|
2nd Thursday of Every Month Mrs. Murphy & Sons Irish Bistro 3905 N Lincoln Ave., Chicago 7:30 PM (Doors at 7:00) FREE |
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.
May 14th Cast
Shawn Cobb
Shawn Cobb has worn many hats over the years, working jobs ranging from Railroad Mechanic to Cosmetologist and pretty much everything in between. However, it was through Toastmasters that he first found his voice as a storyteller. Shawn aspires more than ever to inspire through life experiences and sharing stories that find and exposes that common thread that connects us all.
Lisa Ebel
Lisa is thrilled to be returning to This Much is True. She loves everything about the sharing of stories - the way they entertain us, the way they connect us, the way they help us understand ourselves, and the way they help us learn , grow, and heal. She is writing her first book entitled Your Stories are Powerful.
Mike Fridkin
Mike Fridkin is a lawyer who recently retired from work in the federal judiciary. In his spare time (which is now all his time) he has begun to tell stories to audiences, whether they want to hear them or not. He also rows recreationally on the Chicago River, is trying to learn to speak French as best he can, travels when time permits, and spends evenings observing the night sky through his telescope. He also works with immigrants in the hopes they can see that not everyone wants them violently uprooted from this country. He lives with his wife in Chicago and they try to devise clever excuses to visit their daughter who lives and works in Brooklyn.
Kevin Gladish
Kevin has been telling stories at such venues as Filet of Solo, You're Being Ridiculous, This Much is True, Story Sessions, Story Club, and The Moth Story Slam. As an actor, he's worked with Steep Theatre, Griffin, City Lit, and The Artistic Home, among others. He has also written and performed a solo show at Solo Sunday and The Cleveland Borderlight Fringe Festival called A Secret in Plain Sight about discovering his adoption late in life and searching for birth family. He hopes to bring that show back to the stage in Chicago soon.
Simi Krishnan
By day, Simi Krishnan lives in the world of data and analytics. By night, she steps onto the stage as the co-owner and producer of The People Tree, a storytelling show in Naperville that comes to life every third Thursday of the month. Somewhere in between, she’s raising two kids and embracing the beautiful chaos that comes with it. Simi shares her healing journey out loud, believing that even the hardest moments can carry meaning, and that stories, especially the messy ones, have the power to make people feel less alone. So who is Simi? A heart-led thinker, a thoughtful feeler, and a human who believes connection changes everything.
Karin Norington-Reaves
Karin Norington-Reaves is a lover of languages, and a self-avowed nerd, who grew up loving the written word. She believes storytelling is in the blood and bones of all people but particularly those whose culture and language were taken from them. Karin is a huge fan of The Moth Radio Hour and believes that sharing our stories uplifts, affirms and heals us all. After witnessing the beauty and impact of a SOL Collective performance, she knew she’d found her people. Her dream life includes writing and telling stories, travelling the world, and one day competing on Jeopardy! Karin’s career has taken her from the classroom to the courtroom to the C-Suite. She is the proud mother of a blended family of four, who regards “Mama” as her favorite title of all. She and two of her children live in Chicago’s Chatham community.
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 950+ 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. He is a 2024 Meier Achievement Award winner.
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 950+ 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. He is a 2024 Meier Achievement Award winner.