The longest running monthly storytelling course in Chicago, which sold out every month for nearly 9 years pre-pandemic, is BACK and IN PERSON.
We are following current guidelines, which will not require masking, although you are welcome to wear one. I'd prefer that all attendees are vaccinated. For your comfort, we will have a large space in which to spread out, serviced by an industrial ventilation system and multiple medical grade HEPA filtration units.
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Personal narrative has exploded over the last decade, with showcases, slams, and podcasts surfacing daily. People from all walks of life are taking the stage to share their own stories in front of packed houses across Chicago and the U.S.
In business, solid storytelling is a crucial component in communicating with colleagues, clients, interviewers, and potential donors. It's far from a "soft skill." It's essential in sales, team building, leading, pitching, project management, and presenting.
And who doesn't want to be able to share memorable stories over dinner or drinks with friends and family?
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This class is open to all experience levels, and everyone from the beginner to the seasoned storyteller will benefit from the work-on-your-feet approach to discovering and developing your own unique voice. You will not find a more encouraging environment in which to experiment, learn, and grow.
Each session is a mix of detailed explanation of tools, techniques, and concepts, open discussion with the group, fun exercises to illustrate core principles, and, of course, lots and lots of storytelling. You will be fully supported as you nudge out of your comfort zone at a pace and scope that you control.
We will cover everything from story generation and structure to the fine details of delivery. We'll explore the power of vulnerability, the role of physicality and voice, organizational techniques more effective than rote memorization, the how, when, where and why of sharing a story, and much, much more.
Each class session will also feature a lab component where participants can workshop any story they'd like, try out tools and techniques, and receive detailed feedback and coaching. Participants do not need to bring in previously constructed stories in order to get the full experience. Writers are welcome, but you don't have to put a single word on the page in order to tell an excellent story.
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1)
I have put in thousands of hours teaching thousands of people, including: 8+ years of monthly sold out classes, over 700 new and first time storytellers at Story Lab, training sessions for countless non-profits and corporations nationwide, serving as a guest lecturer at most prominent Chicago universities and colleges, and providing private coaching for a variety of individuals. Those I have worked with have included several multiple Moth Grand Slam winners, a Fortune 500 CEO, a potential candidate for US Surgeon General, and also grandparents, construction workers, and high school students. I strive to build a true skill set for participants relevant to their work, not simply leave them with a list of clever acronyms, a generic blueprint destined for failure in many situations, or a sampling of storytelling truisms harvested from the internet.
Would you study guitar with a piano teacher? Then why would you study storytelling at an improv or comedy theater? This isn't an elective. It is my specialty, and I didn't start offering it because I needed to change gears or stay busy during the pandemic.
2) I don't strive to “fix” your stories. My goal is never to get you to tell a story the way I, or anyone else, would tell it. Instead, I work to give you techniques, ideas, tools, and feedback to try on for size so that you can further develop your voice and stories. Feedback is always a “could,” and never a “should.” The classroom gives you a protected place to experiment, but my hope is that you will continue to use what you have learned to grow long after our time together is done. Ideally, I want to make myself unnecessary, and watch you outgrow me.
3) Knowing something is one thing. Knowing how to teach it is another. I have developed sound pedagogy, technique, and structure over the course of the last decade. Through trial and error, support of mentors, and constant tweaking and experimentation, I have sought, and will continue to seek, the most effective ways to communicate, encourage, and educate. I offered free workshops for years before daring to charge a fee, as I wanted to ensure that my offerings were fully thought out, developed, and well worth the money spent.
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Four Consecutive Wednesdays:
Wednesday, March 30th 6:30 PM - 9:30 PM
Wednesday, April 6th 6:30 PM - 9:30 PM
Wednesday, April 13th 6:30 PM - 9:30 PM
Wednesday, April 20th 6:30 PM - 9:30 PM
Class is held in a comfortable, private room at public venue. Fully accessible building with elevator.
Class will culminate in an optional student performance at a local venue, date and time to be determined.
Class size will be kept to 8 to insure that participants receive maximum individual attention and proper spacing is maintained.
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Instructor Info:
Scott Whitehair is the producer of THIS MUCH IS TRUE, one of the city's longest running personal narrative series, creator of STORY LAB CHICAGO, recently featured in Forbes and Newsweek, and founder of DO NOT SUBMIT, a citywide network of pressure free open mics. He has told stories anywhere somebody will listen, including The Steppenwolf,Second City, The Green Mill, The Woodstock Opera House, and for NPR, The Risk Podcast, Sirius XM, and more. Scott is a 2x Moth Slam winner and has been featured at The Printer's Row Lit Festival, Fillet of Solo Festival, Chicago Improv Festival, The Fox Valley Folk Music & Storytelling Festival, The Evanston Public Library Storytelling Festival, and The Association of Writers & Writing Programs Conference. He has taught sold-out monthly classes since 2012, and has done training for such organizations as Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Price Waterhouse Cooper, RW Baird, Chicago Cares, Loews Hotels, Lurie Childrens Hospital, Crate & Barrel, Dyson, United Way, and many others. Scott has been a guest instructor at DePaul, Northwestern, Loyola, University of Chicago's Booth School of Business, IO Chicago, and The Latin School. His private coaching clients have included a Fortune 500 CEO and top speakers nationwide. Scott formerly served on the Board of Directors for the National Storytelling Network, taught a week long course at All Hallows College in Dublin, Ireland, and was the featured instructor at Hong Kong Story Worthy Week, which was headlined by David Sedaris. Scott performed at The National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough in 2017.