G through J

Julie Ganey

Julie Ganey is a Chicago actor, writer, and teacher. As a performer, she has worked with the Goodman Theatre, Victory Gardens, Northlight, Chicago Dramatists, Shattered Globe and Drury Lane, among others. Her solo shows The Half-Life of Magic and Love Thy Neighbor...till it hurts have been produced by Fillet of Solo at Lifeline Theatre, Next Theatre in Evanston, and 16th Street Theatre in Berwyn. Through Wavelength, an award winning comedy ensemble that performs for educators, Julie has created and led workshops for teachers and executives all over the country on communication skills and improvisation. In addition, Julie has designed lots of programs for kids, on everything from violence prevention to etiquette, and her bullying prevention program, Stand Up On The Schoolyard, has been presented to students and educators within the Chicago Public School system and across the country.

Suzie Garfield

Suzie Garfield copes with the world by day and does serious stuff by night. By day, she works in technology to keep your credit cards safe and functioning. By night, she glues together her family of now-adult children, she explores the past, present, and future of the universe to nurture her connection with things beyond her own life, and she tells stories about her discoveries and her adventures. Tonight she’s here to share with you a slice of the universe that she sees and experiences.

Michael Garvey

Michael is an actor who has called both Chicago and LA home. His Chicago credits include performances with Steppenwolf, Shattered Globe, Strawdog and as a company member with Trap Door Theater. Or you might have caught him on both the big and small screen with roles in: Men in Black 2, Bruce Almighty, ER, JAG, and Star Trek Enterprise. He has worked with renowned artist Catherine Sullivan in work that put him on the walls of the Whitney and Tate modern museums. In 2002 out of frustration, Michael began writing Mr. Bush and turned the letters into an on-going and ever changing performance. M.S. Garvey’s Letter’s to the President has been performed here in Chicago, Romania, Venice and Hollywood, CA

Bull Garlington

Christopher "Bull" Garlington is an author and syndicated humor columnist whose work appears in parenting magazines including Chicago Parenting, New York Parenting, Michiana Parent, Tulsa Parent, Birmingham Parent, and Carolina Parent. He is co-author of the popular foodie compendium, The Beat Cop’s Guide to Chicago Eats. Garlington’s features have appeared in newspapers and magazines across the nation since 1989; he won the Parenting Media Association’s Silver Award for best humor article in 2013.

Robin Gelfenbien

Robin is a comedian, writer and storyteller who has written jokes for Rosie O’Donnell and starred in a commercial directed by Spike Lee. Her original comedy songs have played on Sirius Satellite Radio, and her solo show, “My Salvation Has a First Name (A Wienermobile Journey),” premiered at the New York International Fringe Festival. Robin has performed at The Moth, RISK!, Mortified and she is the creator of the storytelling series, “Yum’s the Word,” that features her homemade ice cream cakes. She was recently featured in “Oy! Only Six? Why Not More? Six-Word Memoirs on Jewish Life” along with Henry Winkler and Larry David, and she will be performing at the Chicago Women's Funny Festival on Saturday, June 9. www.robingelfenbien.com @robingelfenbien

Karen Genelly

I have always loved to tell stories. I am a native Chicagoan who grew up on the north side of the city and even though I have traveled a lot I always return home to Chicago. I have spent my professional life as a teacher and a counselor working for the Chicago Public Schools. My time with CPS can be described as the best of times and the worst of times-the best being the kids and the worst being Rahm Emanuel. As much as I loved teaching and being a counselor last year I decided to broaden my horizons and to test my abilities in other areas, such as storytelling, so I retired from CPS. So far it has been a great year learning new things and traveling the world. I've learned there is life outside the public schools and in India that getting on and off a camel can be a tricky business.

Margaret Gheilmetti

Margaret's just moved back to Chicago after living in Singapore, Egypt, Thailand, Italy, Paris and New York. Her adventures (and misadventures!) abroad have often inspired her traveler's tales. Now she's committed to digging even deeper in her storytelling.She's from just up the road in Evanston, where she loves to spend time with her 92-year old dad. She credits him with her love for both stories and improv (when they read bedtime stories together when she was a pup, he took on the role of Beauty - so she could be The Beast!) Margaret's grateful to have won The Moth Story Slam twice. And to get to share her stories - and to hear others' stories - wherever she goes.

Colette Ghunim

Colette’s passion lies at the cross section of social and visual storytelling. While in college, Colette produced and edited videos for organizations in Costa Rica, India, and Egypt. Her experiences span from crafting a business communications plan for rural seamstresses to co-directing a documentary against sexual harassment in Cairo, Egypt. She strives to be a changemaker for communities worldwide, documenting powerful stories of individuals that often go unnoticed.

Mike Gifford

Mike Gifford was the creator of the Annoyance’s “Reader Recommended” solo show, The Broken Gay Folk Revue. He’s also a producer of Flat Iron Comedy’s showcase No Boys Allowed, an original ensemble member of The Shithole, and regular contributor of the podcast Your Stories produced by the Nerdologues. Mike has performed solo material at the Chicago Podcast Festival, the Steppenwolf Garage, Snubfest, The Paper Machete, amongst other showcases all over the city of Chicago.

