Meet Tom Darci

What kind of storyteller are you? What is your storytelling “style”? What kind do you tell?

I would love for someone to tell me what my storytelling style is. My guess is that I’m somewhat funny, kind of irreverent, and on a hunt for truth in the specific details of experiences. I love the alchemy that happens when a story is shared with an audience, raising the intensity and emotion. Also, I am an obsessive preparer. I write and rewrite my stories, using audio and video recordings to shape and reshape the writing. By the time I go to tell a story, I have spoken it enough times that I hope I can be free to be in the moment and go where it needs to go, without being concerned about being completely faithful to the written version.

How long have you been telling?

I went to a Moth StorySlam in Berkeley in March 2020 and thought, “This is great. This is how I will get back on the stage.” Two days later, the world shut down. But I started writing, using Moth prompts as inspiration. In April 2021, I told my first first-person story at a virtual Moth. I’ve been telling stories ever since. Before storytelling, I had a past life that involved some amount of acting in plays.

What do you do when you’re not storytelling?

I ice my knee. Walk our dog. Get into the woods. Make dinner for friends and family. Play pickleball. Program computers. Swim. Read novels.

Does the story you’re telling have a name?

The name I use for it is too revealing of what happens, so I will say let’s call this Almost Home.

Tell us a little bit about this story. Why did you choose it for “Epic Fails”?

I chose this story because it features something quite dramatic happening (epic, perhaps), something we didn’t want to happen, yet there it was, unfolding right in front of me. And I was unable to stop it. Equally important is another thread in the story, one more significant than the dramatic event that drives it. I wanted to see if I could keep these two threads alive at once and convey the excitement of the drama alongside the undercurrent of the deeper story.

Any thoughts on failure?

We try so hard to do the right thing, to be who we need to be, and to provide for the people we love and are responsible to/for. And yet, despite our preparations, we sometimes do not succeed and have to regroup.

What makes a fail “Epic”?

A fail is epic when it is very public, out there for the world to see. Bonus if it requires first responders. A fail is also epic when your identity rests somewhat on your established success in a certain domain, and you come to realize that maybe that success is in question.

Who is your storytelling idol and why?

David Rodriguez. There are many great storytellers, and I so appreciate what they bring to an audience. I am truly in awe of many of the folks who join us on stage at Pretty Good Stories. And for me, I am so often just astounded at what David is able to accomplish. There is something about the way he speaks to us, like he’s working out the meaning of what he’s telling us right in the moment. It’s often hilarious. And moving. And insightful. And very true.

What’s your best piece of advice for someone who is a beginner and wants to learn how to tell a story?

Some of the best stories are told by beginners. And you already know how to tell a story. Focus on the specific details as you remember them, and just tell us one event, in present tense. Before getting into that event, let us know what we need to know so we can feel the stakes of your story. Breathe.

Why should people come see “Epic Fails” on August 28?

Failing sucks. Instead of crawling in a hole when they failed, these storytellers are daring to share their screwups with you. Come out and feel better about yourself. Commiserate with the storytellers and the people around you.

Thanks, Tom! If you want to see Tom tell his EPIC Fail story, he’ll be at our show on August 28!

Get Tickets!

Tom Darci

is the cofounder and cohost of Pretty Good Stories, a long-form storytelling showcase in Oakland. He’s also been featured at Simply Said, Conundrum Chronicles, StorySlam Oakland, Alameda StorySlam, and more. Tom thinks telling the same story over and over again in front of an audience just might be more therapeutic than actual therapy. When he’s not telling stories, you’ll find him on the pickleball court, knees permitting.

Tom rewrites his stories over and over before he ever gets onstage. That kind of care is what makes a Nutshell night worth showing up for, and paid subscriptions are how we make sure the tellers get paid for it, and how we keep The Nutshell True Story Hour podcast free for everybody. If these spotlights are your thing, consider joining us. It really does help. xoxo, Amy

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(You’re receiving this because you’ve interacted in some way with Keith, Amy, or Aaron of The Nutshell Three. We love that you are here, but feel free to unsubscribe at any time.)

Meet Silvana Clark

What kind of storyteller are you? What is your storytelling “style”? What kind do you tell?

I do mostly personal stories.

How long have you been telling?

I was a corporate trainer for 25 years and told more business-oriented stories. I’ve been doing “storytelling” for about 5 years.

What do you do when you’re not storytelling?

I’m retired. We’ve traveled to 76 countries and want to hit 100 before we’re too old to find our way home! I also tell my three-year-old granddaughter very dramatic, flamboyant stories.

Does the story you’re telling have a name?

Poor, Poor Randy.

Tell us a little bit about this story. Why did you choose it for “Epic Fails”?

It is about a time when my husband [and I] wanted to do a great job as pet/house sitters. No matter what we tried, we failed.

Any thoughts on failure?

Don’t complain about it. Try again or try something different. I’ve had 12 books published by major publishers, and all but one were duds.

What makes a fail “Epic”?

I think the emotional aspect connects to an epic fail. If I fail at making a cake, it’s not a big deal. But if I have a dream of having a baking show on TV (📺 don’t!), and I dream, work, and study to become a great baker, only to fail the TV audition, that makes it epic.

Who is your storytelling idol and why?

*Silvana didn’t answer

What’s your best piece of advice for someone who is a beginner and wants to learn how to tell a story?

There are so many books on storytelling! Or just Google “10 tips to tell a great story.” People think rambling about an incident is a story. As basic as it sounds, have a beginning, a middle, and a strong ending! Also, start your story with a strong sentence. My pet peeve is storytellers who begin with “Soooooooo.”

Why should people come see “Epic Fails” on August 28?

You’ll laugh and sympathize with what others have gone through. It might make your failure not seem so bad!

