2nd Story: Storytellers: W

Ric Walker

Longform Development // With the exception of trapeze, lion taming and cliff diving, Ric Walker has done nearly every type of legal performance there is, including an extremely hazardous Lysol & Lighter show. Ric is extremely happy, grateful and excited for a chance to do something new; perform/write with 2nd Story. Currently Ric can be seen performing with the Improvised Shakespeare Company at iO (Improv Olympic), at Comedy Sportz and with the internationally touring comedy troupe Wavelength. Ric is also a veteran of theater, stand up and film.

Nicholas Ward

2nd Story Executive Producer // A member of Serendipity Theatre Collective, Nick Ward is the producer of the annual 2nd Story festival and Red Kiva series and is a member of the Storytelling Development Team. He recently appeared in Theatre Seven’s world premiere production of Lies and Liars. He graduated from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. He plans to say hi whenever he sees you at a show. Cheers.

Nadine Warner

Nadine C. Warner has worked as an actor, director, and dramaturg for a number of Chicago theaters including Steppenwolf, Court, and Bailiwick. She is a founding member of the storytelling group, This Much Is True, and holds a regular children’s storytime and blog, www.kiddosandbooks.com in Rogers Park. Her work has been published in Stagebill, North Shore Parents Newsletter, and several legal magazines. She has a B.A. in English from the University of Chicago and a J.D. from the University of Illinois. She draws inspiration from her partner, Lori, her son, Nick, and her mom, dad, sis and bro.

Katie Watson

Katie Watson loves telling stories, and though some aren’t factual, almost all of them are true. When she was a lawyer she accidentally discovered her improv skills in the courtroom, and she’s been improvising with the all-female group Sirens ever since. Katie is the author or co-author of the sketch comedy shows Epic Prattle, Blind Side, Gynecology, Consumer Reports: Spring Break Edition!, and the adaptations of War Is Bad: Sock Puppet Euripides. She’s a regular contributor to public radio and TimeOut Chicago, and she’s read for Dollar Store, Sunday Salon, and WNEP’s Skald. Katie is grateful to, and for, her very funny family.

Sam Weller

Sam Weller is the author of The Bradbury Chronicles: The Life of Ray Bradbury, winner of the 2005 Society of Midland Authors Award for Best Biography. Weller is the former Midwest correspondent for Publishers Weekly magazine. He is a frequent literary critic for the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, Punk Planet, and Playboy.com. He has written for the National Public Radio Program All Things Considered and is a contributor to the WBEZ radio program Eight-Forty-Eight. He is a fill-in host for the WBEZ program, Hello Beautiful! As a staff writer for the Chicago alternative weekly, NewCity, Weller received the Peter Lisagor Award for arts criticism. His short fiction has appeared in Spec-Lit and Tales from the Dim Unknown. He is currently at work on creative nonfiction historical mystery. Weller is a member of the full-time faculty in the Fiction Writing Department at Columbia College Chicago.

Andrew Wheatly

Having sprouted and blossomed in the beautiful state of Montana, Andrew Wheatley now takes root in Chicago as a sound designer, composer, and teaching artist. In addition to simply singing with his friends and performing 2nd Story shows, Andrew is currently composing music and sound for Adventure Stage's upcoming production of Walk Two Moons, an adaptation from the award-winning novel by Sharon Creech. Other recent Chicago theatre credits include: sound design and composition for Speed the Plow/Oleanna (American Theatre Company) and Sonnets for an Old Century (Urban Theatre Company at the Steppenwolf Garage). Additionally, Andrew develops and teaches middle school courses in digital media arts with Chicago's Digital Youth Network.

Doug Whippo

Doug Whippo teaches reading development, creative writing and English-as-a-Second Language through various schools. Excerpts from his novel, Jelly's Last Dance, appear in Hair Trigger issues 22, 23 and 28, as well as F Magazine.