Mary Lou Gilliam

Mary Lou Gilliam is retired from two careers: English teaching and educational publishing. She has been on the stage since she was 10 doing dramatic readings, singing, or some combination thereof. An English major with a theater minor, she found that teaching extended the performance world when she began writing first person narratives to model both writing and speaking for her students. Because she was born and raised in a small Swedish farm town in western Illinois, think Garrison Keillor for thematic content. About ten years ago, while considering retirement, she took her stories on the road, so to speak, by joining Short Story Theatre in the Northshore suburbs. She has also performed at Story Lab Chicago, Truth Be Told, and Backyard Stories. Having lived quite a few decades by now, her narratives include both the travails and thrills of a long (and possibly over-examined) life. She keeps busy with volunteer work, private tutoring, international travel, and as much time with her four grandchildren as she can.

Kevin Gladish

Kevin is thrilled to be part of This Much is True & humbled to be counted among such talent! Kevin is an actor who has worked around town with companies such as WNEP, New Leaf, Griffin, Steep, and Timeline theatres to name a few. Kevin has just started getting up the courage to tell his own stories in front of people. He was last seen as part of WNEP’s Frequency at Transistor, as well as The Moth, where he won the Story Slam in October. He came to This Much is True through Story Lab go check it out!!

Velma Gladney

Velma Gladney has been a storyteller for the past 17 years. A retired elementary school teacher, she continues her work through the art of storytelling to help young people develop strong imagination and an appreciation for the written word. Velma's strong alto-voice fuses the mind, body and soul to deliver powerful stories. She is one of the founders of Ase - The Chicago Black Storytellers Association and The Chicago Storytelling Guild. Velma was a featured storyteller at the 2014 National Black Storytellers Festival and Conference.

Steve Glickman

Steve Glickman has been telling stories his whole life, mostly at weddings and funerals, but more recently on the stage. He won the Moth StorySLAM in June, and he has also performed at Tenx9, Sunday Morning Stories, Tell It From the Heart, and Do Not Submit. He is a software engineer by day and a proud nerd. He loves classical music and can often be seen air-conducting whatever symphony or opera is playing on his iPod or in his head. A third-generation Chicagoan, he lives in Uptown with his partner Mark and their imaginary dog "Ruffles.”

Steven Goldberg

HOW many of you have stood in a line of 300 disgruntled passengers when a flight was cancelled due to weather on a perfectly sunny day? Steven Goldberg is a 42 year veteran, consultant, and travel warrior from FROSCH TRAVEL and beyond. He is also a late bloomer! Trained by Pan American Airlines in international ticketing and the preparation of in-flight cocktails, he has, for many years, consulted to media personalities, fortune 500 companies, and many global travelers. You need to have him on your speed dial! A professional setback and life threatening illness ten years ago forced him to reinvent his approach to customer relations, client servicing, and to life itself! “Never forget to take the time to smell the roses and anyone else who smells nice!” He’s here tonight to share his wisdom, insights, and journey as a gay man in his sixties, acquired in large part, by his career in global travel. Take a look at yourselves! You may get a glimpse and fresh perspective from him and his journey.

Dori Goldman

Dori has been a performer in Chicago for a long time. She’s acted in original musicals and improv shows galore at The Annoyance, iO, The Playground, Comedy Sportz, The Theatre Building, Bailiwick, Live Bait, WNEP, Candlelight Forum, Donny’s Skybox, Royal George and Victory Gardens/Body Politic theaters as well as writing sketch comedy. She has also performed Off-Broadway, New York and at many comedy and fringe festivals around North America and London. Today, in addition to being a top-notch Recruiting Manager, Dori is trying to do the voice over thing and find a boyfriend. To find out about both, visit her websites: www.dorigoldman.com and the DOG (Dating Blog) www.dorigoldman.blogspot.com. Many thanks to Scott and Deanna for the invitation to perform. She is more than excited to share her terrible dating stories.

Elizabeth Gomez

Elizabeth Gomez is a stand-up comedian, writer, and experienced napper. She is the founder of the Windy City Rollers, Chicago's premiere all female roller derby league; a founding writer at Drinkers with Writing Problems; and has had reoccurring guest spots on Vocalo's Council on Feminist Thought. Elizabeth spends most of her days clicking through Facebook silently judging her high school frenemies. You can see her on February 5th at the Laugh Factory performing with The Kates. You can also follow her on Twitter @JuannaRumbel.

Nestor Gomez

Nestor Gomez, a born Guatemalan and twenty five year resident of Chicago, is new to the storytelling circuit. He has won the Moth StorySLAM four times, has been selected as the favorite storyteller at both Story Club and Here, Chicago, and most recently has been made champion of the Moth GrandSLAM.

James Gordon

G.P.A. aka James Gordon is from the South Side, where he resides now. He is the author of six books of Poetry, including the Readers Favorite Gold Medalist Revenge of the Orgasm and the DJ Gatsby Children's Book of the Year Hi My Name is Bobo(A Weekend in the Life of a 5th Grader). G.P.A. can be seen on tv in the shows Sirens, Chicago Fire, and Chicago PD. He can be found on Twitter at gr8estpoetalive and his website www.iblowyourmind.net

Linda Gorham

Expect the unexpected from Linda Gorham! Her engaging stories often have surprising twists and unconventional humor. Linda performs internationally as a storyteller, speaker, and workshop presenter. Her latest CD, ‘I Am Somebody,’ is a revealing look at the poignant, quirky and often unpredictable world of family, love and self-identity. Since 1989, Linda has customized programs for festivals, museums, keynotes, conferences, schools, libraries, staff development, and corporations. Linda was a featured artist on Center Stage for WTTW television in Chicago and will perform in spring 2013 at Two Chairs Storytelling in Minneapolis. She is co-director of the National Association of Black Storytellers Adopt-A-Teller Program.

