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Jingle Tales & Tunes
Our fun and festive 3rd holiday show raised over $3,000
for Family Service Agency of Burbank in December 2024
Want to see what you missed or revisit your favorite stories?
Check out the videos in the photos of our show below, with much thanks to Susy Shearer for the great still shots and Matt Bond for the videos.
Jingle Tales Videos
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Meet the Cast of Jingle Tales 2024!
Pilar Alessandra
is the director of the screenwriting program On the Page®, host of the On the Page Podcast (now in its 17th year) and author ofThe Coffee Break Screenwriter. She’s been a regular storyteller at the Story Salon in LA and is delighted to have been invited to share a story with Jam Creative. Socials: @onthepage
Brent Beerman
A graduate of UCLA with an MFA in playwriting, Brent’s original productions include: Gabriel’s Rapture, winner of the Corner Stage National Theater Contest, Dancing in the Shadows winner of the Pacificus Foundation of Los Angeles Literary Award. In addition, Lemon Squeeze was performed at the Hong Kong Youth Theater and the multimedia opera JESUS' DAUGHTER, was featured on CNN. A Dull Pain Turned Sharp was featured at the HOWL Festival in New York City and The Group Rep Theater in North Hollywood presented its World Premier. A Journey of Angels was presented at the Armenian Consulate as well as in Yerevan Armenia, and Mourning Song received its World Premier at the Group Rep Theater. Brent has performed in storytelling venues in Los Angeles and San Diego including “Manecdotes” at the Colony Theater. “I Survived the Golden Arches” was included in True Stories About Family" published by Chicago Story Press.
Pattie Fitzgerald
has been working as a stand-up comedian and actor for the past 25 years. Her professional career includes performances at The Comedy Store, The Improv, The Laff Factory and Catch a Rising Star in NYC. In addition to her love for all things comedic, Pattie also works tirelessly as a child-safety advocate and keynote speaker.
She is the author of two highly acclaimed children’s books:
“No Trespassing-This Is MY Body!” and “Super Duper Safety School.”
Pattie is the founder of the child safety advocacy agency, www.safelyeverafter.com based in Santa Monica, CA.
She is the author of two highly acclaimed children’s books:
“No Trespassing-This Is MY Body!” and “Super Duper Safety School.”
Pattie is the founder of the child safety advocacy agency, www.safelyeverafter.com based in Santa Monica, CA.
Lauri Fraser
is an American voice actress and Los Angeles native who has spent more than 20 years voicing for film, TV, dubbing and video games. Lauri can be found performing stories at a host of venues in and around the LA area and she produced her own acclaimed live storytelling series and podcast, "I Love A Good Story," for eleven years. But she's most proud of her performance as herself on the mega-hit ABC television series "Shark Tank." Lauri and her sister pitched their father's invention, 'Hugo's Amazing Tape' -- and got a deal! That's show business!
Cara Lopez Lee
is the author of the critically acclaimed novel, Candlelight Bridge, and the memoir, They Only Eat Their Husbands. She’s a winner of The Moth StorySLAM and is featured in many storytelling shows, including Risk and Strong Words. Her writing appears in such publications as the Los Angeles Times, Manifest-Station, and Rivet. Cara and her husband live in Ventura, where they enjoy tending their small Certified Wildlife Habitat full of birds, bees, and butterflies.
Pablo Marz
is an actor, storyteller, improviser, director, and teacher. He’s been acting professionally in theatre, TV, and film for over 30 years, and has performed and taught improvisation, storytelling, and theatre for art institutions, LAUSD, and corporate team building retreats.
Pablo is also the creator and producer of the popular storytelling show, Tell It! True Stories and Personal Essays, now in its tenth year of production. Pablo was born and raised in L.A., breathing L.A. smog, drinking L.A. tap water, and swimming in the Santa Monica Bay. Nothing can kill him.
Pablo is also the creator and producer of the popular storytelling show, Tell It! True Stories and Personal Essays, now in its tenth year of production. Pablo was born and raised in L.A., breathing L.A. smog, drinking L.A. tap water, and swimming in the Santa Monica Bay. Nothing can kill him.
Boyce Miller
lives and works in Southern California but grew up steeped in the storytelling traditions of western North Carolina. He has drawn on those traditions in his wide-ranging work as an accomplished actor, writer, poet, songwriter, and corporate communication consultant. Seeking to bring 40-grit truth honesty and unflinching honesty to his work, Boyce feels the best stories are the next ones he is always ready to hear from anyone, and the new ones that the Imagination and the Universe are about to whisper in our hearts and souls.
Johanna Stein
is an Emmy-nominated Writer-Producer-Director-Actor-Canadian-American-Hyphen-Overuser. If you are a parent to a young child, chances are that she has written, produced, or developed at least one animated show that has been overplayed in your household (ps: for that she is sorry).