Thanks, Silvana! If you want to see Silvana tell her EPIC Fail story, she’ll be at our show on August 28!

Get Tickets!

Silvana Clark

began telling innovative stories to get a hall pass out of boring high school classes. Since then, she’s told stories to audiences ranging from the Canadian Llama Association to the Nude Recreation Association. She’s written twelve books, appeared on Fox’s Trading Spouses, and considers one of her greatest achievements to be training her dog to star in TV commercials and print ads.

Storytellers like Silvana travel a long way (sometimes 76 countries' worth!) to stand on our stage and tell us their truth. Paid subscriptions are how we help make sure they're paid for it, and how we keep The Nutshell True Story Hour podcast free for everyone. If you're enjoying these spotlights, consider joining us. It genuinely helps. xoxo, Amy

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(You’re receiving this because you’ve interacted in some way with Keith, Amy, or Aaron of The Nutshell Three. We love that you are here, but feel free to unsubscribe at any time.)

Meet Max Houghton

What kind of storyteller are you? What is your storytelling “style”? What kind do you tell?

I mostly tell stories about what I’ve learned from making very dumb mistakes. I tend to learn the hard way. But it’s not all bad. I’ve hit my head so many times I can smell color.

How long have you been telling?

I started telling stories two years ago, after a skateboarding injury left me with time to write. Since then, I have won several story slams, including a Moth GrandSlam in San Francisco, and have appeared on The Moth MainStage. I have performed all over the SF Bay Area and am expanding to new spaces and faces. Storytelling has become my whole world.

What do you do when you’re not storytelling?

I am a writer, and I help other people edit their stories and improve their stage presence. I also recently gave in to a trend I swore I would never join, and I’ll admit it: pickleball is really fun.

Does the story you’re telling have a name?

The story is titled Road Therapy.

Tell us a little bit about this story. Why did you choose it for “Epic Fails”?

I had a lot going on in my life and in my head, and my therapist suggested I start a new hobby to motivate me to get outside and socialize. I was also struggling with the idea that I was reaching an age when there were physical activities I would not be able to do for much longer. I wondered, is middle age too late to start learning how to skateboard? Spoiler: the answer was yes.

Any thoughts on failure?

I have learned that the only way people can grow and change is when they’re allowed to make their own choices and their own mistakes. I say take the leap.

What makes a fail “Epic”?

For me, ‘epic fails’ involve vehicles with flashing lights on the roof. I have many stories that begin or end that way.

Who is your storytelling idol and why?

I grew up listening to Garrison Keillor tell stories on A Prairie Home Companion. I thought it was amazing that a person could make a living just by telling stories about the amazing people they love.

What’s your best piece of advice for someone who is a beginner and wants to learn how to tell a story?

Write down some thoughts and share them with friends. Their reactions can help you to improve your writing. Then, practice a few times, and get out on stage. Any stage. I sometimes do standup comedy, even though I’m really bad at it, because it helps me with my confidence. The more I stand in front of a crowd, the easier it gets.

Why should people come see “Epic Fails” on August 28?

I will tell you the story of a redeemable idiot who, despite having crashed every kind of vehicle known to man, from motorcycles to wild mustangs, keeps getting back up and finding new ways to learn old lessons. I will make you laugh, maybe cry, but ultimately believe that it’s never too late to take a leap and chase a dream.

Thanks, Max! If you want to see Max tell his EPIC Fail story, he’ll be at our show on August 28!

Get Tickets!

Max Houghton

is a writer, editor, human rights activist and multi-award-winning storyteller. He has won The Moth GrandSlam in San Francisco and has appeared on The Moth MainStage. His stories of learning through waves of epic failures entertain and inspire crowds of all ages. Follow him on Instagram @storiesToTheMax.

If Max's story got you even a little excited for August 28, consider becoming a paid subscriber. It helps us pay storytellers like Max for the work of standing up there and being honest with us. Suporting Nutshell also helps us make true, personal stories available to everyone on The Nutshell True Story Hour podcast. No pressure; just know it helps. xoxo, Amy

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Stay tuned, because we’re gonna try something new this month. Our teller spotlights are now going to include a short Q&A with each storyteller, and we’ll send those out to you once a week so you can get to know them throughout the month in preparation for the show on Aug 28th, which will be an EPIC showcase of EPIC failures culminating in an EPIC success of a night. I highly suggest you circle the date on your calendar and get your tickets now, as they are about 20% cheaper in advance.

Get tickets from The Sofia here!

The Four Foolish Storytellers

Tom Darci

Tom is the cofounder and cohost of Pretty Good Stories, a long-form storytelling showcase in Oakland. He’s also been featured at Simply Said, Conundrum Chronicles, StorySlam Oakland, Alameda StorySlam, and more. Tom thinks telling the same story over and over again in front of an audience just might be more therapeutic than actual therapy. When he’s not telling stories, you’ll find him on the pickleball court, knees permitting.

His Story: After surviving five days in the wilderness, the drive home seemed like the easy part. But that would not be the case for Tom and his family, nestled in their camper van, speeding down the freeway. What could go wrong, you ask? Well, how about everything?

Silvana Clark

Silvana began telling innovative stories to get a hall pass out of boring high school classes. Since then, she’s told stories to audiences ranging from the Canadian Llama Association to the Nude Recreation Association. She’s written twelve books, appeared on Fox’s Trading Spouses, and considers one of her greatest achievements to be training her dog to star in TV commercials and print ads.

Her story: Silvana and her husband are international house/pet sitters who always get five-star reviews because they do a great job taking care of pets. On a housesit in Portugal, the pet owner asked them to do an impossible task with one of her pets. They tried everything imaginable and still FAILED!