Judi Goshen

Judi is an actor and writer. She was part of the Chicago Storytelling scene in the late 90s and early millennium. Unfortunately, there were no audiences for it yet. But she turned those stories into a one-woman show called Fornicationally Challenged. It ran several months in LA and at the New York Fringe Festival. During the past few years she has become active in Chicago's storytelling scene. A community she feels is full of warm, welcoming humans. She's told at: Story Sessions, Chicago Solo, Solo in the Second City, Celtic Knot, Upright Citizen's Brigade, That's All She Wrote, Arlene's Speak Easy, several open Mike’s and Story Jam.

Heidi Grandberry

Heidi Grandberry is an enthusiastic storyteller, model, and teacher. She began storytelling three years ago while taking improv at The Second City. It was there that she first performed at Sunday Morning Stories. Since then, she has been invited on stage at a number of events around Chicago including Loose Chicks, You're Being Ridiculous, and TenX9. In a past life, Heidi was a civil engineer, but she left that behind to pursue more creative and rewarding endeavors. She enjoyed studying engineering but decided she wanted to design a more fulfilling life for herself.

John Green

Writer John Green's play, THE LIQUID MOON, was first produced at Chicago Dramatists where it won Chicago’s Jeff and After Dark Award for best new play. It subsequently produced at the Barter Theatre, nominated for the Pulitzer and published in the anthology, “New Plays from Chicago.” DOUBTING THOMAS debuted at the Barter, was done at Bloomington Playwrights and Clockwise Theatre. His musical, LET IT PLAY, was produced at the 78th Street Playhouse in Manhattan. I HAVE FOUND HOME (musical) was staged at New York's South Street Seaport. His comedy, HAMBURGER TWINS, was produced by Michael Leavitt at the Briar Street Theatre. It has since been done at the Creede Rep. in Colorado and in Paris at Theater de La Main D'or. The short and full length version of his play, TWILIGHT SERENADE, were both published by the Dramatic Publishing Company and optioned for film by Top Tog Films in L.A. TWILIGHT SERENADE received its world premiere at Chicago's Red Hen Productions, as did his autobiographical musical, GOING UP. John's play, HIDING, was a finalist in the national Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival One Act Play Contest. Recent short play festivals include Artistic Home, Piccolo and Rhino Fest. He is a resident writer with Chicago Dramatists. As an actor, John won the Joseph Jefferson Award (OF MICE AND MEN) and was nominated two other times. He has appeared in film, television and on stages across the United States and Europe.

Louis Greenwald

In 1985 or so, Louis Greenwald was dragged to the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, Tennessee, by his teacher wife, Susie. She promised he would love storytelling because she knew no one had ever told Louis stories when he was young. She also promised that if he didn’t like the stories, they would be in the Smokey Mountains the next day. Susie was right. Louis has promoted 6 storytelling festivals in his home town of Highland Park and for the last 5 years took a giant step and started telling stories himself. He has told at Short Story Theatre in Highwood, Scott Whitehair’s This Much is True, StoryLab; Virginia Reeve’s Soul Stories Live; Filet of Solo in Chicago; and has won a Moth 1st place in Chicago and told at other Moth venues. Louis aslo has coached other tellers and continues to travel to Jonesborough, to hear and watch the greatest storytellers in the world. He has been known to steal other tellers’ techniques. Louis said, "Storytelling is how we understand the world, as we are always telling a story to ourselves, whether we realize it or not.

Jreika Guest

Jyreika "J.Evelyn" Guest is excited to perform for This Much Is True. She boldly made Chicago home performing her one-woman show 'Arn't I Still: Lessons of Her for the Solo Chicago Festival two years ago. She's been an active performer in the Chicago area and house ensemble member of Chicago Slam Works where she starred in two of their debut season of original shows, Redlined and Have a Great Summer. She's featured for several festivals in the Chicagoland area including Ravenswood Art Walk, Chicago's own Beast Women: All Female Cabaret for two seasons, Still Point Theatre Collective's "Strong Women" a play created from poetry written by women, not just inmates of Cook County Jail. She treasures the opportunity to tell stories while helping others identify for their own.

Adrienne Gunn

Adrienne Gunn is a writer, editor, and humorist based in Chicago. Her work has appeared in various literary journals including McSweeney's, PANK, TriQuarterly, Five [Quarterly], Story Club Magazine, and Otis Nebula, and she has served both as Managing Editor and as Fiction Editor of TriQuarterly, the literary magazine of Northwestern University. Adrienne received a Master of Arts in Creative Writing from Northwestern University and a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from the University of Oregon. Adrienne's studied comedy at the world-famous Second City and with the all-female Feminine Comique, and regularly performs stand up and storytelling throughout Chicago. Adrienne's first one woman show, Mother of the Year!, debuted this April at Stage 773 in Chicago.

Susan Haarman

Susan Haarman has worked with college students for ten years and can show you the gray streak in her hair it gave her. She's also been a knife salesman, a camp counselor, a hospital chaplain, a waitress, a designated driver for hire, a Jesuit Volunteer, and a lifeguard. She tells stories and is often sleepy.

Don Hall

__Don Hall is the Events Coordinator for Chicago Public Media and the Audience Services cat for NPR’s prolific game show “Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me!” He produces, directs, acts and writes for a variety of Chicago Off-Loop Theater; the Founding Director of Chicago’s prolific WNEP Theater, and the third Monday of every month he is the host for The Moth at the Haymarket Pub and Brewery. Don is an Aquarius, an Agnostic, and an Asshole with a blog.

