2nd Story: Storytellers: L

Holly Laurent

Holly Laurent is a writer and actor hailing from Michigan. She is a member of the Chicago improv group The Reckoning, with whom she recently completed the pilot Ditch Mitchem: Writer Detective. Film credits include The Strip, Bicentennial Curious and American Legacy, and writing credits include I Live Next Door to Horses and Sitting at the Grown Up Table. She teaches and improvises at i.O. theater Chicago, and frequently works with the Second City Mainstage, e.t.c., and touring company. Holly holds a MA in Interdisciplinary Arts from Columbia College and her BA in Acting from Anderson University.

Alex Levy

Guest Director // Alex Levy is thrilled to be back at 2nd Story. He most recently directed 2nd Story at the Museum of Contemporary Art. Alex is Artistic Director of Pegasus Players. At Pegasus he has directed several shows including Golda’s Balcony, The Upper Room (Jefferson Citation “Best New Work”), and Broadway Bound (After Dark Award “Best Ensemble”). Alex directed My Soul is a Witness in the Hindu Metro-Plus International Theatre Festival in Chennai, India which subsequently toured throughout India. He’s also worked with Goodman, Redtwist, The Studio Theatre in Washington D.C., Geva Theatre in Rochester, N.Y. and The Jenna Company in New York City.

Deb R. Lewis

Audience Development, Story Development Team // Deb R. Lewis’ stories appear internationally in journals including F Magazine, Café Irreal, Outsider Ink (Artist Spotlight), Velvet Mafia, Gertrude, Blithe House Quarterly, Dyversity, International Drummer, and Bad Attitude. She’s read at venues such as Homolatte, Tamale Hut Café, Women and Children First, Quimby's, Bailiwick Studio Theater, and WCRX 88.1 FM. She does storytelling for Serendipity Theatre Collective’s 2nd Story in monthly and special event venues. Her novel, Hades’ Son, was a Top Three Finalist in the 2008 Project: Queer Lit novels competition. Her story, “Granny's Leathers,“ is a 2nd Story podcast and a forthcoming chapbook from Zocalo Press (Winter 2009). DebRLewis.com

Heather Loebner

Heather Loebner is a corporate grant maker. Previously, she ran a nonprofit music school and led a nearly fifteen year career in marketing. Heather has been involved with the arts community for over twenty years. Heather obtained her Bachelors from St. Louis University and a Masters from University of Illinois. She is a graduate of the Arts and Business Council’s On Board program and completed three levels of improv at SportsComedy. Heather has been a frequent business speaker and is a published co-writer of business publications. Heather is excited to participate in 2nd Story.

Billy Lombardo

Billy Lombardo's first poem, long before he started teaching creative writing at The Latin School of Chicago, long before he was introduced to the Green Mill's Uptown Poetry Slam, was written for Gia Sparacino, somebody's cousin. She came to Bridgeport for one measly day in the summer of 1974 just to break his fucking heart, and he's been writing ever since. Billy's book of short fiction: The Logic of a Rose: Chicago Stories, was a Chicago Tribune, Best Fiction of 2005 selection. He is the founder and faculty sponsor of Polyphony H.S., a national literary magazine for High School Writers. He has just completed his second book, a novel titled, The Man with Two Arms.

James Lower

James Lower writes stories in search of sense. Born and raised in Atlanta, GA, he descends from coal miners, Daniel Webster, a Union soldier, and choral singers. His writing has appeared in the Santa Clara Review, as a Featherproof mini, and is forthcoming in Hair Trigger 31. He’s been featured around town at reading series like The Parlor and Quickies. He hopes it will become increasingly strange that you haven’t read his work in the coming decade.