First Person Live

First Person Live brings storytelling for adults to the NW suburbs with a show featuring the best of Chicago talent as well as local folks.

A new group tellers & different theme each month! Open mic spots available for newcomers - see website for details. Live storytelling is returning in events around Chicago. First Person Live brings this unique form of entertainment, self-expression and community building to the suburbs in a monthly show featuring acclaimed Chicago tellers as well as local folks. Open mic spots may be available at the start of the show.

08/28/2026

How is this possible? A *sold out* house on a Tuesday night in August for a debut show at Evanston SPACE?!? Actually, it’s pretty simple: Take one prodigiously talented musical satirist, add six kick-ass storytellers, throw in a host that’s giddy with delight, and…voilá!

It IS impossible to thank everyone who made this happen, but we’ll try: Big love to Bill Larkin, Mary Hoefler, Larry Wood, Tim Schreiber, Joe Mellen, and James Petersen for lighting up the stage; to Jan Deal, Steve Glickman, Susan Besson, Patrick Hughes and RJ Coleman for help with publicity; and to all the folks at SPACE who made it look easy. It takes a village, people. ❤️

We are taking September off for some R&R, but will be back in October! Meantime, take care of yourself, take care of each other, and share your stories.

www.firstpersonlive.com
Bill Larkin Music

08/24/2026

Tomorrow night, folks! Stories about the hilarious side of s*x, anxiety, relationships, technology, aging, and everyone’s favorite: hatin’ on the airlines! And, for our debut at Evanston SPACE, we’re adding live music from Bill Larkin - a comic with a piano, and a regular at the Chicago’s Green Mill jazz club. Think Randy Newman. Think Loudon Wainwright. Think George Carlin if he could play the piano and wasn’t dead.

Featuring Larry Wood, Joe Mellon, Mary Hoefler, Tim Schreiber, Jim Petersen and host Diane Kastiel (and of course Bill…have we mentioned BILL LARKIN??? 🤩).

See ya Tuesday, Aug. 25 at Evanston SPACE! Info & tickets at www.firstpersonlive.com.

Bill Larkin Music

08/21/2026

Bill Larkin - while being a very nice guy - has problems: He’s getting older. People won’t shut up about his hat. He’s at war with United airlines and very confused about GrindR. AND, while juggling all this(!), Bill’s trying to change the world - via Facebook. OY!

So Bill’s got a crazy life, you might say. But YAY for us because he channels all this into songs…and they are hilarious. Catch Bill Larkin Music at “This Crazy Life: stories and songs” on Tuesday, Aug. 25 at Evanston SPACE! Info & tix at www.firstpersonlive.com.

08/18/2026

Joe Mellen grew up in a house full of love - which meant he grew up in a house full of DOGS. But, as an adult, disaster struck: Joe was diagnosed with a disorder that left him struggling with everyday life, fighting depression….and very much in need of love.

Three guesses where he found it. 🐾

It’s “This Crazy Life: stories & songs with Bill Larkin” - Tuesday, Aug. 25 at Evanston SPACE! Info & tickets at www.firstpersonlive.com.

08/15/2026

Mary Hoefler is a good mom to her two adult kids - there for them no matter what, interested in their lives, open to talking about anything…and we do mean *anything.* Which is how Mary found herself in a store called “Good VIbrations” spending $250 on “the Womanizer” (Lovely Lavender, USB port, linen carrying bag) and two kinds of l**e (because you never know). The things we do for our kids!

It’s “This Crazy Life: stories & songs with Bill Larkin” - Tuesday, Aug. 25 at Evanston SPACE! Info & tickets at www.firstpersonlive.com.

08/11/2026

“He who laughs last laughs best. “ - 16th century proverb

Lawrence Wood is an attorney with a high-stress job at a large nonprofit. He’s good at his work and VERY good at humor, so Larry created a bit of office fun: a game modeled on Jeopardy with questions about cases to blow off steam and develop a quirky history of the organization. But Larry is not so good at technology, so when errant email followed by ANOTHER errant email caused a near office riot, it was GAME OVER. Lucky for us, Larry wrote it all down. 😉

It’s “This Crazy Life: stories & songs with Bill Larkin” - Tuesday, Aug. 25 at Evanston SPACE! Info & tickets at www.firstpersonlive.com.

08/08/2026

Diane Kastiel was hugely pregnant, on vacation with her family, and not feeling well AT ALL. She needed help - a small favor, really: Would the airline let her change their return flight to a closer airport so she could avoid a grueling eight-hour drive? We won’t reveal the answer, but here’s a hint: Diane now refers to this airline as “F**k U/nited.”

Get the message? Hear the story (and the song!) on Tuesday, Aug. 25. It’s “This Crazy Life: stories & songs with Bill Larkin” at Evanston SPACE! Info & tickets at www.firstpersonlive.com.

08/06/2026

“Growin’ old ain’t for sissies.“ - Bette Davis

There’s a lot you have to let go of as you age: Sleeping through the night. Staying awake all day. Remembering s**t. But there’s still a lot to embrace - just ask Jim Peterson, who rode his motorcycle through the Himalayas at 70 and skied Utah mountains at 75. But his most treasured keepsake? The thing that never gets old. ❤️

Hear his “brutiful” story on Tuesday, Aug. 25. It’s “This Crazy Life: stories & songs with Bill Larkin” at SPACE in Evanston! Info & tickets at www.firstpersonlive.com.

08/04/2026

Tim Schreiber was in a world of hurt - his wife left him, his cat died, and his favorite bookstore closed. And then…Tim met Karen 😍. Slight problem: Karen was gay…maybe. She wanted to be just close friends…*very* close. She wasn’t going to commit to anything…other than weekends away, road trips, and most of the other things girlfriends do.

Confused? So was Tim. So are we. But if we talk about it, and SING about it, maybe we can sort it out. 🤞It’s “This Crazy Life: stories & songs with Bill Larkin” Tuesday, Aug. 25 at SPACE in Evanston! Info & tickets at www.firstpersonlive.com.

08/02/2026

For our debut at SPACE, we’re adding live music to the show, pairing stories with songs by Bill Larkin - a comic with a piano. Think Randy Newman. Think Loudon Wainwright. Think George Carlin if he could play the piano and wasn’t dead. Come hear stories (and songs!) about the hilarious side of s*x, anxiety, relationships, technology, aging, and everyones favorite: hatin’ on the airlines!

Featuring stories by Larry Wood, Joe Mellon, Tim Schreiber, Jim Petersen, Mary Hoefler and host Diane Kastiel.

See ya on Tuesday, Aug. 25 at Evanston SPACE! Info & tickets at www.firstpersonlive.com.

Address

10 S. Vail Ave.
Arlington Heights, IL
60005

Website

http://www.firstpersonlive.com/

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