Rick Hall

After seeing Rick’s one man show, “Pigboy”, based on his life growing up on a pig farm in Illinois, Second City producer, Joyce Sloane, dubbed him “a modern day Mark Twain”. The New York Times described his storytelling as “spellbinding.” Rick has performed his stories at countless small venues as well as corporate conventions and was chosen by HBO to perform at the Comedy Arts festival in Aspen. Rick continues to take audiences on a ride with his newest stories about his journey from farm boy to actor in Los Angeles and now back to his roots in the Midwest. You can check out more of Rick’s stories on his podcast, “So Sez Rick."

Gerald Hankerson

Gerald Hankerson, a longtime resident of Chicago’s Bronzeville and Hyde Park community areas, leads outreach and civic engagement efforts at CAIR-Chicago. He serves on the Board of Directors for the interfaith labor rights group Arise Chicago. He is a member of the African American Leadership Advisory Council at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), which aims to improve sustainable recruitment and retention efforts for students of African and African American descent. Graduating an Illinois State Scholar with very high honors from Lindblom Tech, Gerald majored in Communication as a UIC President’s Scholar and Pipeline to Justice Fellow in the Social Justice Initiative. He served two executive board terms in the UIC Muslim Students’ Association, inducted into the National Society of Collegiate Scholars, served as UIC Ambassador, and was active in the Black Student Union. A Chicago Debate League (CDL) alumnus, Gerald has been a practitioner in the urban debate movement for over 15 years, including serving as Head Coach and Coordinator of policy debate programs in Chicago Public Schools. Given his years of service and activism, Gerald was named the CDL 2015 Alum of the Year; North Park University (Chicago) recognized Gerald as a “Man of Excellence” in 2012.

Marsha Harman

Marsha Harman is an actor, pretender, storyteller, and occassional armchair philosopher. She has performed with New Leaf Theatre (where she is part of the Producing Ensemble) in Chicago, and the Bakerloo Theatre Project in upstate New York. She has told stories at the Moth StorySLAMs, Story Club, WNEP’s Transistor, and is the winner of the 2010 SKALD storytelling competition. Her upcoming projects include re-imagining her day job and improving her baking skills.

Michael Reno Harrell

Michael Reno Harrell is an award winning songwriter, as well as a veteran storyteller and entertainer, and he’s from the South… the Southern Appalachian Mountains to hone it a bit finer. One could compare Michael's performances to his granddaddy's pocket knife: well warn and familiar feeling, but razor sharp and with a point.

Michael's recordings top the Americana Music Association charts year after year. His original songs and stories have been described as “Appalachian grit and wit” but, as his writing shows, Michael’s awareness is much broader than the bounds of his boyhood home or even the Southern Experience. Having toured throughout the British Isles and much of Europe, as well as most of the US, the songs he writes and the stories he creates reflect an insight into people’s experiences that catch the ear like an old friend's voice.

Michael's natural knack for storytelling, in print, song and spoken word has earned him praise from not only the music community but from the literary and storytelling worlds as well, having had the honor of being a Featured Teller at the National Storytelling Festival and to be Teller In Residence at the International Storytelling Center, as well as performing at major music events like MerleFest and the Walnut Valley Festival.

LeVan D. Hawkins

LeVan D. Hawkins is a writer, poet, & performance artist formerly of Los Angeles, now based in Chicago. In Chicago, he has appeared at Links Hall, Alt Q Festival at the Old Town School of Folk Music, the Homolatte Reading Series, Robbins Public Library and the Gerber-Hart Library in Chicago. He has traveled across the country reading and performing and has appeared in the New York International Fringe Festival and the National Black Theater Festival. In LA, he has performed at venues such as the UCLA Hammer Museum, Redcat Theater at Disney Hall, and Highways Performance Space. An MFA recipient from Antioch University – Los Angeles in Creative Writing, he uses his experience in theater and spoken-word to turn standard literary readings into engaging demonstrations of the storyteller's art.

Judith Heineman

Judith Heineman, is a storyteller, actress, workshop leader, a Chicago Moth winner, an NSN Oracle Award recipient, an Illinois Humanities Council "Road" Scholar , and Illinois Arts Council Artstour Artist and Artis-in-Education artist. Her CD with musician Dan Marcotte: Grimm’s Grimmest: The Darker Side of Fairy Tales, won a Parents' Choice Gold Award, a Storytelling Honors and a NAPPA (National Parenting Publication Award). In Sept 2012, they were invited to perform this show at Kingston University, Surrey England in the After Grimm conference celebrating the 200th anniversary of the first publication of the Grimms' Household and Nursery Tales and shortly afterward, Judith was the "exotic" guest teller in Dublin at the Yarnspinner's Club. In 2008, she went to China on a storytelling delegation, receiving an IL Governor's grant in support of this trip; a chapter on this experience appears in Storytelling Art and Technique, 4th Ed, Libraries Unlimited and her first fiction story, "Across the Bridge Rice Noodles" collected and adapted from this trip, is in Old China Through the Eyes of a Storyteller. She produces the annual Tellabration! A Worldwide Storytelling Celebration in Chicago, begun in 1997. This year it is on Nov 24. And every August she produces the Mohegan Colony Storytelling & Music Festival in Westchester, NY. She has appeared in numerous festivals, in every major museum in Chicago and in over 100 state and local libraries. Judith runs the Chicago Storytelling Guild that meets the third Tuesday of every month in Hyde Park. All are welcome. No experience necessary,she has produced a few south side Story Slams and hopes to resume those soon. She is a co-founder of the Los Angeles Women's Theatre Festival where she performed her one-woman shows.

