Stories
Everything you need to know about Storycatchers.
Welcome to our blog. Our newsfeed. Our point of view on everything that’s important to what we do. Scroll through to find something that interests you.
A Time of Evolution for Storycatchers Theatre
A Message from our founder Meade Palidofsky Dear Storycatchers friends and colleagues - I hope this message finds you well. Since 1984, when I founded Storycatchers Theatre, we have developed a powerful practice of working with young people in the juvenile justice...
Donor Spotlight – Susan Bass Noel
Susan has been a close friend to Storycatchers since 2010, when she attended one of our performances at the Illinois Youth Center in Warrenville. She recalls being impressed by our partnership with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, which integrated singers and musicians...
40+ Simple Ways You, Your Families, and Your Friends Can Support BLM
George Floyd. Keep saying his name. We have experienced too much loss, too much rage, and too much anxiety in the past year. And it’s just simply the truth that individuals like Breonna Taylor, Rayshard Brooks, Kwame Jones, Steven Demarco Taylor, Anthony McClain, and...
For the Love of Money: 4 Ways to Build Generational Wealth to Make the Black Community Proud
I am Jazmine Clark, a native of Chicago’s Englewood community and on staff with Storycatchers as the Executive Assistant and Recruitment Associate for Changing Voices. I took an interest in working with our Changing Voices Ensemble to tackle the problem of financial...
Let’s Celebrate Illinois’ “Controversial” Criminal Justice Reform Bill
As a result of consistent and compelling lobbying by the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus, Governor J.B. Pritzker has the history-making task of signing a criminal justice reform bill into law that, among many changes, will: Eliminate the cash bail system statewide...
Storycatchers’ Secret to Preparing Young, First-Time Voters
The 2020 Presidential Election is the opportunity for the young people we work with to gain another critical life skill – participating in our democracy. The Storycatchers Changing Voices ensemble is gearing up to be the newest generation of voters. Voting for the...
Incarcerated Youth/Arts-Based Nonprofit Debuts Anthem [PRESS RELEASE]
Media Contact: Elizia Artis, Community Engagement Manager elizia@storycatcherstheatre.org | 408.390.0135 544 W. Oak Street, #1005 Chicago, IL 60610 Chicago, IL - In partnership with Steppenwolf Theatre Company’s audio production team and Chicago Beyond, the...
The Inspiration Behind YOU CAN’T KILL OUR SONG
We all felt the pain when through the window of our media, we watched a white policeman push his knee into George Floyd's neck, for an eternity. And we realized we were witnessing a murder by the police. Again. I can’t breathe. The world held its breath with him and...
About the New Music in I AM NOT YOUR HOMIE
When COVID-19 responses started closing facilities in mid-March, Storycatchers Theatre staff made the decision to shift all programming to virtual meetings and performances. This pivot came on the heels of preparation for the final performance of the musical I AM NOT...
The Show Goes On.
This time period is often described as unprecedented, uncertain, the new normal. Many have adapted to the current circumstances – social distancing, wearing masks to grocery shop, and finding a fine balance between keeping up with current events and keeping up with...
Leaving Zacatecas – A Walk Across the Border
Written by Alvaro P. - A member of the Firewriters Ensemble ––– Damon was our first son together. I walked across the border, Never asking ‘if’ or ‘whether’ I walked away from Zacatecas To find mi hermano it was easy, facil I had no papers, no big deal --- LEAVING...
The Very Model of a Modern Major General
We missed seeing J. in our Storycatchers program for a few weeks - he was busy doing other things. He is part of a special group of young men at the Cook County Juvenile Detention Center called the Ambassadors. They're long-term residents of the facility who are...
The Magic of Ensemble – How Did We Get Here?
The members of the Temporary Lockdown Ensemble stood united at the curtain call, radiating pure joy. They were so proud of themselves, and deservedly so, for the performance they had just given of “Conscience Versus the Double Life.” The teachers of the Nancy B....
Jawaun Joins Mayor Lightfoot’s Chicago Youth Council
We are thrilled to share that Jawaun Stamps, a 19-year-old Changing Voices Ensemble Member and Peer Mentor, was appointed to Mayor Lightfoot’s Youth Council as a youth advocate. He was one of 23 young people from across the city selected for the council. It's hard to...
Storybox #2 – Stone Temple Baptist Church in North Lawndale
Storycatchers installed a second Storybox in Chicago – this one is in the city’s North Lawndale neighborhood. Stone Temple Baptist Church is a neighborhood pillar, and its pastors welcomed the addition of a Storybox to their newly revitalized community garden space...
What is Case Management and Why is it Critical to Our Work?
It can be easy to forget all the factors that go into being successful at work. When we discuss job skills we often consider time management, communication, and technological skills. However... What happens when you can't take public transit to work for fear of who...
A Memo to Mayor Lightfoot
Mayor Lightfoot sent out a city-wide request for feedback about how to improve Chicago’s education system. Our young adults in Changing Voices, all of whom who have been through the public school system, wrote this memo about what her priorities should be.
About our Musical Week with Samora Pinderhughes
He sat in the middle of the rehearsal room behind a 76-key keyboard. He’s not a big guy, so he was mostly covered up by the keyboard, its speaker, and the snapback on his head sporting the words ‘Peace King.’ “Can I play a song for you?”