The wildly popular storytelling show/podcast, The Story Collider (stories about science) is bringing its unique spin on storytelling to Los Angeles for the third time. The theme of the August 24th show will be Epiphanies: eureka moments in science, and feature some amazingly talented storytellers from the worlds of science and entertainment.
The Story Collider’s mission is to bring true, personal stories about science to life. The idea is that everyone’s life is touched by science in some way and that we all have a story about its unique effect. To that end, the show brings people from diverse backgrounds (scientists, actors, writers, etc) and gives them an opportunity to tell these stories.
Originally based in NYC, The Story Collider began as an idea between two physicists who met at a storytelling show in Queens. It has since branched out to do shows in all parts of the country, now with regular shows in NYC, Boston, Washington D.C., Atlanta, St. Louis and Los Angeles. Co-Directors Liz Neeley, Erin Barker and their team have also found a calling in teaching storytelling to scientists through workshops focused on allowing scientists to communicate more easily through narrative.
The newest L.A. show is being produced and hosted by Cassie Soliday and GGA’s own Audrey Kearns, and will feature the talents of…
Susan Bell,Susan Bell attended U.S. Space Camp in junior high. She now works for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in public engagement following a career as a Hollywood TV/film producer for animated shows such as “Robot Chicken.” Somewhere along the path between potty humor and hard science, Susan decided if she wasn’t going to be an astronaut, she could at least be a pilot. Thus a love affair with the wild blue yonder was born. These days after work she can be found twirling about the skies in her pink Extra 300 aerobatic airplane, competing in Southwest aerobatic contests and working towards her flight instructor certificate.
Marqueeda LaStar is a comic geek, internet enthusiast, and creative technologist. She is community manager of BlackGirlNerds.com, a society and lifestyle website and online community exploring the intersections of being Black, woman, and nerdy. A builder of bridges, Marqueeda works to create and support inclusive community and collective exploring culture and art through the lens of emerging technologies. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Biotechnology (B.S.) from California Polytechnic University, Pomona.
Kirsten Vangsness has played the super proudly nerdtastic computer analyst Penelope Garcia for over a decade on the hit CBS crime drama “Criminal Minds”. Prior to that she was was a public school teacher who reveled in teaching 4th graders about sciences of all sorts. She is also a critically acclaimed playwright who has been doing a mini tour across the country of her one person show “Mess” which is about Quantum Physics, monsters, and church camp.
Dr. Janina Scarlet is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, a scientist, and a full-time geek. A Ukrainian-born refugee, she survived Chernobyl radiation and persecution. She immigrated to the United States at the age of 12 with her family and later, inspired by the X-Men, developed Superhero Therapy to help patients with anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Her book, “Superhero Therapy” released on December 1, 2016 in the U.K. and on August 1, 2017 in the U.S.
Jean Ansolabehere is a cartoon writer with past lives as a research technician at Stanford University and the Huntsman Cancer Institute. She has loved biology since the first time she got stitches and, in her research and her writing, she strives to understand the human condition through the human body. She also strives to live by the philosophy of her four-year-old half-brother, who is pretty brave when it comes to anything, except his T-Rex toy. He’s terrified of that thing.
The show will take place at the El Portal Theater, home of ComedySportz, 5269 Lankershim Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 91601 on August 24th at 8pm. You can get TICKETS HERE. I’ll see you there. I wouldn’t miss it.
If you live in Portland, San Francisco, or New York City, you can see an upcoming show in any of those cities as well. Check storycollider.org for more information.
Actor, Improviser, Comic.
I like to like things and talk about them.
I like to pretend.
I like to make things.
I like to write things down.
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