Tara Hensle

Tara has loved storytelling for as long as she can remember. After spending nearly all her free time writing stories as a kid and then transitioning to scribbling angsty poetry as a teenager, she has come to appreciate the beauty of stories never been told the same way twice through Story Lab Chicago. She loves research (because data tells stories too!), cooking, and vintage earrings. Because they say it's good to have a calming hobby, she has had the goal to learn to knit for the past year, but she keeps going to brunch instead. At least brunch didn't keep her from telling her story at this show.

Joe Hernández-Kolski

A two-time HBO Def Poet, Joe Hernández-Kolski is an actor/poet/comedian who is constantly in demand, known for his live performances that are hard-hitting, truthful and incredibly funny. Originally from Chicago, Joe is a graduate of Princeton University where he worked closely with Dr. Cornel West and Nobel Prize Winner Toni Morrison. His first solo show “You Wanna Piece of Me?” was recently published by the University of Michigan Press as part of an anthology entitled “Say Word! Voices of Hip Hop Theater.” As a stand-up comedian/poet, he travels to colleges performing his two shows “Refried Latino Pride” and “Cultural Collisions.” For over ten years, he has run an open-mic for high school performers called Downbeat 720. He received an Emmy as producer/host of the televised version. For more info: www.pochojoe.com.

Juan Pablo Herrera

Juan Pablo Herrera is a second-generation immigrant who was born and raised in Chicago. He has been a life-long community organizer around education, gentrification, and immigration in the Logan Square and Humboldt Park neighborhoods. Most weekends you can find Juan Pablo country dancing at Charlies as part of Firebrand; a queer group of folks that perform all over the city. He is the pastor at Urban Village Church in Wicker Park; a LGBTQ affirming congregation. Juan Pablo spends most of his free time with his partner Bill and his two kids Gabriella and Nathaniel.

Michael Herzovi

Michael Herzovi started as a student in radio at WBEZ-FM and finished with an MFA in playwriting from SIU in Carbondale. He is currently a featured performer with Small Fish Radio Theatre, including their podcasts for the Chicago Fringe Festival and the Atlanta Fringe Festival. He has been a mentor, writer, and performer with Tellin’ Tales Theatre since 2006, beginning with Six Stories Up in the Ozone. He began writing and performing monologues with the Access Project at Victory Gardens Theater, and started storytelling with Tellin’ Tales Theater in shows like DiverCity and Phobias. In 2016 he helped write and performed their FREEDOM: Out of Order, produced with the Chicago Voices project of the Lyric Opera. In June he shared a new solo piece for DiverCity 2017. As a member of the Artistic Development Workshop of the Access Project at Victory Gardens Theater, he appears in their annual showcase Sketchtopia as a writer and performer, numerous workshops of new plays, and was in the ensemble for the Bodies of Work festival in 2006.

Gwen Hilary

Gwendolyn Hilary, former librarian, educator and a recipient of ISI, Inc.’s 2008Possibility Grant, is a storyteller and workshop presenter who shares stories that spark the imagination and touch the soul. Touched, moved, and inspired by the powerful impact of stories, she has become totally committed to storytelling as her life’s work and mission. In addition to performing at hundreds of venues, she has organized major storytelling programs. Gwen regularly performs with Enoch Williamson, world renowned musician, who captivates audiences with his playing of the drums, shekere, kalimba and other instruments as she unfolds stories. Together, they create an energetic fusion of music and the spoken word. Gwen especially enjoys sharing multicultural folktales and the history, contributions, and powerful stories of African Americans. Currently, she is a member of ASE: the Chicago Association of Black Storytellers, which is an inspiring and fulfilling part of her storytelling world. She has been telling professionally for over 10 years.

Bill Hillmann

Bill Hillmann is an award-winning writer and storyteller from Chicago, Illinois. His writing has appeared in the Chicago Tribune, Newcity, Salon.com, and has been broadcast on NPR. He's told stories around the world with his internationally acclaimed storytelling series the "Windy City Story Slam." Hillmann is a union construction laborer and a bull-runner in Spain, who in the not-so-distant past was a feared street brawler, gang affiliate, drug dealer, convict, and Chicago Golden Glove Champion. Hillmann's debut novel The Old Neighborhood hits shelves this month. It's been widely heralded by the likes of Irvine Welsh, Rick Kogan, Joe Meno, Tony Fitzpatrick and Thom Jones. Chicago Independent, Curbside Splendor is his publisher.

Mary Hoefler

After fleeing Milwaukee for San Francisco in the mid 1980’s and after another long stint in Denver, Mary recently landed in Chicago as a new empty-nester. She is new to storytelling, but feels like she was born to talk…and talk and talk. She is a psychotherapist and finds that everyone has stories they don’t even know about, stories that shape who they are, and stories they need to release to move forward and live fully. Mary found herself on the Moth stage for the first time back in July of last year and she hasn’t looked back. Fun Fact: She tries to wear a fascinator whenever she can and doesn't mind the funny looks when at the Home Depot.

Clarence Hogan

Clarence aka Sonny is a Comedian and Storyteller that uses his skills to build community and empower young people. Recently Sonny facilitated a series of storytelling events called Englewood Speaks at Kusanya Cafe in Englewood and a series in North Lawndale called Westside Stories. He has appeared on The Moth’s Grand Slam and hosted The Moth’s Storytelling event at The Promontory. Currently he is the Center Director at Chicago Youth Centers site in North Lawndale.

