Bobby Biedrzycki

Bobby Biedrzycki is a writer and performer who came to Chicago from St. Paul, Minnesota via The Bronx, New York. He is the co-host of a monthly reading series entitled The Sexy Bald Men and is an adjunct faculty member of the Fiction Writing Department at Columbia College Chicago where he teaches classes in both fiction and film. He also teaches Journalism for Teens through the After School Matters program. He received his BA in creative writing from Columbia College Chicago after attending film school at The City College of New York and is currently completing his MFA in Creative Writing at Columbia. Bobby's writing has appeared in The Black Bear Review, Hair Trigger, The Banana King, and Ante:thesis Volumes I & II. He has worked as a book reviewer for both Time Out Chicago and Punk Planet Magazine, and was one of the editors for the Chicago edition of The Not for Tourists Guide. Along with being a company member of The Serendipity Theater Collective and performing monthly with 2nd Story, Bobby is currently at work on his first novel, Driving Back to Normal.

Amanda Delheimer

Since completing her Master’s in Theater and Spanish at the University of Chicago in 1999, Amanda Delheimer has had the pleasure of working as a freelance director, choreographer, writer, and teacher with the Steppenwolf, the Court, the Next, Pegasus Players, Red Moon, Collaboraction, Roadworks, Strawdog, Serendipity, Red Hen Productions, Teatro Vista, Rorschach Theatre, and the Vittum Theater, among others. She is a proud member of Serendipity Theatre Company, as well as its Artistic Director, and is also an Artistic Associate with both Collaboraction Theater Company and the Vittum Theater. She loves food and wine and stories and music, and is truly excited to be helming 2nd Story, surrounded by such wonderful people—welcome! 

Molly Each

Freelance writer Molly Each may reside in Wicker Park, but she’ll always be a Minnesotan at heart. Her work has appeared in Time Out Chicago, UR, New City, Chicago Scene, toasted-cheese.com, journeybeyondtravel.com, Hair Trigger, and the Story Week Reader. She is co-editor of a creative non-fiction literary magazine called No Touching, which she begs you to check out. She is a member of the 2nd Story Development Team, and is also currently in the procrastination-heavy thesis stage of an MFA in Creative Writing. She wants to totally thank her super supportive posse for coming to all of her readings!

Misha Fiksel

As a designer, musician, composer and performer, Mikhail "Misha" Fiksel is an emerging noisemaker in the Chicago theatre and music community. Originally transported from the frozen steppes of Siberia, Mikhail found his way to the great Windy City via the University of Chicago, where he received his Bachelor Degree and also began his ventures into the realm of sound design. In addition to being a member of Serendipity Theater Company, he is an ensemble member with Strawdog Theatre Company, and an Artistic Associate with Collaboraction and Teatro Vista. He has designed and composed for a variety of theatres and companies including ATC, The House, Redmoon Theater, Victory Gardens, The Goodman Theatre, The Hypocrites and many others. He also is a resident designer at the Vittum Theatre, and a part faculty member of the Loyola University Theatre Department. As a musician, he performs throughout this city, either as a solo artist (often under the moniker "dj white russian") or with his project "Seeking Wonderland", an improvisational ensemble on a quest of fusing nu-jazz, live electronic music, and visual media. He holds residencies at sushi wabi and The Morseland, and was regularly featured on Q101's Sonic Boom: Subsonic, a program dedicated to new electronic music.

Byron Flitsch

Byron Flitsch is the founder of www.fivefoldink.com, a web-based design boutique dedicated to selling quality design that also benefits a different charity each month. He also works as a graphic designer/ co-partner/ and founder of www.boysfromjupiter.com which is devoted to designing web pages and print design with a unique attention to charming aesthetic. Lastly, Byron yee-haws over the opportunity to be 2nd Story's graphic designer along with being on the story development team and having an awesome time telling his own stories at 2nd Story events. Honestly, he just likes being real busy.

