Sidetrack OUTspoken! featured storytellers for Aug. 7

Chicago's monthly evening of LGBTQ storytelling – known as OUTspoken! - returns Aug. 7 with an exciting line-up of featured storytellers.

"The key is, we all have full rich lives," OUTspoken! curator David Fink told ChicagoPride.com. "Talking about significant moments connects us. Although we may outwardly have little in common, as humans we all have a lot in common. Personal, true stories help remind us of these commonalities."

Six storytellers will take their turn with the microphone as Sidetrack transforms its Main and Cherry Bars into a story-telling hall with chairs for seating. There is no charge to attend, but audience members must be 21 with ID.

The August edition of OUTspoken! LGBTQ storyteller series takes place Tuesday, Aug. 7, at Sidetrack, 3349 N. Halsted. Doors open at 6 p.m., stories begin at 7. The event is 21+.

The August storytellers are:

—Bill Demaree has taught writing and literature at the college level for over thirty years. He is looking forward to teaching a course in LGBTQ Lit in spring 2019. When not teaching at Elgin Community College in the western burbs, he reads everything and anything and works hard to perfect his skills as a fledgling memoirist.

—Shandee Ewert is a Minnesota native, a fast walker and a nacho aficionado. She has tendency to sign herself up for things late at night when her decision-making skills are tired. It's this habit that has resulted in her going skydiving, taking a burlesque class, going to grad school and telling a story at Outspoken.

—Larry Dean Harris is a playwright and a storyteller. His play Stage Moms was at the 2016 Tennessee Williams Theatre Festival in Provincetown and his off-Broadway musical Play it Cool earned a New York Outer Critics Circle nomination.

—Alexia Jasmene is a Chicago based trans actor/poet/musician/comedian who does what she can as a storyteller to change hearts and minds. She has performed at various theaters across Chicago including Picnic at American Theater Company and KinFolk The New Colony.

—Brian Michalski left his secure job as a kindergarten teacher to spend 22 months solo backpacking his way through 20 countries including Australia, India, Myanmar and Cuba. Since his return, he has had the pleasure to educate and inspire budding global nomads of all ages at various local organizations throughout the Chicagoland area.

—Douglas O'Keeffe is the co-producer and host of Inside Leather History; A Fireside Chat, an international interview series capturing for posterity the rich and valuable stories of Leather/Fetish/Kink community notables. Douglas is a long time Chicago community volunteer and writer. Douglas travels world-wide as an airline purser.

—Timothy Rey is a writer/ performer, arts administrator and teaching artist. He is the co-founder of the LBGTQ solo performance series SOLO HOMO, which ran from 2002-2011 in Chicago. His book of poetry and performance, LITTLE VICTORIES, was published in 2012.