November 20

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Erin Ambre is an accomplished storyteller with over 30 years of experience captivating 7th and 8th grade students in her classroom. For the past 7 years, she has brought her storytelling to the stage, engaging audiences with her performances and imaginative narratives. She has appeared on stage with The People Tree, The Moth, Chicago Story Lab, Outwords Journey, Do Not Submit and many others. Married to Paul and a proud mother of two adult children, Erin draws inspiration from her family, classroom and the exhilarating experiences she has each year by living outside her comfort zone. As a woman who loves to travel, she seeks opportunities that broaden her horizons and enrich her storytelling. Through her compelling tales, Erin invites listeners to explore new perspectives and cultures, making each performance a memorable adventure. With a commitment to inspiring others, Erin continues to share her passion for storytelling with audiences of all ages.

Holly Birnbaum worked for the late, great Dick Orkin in tbe 70s, producing comedy radio commercials and shows like the legendary “Chickenman.”  When they moved to LA, she moved to France. Starting as an au pair for an aristocratic family in Paris, she worked an array of jobs and volunteered for an NGO that sent her to visit Refuseniks in the USSR in 1979, bringing in books, mail and hope. Upon her return, she was 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 she reWIREed in 2018, and subsequently has told with 2nd Story and Do Not Submit, inspired by The Goodman Theater’s GeNarrations public outreach series. 

Barbara Eberhard is the producer and host of STORIES R Us. She taught photography at the University of St. Francis and was staff photographer at the Philip Lynch Theatre for over 30 years She was the director of the children’s theatre Eberhard and Friends. Barbara is a member of artitude and Chicago Society of Artists. You can view her work at barbaraeberhard.com.

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.

Barbara Guschwan is widowed and is the mother of 3 , the stepmother of 6 , and the grandmother of 15. She spent her career listening to people’s stories by working in mental health as a psychiatric nurse and later as a psychotherapist. She created and facilitated several Community Groups; including ‘Empowering Women’ and ‘Nightwriters’ , a writing group for the mentally ill.

Nancy comes from a family of storytellers. She remembers gatherings at her grandmother’s home were full of laughs and family fables. Nancy is a poet, singer/songwriter and energy healer. She enjoys walking in the woods for inspiration and following her family tradition of laughing often.