NO SHOW IN JANUARY
Please check back for details on February sometime soon.
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2nd Tuesday of Every Month at our temporary new home NEXT SHOW IS DECEMBER 7TH Ravenswood UCC 2050 W Pensacola Ave., Chicago 7:30 PM (Doors at 7:00) FREE |
Proof of vaccination required.
Please see below for full safety precautions
This Much Is True is the longest running monthly storytelling show in Chicago, IL. (Since 2008). Every month, we come together for an evening of true personal stories from some of Chicago's most fascinating people. An all new cast takes the stage each month to let you in on the heartbreaking, the hilarious, and everything in between.
Past guests have included writers, actors, chefs, theologians, SNL alums, musicians, bloggers, activists, professional storytellers, comedians, and more from our city and around the world. We hope that you can join us.
Past guests have included writers, actors, chefs, theologians, SNL alums, musicians, bloggers, activists, professional storytellers, comedians, and more from our city and around the world. We hope that you can join us.
SAFETY PROTOCOL FOR OUR TEMPORARY HOME
- Proof of vaccination will be required for entry. Paper or a picture on your phone will be fine.
- Temperature checks at the door.
- Ravenswood UCC is a huge venue, seating 400+ in regular times. We will spread out to maintain lots of spacing.
- Proper masks will be required at all times (No gaiters or bandanas please.)
- Hand sanitizer and wipes will be available for all.
- Unmasked performers will be at least 20 feet away from audience while speaking.
- Mic and stands will be sanitized between performers.
- If you feel sick or symptomatic at all, or have a known exposure, we expect you to stay home!
- Temperature checks at the door.
- Ravenswood UCC is a huge venue, seating 400+ in regular times. We will spread out to maintain lots of spacing.
- Proper masks will be required at all times (No gaiters or bandanas please.)
- Hand sanitizer and wipes will be available for all.
- Unmasked performers will be at least 20 feet away from audience while speaking.
- Mic and stands will be sanitized between performers.
- If you feel sick or symptomatic at all, or have a known exposure, we expect you to stay home!
DECEMBER 7TH CAST
Monica Castle
Monica is excited to tell a story in front of a live audience again. She's told stories at several venues in the city and suburbs, and recently played the role of Kate in Brighton Beach Memoirs at the Citadel Theater in Lake Forest. She's the proud Mom of two lovely, funny, and talented boys as well as the wife of the best husband ever. By day, Monica buys and develops products to sell on Dealgenius.com, an ecommerce website in which she is also co-owner.
Jason Coulter
Reverend Jason W. Coulter has been the pastor of our Ravenswood UCC since August of 2008. Pastor Jason is a graduate of Macalester College, received a Master’s Degree from Cornell University, and completed his Master of Divinity at Chicago Theological Seminary. Before entering the ministry he worked as a union organizer for UNITE, helping working people attain justice and dignity in the workplace. Pastor Jason is active in a number of social justice organizations in Chicago, including the Community Renewal Society and Arise Chicago. Pastor Jason is a native of West Bend, Wisconsin and a life-long member of the United Church of Christ. His interests include cooking and grilling, baseball, and spending time with his family at the beach near their home in Rogers Park.
Rich Pniewski
Richard Pniewski is a retired award-winning English and Drama teacher. He also has directed plays for Artcraft Theatre in the Beverly neighborhood and, more recently, for Evergreen Park's Candlelight Theatre. After years of appreciating the storytelling stage at the Fox Valley Folk Festival, he has decided to join the storytelling community.
Jasmin Rodriguez
Jasmin has been working in film, commercial, and print since 2014. TV includes Chicago Fire for season 5 & 6, as a Stand-in/double for the fierce fire fighter better known as Stella Kidd. She has worked in several independent films, such as Faithful Disappointments, Coffee House, The Eight Hour and the TV true crime series American Greed. Jasmin has also been busy as a commercial actor having appeared on camera in television commercials including regional spots for Honda of Kenosha, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Illinois Lottery and recently completed a print job for Amazon. She completed her training at Second City, Vagabond and is currently looking into comedy. Jasmin is a dedicated actress and hard worker who is constantly looking to improve her talents. She enjoys nature walks by the lake, bike riding, hanging out at libraries, and staying focused and positive to fulfill her dream of one day becoming a successful actor comedian.
Megan Wells
Megan is a bridge teller – one foot in the new movement of personal telling and the other foot in the traditional model. She has been a full-time professional touring storyteller for 25 years. What that really means is Megan knows a lot of folk and fairy stories, epic stories, world myth and historical stories and she tells them anywhere, everywhere and a lot. Credits include Guest Artist for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Artistic Director of the Ray Bradbury Storytelling Festival, yearly teller with the Chicago Public Library as well as libraries, schools, museums, book clubs, major storytelling festivals and theaters. Recently named an Oracle by the National Storytelling Network, Megan was inducted into America’s Circle of Excellence in Storytelling. There is a theater passion too, and a bio for that, but you can see that at www.meganwells.com.
Ric Walker
As a performer, Ric has had the pleasure of working on stage and on camera. His credits include performing at The Goodman, in Chicago, the Alliance in Atlanta and The Second City Chicago, among many other stages. On Camera, he has been seen on Chicago Fire and Chicago PD and for a season on Fox TV’s APB. He is also an ensemble member and current director of The Improvised Shakespeare Company in Chicago. He is a Professor in the Comedy Writing and Performance department at Columbia College Chicago, the nation’s first BA in Comedy. As a member emeritus of 2nd Story, Ric has been a part of the Chicago Storytelling scene since 2006 and was published in a compendium of short stories entitled Briefly Knocked Unconscious By A Low-Flying Duck.
Scott Whitehair
Host/producer of This Much Is True
Scott Whitehair is a storyteller, teacher, and producer living in Chicago, IL. He is the producer of This Much Is True, 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.
Scott Whitehair is a storyteller, teacher, and producer living in Chicago, IL. He is the producer of This Much Is True, 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.