2nd Story
Jess Hutchinson currently serves as the Managing Director at 2nd Story and continues to work as a freelance theatre maker, specializing as a Director, Dramaturg, and Producer since May 2005. Previous experience includes roles such as Proposal Specialist at Campbell & Company, Editorial Content Manager at the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts, and Engagement Director at the National New Play Network, where Jess implemented the organization’s first CRM and led successful virtual conferences. Additional positions held include Client Support Specialist at PatronManager, NNPN Producer in Residence at Kitchen Dog Theater, Assistant Instructor at The University of Texas at Austin, and Special Projects Coordinator at the League of Chicago Theatres. Education includes a Master of Arts in Social Sector Leadership & Non-Profit Management from the University of Chicago and a Master of Fine Arts in Theatre from The University of Texas at Austin, complemented by a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Performance from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
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2nd Story
2nd Story is real stories by real people for real change. For over 25 years, we have created spaces where people can share and deeply listen to each other’s stories. We want to live in a world driven by empathy. We believe that stories are what bind us to each other. Therefore, we create spaces where people can share and deeply listen to one another’s stories. We host experiences in and around Chicago that elevate the storyteller’s words to deliver a unique, live, literary/theatrical experience unlike any other in the city. From small bars in Rogers Park and North Center, to big venues in Lakeview and the West Loop, to restaurants in Lincoln Park and Evanston, we produce over 50 events every season and facilitates over 145 artistic collaborations. We craft story-sharing experiences in the form of performances, workshops and classes, and workplace trainings. A typical show or event consists of several stories dispersed throughout the event like courses of a meal. The stories range from the earnest and serious to the light-hearted and humorous, and can simultaneously provoke and entertain. Our venues are as varied as our stories, and run the gamut from intimate wine bars and pubs to spacious performance halls, conference rooms, and open-office environments. Our storytellers are equally diverse, and come from all walks of life: a pastor, a bartender, a child psychiatrist, and a lawyer…their individual stories help to bridge the gap between the personal and the universal, and break down the walls between and unite artists and audiences in and among different communities.