Rosie Forrest

Rosie Forrest has been affiliated with Serendipity Theatre for many years, and is super happy to be a part of 2nd Story once again. As a writer, she's collaborated with the Tenseforms annual festival, Bringmayflowers, and has also been featured on WBEZ's Writers' Block Party. As a dramaturg, Rosie has worked with loads of theatres around town—most recently, for Northlight Theatre as the Artistic Associate. Rosie teaches folks playwriting, and dramaturgy; but when she gets to hang out in her closet, she likes writing books for other kids who are fans of small spaces.

Kyle Harmon

Originally from St. Louis, MO (Go Cardinals!) Kyle Harmon attended his first professional baseball game at Busch Stadium around the age of 5. While his body may have matured since then…he has not. He has been seen doing a celebratory dance every time the Cardinals make it to the World Series. The first sighting of this dance was in 1982 and then again in 1985, 1987, and 2004. The most recent dance sighting was in October of 2006 at a dive bar on Milwaukee and Lawrence. Some say that was the best damn celebration dance anyone has ever seen. If you ask him nicely he might do it for you.

Christopher Jobson

Christopher Jobson is a native Texan who transplanted to the streets of Chicago nearly 7 years ago to study web design and writing at Columbia College. He has designed way too many sites for universities, radio personalities, sculptors, theaters, and restaurants in Chicago and Washington D.C. He is currently working on an MS in Human/Computer Interaction at DePaul University, and spends time working with a fantastic non-profit organization, Rebuilding Together * Metro Chicago, that helps rebuild homes for elderly, low-income, and disabled individuals. Serendipity rocks his socks.

Matthew Miller

Matt Miller has been a member of Serendipity Theatre since May of 2000. He is also a proud company member of Barrel of Monkeys, a group that teaches creative writing workshops in Chicago Public Elementary Schools. As a director, Matt’s recent credits include Serendipity’s staged reading of The Exonerated, Pine Box Theatre Company’s production of This Is Our Youth, and Serendipity’s world premiere of girl, 20 which will be re-mounted in L.A. this fall. Also, Matt is a Cleveland Indians fan. He cannot help himself.

Kim Morris

Kim Morris is a writer living in Chicago. She likes racing her bicycle. She likes puppies. She writes Power Love and edits Lost Blueprint. She likes reading for 2nd Story monthlies at the wine bar, though she prefers to drink beer. Imported. Especially the beer with the pink elephants on the bottle. Her socks are never inside out and that is not her real hair color. Or is it?

J. Adams Oaks

J. Adams Oaks received his MFA in Fiction Writing from Columbia College Chicago. He curates the RE:Action Reading Series for Around The Coyote. His short fiction has been published in The Madison Review, River Oak Review, The Tap and Hairtrigger 21, as well as won the National Society of Arts and Letters regional competition and Chicago Public Radio’s “Stories On Stage” competition. As a member of Serendipity Collective’s story development team, he has both written and performed for “2nd Story” and “Sunday Salon.” His first novel, Why I Fight, will be published in Fall 2008 by Simon and Schuster.

Aimee Perkins

Aimee Perkins studied theater in college but had to get a real job to pay the rent. Lucky she liked the job so much- mostly because it allowed her to do fun things like tell stories in her free time. She’s done a little bit of everything and is apt to try anything once, which is mostly where the stories come from.  She uses too many words to say simple things so she’s working on that, too.  

Lauren Pesca

Lauren Pesca hails from Long Island, N.Y. half a mile from the auto body shop where Amy Fisher met Joey Buttafuoco. Lauren is both the Artistic Director and a founding member of Serendipity, as well as appearing in Being 11, The Outfit and The Day Maggie Blew Off Her Head. She has also worked with The Goodman Theatre, Famous Door, CollaborAction and various other local companies. 

Polaski

Miles Polaski is one of Collaboraction's newest company members.  He has sound designed their production of Trueblinka by Adam Rapp as well as Sketchbook 6 & 7.  Miles has been working with Serendipity Theatre for the past two years.  He sound designed 2nd Story's 2006 and 2007 Festivals as well as Deloris Dogan directed by Adam Belcuore.  Miles was recently nominated for two Jeff Citations for his design and composition on Actor's Workshop's production of Equus by Peter Shaffer.  Before moving to Chicago, Miles worked as an actor and sound designer at The Barter Theatre, state theater of Virginia, for 3 years.

