Storytelling Open Mic-WALK-INS WELCOME

DNS takes place the second Wednesday of every month. No Cover Charge!

Do Not Submit Lake Forest takes place in a cozy room in the Gorton Center, Lake Forest. It is a monthly storytelling open mic in an enthusiastic, supportive environment free from pressure, judgment, or scoring. No experience is necessary to participate. All are welcome to speak or simply listen. Arrive at 7:15 to sign up for a spot, and when your name is called, participants will have up to 7 minutes to tell/read/tap dance any personal story/fiction/essay on proper flossing they’d like. All language and content is acceptable except for hate speech. No cover charge. Beer, wine and non alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase. Hosted by Jasmin Rodriguez, Suzie Garfield & Lisa Parr

About Your Host:

Jasmin Rodriguez is a trained actress with over 10 years of stage, commercial, film, storytelling experience. Most recently she completed commercial’s for BrightStar Care and Spirit Juice. She has worked  in several independent films, such as “Faithful Disappointment’s”, Market Value” and the TV true crime series “American Greed”. She completed her training at Second City, Vagabond, Sarantos Studios, Wheaton Drama, and Gorton Drama Studio. Jasmin is a dedicated actress and hard worker who is constantly looking to improve her skills. She is currently working as an MC for DO NOT SUBMIT – Lake Forest Open Mic and sharing wonderful stories with her guest. She enjoys powerwalking by the lake, bike riding, singing in her church choir & travels to Europe. 

Suzie Garfield expects everyone to have stories (not just a story) to tell. As for her own background: She’s raised her 2 sons to adulthood. She’s programmed computers, managed business projects, learned as much as she could about other stuff, taught as much of it as she could get to interest other people, and always—always—told the stories about any and all of it. Now, as a retiree from the conventional workforce, an empty nester, a consumer of food, opera, theater, museums, the visual arts, and miscellaneous other adventures, and a perpetual storyteller, she keeps looking for and finding the next challenge, the next thing to learn, do, and teach, and the next story.

After teaching studio art and art history in high school and colleges, Lisa Parr opened and still runs her business internationally restoring Historic Landmark antique carousels, speaking and writing articles on them and her specialty of original paint. Additional application of her skills is for legal work, court verifying and identifying carousel figures for insurance, damage, and theft for private collectors, as well as appraisals for museums, art dealers, and auctions. In connection with carousel art, Lisa pursues research in early Celtic design and mythology on site in the upper isles of Scotland. Many early Celtic and pre-Christian designs are reproduced on carousels and carousel animals. Her interest in ancient and contemporary mythology has led her to research mountain storytelling, initiating more travel and recent storytelling, herself. Lisa has been telling Highland Park, Lake Forest, and several venues in Chicago. For fun, Lisa also restores antique wood toys and sports cars, which she drives with vigor and nostalgia.​