Max Houghton

Max is a writer, editor, human rights activist and multi-award-winning storyteller. He has won The Moth GrandSlam in San Francisco and has appeared on The Moth MainStage. His stories of learning through waves of epic failures entertain and inspire crowds of all ages. Follow him on Instagram @storiesToTheMax

His story: A therapist suggested Max start a new hobby to get outside and socialize. He wondered whether middle age was too late to start to learn how to skateboard, and spoiler: the answer was YES.

Kari Kiernan

Kari is a writer, storyteller, and Bay Area native. She has worked in both nonprofit theatre and high school administration and holds a Masters Degree she did not need and does not use. Over the past 20 years, she’s been onstage at Porchlight, the Throckmorton, The Vent!, and Literary Death Match, among others. She is a returning performer at Naked Truth and Redwood Nights. You can see some of her past work at Kari Kiernan.

Her story: It was just supposed to be a relaxing day at the spa. A rejuvenating act of self-care, nothing to see here, right? WRONG! (Cue the dramatic music!) Buh-bum-bummmmmmm!

Story Friends, you’re a great audience; you know that, right? We’ve been hanging with you for 1.5 years now, sharing together, listening together, showing up for each other in real life, out there in the big ol’ world. And it’s just gonna keep getting better.

EPIC Fails on August 28 is gonna be so much fun. I don’t know why it feels good to commiserate on our shortcomings and mistakes together, but it does. So let’s show up and support these brave and (fool)hardy tellers willing to go up there onstage and be our foils, our schlemiels and our schlimazels, our dum-dums, our accident-prone, and our silly-billies, all so we can listen, laugh, commiserate, and cheer them on for making the mistakes and reporting back so we don’t have to.

Take me to tickets!

I can’t wait to see you in real life, humans! You KNOW I love spending two hours in the dark with you! xoxo, Amy Bee and her two silly-billy buddies, Keith and Aaron

(P.S. Speaking of Keith ((HI, KEITH!)), Nutshell is hosted by the one and only Keith Lowell Jensen, who will hold the whole night together with his usual charm and impeccable comic timing. Consider yourself in good hands.)

If you enjoy what we’re building here, one of the most helpful ways to support it is by becoming a paid subscriber. Your support helps us pay storytellers, pay ourselves, keep live shows going, and continue producing the Nutshell True Story Hour podcast for everyone to enjoy. No pressure, but it truly does make a difference.

And as always: showing up, listening, and bringing friends is already real support💜

Subscribe now

Johnny Taylor grew up with a mother with bipolar disorder with religious mania. That included bouts of serious delusions, which he first witnessed as a small child. It was often confusing, scary and strange. Without a doubt, it shaped the person he became as an adult.

He has been a comedian for many years, and leans into the storytelling style of comedy. But he’s rarely told the story about his mom on stage. It just never felt right for a comedy audience

But storytelling audiences are different! For our May 2026 Nutshell show (Cults, Crackpots and Swindlers), Johnny got real with our audience and told stories about his mom that he generally told off stage—ones where his mother was convinced that he was John the baptist, or that she was the real killer of Nicole Brown.

Though there still was some humor, it was dark, and an emotionally raw experience for him. After the story, we sat down with Johnny in his Roseville home to discuss the story. We learned a whole lot more about his mother, his siblings, the complexities of his family dynamics and how there’s enough for Johnny to make a 1-person show if he ever wants to.

The Nutshell Three:

Amy Bee

Keith Lowell Jensen

Aaron Carnes

Sound Engineer: Chris Reeves

Thank you to:

DJ Yuma Tripp for allowing us to use his song “Lazy Skank” for our episodes and our live show.

Hyperpixel for audio and video services.

Sofia Theatre for a beautiful stage to gather around.

Our photographer, Antonio Lovig.

Babalou and Suzon Lucore for watching over our event table and engaging with people in the best way possible.

We believe stories deserve to be heard and storytellers deserve to be paid, including the ones who make this podcast possible. If The Nutshell True Story Hour has ever made you laugh, cry, or feel a little less alone, consider becoming a paid subscriber. It's the most direct way to keep this going. And we are so grateful for every single person who does. xoxo, Amy

Subscribe now

Keith Staten is a Sacramento lawyer turned storyteller. But before he ever got on stage (or presented a convincing case to a jury), he spent his days “sigging.” As a kid in Vallejo, he and his friends would sling insults back and forth, supposedly in fun, though it could also be mean and hurtful. If you wanted to keep hanging with this crew, you had to develop a thick skin and hone a sharp tongue. Which is exactly what Keith did, and it served him well as a lawyer years later.

But not everyone took to sigging. Rita, Keith’s sibling, stayed at Keith’s family home for a while. Because she had to walk home with Keith and his friends, she soon became deeply enmeshed in the game of sigging, whether she wanted to or not. And when his friends piled on Rita with insults about her weight, Keith felt it was in his best interest to join in.

Keith told this story at the In a Nutshell Storytelling “All You Can Eat” show. It was a powerful and blunt performance, and at times the audience was asked to confront their own biases and consider whether it’s good or bad to be toughened up by insults.

After the story, we talked to Keith at his lawyer’s office. We had a fascinating conversation, and he explained the context and shared some pieces of the story that had been intentionally left out.

The Nutshell Three:

Amy Bee

Keith Lowell Jensen

Aaron Carnes

Sound Engineer: Chris Reeves

Thank you to:

DJ Yuma Tripp for allowing us to use his song “Lazy Skank” for our episodes and our live show.

Hyperpixel for audio and video services.

Sofia Theatre for a beautiful stage to gather around.

Our photographer, Antonio Lovig.

Babalou and Suzon Lucore for watching over our event table and engaging with people in the best way possible.