Kat Powers

When not brainstorming new and fantastic guerilla marketing schemes for 2nd Story, Kat Powers can be seen dashing around on her bicycle, collecting props and balancing them on her handlebars. Kat worked with Serendipity Theatre on last year’s production of Voices Underwater, and has also worked as a props designer with Steep, the Vittum Theatre and Redmoon. In addition to making buttons, pins and stickers for 2nd Story, Kat also loves taking photographs and painting formal portraits of writers. She looks forward to the continuing and upcoming seasons.  

Katie Pryor

Katie Pryor is ecstatic to be working with the awesomeness that is 2nd Story. Originally from Wisconsin, she loves cheese and the Packers. She is not ashamed. When not teaching her roommates how to read and write, Katie enjoys freelance casting, chocolate covered cinnamon Altoids, short stories and riding the El. Special thanks to Nick for bringing her on board and the entire 2nd Story crew for welcoming her with open arms.

Julie Sadowski

Julie Sadowski, graduate of Columbia College class of 2000, doesn't sleep much these days as she balances her new role of Serendipity's managing director with her long standing role of lead photographer and owner of Grayscale Studios Inc. It is the creativity and passion of her fellow company members that inspire her to keep writing, performing and working hard to ensure that Serendipity has a strong presence in Chicago and around the world. She believes in individuality and expressing herself candidly taking part in everything from improv and stand up to spoken word and sound design. Her latest project of playing sub DJ at a Webster's monthly gave her the opportunity to fullfill a life-long dream and now that she knows what BPM stands for she's ready to give it another go.

Tracie Louise Sellers

Tracie Louise Sellers is one of the four founding members of Serendipity, and has performed in The Day Maggie Blew Off Her Head, Being 11, Alcatraz and The Outfit, as well as the last four years of 2nd Story. Her directing credits include Beruit; Assistant Director for Steppenwolf's production of Skylight; Assistant Director for The Goodman Theatre's productions of House and Garden; and Director for Serendipity’s debut—A.D.D.: Another Day of Distraction. Tracie Louise also launched Serendipity’s production of Chordless with a staged reading at The Goodman Theatre in 2000, and has worked with inner city children on a production of Romeo and Juliet.

Megan Stielstra

Megan Stielstra is a writer and storyteller, and has performed for The Chicago Poetry Center’s No Love For Love show featuring Ira Glass, Looptopia at The Goodman, Storyweek Festival of Writers, Neo Solo at the Neo Futurarium, Literary Gangs at The MCA, The Dollar Store, WBEZ’s Writer’s Block Party and 2nd Story, among others; her writing has appeared in Other Voices, Freshyarn, Pindeldyboz, Swink, Perigree, inthefray, Punk Planet and was a 2007 nominee for Dzanc’s Best of the Web print anthology. Currently, she teaches creative writing at Columbia College and the University of Chicago, and is thrilled to serve as 2nd Story’s Director of Story Development where she gets to hear so many kick-ass stories. Most importantly, she’s a brand-new mom, awake at crazy hours watching her son laugh in his sleep.

Heather Vogel

Heather is thrilled to be working with Serendipity Theatre Collective again and even thrilled-er to participate in 2nd Story. She graduated from Syracuse University with a degree in stage management and has been working in the Chicago area ever since. Most recently, Heather was the Production/Stage Manager for Strawdog Radio Theatre Six A Many Splendored Thing and also Assistant Stage Manager for Remy Bumppo's production of Mrs. Warren's Profession. She previously was the Production Stage Manager for Serendipity Theatre Collective’s premiere of Voices Underwater and has stage managed numerous other plays about town.

Rick Walker

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

In addition to his duties as 2nd Story Producer, Nicholas Ward is delighted to be telling stories, as well.  An artistic associate with Serendipity, he has also worked with Bohemian Theatre Ensemble, Rogue Theater, Lifeline Theatre, Provision Theater, and Pine Box Theatre.  In his free time, Nicholas enjoys waiting tables, drinking wine and talking about, thinking about, and listening to music.  Much love goes out to his parents, and to our audience.