Family Ties- Pittsburgh
Story Swap
In this episode of Story Swap, we travel to Pittsburgh for a live storytelling event exploring family ties and personal history. Host Jackie Andrews talks with Sarah Rose, founder of BeTherePGH, about building meaningful storytelling spaces before sharing two unforgettable stories from the stage. Brian Sudduth uncovers the complex life his father lived before becoming the man he knew, while Tejal Cartwright reflects on her relationship with her mother through the lens of a treasured necklace. Recorded live, these stories capture the vulnerability, honesty, and connection that make storytelling...
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Beauty and the Beast- Cincinnati, Ohio
Story Swap
In this episode, host Jackie Andrews sits down from Cincinnati with Dave Levy of True Theatre to explore what makes curated storytelling different: story gathering, pitch nights, rehearsals, and the craft of telling from memory without sounding memorized. Then we share “Beauty and the Beast,” two true stories that reveal transformation in very different forms. In “Beauty,” Colleen Herman follows a passion for hair, makeup, and stagecraft all the way to Cirque du Soleil in Macau—only to discover that outer beauty can’t substitute for inner well-being. Her journey becomes a powerful...
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New Ideas- Cincinnati, Ohio
Story Swap
In this Cincinnati episode of Story Swap, host Jackie Andrews talks with Dave Levy, producer of True Theatre, about building an inclusive and accessible storytelling community. Recorded live on stage, the episode features two powerful stories connected by the theme of new ideas. Listeners hear a moving reflection on friendship, identity, and trust through a college roommate relationship that begins in uncertainty and grows into lifelong connection. The episode also features a joyful and tender story about a father and daughter, where belief, imagination, and shared moments in nature remind us...
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Beauty, Columbus, Ohio
Story Swap
In this episode, we travel to Columbus, Ohio, to visit Speak Easy, a monthly open-mic storytelling stage that welcomes storytellers of all experience levels, from first-time tellers to seasoned performers. Host Jackie Andrews is joined by Speak Easy producer Heidi Shapiro, who introduces the evening’s theme: Unexpected Kindness. The episode features two moving stories told live on stage. Susan, a longtime storyteller and Ohio State University employee, weaves together science, family, and grief as she reflects on the loss of her father and the small acts of kindness that shaped her...
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Carpe Diam- Columbus, Ohio
Story Swap
In this episode of Story Swap, we head to Columbus, Ohio, for a Storytelling show produced by Heidi Shapiro around the theme Carpe Diem. The stories invite us to consider what happens when we stop waiting for certainty and start saying yes—to curiosity, connection, and change. Sarah Fulmer shares a sharply observed and funny childhood story that turns fear on its head. Steve recounts a teenage summer transformed by Bruce Springsteen’s Thunder Road, a song that taught him the power of seizing opportunity. Chad closes the episode with a thoughtful reflection on marriage, divorce, and...
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Unexpected Kindness- Columbus, Ohio
Story Swap
Welcome to Story Swap, the program where true-life stories take center stage. In this episode, we travel to Columbus, Ohio, to visit Speak Easy, a live storytelling series known for thoughtful, curated shows. Host Jackie Andrews is joined by SpeakEasy producer Heidi Shapiro, who introduces the evening’s theme: Unexpected Kindness. The episode features two moving stories told live on stage. Susan, a longtime storyteller and Ohio State University employee, weaves together science, family, and grief as she reflects on the loss of her father and the small acts of kindness that shaped her...
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Parents and Kids- Columbus, Ohio
Story Swap
In Episode 1 of Story Swap, host Jackie Andrews heads to Columbus, Ohio, to visit Speak Easy Storytelling, the longest-running storytelling show in the city. Joined by producer Heidi Shapiro, Jackie explores what makes Speak Easy a sacred community space where vulnerability, honesty, and connection thrive. The episode features two unforgettable stories told live on stage. Karl weaves humor and tenderness into reflections on basements, parenthood, and the vastly different ways his children make sense of the world, revealing how hope and imagination shape family life. Jen delivers a powerful and...
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New Story Coaches- Dayton, Ohio
Story Swap
In this episode of Story Swap, we head to Dayton, Ohio to spend time with LORE Storytelling, one of the Midwest’s most dynamic live storytelling communities. Host Jackie Andrews talks with LORE founder Bridget Flaherty about the organization’s transition into new leadership, its expanding story coaching program, and how Lore is helping storytellers develop confidence both on and off the stage. The episode features two live stories from LORE’s stage. One storyteller shares a hilarious and heartfelt account of saying “yes” to skydiving — and discovering self-love in the process....
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Choices- Dayton, Ohio
Story Swap
In this episode of Story Swap, we visit Dayton, Ohio and sit down with LORE Storytelling, an organization dedicated to teaching the craft of personal storytelling. Host Jackie Andrews talks with Lore founder Bridget Flaherty about how coaching and workshops—both in-person and virtual—help people turn lived experience into powerful stories. The episode features two live stories centered on the theme of choices. One storyteller bravely examines decisions made at nineteen and the long shadow they cast over adulthood. Another reflects on a defining moment as a young Marine, torn between...
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Hatred and Healing- Dayton, Ohio
Story Swap
In this episode of Story Swap, we visit Dayton, Ohio and collaborate with LORE Storytelling to explore stories rooted in hatred, vulnerability, and healing. Host Jackie Andrews sits down with LORE founder Bridget Flaherty to discuss how storytelling education helps people reclaim their voices and tell difficult truths from the stage. The episode features two unforgettable live stories. Scott Ley shares a deeply personal journey of coming out, finding love, and navigating public acts of hate while choosing courage and pride. Dar reflects on her childhood as a Sikh immigrant in post‑9/11...
info_outlineIn this episode of Story Swap, host Jackie Andrews visits Dayton, Ohio, to explore LORE Storytelling, an organization dedicated to teaching people how to craft and share true-life stories on stage. Founder Bridget Flaherty explains how LORE’s workshops empower first-time tellers, business leaders, and community members to find their voice—and why education is at the heart of their work.
The episode features two powerful stories shaped through LORE’s coaching process. Megan Garrison recounts a terrifying encounter with gunfire and terrorism while teaching students in Somaliland, confronting the reality of living without safety. Anastasia shares a multigenerational story from Ukraine, revealing how famine, war, and resilience shaped her family—and how survival itself becomes a legacy.
Story Swap brings you real people, real stories, and real connection—told live, without notes, straight from the stage.