We believe stories deserve to be heard and storytellers deserve to be paid, including the ones who make this podcast possible. If The Nutshell True Story Hour has ever made you laugh, cry, or feel a little less alone, consider becoming a paid subscriber. It's the most direct way to keep this going. And we are so grateful for every single person who does. xoxo, Amy

Subscribe now

Get tickets to Best in Show!

This month’s theme is Best in Show: true stories about the animals in our lives. Not just the cuddly-wuddly Instagram versions. The real ones: complicated, convoluted, funny, and sometimes tragic. Often, the relationships we form with animals teach us more about ourselves than the human ones do.

There’s a reason animal stories hit different than most stories. We don’t just love our animals; we build entire emotional worlds around them. We project, we assume, we grieve them before they’re even gone—and sometimes, like storyteller Manuel, we don’t trust them at all. And somehow, that one-sidedness is exactly what makes the bond so specific, so revealing, and so occasionally devastating.

These are stories about what we do with that love (or distrust) that can’t be easily explained. About the unexpected joy that comes from sharing the tedium of daily life with a creature who lives entirely in the moment. About the loss that blindsides you harder than you predicted, because you didn’t know how much of yourself you’d handed to something with fur (or feathers). In these stories, a duck named Luna can carry an entire love story, a stray cat can define a decade, a pet shelter can be a secret, and sometimes, you meet the one dog that makes sure you’ll never tie yourself to an animal again.

Take me to The Sofia for Tickets!

The Storytellers

Chip Powell writes memoir, music essays, and poetry, and serves as Storyteller in Residence at Word of Mouth in Placerville. A regular at The Moth’s StorySLAM, he’s also the proprietor of Police Horse, a ukulele enthusiast, and a man permanently mid-improvement on his chess game.

His story: A stray black cat with more toes than seem physically reasonable found Chip on the worst day of his life. Pure stubbornness (his and the cat’s) has kept them together for years. Come hear about a man and his best friend, who just happens to be a tiny, yellow-eyed panther.

Diane Amos is a San Francisco-based actress, improv artist, and comedian best known as “The Pine-Sol Lady,” a role she has held for over 30 years. Her film credits include Nine Months, Copycat, Angels in the Outfield, and Woody Allen’s Blue Jasmine. She was raised in San Francisco by two lesbian mothers, and it was an improv class at Washington High School that started the whole thing.

Her story: This is the story of the one dog that made sure Diane would never be a pet person.

Zai Gulmohar is a writer, filmmaker, and storyteller whose work explores migration, memory, ecology, and the bonds between humans and other animals. Originally from India and now based in California, she holds a PhD in French Literature from UC Davis and is currently directing a documentary on sound and belonging in western India. Her stories have appeared in print, onstage, and around campfires.

Her story: Zai befriends a beautiful white duck named Luna and becomes wrapped up in the dramas of her life—her romances, her obstacles, and one tragic night that shakes Zai to this day.

Manuel Camacho came to the US as an undocumented immigrant and is now a college professor, short-story writer, poet, and storyteller with three published bilingual (Spanish/English) books to his name.

His story: everyone assumes he doesn’t like dogs. It’s not that; he doesn’t trust them, and there’s a difference. Come find out why.

JP Frary (special guest) never thought he’d end up on a stage. In his mid-50s, he told a story at The Moth about the worst thing that ever happened to him, and now no one can shut him up. He says storytelling is cheaper than therapy, and plus, the therapist never applauded. He’s the Resident Storyteller at Redwood Nights in Fairfax and a 13-time Moth StorySLAM winner.

His story: he and his wife agreed: no more pets. So naturally, JP started secretly volunteering at a pet shelter.

Nutshell is hosted by the one and only Keith Lowell Jensen [HI KEITH!], who will hold the whole beautiful night together with his usual charm and impeccable comic timing. Consider yourself in good hands.

Why you should be at this show:

Here’s what I know about our audience: you are curious, you are open-hearted, and you understand that showing up in real life, in a room with other humans, listening together, is one of the few things that still feels like genuine connection in this world.

That exchange, that quiet, mutual act of showing up, is special. It’s magical! And when it happens, you feel it for days. That’s what you come for. That’s what you carry home. That’s what you’re still thinking about on Monday.

This is one of those nights. Don’t be the person who meant to go. There are no regrets in going!

🎟️ Tickets are here—cheaper in advance, and seats will go early!

I can’t WAIT to see you at this one, humans! You know how much I LOVE seeing you in real life.

xoxo, Maxi the dog’s one and only Amy Bee, Marmalade and Jabberwocky’s Keith Lowell Jensen, and Maxi the dog’s favorite dude, Aaron Carnes)

If you enjoy what we’re building here, one of the most helpful ways to support it is by becoming a paid subscriber. Your support helps us pay storytellers, pay ourselves, keep live shows going, and continue producing the Nutshell True Story Hour podcast for everyone to enjoy. No pressure, but it truly does make a difference.

And as always: showing up, listening, and bringing friends is already real support💜

(You’re receiving this email because you either signed up for it or interacted somehow with Keith, Amy, or Aaron in the past. We’re so glad you’re here!)

This is a short clip from storyteller Alex Paez, who’ll be joining us for NSFW on June 26.

A sexy office romance? Oh hell yeah!

One day, Becky Lynn found herself on the other side of a long-term relationship, finally with enough distance and a healthy headspace to get back out there. It’d been a long time since she’d been on the dating scene, and much had changed. How does one even find “Mr. Right” nowadays? And did she even want a Mr. Right, something serious? She wasn’t totally sure. But then she DID meet Mr. Right, the perfect man, someone she might be able to build a fulfilling life with. So Becky jumped in, heart first.