Jill Hopkins

Jill Hopkins is the host of The Morning AMp on Vocalo Radio, 91.1FM. She's a regular performer of comedic essays at The Paper Machete, a stand-up comedian, and a pop culture writer for The Onion's A.V. Club, with additional bylines on Consequence of Sound, the Riot Fest Blog, and Noisey. She's also been behind the decks as a DJ at clubs, and has opened for Big Freedia, Har Mar Superstar, Shabazz Palaces, and Michael Shannon. Jill is the singer for the party band TAURGOS, and is a proud daughter to Kim and wife to Aaron. She might be the busiest child-free person she knows. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter @jillhopkins for social commentary, dad jokes, and pictures of her dog Ollie, who she is probably thinking about right now.

Beth Horner

Beth Horner’s work has been called heartfelt, truthful and “akin to great stand-up comedy”. Her large repertoire ranges from a four-minute break-neck speed tongue-twisting tour-de-force take-off on Edgar Allan Poe to a two-hour story of a young female soldier killed fighting in Iraq. Her signature stories, however, are those out of her own life. Beth has performed at The International Art of Storytelling Festival, the National Storytelling Festival, on Live From National Geographic, in prisons & mental health facilities, and is recipient of the National Storytelling Network’s Circle of Excellence Oracle Award. Being absolutely dedicated to teaching the art of storytelling as well, Beth is sought after as a storytelling and writing coach. Most recently, she conducted a series of storytelling workshops for NASA Astrobiologists and served as narrative consultant for NASA/Johnson Space Center’s StoryMining Project, though which she collected the stories of the scientists behind the Apollo Moon Missions. She has also produced seven recordings of her own work and a six-part storytelling series for radio. Beth is celebrating her 30th year of making her living as a touring storyteller and is looking forward to performing at TMIT!

Lynn House

Lynn has had a long and extensive career in the beverage and hospitality industry. She was a trainer and lead server at Houston’s Restaurant for five years and went on to work at several Lettuce Entertain You venues. she has been trainer and spirits specialist at Spring, general manager of Hot Chocolate, Master Bartender for the award winning The Drawing Room, Chief Mixologist at Graham Elliot, and culminated her bartending career as the Chief Mixologist for the globally acclaimed Blackbird Restaurant. During her bartending career Lynn received many accolades including Mixologist of the Year by Cheeky magazine, the Chicago Reader’s Persons of the Year, 2012 Bartender Iconoclast by the Sundance Channel, and in 2011, Top 20 Most Fabulous Bartenders in the World. Lynn is also an inaugural inductee to the Dame Hall of Fame for her achievements in the bar. In 2013, she joined the Heaven Hill Brands team and is currently National Spirits Specialist and Portfolio Mixologist. In 2017, Lynn was a national finalist for Wine Enthusiast magazine’s Mixologist of the Year. Throughout the years Lynn has been featured in many publications including The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, The Daily Beast, Imbibe magazine, Bon Appetit, Saveur, Martha Stewart, Gentlemen’s Quarterly and Esquire. In 2020 Lynn has named by Imbibe as one of the top seventy-five people to watch in 2021. In 2022 she was named Best U.S. Brand Ambassador at the Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards. Recently, Lynn was named 2023 American Whiskey Ambassador of the Year by Whisky Magazine.

Jill Howe

Jill Howe co-founded and produces Story Sessions at Chicago's City Winery. When she’s not producing, she performs her own true stories at the plethora of shows all over Chicagoland and has told on Vocalo Public Radio featured on NPR. Jill also coaches new storytellers and organizes her own writing groups and cabin retreats. Recently Jill presented a Tedx Talk on storytelling and vulnerability.

Kelsie Huff

Kelsie is an accomplished comedian, slinging jokes at venues such as Zanies, Chicago's Laugh Factory, Mayne Stage, Up Comedy Club, Comedy on State (Madison) and throughout the suburbs. She has also performed at several comedy festivals including, Bridgetown Comedy Festival, New Orleans, North Carolina, Boston Women in Comedy Festival, LaughFest (MI) and Chicago Funny Female Festival. Huff's humor has "an infectious joyousness that makes you happy to be alive". Kelsie's one woman shows won both the Chicago Stage Review's Best Solo Performance of 2011, Encore Fridge Festival Awards, and the Camera Eye Award for Best Performance (Comedy). She is very proud to produce the monthly all female comedy showcase the kates. Kelsie is a senior cast member of Comedy Sportz 100 Proof Comedy she also teaches Feminine Comique, an all female stand up class produced by Tight Five Productions, hosts workshops for CLiC, Museum of Contemporary Art (Chicago), the Boulder International Fringe Festival, StoryStudio, and for summer camps, private institutions and corporations across Chicagoland.

In The Spirit

Over twenty years ago, storyteller, Emily Lansana and vocalist, Zahra Glenda Baker came together to form Performance Duo: In the Spirit. Based in Chicago, they have developed an extensive repertoire of stories that carry their audiences on enthralling journeys. Each performance celebrates the power of the word to connect, uplift and transform. They have been recognized for their commitment to community and their vision for change. They have worked with people of all ages, faiths, and cultures from homeless shelters to universities. In each place they remain focused on the belief that creative expression can be an important vehicle for transformation. In the Spirit celebrates the triumphs of the Black experience using pieces that highlight significant moments in our history. These may include: traditional African music and stories, folktales and songs from the period of captivity, the Great Migration, the Civil Rights Movement and dramatizations of individual heroes and heroines. Emily and Zahra have performed and led workshops throughout this country and are available in a variety of venues: schools, museums, hospitals, community centers & festivals. They also work in collaboration with storyteller/musician, Shanta and other Chicago jazz musicians to form the ensemble "Classic Black".

