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.
October 12th Cast
15th Anniversary Show!
Linda Beckstrom

Linda is the co-author of IN DEEP, a book about the life of a Chicago gang member and recovered heroin addict turned violence interrupter and winner of the 2019 Non-Fiction Book of the Year from the Chicago Writer’s Association. Linda was an independent writer and Creative Director with her company, The Beckstrom Group, for thirty years before retiring recently. She has written and produced many independent films, including Where We Stood, which aired on WTTW, was nominated for an Emmy, and has been screened around the world. Linda writes short stories and has finished two novels. She has told stories at the Chicago Moth, Louder Than a Mom, Is This A Thing?, OutSpoken, and First Person Live.
Margaret Daly

Margaret Daly is a cellist. In addition, she is fairly good-natured.
Edward Kelsey Moore

Edward Kelsey Moore is the author of the New York Times and international bestselling novel THE SUPREMES AT EARL’S ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT and a second Supremes novel, THE SUPREMES SING THE HAPPY HEARTACHE BLUES. THE SUPREMES AT EARL’S ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT was chosen as a Barnes and Noble Discover Great New Writers selection and was also named an Illinois Reads book by the Illinois Reading Council. Edward was awarded the First Novelist Award by the Black Caucus of the American Library Association and received an Illinois Arts Council award. A film adaptation of THE SUPREMES AT EARL’S ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT is currently in post-production at Searchlight Pictures. Edward’s essays and short fiction have appeared in the New York Times and a number of literary magazines, including Inkwell, African American Review, Ninth Letter, and Indiana Review. His work has also appeared on Chicago Public Radio and Minnesota Public Radio. In addition to writing and storytelling, Edward maintains a career as a professional cellist. His playing has been featured on multiple classical, pop, and jazz recordings and he has toured nationally and internationally. For many years, he has also worked as a teacher, preparing the next generation of musicians and writers. Edward has recently completed a new novel.
Connie Shirakawa

Connie is a writer who was born and raised on the near west side of Chicago. After a career as an ad writer and a fundraiser, she tells stories all over town at the Goodman Theatre, 2nd Story, Free Street Theatre, Lifeline Theatre, Backroom Stories, and This Much is True. Her recent solo show, "Woman Warrior," reflects on four generations of women in her family -- their history in America and how they coped with discrimination and displacement with their grit, wit and tenacity. Her story “KNOCK KNOCK” was featured on NPR's SNAP JUDGMENT/SPOOKED podcast last year.
Paul Teodo

Paul Teodo is a retired healthcare executive who has been on stages around Chicago telling stories for the past twelve years. He is a multiple Moth story slam winner and Grand Slam champion. Paul has been featured on CBS Sunday Morning, and is the co-author of three works of fiction - the novels PASTAMAN and Call Me Z, as well as South of Cermak: Chicago Stories, a collection of short stories centering on the often forgotten south side of Chicago. All are available on Amazon.
Michelle Young

Michelle Young grew up in central Illinois and has lived in Chicago over 30 years. By day she manages a global sales team in hospitality software, by night she writes (stories and comedy). She also is an avid gardener and artist. Michelle started telling her stories on stage right before Covid. She has told stories with a variety of groups in the Chicagoland areas including; Is This A Thing, Do Not Submit, Story Lab and Serving the Sentence. Michelle loves to tell and hear stories as they help us to build community and connect with each other.
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.