Soon, something happened that made it clear Mr. Right was living a double life. Faced with the crushing reality that the man she loved had been lying to her, she weighed her options and came up with three solutions. At our live show, Becky tells the audience her three solutions, lets them choose which one she should’ve acted on, and ends her harrowing, emotional story without saying what she ultimately decided.

Fortunately, when we interviewed Becky for this podcast episode, she dishes on all the details, including her choices for dealing with a lying fool and why she handled it the way she did. It’s a fantastic conversation!

We also get updates on her love life. Spoiler alert: Things have gotten much better.

Becky has her feet firmly planted in the storytelling scene and the comedy world. For more info, go here. 

The Nutshell Three:

Amy Bee

Keith Lowell Jensen

Aaron Carnes

Sound Engineer: Chris Reeves

Thank you to:

DJ Yuma Tripp for allowing us to use his song “Lazy Skank” for our episodes and our live show.

Hyperpixel for audio and video services.

Sofia Theatre for a beautiful stage to gather around.

Our photographer, Antonio Lovig.

Babalou and Suzon Lucore for watching over our event table and engaging with people in the best way possible.

We believe stories deserve to be heard and storytellers deserve to be paid, including the ones who make this podcast possible. If The Nutshell True Story Hour has ever made you laugh, cry, or feel a little less alone, consider becoming a paid subscriber. It's the most direct way to keep this going. And we are so grateful for every single person who does. xoxo, Amy

Subscribe now

Hey story friends!

Friday is in three days, and I have one question for you:

Are you coming?

Because if you’ve been thinking about it, and I suspect some of you have, this is me telling you: come. It’s going to be one of those nights you’ll remember.

Can we talk about Dixie De La Tour for a second? Because I want to make sure you understand what it means that she’s coming to Sacramento.

Dixie is the founder of Bawdy Storytelling, aka “The Moth for Pervs,” according to the LA Weekly, and this year marks its 20th anniversary. For two decades, she has created space for people to tell the truth about their bodies, desires, identities, shame, and joy, when almost no one else was doing so. She didn’t just create and produce shows. She built a culture. She changed what was possible to share onstage and in storytelling form. She is, in the storytelling world, genuinely iconic. And one of the warmest humans you’ll ever meet. Go say hi to her after the show. Seriously.

Her story? Well, Dixie is going to take the stage and tell you about the birthday orgy she threw to honor a friend who passed away. It’s the kind of story only Dixie could tell, and she’s gonna tell it to US!

I mean, come on. You HAVE to hear this, right?

We also have three other fabulous tellers with titillating tales: Addy Sakler is gonna tell you about the awakening that came after a lifetime of intimacy that never quite landed. Amber Elektra is going to tell you about a back-page ad and fate stepping in for quality control. And Alex Paez is going to tell you about the lunch that was not a lunch—although there was eating out?—I dunno! You’ll have to come find out yourself!

Four people. Four true stories. One Friday night at The Sofia.

And here’s the thing about this kind of show, the NSFW kind, the bawdy kind, the honest-about-bodies-and-desire-and-ourselves kind: people leave feeling oddly validated and seen, even if the teller’s thing isn’t their thing. It’s kinda life-affirming. It’s definitely magic, like all good storytelling is. 

⚠️ Fair warning: this is an adults-only show. Sex will be discussed honestly, bravely, and yes, sometimes explicitly. If that’s not your cup of tea, no hard feelings (Animal stories in July!). But if it IS your cup of tea, or even if you’re just curious, Friday night is calling.

One more thing: tickets are still cheaper in advance than at the door. That gap closes Friday night. Grab yours now and save 20%.

🎟️ Get your tickets here: 

Get tickets to NSFW

📅 Friday, June 26 | 7pm | The Sofia, Sacramento

Don’t be the person who meant to go!

And finally, I mean this sincerely: shows like this one need an audience to exist. The Sofia is one of Sacramento's great venues, and getting to host a NSFW storytelling show there with Dixie De La Tour headlining is not something we take for granted. If we fill those seats on Friday, we’ll get to do more shows like this one, ones that explore the many twists and turns of being human. If you've ever wanted Sacramento to have more of this kind of night—brave, honest, adult, alive—Friday is how you vote for that. With your presence. In that room.

Come sit with us. You KNOW I can’t wait to see you there in real life, humans!

xoxo, Amy Bee (and her two hot-peppered buddies, Keith and Aaron)

P.S. A birthday orgy, grief, and joy. Three days. Come on. You gotta!

This is a short clip from storyteller Amber Elektra, who’ll be joining us for NSFW on June 26.

Oh man, what a hook! I gotta hear this whole story. Can’t wait!

This is a short clip from storyteller Addy Sakler, who’ll be joining us for NSFW on June 26.

What we want to know is whether Addy brings her unusual microphone to all her shows!

When Joe Klocek was a teenager, he realized he felt more strongly than others, especially lows. When he felt lows, they were really low. So low, he finally attempted suicide.

His parents were well-meaning, but they didn’t know what to do, and decided to have him committed. Maybe the instinct was right, but the mental institution provided very little actual care, and Joe felt like he was being held in prison, wasting his days watching Three’s Company reruns.

Since Joe was a minor, he didn’t have any agency to decide whether or not he had to be institutionalized and eventually went to court to get released.

The problem? His parents went to court too—to fight to keep him committed. What ensued was a battle for Joe’s freedom and sanity, possibly at the cost of his family.

Joe told this story at our February 2026 show, The People Who Made Us. He’d been wanting to tell this tale for years, but as a comedian, felt uncomfortable doing so. But he finally faced this piece of his past on our stage, and wow, was it moving. Our interview with him, a week later (At JP Frary’s house), was also a compelling emotional ride for Joe. We’re honored and appreciative he decided to share his story with us and our audience. And now we get to share it with you, too.

