Local Mentor Tackles Virtual Mentoring for Local Theatre Group

Kim Smith of Chicago has been mentoring two local young adults as part of Access Living’s Disability Justice Mentoring program which connects young people who have disabilities with adult mentors. When Tellin’ Tales Theatre’s program director Stephen Donart made a presentation at Access Living, it sparked Kim Smith’s theatre gene!

Smith is now part of Tellin’ Tales Theatre mentoring program Six Stories Up and this year’s annual production titled Six Stories Up in Defiance – a Video Game Musical. She is mentoring Naomi Reid, an 8th grader in Baltimore, Maryland, and the only cast member who does not live in the Chicago area. The cast is made up of members with and without disabilities.

The show was pre-recorded and runs Virtually from November 12 – November 21 on Vimeo. Running time is approximately 60 minutes. Tickets are available at https://www.simpletix.com/e/si...

What makes the Six Stories Up productions unique is that six middle school students and six adult mentors – with and without disabilities - write and star in a play following a different theme each year. The students tap into their own lives and experiences for inspiration. Since its inception in 1996 marking 2021 as its 25th anniversary, Tellin’ Tales Theatre has worked to shatter the barriers between the disabled and non-disabled worlds through the power of personal storytelling.

Kim Smith and Naomi Reid worked together virtually on their vignette which was later combined with five others and fashioned into a full production by Tekki Lomnicki, artistic director of Tellin’ Tales Theatre, and program director/ensemble member Stephen Donart. Original music, innovative sets and costumes were added.

Naomi Reid has been a member of The Growing Griots Literacy Learning Program, a youth storytelling group in Baltimore, since 2018. She is currently participating in an apprenticeship through the Maryland Arts Council with Griot Janice Curtis Greene. She happily joined the cast of Six Stories Up in Defiance to gain more experience with storytelling and writing, community building and artistic expression.

Kim Smith, who majored in Arts and Entertainment in college, was thrilled with her interaction with Reid. “On top of her great talent, Naomi has a beautiful, sweet spirit; it was an honor to work with her. Double honor to be part of such a wonderful mentorship program,” she said.

The cast for Six Stories Up in Defiance – a Video Game Musical includes middle school apprentices Henry Kephart (Oak Park, IL), Ashley Kruzel (Long Grove, IL), Jordyn Norberg (Highland Park, IL), Paloma Sagel-Vidal (Chicago), Tiernan Tijalli (Glencoe, IL), Naomi Reid (Baltimore, MD) and adult mentors Tekki Lomnicki (Chicago), Stephen Donart (Chicago), Nadia Stodder (Glenview, IL), Mary Hobein (Woodridge, IL), Kim D. Smith (Chicago) and Robert Teverbaugh (Chicago).

About Tellin’ Tales Theatre:

Founded in 1996, Tellin’ Tales Theatre was conceived by Tekki Lomnicki, Michael Blackwell, and Nancy Neven Shelton to promote and support a society where people of all abilities are accepted and equal, regardless of perceived ability. The mission of Tellin’ Tales Theatre is to shatter barriers between the disabled and non-disabled worlds through the transformative power of sharing personal narratives. For more information, please visit www.tellintales.org.