|
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 8th Cast
*18th Anniversary Show*
Sam Brief
Sam Brief is a lifelong Chicagoan who has traveled the world as a sports broadcaster, working across the U.S. and Australia. His broadcast clients include the Windy City Bulls, Chicago Dogs, Brisbane Bandits, and more. He also covered the 2024 Paris Olympics for NBC, is an author, and hosts the mental health podcast The Mental Game with Sam Brief. When he isn't creating content or training for his next marathon, you can usually find Sam at home with his wife, Jen, and cuddling or playing with his amazing orange cat son, Tony.
Margaret Daly
Margaret Daly is a cellist. In addition, she is fairly good-natured.
Shelley A. Davis
Shelley’s stories are true personal essays. She became a storytelling performer because she believes that storytelling is a way to transmit humor, love, and insight. In 2019, she co-founded SOL Collective: an organization of women of color focused on putting our voices at the center stage to celebrate our own truths. Shelley is a southside Chicago native. She lives with her husband and two teenage children in an 1889 brownstone that always needs more work.
Muteeat Lawal
Muteeat Lawal began her storytelling journey a long time ago. as a young girl growing up in the Baptist church she quickly overcame her fear of public speaking. When she joined Toastmasters International in 2005, her goal was to learn how to effectively deliver a speech in the time frame allotted ... And well, she’s still working on that! It was in Toastmasters however, that she discovered her storytelling voice. She’s currently a member of the National Association of Black Storytellers as well as ASE (ah-shay) the Chicago affiliate of NABS. In December of 2019, she completed training under TRHT (Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation) Chicago, and she currently works as a racial healing practitioner. Stories are the vehicle she uses to connect with people within their heart space. She's stepping out now, in 2023 to share more and learn more about the artform of heart sharing....through stories!
Cassie Lee
Cassie has a background as an actor and after much time away from theater, is thrilled to have found a new creative outlet through Storytelling. She loves listening to stories as much as she does telling them and has shared hers at various Chicago open mics and events. Cassie hails from Chicago, but a little bit of wanderlust and a lot of “finding herself” have taken her to many places with many jobs. She currently works in Healthcare operations, after a long soul sucking stint in finance, and recently completed her master’s degree in social work. She is successfully making a career of changing careers but feels she may have finally found her calling, at least her latest one.
Brett Paesel
Brett Paesel is the author of the Los Angeles Times bestseller, Mommies Who Drink: Sex, Drugs, and Other Distant Memories of an Ordinary Mom (Warner Books, 2006) as well as the novel, Everything is Just Fine (Grand Central, 2019). Her work has been published in numerous collections and national publications including The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, and Salon.com. In Hollywood, she has been a consulting producer on Amazon’s television series, Emmy award winning, “Transparent” and “I Love Dick”. She has also developed and written shows for HBO, ABC, Fox, Comedy Central, WB, Lifetime and Nick at Nite. Brett was a cast member of Amazon’s “Transparent” (she played Rita) and HBO’s, “Mr. Show with Bob and David”.
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 1000+ 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 1000+ 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.