Joe is an iconic SF comedian, and you can check him out here.

The Nutshell Three:

Amy Bee

Keith Lowell Jensen

Aaron Carnes

Sound Engineer: Chris Reeves

Thank you to:

DJ Yuma Tripp for allowing us to use his song “Lazy Skank” for our episodes and our live show.

Hyperpixel for audio and video services.

Sofia Theatre for a beautiful stage to gather around.

Our photographer, Antonio Lovig.

Babalou and Suzon Lucore for watching over our event table and engaging with people in the best way possible.

During his time as a ghost, JP watched. He saw how the weather moved slowly, then suddenly, in the backwoods of his home. He saw the creek burble with motion and then puddle up like wannabe tide pools. He watched the trees. He watched the wildlife. And when his wanderings led him to the backyards and the manicured lawns and the sliding glass doors of families with mothers and fathers and sisters and brothers, well, he watched them, too.

Because JP was a ghost, and that’s what ghosts do.

We’re honored JP shared this story with us and on our stage. Listen to the story first, then hear JP talk with us about how difficult it was to put this particular story together.

The Nutshell Three:

Sound Engineer: Chris Reeves

Thank you to:

DJ Yuma Tripp for allowing us to use his song “Lazy Skank” for our episodes and our live show.

Hyperpixel for audio and video services.

Sofia Theatre for a beautiful stage to gather around.

Our photographer, Antonio Lovig.

Babalou and Suzon Lucore for watching over our event table and engaging with people in the best way possible.

Not because it’s spicy, although it IS spicy, and I want you to know that going in—but because the stories we tell about our bodies, our desires, and our identities are some of the most human stories there are. And for some reason, we don’t talk about them out loud very often. Not really. Let’s change that!

🎟️ Get your tickets here (yes, they’re cheaper in advance than at the door)

A little context, because you deserve it:

When we say NSFW, we mean it. Sex will be discussed. Desire, bodies, intimacy, identity . . . all of it is on the table. If that’s not your thing, no hard feelings, truly. We’ll see you in July (The theme is BEST IN SHOW! Tales about our animal companions).

But if you’ve ever sat with thoughts and feelings about your own body or your own longing and thought, I could never say that out loud, this night is for you. Come watch four people say it out loud. Beautifully. Bravely. Hilariously.

There’s a reason this kind of show exists. And there’s a reason people leave them feeling cracked open in the best possible way. Because the stories we’re most afraid to tell are almost always the ones other people need to hear most. And maybe the stories we’re afraid to hear are the ones we hope one day we’ll be okay with ourselves enough to tell.

That’s what bawdy storytelling actually is, by the way; people standing up and telling the truth about the most vulnerable, confusing, exhilarating, occasionally disastrous parts of being a being, a being burdened with a body and a brain that have wants and desires (often counterintuitive to each other!). These “truths” told through spicy stories can be explicit and hilarious, heartbreaking and cathartic; they can be predictable or inevitable or so confoundingly particular, but whatever they expose, confess, or declare, sooner or later you’ll probably catch yourself nodding along, thinking, yes, oh god, yes, that, and then look around and realize everyone else in the room is nodding, too. And maybe you’ll be a little flushed in the face; maybe not. But you will be tuned in.

Bawdy storytelling is honest in a way that most of us are trained, from a very young age, not to be. And when you hear it done well, candidly and with craft, in a room full of people listening together, it’s like a tight knot in your gut loosens. Like you’ve been given permission to be a little more yourself. And no matter what your mom or your dad or your priest or the gym teacher told you, it’s good to be a little more you.

What if none of what you hear, none of these stories of bodies being, sounds familiar? That’s okay, too. You don’t have to relate. You just have to be willing to listen. Go ahead and be a passenger, enjoy the ride. There’s something powerful about sitting with a story that’s nothing like yours and finding yourself moved by it regardless. That’s called empathy, and it’s exactly what we’re here for.

The Storytellers:

Dixie De La Tour is the woman who literally helped invent this format. As the founder of Bawdy Storytelling (described by the LA Weekly as “The Moth for Pervs” and celebrating its 20th anniversary this year ), Dixie has spent two decades coaxing true, brave, hilarious stories of sex and intimacy out of people who didn’t know they had them. She is a sexual folklorist, a storytelling coach, and one of the most compelling presences you will ever encounter in a room with a microphone. Having her at a Nutshell show feels less like booking a guest and more like a visit from royalty. (But she’s so wonderfully down to earth. Go say Hi to her!)

Her story for June 26th: When a beloved friend passes away, Dixie decides to honor his memory by doing something she swore she would never do: have sex with her friends. A birthday orgy, grief, joy, and a complete rethinking of a lifelong conviction. I mean, come on! I know you wanna hear this!

Addy Sakler is a Sacramento poet, abstract painter, breast cancer survivor, vagabond, and, as of a life-changing diagnosis, a newly self-aware autistic woman discovering, for the first time, what great sex actually feels like. Her story is one beautiful arc: from missed cues and mediocre intimacy to awakening and joy, and it is exactly the kind of story that makes you want to go out afterward and have your own great sex! Addy is a Sacramento original, and we’re so proud to have her on the Nutshell stage.

Amber Elektra is a storyteller and producer of Word of Mouth Storytelling in Placerville, a veteran of both Mortified and Bawdy Storytelling, and a woman who has spent years turning questionable life choices into community entertainment. Her story begins with a back-page ad and ends with fate stepping in for quality control. She will make you laugh at things you probably shouldn’t, and you will love every second of it. Also, her dog is named Dr. Gonzo, and that says it all.

