Let Me Tell You! A Curated Story Telling Jam

A free monthly storytelling event hosted by 2-time Moth winner Errol McLendon

Everyone tells stories. At family gatherings. In bars and coffee shops. Here is your opportunity to share your personal stories with your community. Stories can be funny or poignant. About love or tragedy, or maybe both. They can be about something you learned or something you wish you had never done. Something historic you witnessed or were a part of.

If you would like to participate in our upcoming Jams please submit a description of a 7 - 8 minute story you would like to tell to errol.mclendon@gmail.com to be included in an evening of friends sharing stories with friends. First time tellers are welcomed and encouraged.

A free Zoom workshop will be offered two weeks prior to each show to help enhance your story in a relaxed, informal environment. One-on-one coaching will also be available.

Ages: 18+ yrs.
Day: Monday
Date: February 2
Time: 7:00-9:00 pm
Fee: FREE
Location: Joseph C. Vallez Activity Center, 1529 Harlem Ave., Berwyn, IL.

Concessions will be available for purchase

February Storytellers

Paul Engelhardt

Paul Engelhardt is the son of a Lutheran minister, a brother of a Lutheran minister and the brother in law of a Lutheran minister. Naturally, he went into theatre. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in theatre from Lindenwood University, and a Master of Fine Arts Degree in Theater: Acting from SIU Carbondale. Both of these were useful in applying for positions as a waiter, and administrative work.

He is also a founding member of Strawdog Theatre, A past Board President of Oak Park Festival Theatre,  and has worked with multiple murder mystery companies. He has written for Chicago area theatres, Ohio mystery companies and was part of a one-page play festival in San Francisco.

While he enjoys his current position at Illinois Masonic Medical Center, He’s sorry, but he can’t eliminate your medical debt from the database.

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Thunder Ruthven

Thunder Ruthven is a cultural presenter, storyteller, and a burgeoning motivational speaker. Coming from a multicultural background gives him a unique perspective on the world.

Raised in the homogenized dominant culture. He discovered his indigenous roots as an adult, while he was raising his own son. This experience allows him to understand dominant culture and how it functions. But it also allows him to see the potential of what we as humans could become, with a few adjustments

In his day to, day, he operates Thunders Pack Canine Training and Turtle Island Canine Rescue Rehab. Where he does behavioral rehab for shelter and rescue dogs.

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Joanna Moran

After careers as a children’s librarian, a business librarian, an advertising researcher, and a focus group moderator, at 50, Joanna Moran finally found her real passion as an English teacher in a Berwyn middle school. Teaching reading and writing for 10 years there rekindled her long ago desire to do some writing herself. She’s currently in a writing group, semi-successfully submitting her memoir-based stories for publication, and attending storytelling gatherings around town.

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Suzy Dritz

By day, Suzy Dritz works part time as a legal assistant for a sole practitioner in the southern suburbs and also runs a Jewish senior social program for Jewish Community Centers of Chicago. She and her trophy husband, Randy, are the proud parents of three adult daughters. In her spare time Suzy loves to go out to hear live music, knit functional objects and sings showtunes to her dog.

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Raj Sehgal

Raj Sehgal comes from the vibrant city of Mumbai in India, where he grew up and studied Computer Science.

His journey took him across continents to settle in the suburbs of Chicago, where he now cherishes life with his wife and two boys. As a co-founder of an AI Agency, he thrives on the challenges of entrepreneurship.

Amid a midlife crisis, Raj sank into the depths of depression. Yet, he emerged more vital than ever, shedding 70 pounds and conquering not just one but four full marathons alongside fourteen half-marathons. Raj discovered his love for storytelling in May 2024 and has won 3 Moth StorySLAMs and 3 Speech competitions at Toastmasters Club. Raj has shared his stories at various iconic venues in the Chicagoland area, including Steppenwolf Theatre and Soho House.

Raj hopes to inspire others to lead a mindful, intellectually curious, and healthy lifestyle by embodying the change he wishes to see.

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Dawn Haney

Dawn Haney is relatively new to the storytelling world but has extensive experience in, theater public speaking and is starting to explore stand-up comedy having performed in several open mics In Oak Park. She’s the proud mother of Linus who graduated from film school in California and she’s Not afraid to exploit any connections you may have. If you have  connections see her after the show. She’s also proud to be Ben’s mom, who finished his sophomore year at Triton college.

Dawn enjoyed many years in animal welfare at Treehouse Animal Humane Society. She was the handler trainer and Spokesperson for Morris, the nine lives cat, Morris the third, to be exact. She worked for a time at Lincoln Park zoo until Covid stopped that and is currently working on protecting animals in their environment at a work at the forest preserves of Cook County.

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