Program
Tales of the Night Chicago Burned
Join us for a live onstage performance by master storyteller Scott Whitehair. In this original work, Whitehair will weave together personal narratives of triumph and hardship experienced by those who survived the Great Chicago Fire of 1871.
Together with Whitehair, CAC is commissioning an original work that dramatizes the universal lessons of the Great Chicago Fire. Through meticulous research and spirited performance, Whitehair will relate tales of Chicagoans who lived through the inferno in a way that illustrates how Chicago’s can-do spirit was forged and continues to thrive today. This event is part of the CAC’s Great Chicago Fire program suite that is made possible by Underwriters Laboratories.
This 75-minute event is offered live, in-person (in accordance with up-to-date City of Chicago guidelines on venue capacity) and virtually at a reduced ticket price.
Please note, we are unable to support live streaming for this event. Virtual ticket holders will receive an email with a link to a privately listed YouTube video of the program within 48 hours of the event and will be able to view this unique program for seven days upon receipt.
The venue has plenty of space for the audience to space out and masks will be required for all audience members for the duration of the program. We encourage anyone interested to upgrade their purchase to an in-person ticket. To do this, please call the box office at 312.922.8687 and our team will be able to assist you with this change.
Presenter: Scott Whitehair
Scott Whitehair is a performer, teacher and producer from Chicago. He is the host of This Much is True, one of the city's longest running personal narrative series, creator of Story Lab Chicago, which has put 700+ new tellers on stage, and founder of Do Not Submit, a citywide network of ten pressure-free open mics every month. He has told stories anywhere somebody will listen, including at Steppenwolf Theatre, Second City, The Green Mill and The Woodstock Opera House, and for NPR, the Risk! podcast and Sirius XM. Scott’s festival appearances include The KC Storytelling Celebration, The San Diego Storytelling Festival and Exchange Place at The National Storytelling Festival. He was the featured instructor at Hong Kong Story Worthy Week, headlined by David Sedaris, and is a two-time Moth Slam winner. Scott has taught sold-out monthly classes since 2012, and has done training for organizations, companies and individuals around the country. He has been a frequent guest instructor at universities and colleges in Chicago and beyond and formerly served on the Board of Directors for the National Storytelling Network.