Alex Paez is a Communication Studies professor at American River College, a former Disney character performer, a 2001 national speech champion, and a man who didn’t tell his own stories onstage for 25 years until last year, when he finally started. He is making up for lost time. His story: she said they were going to lunch. When they parked in the back of an empty corporate parking lot, he realized the only item on the menu was him. He knew immediately he had met the most amazing person in his life. For better or worse, we’ve all been there, haven’t we?

Why you should be at this show:

Here’s what I know about our audience: you are curious, you are open-hearted, and you understand that showing up in real life, in a room with other humans, listening together, is one of the few things that still feels like genuine connection in this world.

We need each other. We really do. And there is something about sitting in the dark together while someone tells you the truth about the most tender, complicated, funny, mortifying parts of being human that has become almost radical. We are so rarely truly witnessed. We are so rarely truly present with each other: phones down, nowhere to be, just listening. Two hours where a stranger trusts you with something real, and you trust them back just by staying in your seat. That exchange, that quiet, mutual act of showing up, is special. It’s magical! And when it happens, you feel it for days. That’s what you come for. That’s what you carry home. That’s what you’re still thinking about on Monday.

This is one of those nights. Don’t be the person who meant to go. There are no regrets in going!

🎟️ Tickets are here—cheaper in advance, and seats will go early!

I can’t WAIT to see you at this one, humans! You know how much I LOVE seeing you in real life.

xoxo, Amy Bee, her spicy friend Keith Lowell Jensen, and her hot-tamale guy, Aaron Carnes)

(P.S. Speaking of Keith [HI KEITH!], Nutshell is hosted by the one and only Keith Lowell Jensen, who will hold the whole beautiful, spicy night together with his usual charm and impeccable comic timing. Consider yourself in good hands.)

If you enjoy what we’re building here, one of the most helpful ways to support it is by becoming a paid subscriber. Your support helps us pay storytellers, pay ourselves, keep live shows going, and continue producing the Nutshell True Story Hour podcast for everyone to enjoy. No pressure, but it truly does make a difference.

And as always: showing up, listening, and bringing friends is already real support💜

Subscribe now

(You’re receiving this email because you either signed up for it or interacted somehow with Keith, Amy, or Aaron in the past. We’re so glad you’re here!)

As Kathleen found herself in unpretentious punk clubs surrounded by folks with no sense of shame, she learned a valuable lesson about herself. She may know a lot from books and a big brain, but she has no chill.

We sat down with Kathleen in her beautiful Sacramento home. She was a delight to talk with about her story; it was abundantly clear how different she is now from the person she was back then.

Aside from being a fantastic writer and storyteller, Kathleen is a professor, an Air Force veteran, and the founder of Veteran Women’s Voices, which supports women military veterans in California in developing the writing skills and confidence to express their unique experiences.

The Nutshell Three:

Amy Bee

Keith Lowell Jensen

Aaron Carnes

Sound Engineer: Chris Reeves

Thank you to:

DJ Yuma Tripp for allowing us to use his song “Lazy Skank” for our episodes and our live show.

Hyperpixel for audio and video services.

Sofia Theatre for a beautiful stage to gather around.

Our photographer, Antonio Lovig.

Babalou and Suzon Lucore for watching over our event table and engaging with people in the best way possible.

Buy tickets to In a Nutshell on May 15

We also hope that you do Sacramento a favor and share this with everyone you know. This is a MUST-SEE event! And all your friends will be glad they came along. It doesn’t hurt that we have one of our most compelling themes of the entire 2026 season: Cults, Crackpots and Swindlers!

👉 Read about the May 15 show

🎟️ Get tickets at The Sofia

Share

Time Magazine ranked Snap Judgment as one of the best 100 podcasts of all time. Its host, Glynn Washington, uses it to give a fresh take on storytelling. Not only does he gather some of the most compelling stories ever told, but the episodes are masterfully mixed and edited with just the right music to take them to the next level. Some of the most beloved episodes include "24 Hours in Syria," "The Soundtrack of Silence," "Zoo Nebraska," and "The Real Black Klansman." Truly mind-blowing stories! The show has even been such a success that it spun off a different podcast called Spooked, a true-life supernatural storytelling show, which regularly tours large venues and gives big groups of people the chills! Last October, Glynn hosted a packed evening of scary stories at the legendary Paramount Theatre in Oakland.

Glynn is also an amazing storyteller, unlike anyone else. His stories are raw, unique, surprising and reflect his unusual upbringing and life experiences. For the upcoming In a Nutshell storytelling show on Friday, May 15, at the Sofia, Glynn is the perfect featured storyteller. The theme is Cults, Crackpots & Swindlers. he grew up in rural Michigan in the apocalyptic, white supremacist cult known as The Worldwide Church of God. He has quite a story about it!

Glynn is only one of three people in the world who have had three different podcasts hit #1 on the Apple charts at the same time. (Snap Judgment, Spooked, and his limited series, Heaven’s Gate...which is about a cult, and inspired the HBO docu-series Heaven’s Gate: The Cult of Cults). Snap Judgment is such a big success; it airs on over 400 different NPR affiliate stations.

At the upcoming Nutshell show on May 15, he intends to bring his A-game and will be accompanied by three other masterful storytellers: JP Frary (a Nutshell fan favorite making his 8th appearance on the monthly show), as well as local comedians/storytellers Holly James and Johnny Taylor Jr. You can catch Glynn’s show Snap Judgment on CapRadio on Sundays at 3pm PST. He will be appearing on the CapRadio show Insight on Tuesday, May 12 at approx 12:30 pm PST to talk about his upcoming performance at In a Nutshell Storytelling.

Also be sure to listen to our latest episode of the Nutshell True Story Hour with local legend, John Aubert.

