recommend raising hermit crabs.
Avesha Michael
Avesha Michael is a recent transplant back to her hometown in Chicago, after 22 years in Los Angeles. She ran the gamut quitting her corporate career recruiting attorneys, only to study Meisner Acting while waiting tables, followed by a decade as a photographer, to come full circle to her true love of ceramics. She put her whole heart and soul into her first pottery studio and humbly, yet gratefully, ran a full-time production studio for the last 8 years in LA. She spent her non-spare time teaching pottery and photography to kids, grown kids and seniors, which was her favorite. Avesha holds an MA in Spiritual Psychology, is trained in many healing arts and recently has been certified as a Breathwork Facilitator. You can find her tending to her first urban garden, fostering a tiny orphan kitten named Kita and bbq’ing like a beast. Give her a bike over a car any day, except her camper van LOTI, whom she sold months back in LA and still misses dearly. She watches only three things on Netflix, since she hasn’t had a TV in 20 years… nature shows, stand up comedy and serial killer documentaries. She refuses to follow recipes, loathes turtle necks and is truly happiest naked in a creek off-grid camping. Avesha wants goats one day, is counting the days until she can escape the city and secretly wants to turn what moved her from LA, into a movie or a memoir. Lately, she questions if StoryLab is the sole reason she came back to Chicago. She doesn’t believe in accidents, things just align.
Sharon Price
Sharon Price lives on the northwest side of Chicago. Liberated during high school by Chicago's school without walls, followed by traipsing off to the Bay Area in 1973. Those were truly interesting times! Lucky and unlucky in many, many ways and never, ever bored. Still refusing to " earn a living " and most Hallmark occasions. Sharon thrives on nurturing deep connections and sharing music and food.
Victoria Shane
Victoria Shane, born in Belarus, grew up in Georgia, and is now Chicago performer. She has had roles in Film, TV, Modelling, as well as, and creative writing. And is telling a story live for the first time. She is happy, nervous, and exited to be here.
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. |