In this storytelling basics workshop, we will discuss basic tenets of this art form, such as descriptions, basic story arc, emotions, relationships with the audience, and purpose of storytelling. Students will have the opportunity to integrate these elements of storytelling and practice telling during the session.

Instructor:

Ada Cheng is a professor-turned storyteller and performing artist. She has been featured at storytelling shows in Chicago, Atlanta, Cedar Rapids, New York, Asheville, and Kansas City. She debuted her first solo show, Not Quite: Asian American by Law, Asian Woman by Desire, and performed it at the National Storytelling Conference, Capital Fringe Festival, Minnesota Fringe Festival, and Boulder Fringe Festival in 2017. She debuted her second solo show, Breaking Rules, Broken Hearts: Loving across Borders, with Fillet of Solo and performed it at both The Exit Theatre in San Francisco and the United Solo Theatre Festival in New York in 2018. She will be taking this solo performance to Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival in March this year.

Ada is a speaker for Illinois Humanities 2019-2020 Road Scholars Speakers Bureau. She is also a teaching artist for Changing Worlds and an adjunct faculty member at Dominican University. She is the producer and the host of several storytelling shows, including Pour One Out: A Monthly Storytelling Series, Am I Man Enough?, and Talk Stories: Asian American/Asian Diaspora Storytelling Show. Her motto: Make your life the best story you tell.