Short Story Theatre Presents 5 Fascinating Stories

Five fascinating and true stories about beating the odds, a traffic stop, a road trip, a WWII love story, and a visit to Auschwitz.

Short Story Theatre presents an evening of five warm, wise and heartfelt true stories with unexpected twists that can make you laugh, cry, or touch your heart. Thursday, July 16, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. at The Art Center Highland Park, 1957 Sheridan Road in Highland Park.Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door. For tickets: Contact donna@shortstorytheatre.com or purchase on Eventbrite at

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1992070599789?aff=oddtdtcreator.

Mike Leonard of Winnetka, a former TV correspondent for NBC News, shares a true account about overcoming early failure by using creative curiosity to find fulfillment in life. His story: “Beating the Odds – On Your Terms.”

Vernon Hills resident Kitty Loewy relates how two people found each other in World War II in “An Unexpected Journey – A Story of Courage, Risk, and Defiance.”

Adam Bottner of Buffalo Grove has never gotten high, but he’s happy. If that’s a crime, lock him up. His story: “Catching the Big Fish in Elmhurst.”

Judy Yacker, a Highland Park resident, finds that a European road trip isn’t all it’s cracked up to be in her story “Driving Me Crazy.”

Lou Greenwald, also of Highland Park, shares his story - “I Needed to Walk Through Auschwitz.”

Growing up on predominantly Jewish Miami Beach, Lou saw many older people walking on Washington Avenue who had black numbers on their arms.He never talked to them.

Short Story Theatre was founded in 2012 and is dedicated to promoting storytelling as a vibrant, contemporary art form.Co-founder and Producer/Emcee Donna Lubow says, “Stories are creative non-fiction, based on personal experiences.More than a hundred storytellers from Chicago and the northern suburbs have melded writing skills and performance skills to entertain and inspire our Short Story Theatre audiences.”

For more information and for guidelines for submission: donna@shortstorytheatre.com.