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2nd Thursday of Every Month Mrs. Murphy & Sons Irish Bistro 3905 N Lincoln Ave., Chicago 7:30 PM (Doors at 7:00) FREE |
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 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.
JUNE 9TH CAST
Ellen Blum Barish
Ellen Blum Barish is the author of the memoir Seven Springs (Shanti Arts), a collection of essays, Views from the Home Office Window (Adams Street Publishing) and a contributor to Chicago Storytellers from Stage to Page (Chicago Story Press.) Her essays have been published in Tablet, Brevity, Full Grown People, Literary Mama and have aired on WBEZ Chicago Public Radio and she’s been telling stories on Chicago stages since 2013. She is the founding editor of Thread which earned four notables in Best American Essays. Ellen teaches writing workshops and works privately with writers on essays, memoir and family histories. You can find out more at ellenblumbarish.com.
Dr. Sudip Bose
Dr. Sudip Bose is one of America’s most experienced doctors in emergency medicine, mass casualty and disaster response, and post-traumatic stress disorder. As a double-board-certified emergency physician, his day to day includes treating critically ill patients from newborn to end-of-life including gunshot wounds, COVID, and heart attacks. He was a featured physician on the hit reality TV show “Untold Stories of the ER,” and co-hosted the weekly CBS “Your Eye on Health” segment. As a national disaster expert, Dr. Bose presented at the 2019 United Nations General Assembly on emergency medical services and disaster care. A former major in the U.S. Army, Dr. Bose is a proud Iraq war veteran with 12 years of service. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, Dr. Bose provided front-line emergency medical care on the streets to thousands of wounded soldiers and Iraqi civilians, earning a Bronze Star and Combat Medical Badge. As the son of immigrants and the descendant of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, an Indian freedom fighter, Dr. Bose believes in fighting for the American Dream and protecting our most valuable asset: our health. Dr. Bose is passionate about veteran advocacy and is the founder of The Battle Continues, a nonprofit charity advocating for the health needs of veterans. He is currently a clinical professor at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and at University of Illinois and has held faculty positions at University of Texas and Texas A&M. He's given 100+ keynote addresses and authored over 50 publications. Find out more about him and his work at docbose.com.
Jonathan Pitts
Jonathan Pitts is an award-winning international improv theatre artist from Chicago with over 30 years’ experience. He’s a creator, director, improviser, producer, and teacher, and he’s also the Founder and Executive Director of Chicago Improv Productions. He co-founded the Chicago Improv Festival and produced it for 20 years. He created and produced the College Improv Tournament for 10 years. He was Teen Comedy Fest’s executive producer for 7 years. He’s also the founder and producer of Chicago Podcast Festival for the past 2 years. He has taught and performed internationally in 12 countries, as well as all over America. He’s performed in over 1,250 improvised shows. He has created the improv shows, “The Make ‘Em Ups”, "The Oracle", "The Silent Movie", “Solo Plus One”, “Stopwatch”, and "Storybox Unscripted Theatre". He taught at The Second City for 16 years and he’s a contributing writer to their book on improvisation. He taught story-based improv at Piven Theatre Workshop. He’s also taught at 25+ American cities at regional improv fests and improv theatres. For 3 consecutive years he was selected by New City magazine as one of "Chicago's Top 50 Theatre Players" and he’s been interviewed about improvisation in books, newspapers, online posts, podcasts, radio, and TV.
Shani Soyini
Shani fights for justice during the day, but at night she is a professional procrastinator. She once thought cremation was her last chance at having a smoking hot body but discovered chasing tiny feet, being a new grandmother has moved her one step closer to doing a centerfold for AARP. As a season Story Coach and Personal Development Trainer, Shani's best life is shifting the narrative, creating bold spaces, and practicing living nourished. She is the founder of a small community organization Black Cornerstones and is now producing her first storytelling show - Geeky Freaks Lemonade Stand and Writer's Collective.
Willa Taylor
Willa J. Taylor has been the Director of Education and Community Engagement at Goodman Theatre for the countless seasons, and has held similar positions at Lincoln Center Theatre in New York and Arena Stage in Washington, DC. In her dreams, however, she is the space cowboy—poet-chef aboard the Firefly-class spaceship, Serenity.
Paul Teodo
Paul Teodo is a retired healthcare executive. He is the author of 2 novels, PASTAMAN and Call Me Z. His third book, South of Cermak: Chicago Stories will be out in early August. All are available on Amazon. Paul has been telling stories in and around Chicago the past 10 years. He is a multiple Moth Story Slam and Grand Slam winner. Most importantly however, Paul is a first time grandpa to Lucca Sparrow Teodo.
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.