Scott Whitehair

Scott Whitehair first rolled into Chicago with a van full of puppets in 1996, and immediately knew that he would be coming back some day. He is founder and producer of the story series This Much Is True and Story Lab Chicago, and has been blessed to work with some outstanding people over the last few years, including The Playground Theater, WNEP Theater, Blewt! Productions, Noah Ginex Puppet Company, and Theatre Momentum. Currently, he can be seen improvising with his pals on Mort, telling stories anywhere he can, and happily riding his bike around town. Scott would like to thank 2nd Story for the opportunity, his friends and family for their support, and the city of Pittsburgh for its character and spirit.

Paul Whitehouse

Programing Manager // Paul is pleased as punch to be administrating and directing for 2nd Story. He is a Chicago based theatre artist and has performed with Chemically Imbalanced Comedy Theatre, Improv Playhouse Touring Company, Redmoon Theatre, The Morris Brothers Educational Tour, and Theatre Momentum. His one-man show, ½ Caf Chronicles , was produced as part of Redmoon’s First Annual J.O.E. Festival at Belmont Harbor in fall 2010. He has taught Shakespeare and improv at Traveling Players Ensemble in the woods of Virginia, assisted young Chicago actors script their stories in the loop at Goodman Theatre with the General Theatre Studies Program, and had been a guest teaching artist at Dexter High School in pure Michigan. He is also a proud Kalamazoo College graduate.

Shaun Whitley

Shaun Whitley is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, music director, and actor. He studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art where he composed original music for a production of Twelfth Night and performed the role of Orsino. In Atlanta, he co-created and co-composed an original score for a neo-vaudeville adaptation of the fables of Jean de la Fontaine, Vive La Fontaine!, with the French-speaking theater of Atlanta, Theatre du Reve. In Chicago, he has worked with TUTA Theatre Co. on their national premiere production of Tracks as actor, musician, and music director. He will be acting in and music directing their upcoming production of Uncle Vanya. Love to Meg.

Brandon Will

Brandon Will is – like his name implies – at once an action and a question. One time he made a ridiculously ambitious movie, “Dadbot: The Movie.” Another time he was a Detroit store-front puppet theater troupe member. Some other times he had things published in Knee-Jerk, featherproof mini-books, and elsewhere. He’s told stories around Chicago at Quickies!, Orange Alert, Reading Under the Influence, and some other places. And there were a bunch of times he tried a bunch of things – some worked, some didn't – and he likes when things don't change sometimes, because things always change anyways, but he’s still got the same ole' eyes he ever had. www.brandonwill.com

John Wilson

John Wilson hustles as an actor, scenic designer, writer and teacher in Chicago. He most recently appeared in El Grito del Bronx (Collaboraction/Teatro Vista) at the Goodman, a stage reading of Household Spirits (Goodman), Our Bad Magnet (Mary Arrchie), which received a fancy Jeff nod for best ensemble. He works as a freelance scenic designer for many nonequity companies and as a teacher with Lifeline Theater. Some of his full-length and ten-minute plays have been produced in Chicago and Texas. He is a proud graduate from the School at Steppenwolf. Mr. Wilson loves this city and telling tall tales from his native stomping grounds.

Madeline Wolfe

General Manager // Madeline Wolfe has called Chicago her home away from home since the womb; she moved here for real in the Spring of 2010 after graduating from Indiana University with a BS in Arts Management. She started with Serendipity as an Artistic Leadership intern soon after her arrival, and she began 2011 as the brand-spankin' new General Manager. Here she brings in the money and sends it back out, through writing (and receiving) grants and handling the books. Aside from stories and wine, Madeline loves all things food, writing letters, pulling weeds, and slowly becoming her mother.

Gretchen Wright

Gretchen Wright is a director and choreographer who recently moved to Chicago after completing a 9-month Directing Internship at the Actors Theatre of Louisville, where she was a member of the Apprentice/Intern company. Her credits there include directing Come & Go, Just the Two of Us, and the Solo Mio pieces the Acting Apprentices wrote and performed. She also choreographed A Christmas Story, and served as a directing assistant during the Humana Festival of New American Plays. In Chicago, she has worked with Stage Left, Redmoon, and is now thrilled to be working with 2nd Story. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Duke University with degrees in Theatre and English.