Oh gosh. Here it comes. We are starting to feel really, really festive. Join us at The Book Cellar this Monday, November 18 at 7pm for our 4th birthday and, as always, a night of awesome stories in support of 826CHI. These talented folks will be helping us celebrate: Natasha Tsoutsouris is a writer and solo performer. She has had the … Continue reading
Essay Fiesta is getting old. November is our 4th birthday, which is about 72 in live lit years. We can hardly believe it’s been four whole years since Alyson and Keith started the show, and one year since they handed it over to Willy and Karen. But we do love an excuse to celebrate and … Continue reading
Hello bookish boys and gals! Last Essay Fiesta was a homerun! Our readers really brought it, and you really helped fund a great cause with a sizable amount of donations for 826CHI. Good work, team! Summer is here, which means the smell of literature is in the air. “Huh?” you say. That’s right. It’s the … Continue reading
Friday, right? Finally! That means just a stupid old weekend and then Essay Fiesta! And boy are we freaking excited for our last reader. The one. The only. Samantha Irby! Sam has been tearing it up lately in the local lit performance circuit. Besides co-running her own show the Sunday Night Sex Show, she’s read all … Continue reading
Before we introduce the last reader at our Essay Fiesta holiday show (the wonderful J.H. Palmer), we just want to give a big THANK YOU to Newcity for recognizing us and Chicago’s storytelling scene as part of its annual Best of Chicago feature. J.H. is a writer for Gapers Block. She’s also a regular presence … Continue reading
Hey Essay Fiesta peeps! If you like your readers amazing (and I think we all do), then you have got to check out Tuesday’s edition of This Much Is True. Host Scott Whitehair, Chicago Story Collective’s Jen Bosworth and Essay Fiesta’s Keith Ecker will be featured amongst others. The reading true stories that will most … Continue reading
Essay Fiesta is about to enter our terrific 2s, and we could not be happier to celebrate our birthday with some amazing special guests. On Nov. 21 at 7 p.m. at the Book Cellar, we’ll be holding an anniversary spectacular. Brace yourselves because this is going to be a show that will go down in … Continue reading
Essay Fiesta loves the vibrant reading community we have here in Chicago. Not only do we enjoy attending other shows and reading at other shows, we enjoy welcoming other show representatives to our show to showcase their shows. And this gal, Deanna Moffitt, runs one of the best shows around. Deanna is one of the … Continue reading
Just off the heels of celebrating America, Essay Fiesta is ready to celebrate the mighty essay with an amazing July line-up. Come out on July 18 to the Book Cellar to hear some absolutely amazing readers and donate to a wonderful cause (826CHI). In no particular order (we love them all equally): Stand-up comic Cameron Esposito … Continue reading
This Saturday June 4 at 6:15 p.m., the Chicago Story Collective, which includes Keith Ecker and Alyson Lyon of Essay Fiesta, will be performing a special set as part of the Printers Row Fest’s Lit After Dark programming. This is a huge honor, and we really hope some of our dedicated fans will come out … Continue reading
Essay Fiesta 