June 18

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Patrick Curtin is a Chicago native that incorporates storytelling as a celebrant for weddings, memorials and other moments in life that should be celebrated. Patrick has shared stories at the Irish American Heritage Center, Steppenwolf, Second City and the Goodman Theater.

Mariah Nichelle is a proud Chicagoan. From teaching high school English to now working in the mental health space, public speaking is a passion. A proud UIC alumna and dog mom, Mariah is currently working on her master's degree in Trauma Informed Leadership at Dominican University. Unsure of what’s next, Mariah is excited to share her story and honor those who come before her and have made her into the woman she is today. 

Chris Rooney has been a resident of Oak Park for 30 years. While he comes from a long line of storytellers, he was introduced to formal storytelling by Errol McLendon in 2024. Since then, he has participated in The Moth storytelling series, and has begun to explore the storytelling community in greater Chicagoland. This is his first time at STORIES R Us.  When he is not telling stories, he works with an non-profit organization in IT, and enjoys participating in a variety of circus and acrobatics arts with his wife Amy and son CJ. 

Act 1 of Carol's life took place all over Chicago's Southwest side, racking up unique life experiences. In 1994, Act 2 moved her to Lockport with her husband and Son #1, to refine her parenting skills as they acquired Sons #2, #3, and #4. Carol's "plot twist" came in 2010, when her beloved Vietnam Veteran husband died from Agent Orange, leaving her to raise their four sons, alone. Now in Act 3, with her sons grown, Carol volunteers with Lockport's Limestone Stage Community Theatre. After a 30-year hiatus, she's back performing on stage, as well as working as Marketing Director. This year, Carol wants to improve her writing enough to be published again! When she's not at home practicing "The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning," Carol's excited to improve her storytelling with Stories R Us!  She hopes to give her memories a voice and to touch your heart with her words.