Samantha Irby

Samantha Irby is a total idiot who somehow has not only only convinced thousands of people to read her blog vomit, she also sometimes can get them to put on real pants to come out and hear her stupid dick jokes live. You can find her on the internet at bitchesgottaeat.com and irbyandian.com, and see her on the last Sunday of every month as co-host of the Sunday Night Sex Show, a literary reading series that focuses on true stories about sex and sexuality. She is a large testicle aficionado.

Ali Jackson (Musical Guest)

Ali Jackson is a 17 year old singer-songwriter from Lake Bluff, Illinois. Her stirring vocals and arpeggio style of guitar playing convey the honesty of emotion found in her music, from pop, rock, folk, and blues. In her own compositions, Ali draws on life experiences, whether they are fond memories of her childhood home in Texas, or the challenges of opening oneself up to trust in a relationship. For Ali, life is a "work in progress", and song writing is her way of capturing life's unique moments. Ali is a member of the MYA ensemble "VX", a studio recording group lead by Emmy-winning Composer and Music Producer, Gary Fry. She has performed at the Village Tavern in Long Grove, Bennett Gordon Hall at Ravinia, Uncommon Ground in Chicago, Elawa Farm, The John and Nancy Hughes Theater at the Gorton Center in Lake Forest, IL and in the 2017 Lake Forest Days Parade to name a few. She gives a lot of her time to performing for, and entertaining the residents at various retirement homes. Check her out at alijacksonmusic.com!

Jitesh Jaggi

Jitesh Jaggi is a recent immigrant from India, currently living in Chicago. He ended his career in Finance one day when he lost all his data that he forgot to save on an Excel sheet, and realized that he just didn't care. That tipping point led to him becoming a writer and he is currently working on a book of essays. You can reach out to him at [email protected]. A two-time Moth StorySlam winner, he also coaches individual and corporate clients in telling their professional stories. He loves writing bios because he can refer to himself in the third person. Jitesh can be easily bribed with chocolates and books.

Archy Jamjun

Archy Jamjun is a writer, storyteller, and Chicago's Biggest Liar! He will be competing in the Moth Grandslam Wednesday, May 21st and has a show he co-wrote currently playing at Second City called "Game of Phones". For more information or inquiries email him at [email protected].

Joe Janes

Joe Janes is a writer, director and actor in Chicago. He has taught improv and writing at The Second City Training Center since 1997 and is the Improv Program Coordinator for Columbia College. He is also a senior writer/director at Fig Media, Inc. He is a founding member of the WNEP Theater Foundation and the artistic director of Robot vs Dinosaur. He has written and provided voices for the CD-ROM game “You Don’t Know Jack.” He also has an emmy for writing for a Cincinnati children’s program called “Club 19.” He has written two books. 365 Sketches and 50 Plays. They are available on-line and at Quimby’s bookstore.”

Eunice Jarrett

Eunice Jarrett is a retired elementary teacher from Indiana and has worked in Mental Health with a Master's in Counseling. She’s been a member of The Kates stand up comedy group for five years. She has performed comedy at A Night Out , The Book Cellar, Acorn Theater (3 Oaks, Michigan), Federated Women’s local and state events (Indiana). She has performed storytelling at Do Not Submit, Idea Potluck, and Nerdalogues. She is the proud mother of 2 adult sons.

Nina Jayashankar

Other than a few open mic nights, this is Nina Jayashankar's debut storytelling performance. She is a sophomore at Northwestern University, majoring in Theater and Mathematics, and currently studying the art of storytelling under Rives Collins, storyteller extraordinaire. When she isn't telling or listening to stories, Nina can be found acting in productions around campus. She is currently playing Lavinia in Northwestern's production of Titus Andronicus and will be continuing to perform this year in Northwestern's Festival of Devised Works and their production of A Streetcar Named Desire. Nina is also a trained singer and has performed in musicals in The Children's Musical Theater of San Jose, California. She sings and music directs in Northwestern Brown Sugar, the world's first co-ed South Asian a cappella group. Nina draws inspiration, for her stories and otherwise, from her incredible family. She works to embody their strength and light in her art and in her life.

Joe Jekot

Joe Jekot has been fully engaged in the craft of learning all that is human in the lives of young people and adults. In his vocation as a high school teacher he has found that a well placed and well told tale takes all engaged on a quest for meaning and release. He started his thirty year career teaching religion and proved to his students that their relationship or story with God is really one “whopper” of a tale. And that somewhere out of the saga grows the art and joy of living a human life. Whether a fool’s tale, a myth, or a personal family legend, stories are the "stuff" or the raw materials from which we create and live out our dreams. Joe has experience the pleasure of performing to all types of groups over the years including: Retirement Communities, Schools, Clubs, Churches, and Festivals.

Philip Earl Johnson

PHILIP EARL JOHNSON is and actor and clown in Chicago who as appeared at Timeline, Court, Writers, The Goodman and American Theatre Company, Steppenwolf and Chicago Shakespeare Theatre. This winter he will play the narrator/storyteller in A CHRISTMAS STORY: THE MUSICAL at The Paramount Theatre in Aurora. He has traveled the country with his show MooNiE the Magnif'Cent: Juggler, Ropewalker, Foolish Mortal for 26 years acquiring adventures. He is thrilled to have the opportunity to turn them into stories.