And please grab tickets to Wildcard on May 20. It’ll be our first show at our new venue, Teneral Cellars. We are going to have so much fun!

Subscribe now

The Night

📅 Friday, May 15, 2026

🕖 7pm (doors at 6pm)

📍 The Sofia, Sacramento

👥 Come alone, bring a friend, make it a night out. All are welcome!

If you’ve been to In a Nutshell before, you already know the rhythm: a room full of attentive humans, big laughs, reflective moments, and stories that don’t flatten life into easy lessons.

If you haven’t been yet, April is a great time to start.

🎟️ Tickets are available through The Sofia box office

(And yes, tickets are cheaper in advance than at the door.)

👉 Get tickets at The Sofia

Thank you story friends! We love you and look forward to seeing you in person.

And while each of these forms of transportation were mentioned. It was the automobile that was the focus of his story. There’s nothing quite like hitting the road and making good miles. That was the trip John thought was was having, until he noticed a few peculiar details on his journey. Humiliation ensued.

After the story, we sat down with John at the Sofia Theater to learn why this story was so embarrassing for him to tell on stage. Isn’t pain where all the best stories come from?

The Nutshell True Story Hour is presented by In a Nutshell Storytelling

The Nutshell Three:

Amy Bee

Keith Lowell Jensen

Aaron Carnes

Sound Engineer: Chris Reeves

Thank you to:

DJ Yuma Tripp for allowing us to use his song “Lazy Skank” for our episodes and our live show.

Hyperpixel for audio and video services.

Sofia Theatre for a beautiful stage to gather around.

Babalou and Suzon Lucore for watching over our event table and engaging with people in the best way possible.

YOU can also subscribe for true stories and backstage conversations from the In a Nutshell community.

Subscribe now

What’s the appeal to hearing these seemingly outlandish tales? It’s a very similar reason why people are so drawn to true crime stories. It always feels unreal that it’s reality. And yet, it is. And the question many of us ask ourselves is, would I get sucked into a cult?

Not only that, but what is it like to be in a cult, and how do people get out of them? These are all endlessly fascinating questions. One that we hope to shed some light on at this month’s In a Nutshell storytelling show.

As the title of this month’s show suggests, it isn’t strictly about cults (Though that will be there). But the silimiarity in these stories has to do with how other people warp our realities, and the damaging effect that can have on our fragile souls.

The Storytellers

Glynn Washington

The host of the wildly popular show, Snap Judgment, Glynn Washington, grew up in the Worldwide Church of God, an apocalyptic, white supremacist religious cult. Holly Hell! There is an amazing story here

Holly James

Joining a charismatic religious group is all fun and games until reality bends to the point of breaking. Holly James has a lot to unpack at this upcoming show.

Johnny Taylor Jr.

What happens when your mother doesn’t have a solid grasp on reality? One thinks this might make dealing with the outside world…challenging. For Johnny, it led to him becoming one of our favorite storytellers/comedians.

JP Frary

JP Frary has lived many lives. But in one of them, he stole the image of a popular person in a different community to finally experience what it was like to be…popular. A bit of a cult of personality story

Host Keith “Not For Rehire” Jensen will be there guiding the night—and, as always, probably telling a story or two of his own along the way. Did you know he almost joined a cult when he was younger? We’re glad he didn’t!

The Night

📅 Friday, May 15, 2026

🕖 7pm (doors at 6pm)

📍 The Sofia, Sacramento

👥 Come alone, bring a friend, make it a night out. All are welcome!

If you’ve been to In a Nutshell before, you already know the rhythm: a room full of attentive humans, big laughs, reflective moments, and stories that don’t flatten life into easy lessons.

If you haven’t been yet, April is a great time to start.

🎟️ Tickets are available through The Sofia box office

(And yes, tickets are cheaper in advance than at the door.)

👉 Get tickets at The Sofia

We can’t wait to see you in real life, humans!

xoxo,

Amy Bee

(and her two totally awesome co-workers, Keith & Aaron)

If you enjoy what we’re building here, one of the most helpful ways to support it is by becoming a paid subscriber on Substack. That support helps us pay storytellers, keep live shows going, and keep producing our podcast (now called The Nutshell True Story Hour), which is free for everyone to enjoy.

No pressure at all, but it truly does make a difference.

xoxo, Amy

Subscribe now

When DNA came to In a Nutshell last year to tell his story of running for mayor, the theme was “It’s a beautiful day.” The reason it was a beautiful day for DNA was that he didn’t run his campaign(s) like a normal politician. There were pranks, publicity stunts and jokes. “Nudes for Nader” was one of the most famous publicity stunts that emerged from all of this. Some of it was designed to comment on the foul nature of American politics.

So, when we talked to DNA (In Chico, of course), we got quite philosophical in our conversation. The sour state of politics, the dumbing down of American culture and the hopelessness that any of it will ever get better. It’s a fun listen! Plus, we find out if he still wants to be the mayor of Chico.

The Nutshell True Story Hour is presented by In a Nutshell Storytelling

The Nutshell Three:

Amy Bee

Keith Lowell Jensen

Aaron Carnes

Sound Engineer: Chris Reeves

Thank you to:

DJ Yuma Tripp for allowing us to use his song “Lazy Skank” for our episodes and our live show.

Hyperpixel for audio and video services.

Sofia Theatre for a beautiful stage to gather around.

Babalou and Suzon Lucore for watching over our event table and engaging with people in the best way possible.

SHOUT OUT to Frances Southwick for becoming a paid subscriber and supporting live storytelling! You’re our ride or die, Frances!

YOU can also subscribe for true stories and backstage conversations from the In a Nutshell community.

Subscribe now