Short Story Theatre presents 5 Unique Stories!

Rick Leslie is a co-founder of Short Story Theatre, and has been telling stories for more than 40 years, from composing songs and writing ads to producing network news and making TV documentaries. In his travels he has shared Thanksgiving with the Navajos, ridden with the Canadian Mounties and been exposed to Cosmic Dust at NASA. His creative non-fiction has appeared in various literary magazines, including the Connecticut Review and Confluence. Rick’s story is from his book: “I Pissed in Some Guy’s Bottle of…”, which will be available soon at Amazon.

Title of Story: “I Caressed a Naked Woman Without Touching Her”

You meet a girl one minute. The next she starts undressing, so you do the same. What comes next? Find out in Rick’s story.

Judy Yacker recently retired after a long career as a speech-language pathologist and, previously, a high school English teacher. She has spent the past year learning Spanish, taking (and facilitating!) writing workshops, doing Pilates, playing pickleball, and traveling; in short, doing all the things she didn't have time for when she was working. She lives in Highland Park with her husband Scott, and her dog Kiwi; her grown-up sons, Colin and Bryan, having flown the coop. She is honored and humbled to have an opportunity to tell her story with such talented storytellers.

Title of Story: “Wabi-Sabi”

An unlikely object serves as a powerful reminder of the hidden depths of a marriage and relationship.

Louis Greenwald was dragged to the National Storytelling Festival by his wife Susie in 1985. Since then he has attended ‘millions’ of storytelling events, produced 7 concerts and tells stories as often as audiences will put up with him. He has won 2 Moth Story Slams, and has told stories in Chicago, Highwood, Highland Park, Glencoe, Madison and Phoenix, AZ His mentor is world famous Storyteller Donald Davis. The first story he told was under the direction of Donna Lubow of Short Story Theatre.

Title of Story: “Watch Your Kids”

Lou’s five-year-old son teaches Lou a fact of life.

Holly Birnbaum worked for the late, great Dick Orkin in the ‘70s, producing comedy radio and syndicated shows like the legendary “Chickenman.” When they moved to LA, she moved to Paris. Starting out as a nanny, she worked many jobs, and volunteered with a non-profit that sent her to visit Refuseniks in the USSR in 1979, bringing books, mail and hope. Upon her return, she worked as a writer and strategist in public-interest PR. In 2005 she co-founded Thoughtly Crew, providing creative thinkers to power up ideation teams. She told her first story with Short Story Theatre after rewiring in 2018, and has since told stories with 2nd Story and Do Not Submit, inspired by classes with The Goodman Theatre’s GeNarrations series.
Patrick Curtin is a native Chicagoan who discovered improv and storytelling in his mature years. His role models are Grandma Moses, Quentin Crisp and Betty White. He is a native Chicagoan that lives with his spouse, Armand. He hones his storytelling skills at Goodman Theatre’s GeNarrations program and the Irish American Heritage Center. He shares stories in a variety of venues including Steppenwolf Theater, Second City and The Moth.

Title of Their Story: "Truth + Reconciliation"

How a serendipitous choice reconnected two people whose last encounter was mired in scandal under Ravinia’s forested canopy 58 years ago.

Judith MK Kaufman, poet and memoirist, began writing creatively in mid-life. Now retired, Judith was Editor-in-Chief of the journal, East on Central, for 23 years. Her work has been published in Poetica, Collage, and the Journal of Modern Poetry and on several online sites. A family memoir, Caught Laughing: the Esther and Bernie Story, was published in 2017. Now in the works is a collection of poetry about her grandchildren, tentatively titled The Cookie Jar.

Title of Story: “Of Poets, Bitches and Bonfires”

A story of self-discovery. Even a New York liberal can be subject to her own prejudices, ultimately judging a book by its cover.

PRODUCED BY DONNA LUBOW

CONTACT: [email protected]

Host or Publisher Donna Lubow