Wayne Johnson

Wayne has worn many hats over the years. He defines himself as a special event jockey, habitat craftsman, metro chef and urban explorer. With a degree in Advertising and Communications from The University of Texas at Austin (and still a big Longhorn fan), Wayne spent 20 years at the Leo Burnett Advertising agency in Chicago. As the winner of the Today Show's "Domestic Diva" contest he spent 10 years as a food and lifestyle contributor for NBC5 Chicago, covered everything from cooking and party planning, to home decorating, crafts, new things happening in the city. He’s also appeared on Good Morning America and Windy City Live. Through his love of Chicago and Architecture, he has been an interpreter for The Frank Lloyd Wright Trust and a docent for The Chicago Architecture Center including their nationally recognized river cruises. For the last twenty years, Wayne has owned and continues to operate his own graphic design and web design business. And, when he can find time, he designs and builds furniture. Wayne lives on Chicago's north side in the incredibly diverse Uptown community.

Art Johnston

Art Johnston came to Chicago for one year in 1972 for graduate school and never left. He and his soon-to-be husband, Jose Pena, met in 1973 at a gay bar, in between the then rampant police raids. Art has had many lives: high school teacher and coach, director/manager of a theatre company, gay activist, and co-owner with Jose, of Sidetrack, a gay nightclub on Halsted. He has recently discovered the pleasures of listening to stories and looks forward to telling some of his own. He hopes to soon launch a monthly evening of storytelling at Sidetrack.

Sheila Arnold Jones

Master Storyteller Sheila Arnold Jones has been gifted by God with performance skills and has been using this talent since she was eight years old. She has been a full-time Storyteller since 2003 sharing a variety of stories - “whatever fits in her mouth”. She travels throughout the country providing Stories, Historic Character Presentations, Christian Monologues and Professional Development for Educators to schools, churches, libraries, organizations and Storytelling Festivals. Sheila is often interactive and many times intersperses stories with song. In 2013, Sheila was an Exchange Place Teller at the National Storytelling Festival, Jonesborough, TN and in 2014 she was honored to be a Teller-in-Residence at the International Storytelling Center, also in Jonesborough.

Grace Phan Jones

Grace Phan Jones is a seventeen-year-old native of Uptown, Chicago. She is an aspiring fiction writer, journalist, and visual artist. Grace is currently home schooled and in pursuit of her artistic passions, which have recently extended themselves to storytelling. Born to a Vietnamese mother and a Welsh father, she is proficient in Vietnamese, French, Spanish, and Mandarin. Grace works as an intern for Young Chicago Authors and hopes to publish fiction and short stories. Grace’s favorite color is periwinkle.

Lynne Jordan

The late Roger Ebert called Lynne Jordan his “Favorite diva.” A Chicago favorite, Lynne Jordan has been thrilling audiences worldwide for over twenty years. She leads her own 10-piece band “Lynne Jordan & the Shivers” entertaining at top venues in the city, some of Chicago’s biggest gala events, as well as concerts in Europe and South America. She recently celebrated another sold out house at City Winery Chicago in January 2016 as well as a sold out performance when she presented her “Tribute To the Music of Nina Simone” at City Winery NYC located in Manhattan’s Soho neighborhood. She has released two CD’s to date and is featured on recordings by Tom Waits, Urge Overkill and several compilations, most notably a tribute to Janis Joplin: “Blues Down Deep” on the House of Blues Label which also featured Etta James, Otis Clay, Taj Mahal & Koko Taylor. Drawing upon her theater background whilst a student at Northwestern University, she incorporates a healthy dose of humor in her live performance work, but she can break your heart in the next moment with her emotive interpretation of a song. Lynne returned to live theater in July 2011 when she joined the cast of Tony Fitzpatrick’s “Stations Lost” at the Steppenwolf Theatre Chicago. She was featured in Hell In A Handbag’s production a hilarious spoof of Lana Turner’s movie “Imitation of Life” called “Limitation of Life” as Mahalia Jackson. Lynne is also a featured vocalist in the Jazz Opera “Don’t Worry, Be Harpy” by French composer/harpist Isabelle Olivier which she performed in France twice in 2015 and will reprise the role this June in Paris. In addition to her role as the Baroness, she also performed all four characters – male and female – for performances in Paris. Lynne was featured in a solo appearance (suspended 20 feet in the air singing from a swing) with Redmoon for closing ceremonies of The Great Chicago Fire Festival in September 2015 at Northerly Island above a crowd of 10,000 enthusiastic fans. Lynne is currently writing a one-woman show for the stage that will be filled with music, laughs and great stories.

Xavier Jordan

Xavier Jordan is currently jobless in every field imaginable. He is looking forward to a new life at the University of Illinois in Champaigne Urbana. He told his first story at grown folks stories and never looked back. He has performed at events such as Here's the story, Stoop Style Stories, I Shit You Not, Adult Education, The Moth, Real Talk Live and one time at Elmhurst college. He is simply here to entertain.

Vicki Juditz

Vicki Juditz has performed her original stories at theaters and festivals across the country, including the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, TN. Her solo show "Sacred Resistance" had a successful run in LA at the Jewish Women's Theatre. A frequent performer at The Moth StorySLAMs, she was thrilled to have her story "Swing Dancing" chosen for The Moth Radio Hour.