📗 This Much Is True: An Evening of Personal Storytelling (Ashton & Miyo)

Rashim Cannad is an award winning screenwriter and independent filmmaker who was raised in the gritty world of inner-city Philadelphia. During the pandemic he’s spent his time writing and developing original works for film, television and stage. A member of Mensa, Rashim’s work is informed by his eventful experience of growing up as a nerd in the hood.

Originally from New York City, Ashton Cynthia Clarke works as an executive search consultant or “headhunter” in her other life. When an old friend joked, “what do you do with the rest of the body?!” Ashton took that as a sign to begin something new. She started storytelling in 2019 and has appeared at live venues throughout the L.A. area and virtually, including Risk! Live and the podcast; and Shoot ‘Em Up, where her story inspired a short film. She recently developed an animated short-short based on her telling of a family member’s life in Jamaica, called Titta and the Mango. You can find that as well as more stories on her YouTube channel at Ashton Cynthia Clarke.

Bill Larkin is an award-winning stage actor, having received the Joseph Jefferson Award for Outstanding Performance by a Lead Actor in a Musical for the role of Edward Kleban in Porchlight Music Theatre’s “A Class Act”. He is also an accomplished pianist, singer and comedy songwriter. He has performed his original musical comedy on Comedy Central’s Premium Blend. His comedy album, Knowing Your Audience, was recorded live at the Green Mill Jazz Club in Chicago. He has also performed at the Howl at the Moon dueling piano bar for the last 20 years.

Born and raised in Japan, Miyo Yamauchi brings a unique perspective and sense of humor to storytelling. Her insatiable curiosity about life, people and the world leads her on many adventures and results in stories that delight her audience. She regularly performs at the Fanatic Salon Theater, Strong Words, other spoken word events, and the StoryMasters club. During the day, she works as a computer programmer for UCLA, writing narratives for computers to perform.

Scott Whitehair is a storyteller, teacher, and producer living in Chicago, IL. He is the producer of This Much Is True, creator of Story Lab Chicago, which has put 700+ new storytellers on stage since 2011, and director of Do Not Submit, a grassroots network of open mics across the city bringing people together to connect with each other. Scott tells anywhere someone will listen, including The National Storytelling Festival Exchange Place, Steppenwolf Theater, the historic Green Mill, and on NPR, the Risk podcast, and Siruis XM. He is a frequent guest instructor at the city’s top universities, and his personal narrative class has been selling out every month since 2012. Scott is in demand as a coach and trainer, spending his days helping individuals, companies, and non-profits develop their voices as storytellers. In 2014, he was the featured instructor at Hong Kong Story Worthy Week, headlined by David Sedaris, and in 2015 taught an intensive at All Hallows College in Dublin.

Free (Donation is appreciated!)

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