Pdxstorytheater

Taking it to the top in NYC, although sometimes things went down the drain. A native Oregonian and current tour guide/improv performer, Herb lived a very different existence in the Big Apple. Over 3200 days in Manhattan, over 3200 stories to tell.

“Languages” is about connecting with my father, just in time. Jan Kats is a father, a sculptor and artist/blacksmith trying out words as a new medium for the second time around.

Art gives us a way to express our emotions and is a reflection of ourselves, our feelings, our vision. Margie Lee is an artist, a poet, and a writer living in Portland Oregon. Find out more about Margie Lee at margieleeartworks.com and www.twototempress.com

Having spent 16 years working with the chronically mentally ill as a social worker and a psychiatric nurse as well as surviving ten years in the frigid Midwest, it's time to tell a bit of my own story. I'm a comedian in training and I'm not kidding. Enjoy.

Many people think of the game Dungeons and Dragons as an obscure, cultish waste of time. For Cory, it provided a path through an uncertain future. Cory is an actor, director, and digital marketing strategist. Find out more about Cory Huff at www.coryhuff.com

Chris is a mother, a photographer, and arts educator. She co-founded My Story, a non-profit organization empowering youth and communities through photography. Find out more about Chris Cearnal at www.mystoryworkshops.org

Three weeks after leaving Birmingham, Alabama and moving to New York City to become a priest, Jeremy found himself walking into hell. He soon realized that he could never go home again. There was no going back, only forward into an unknown future. Jeremy took the scenic route from Alabama to Portland via Namibia in South West Africa, and works as an Episcopal priest in Lake Oswego. Urban Tellers, November 8, 2014 REINVENTION Jeremy Lucas live on stage at Alberta Abbey for live storytelling with Portland Story Theater Hosted by Lynne Duddy and Lawrence Howard www.portlandstorytheater.com

Melissa has accomplished many things, but has struggled with performance anxiety and being connected to herself in the spotlight for much of her life. Tonight she will drop the veil and show you her real self. Just back from living and traveling in Asia for three years with her partner, Melissa is very much in transition to the next phase of her life, but also thoroughly enjoying the moment here in Portland. Urban Tellers, November 8, 2014 REINVENTION Melissa Henige live on stage at Alberta Abbey for live storytelling with Portland Story Theater Hosted by Lynne Duddy and Lawrence Howard www.portlandstorytheater.com

This story revolves around transition and the choices one makes in life; the consequences of those choices and surviving the not-so-good ones. Robert is an artist and owner of Postart Productions LLC. He is currently producing the inaugural arts-based event, Naked Nights, here in Portland. Urban Tellers, November 8, 2014 REINVENTION Robert Post live on stage at Alberta Abbey for live storytelling with Portland Story Theater Hosted by Lynne Duddy and Lawrence Howard www.portlandstorytheater.com

Sometimes it takes a disaster (or two) to dislodge us from a stuck place. Donna is a publishing consultant who moved to Portland from Boulder just nine weeks ago. The story of how she got here involves ritual, letting go, and a whole lot of water. Urban Tellers, November 8, 2014 REINVENTION Donna Zerner live on stage at Alberta Abbey for live storytelling with Portland Story Theater Hosted by Lynne Duddy and Lawrence Howard www.portlandstorytheater.com

Called to keep paying it forward, Shelley worked for decades as a high school and college English teacher and now works as a community health nurse in North Portland school-based health clinics. She finds the energy, resilience, and creative spirits of teens and 20-somethings to be especially infectious and gratifying. She stays balanced with daily cycling and periodic doses of backpacking. Urban Tellers, November 8, 2014 REINVENTION Shelley Bedell live on stage at Alberta Abbey for live storytelling with Portland Story Theater Hosted by Lynne Duddy and Lawrence Howard www.portlandstorytheater.com

After six months in sunny Central America how does one adjust to life back in the States? This is the story about how a contact from years ago got him a job which changed the way he looked at teamwork in the U.S. Niko has performed several times with Portland Story Theater and is currently studying automotive science at PCC. Urban Tellers, November 8, 2014 REINVENTION Talen Nikolai Moe live on stage at Alberta Abbey for live storytelling with Portland Story Theater Hosted by Lynne Duddy and Lawrence Howard www.portlandstorytheater.com

Julie is the first to say "Storytelling is easy . . . narrative is hard!" She is a lifelong Portland resident and local traditional storyteller. Tonight Julie shares a personal story of fear, intimidation and eventual redemption.

How does one find his way back to himself after years running in the opposite directions? Are artists born or made? Craig tells the story of being so far away from his true idendity that it almost killed him. He is a washed-up psychiatric nurse and is currently working on a novel, a memoir, and several short stories.

Barbara is a veteran of 45+ years in theatre arts, including playwriting, directing, design and mostly performance: musicals, Shakespeare, classic American, as well as children’s theatre. Wow! Tonight she will share a few moments of her stormy Relationship with her father – and the missed opportunities as a result. She is currently working on a one-woman piece, spanning her many and varied life experiences. Watch this space!

Diane was a two-time loser and wasn't looking for love -- especially not in LA. Sunshine, smoky bars and St. Mark's Square changed her mind. Diane's careers include picking strawberries, teaching school, and selling bonds. Strawberry picking taught her the most about life.

Being a parent is the universe's way of shattering our illusions of control and setting us on a path to wisdom. That is not an original Warren thought, he picked it up from someone else. Maybe Nietzsche? Maybe Zissou? Anyway, he can't wait to get himself some a that there wisdom. Urban Tellers, October 14, 2014 DUALITY Warren McPherson live on stage at Alberta Abbey for live storytelling with Portland Story Theater Hosted by Lynne Duddy and Lawrence Howard www.portlandstorytheater.com

For most of Jeri’s life, she has blended self, space, and place, finding joy, heartache, and headaches…leading finally to someplace called home. Jeri told a story with Portland Story Theater in May and found the experience so moving, she is back again! In her free time she hangs with friends, and her dog. Her latest passion is learning to sail. Urban Tellers, October 14, 2014 DUALITY Jeri Jenkins live on stage at Alberta Abbey for live storytelling with Portland Story Theater Hosted by Lynne Duddy and Lawrence Howard www.portlandstorytheater.com

With a nest egg of nearly $5,000, Les left an environment he had lived in for almost 20 years to join society. Oh, what $5,000 can do for you! These days, Les teaches Tai Chi for better balance to seniors and volunteers at a few environmental and social justice nonprofits. Urban Tellers, October 14, 2014 DUALITY Les Shannon live on stage at Alberta Abbey for live storytelling with Portland Story Theater Hosted by Lynne Duddy and Lawrence Howard www.portlandstorytheater.com

Questioning one's life purpose is a common, perhaps even universal, human experience. Since 2000, Heather has made the annual summer migration to Bristol Bay, Alaska, to fish commercially for salmon. This story explores her inner questioning regarding her life path, the initial resistance, and eventual embracing, of the fishing legacy she inherited from her father. In the 'off season' she has spent her time working as a Massage Therapist, traversing foreign countries and inner landscapes, and she finds joy in writing, deepening relationships, and time in nature. Heather currently lives in Portland with her Beloved, Sean, whom she met while fishing in Alaska. You can read some of her writing at www.OneWithTheSun.wordpress.com Urban Tellers, October 14, 2014 DUALITY Heather Talbot live on stage at Alberta Abbey for live storytelling with Portland Story Theater Hosted by Lynne Duddy and Lawrence Howard www.portlandstorytheater.com