A proud dropout of AFI film school, Johanna has acted in movies (“Mulholland Drive”, “Shoot or Be Shot”)… wrote a bestselling book about parenthood (“How Not to Calm a Child on a Plane”)… produced and starred in “Momhead”, a viral video that landed her on “The Today Show”… and wrote and directed “It’s Illogical”, an award-winning comedic series of PSA’s about sexual assault (yes, really) that are used to educate students in high schools and colleges around the country.
Johanna is passionate about comedy and its potential to foster empathy, understanding, and social change. She also thinks farts are funny.
A proud dropout of AFI film school, Johanna has acted in movies (“Mulholland Drive”, “Shoot or Be Shot”)… wrote a bestselling book about parenthood (“How Not to Calm a Child on a Plane”)… produced and starred in “Momhead”, a viral video that landed her on “The Today Show”… and wrote and directed “It’s Illogical”, an award-winning comedic series of PSA’s about sexual assault (yes, really) that are used to educate students in high schools and colleges around the country.
Johanna is passionate about comedy and its potential to foster empathy, understanding, and social change. She also thinks farts are funny.
Our musical guest
Abby Posner
has been a working musician in Los Angeles for the past 18 + years. She is best known for her ability to play nearly any instrument that she can get her hands on, twisting genres, and pushing the boundaries of folk, roots, electronic, and pop music making her "Genre Fluid." If you have seen Abby perform live, you know she can play a fierce lead-blues guitar solo, or throw down a complex Earl Scruggs banjo riff. You also may have spotted her playing drums, mandolin, or bass while using her looping pedal. In addition to her versatility, she puts passion and soul into everything she does. Posner's live shows are simply mesmerizing. Her energy is comparable to Chris Thile of Nickel Creek, and The Lumineers. Posner’s songs range from intimate haunting folk songs, to upbeat festival/dance your pants off hits.
This CalArts music graduate has composed & produced music for commercials/TV, films, and radio shows all over the globe (including Hulu’s Maggie, The Fosters, This American Life, The Art of More, and Last Tango in Halifax, custom songs for Facebook, Viacom-CBS, and CW’s Kung Fu). She also has music placed in commercials and TV shows all over China, Sweden, The UK, and Australia. Posner appeared in two episodes of GLEE on season four playing banjo and guitar, and the Freeform show Famous In Love playing banjo, as well as performing live several times on KCAL 9 news and Good Day LA.
Abby has also scored the music for multiple films (Across Land Across Sea, Through Their Eyes, award winning short animation Elizabeth Sees, and recently scored the Award-winning Documentary Lady Buds) while playing and touring all over the US. In 2019 Posner played banjo and sang Wagon Wheel as a featured principal role in Bank Of America's ad campaign for the Ken Burn’s PBS Country Music Documentary along side Dom Flemons and Amythyst Kiah.
After signing with Gary Calamar’s licensing company Laurel Canon in 2016, Abby Posner has gained major recognition in the LA music scene. Opening for such iconic acts as PHRANC, Sierra Hull, and Dustbowl Revival. She has released multiple albums under her name, and Abby & The Myth, and recently released her first full length album under Blackbird Record Label in 2023 titled Second Chances.
Abby Posner teamed up with Ships Have Sailed to write hit song Get Loud in 2023. Get Loud continues to Chart the Alternative Rock/indie Radio charts, and won the grand prize in the USA Songwriter Competition in 2023.
In 2020 Abby Posner won the Carl Gage "Give me Shelter in Place" Songwriting Award through the Topanga Folk Festival for her original song Blind Spots, and she received the runner up for her song Emergency Use Only for the 18th Annual International Acoustic Music Awards. She was honored to land Official Showcases at Folk Alliance International in 2022 and 2024 after signing with her booking agency Baker Booking (now Rockwood Booking.)
Posner was an official Showcase Artist at Americana Fest 2023, and her music video Quiet On Sunset was recently featured on CMT.
This CalArts music graduate has composed & produced music for commercials/TV, films, and radio shows all over the globe (including Hulu’s Maggie, The Fosters, This American Life, The Art of More, and Last Tango in Halifax, custom songs for Facebook, Viacom-CBS, and CW’s Kung Fu). She also has music placed in commercials and TV shows all over China, Sweden, The UK, and Australia. Posner appeared in two episodes of GLEE on season four playing banjo and guitar, and the Freeform show Famous In Love playing banjo, as well as performing live several times on KCAL 9 news and Good Day LA.
Abby has also scored the music for multiple films (Across Land Across Sea, Through Their Eyes, award winning short animation Elizabeth Sees, and recently scored the Award-winning Documentary Lady Buds) while playing and touring all over the US. In 2019 Posner played banjo and sang Wagon Wheel as a featured principal role in Bank Of America's ad campaign for the Ken Burn’s PBS Country Music Documentary along side Dom Flemons and Amythyst Kiah.
After signing with Gary Calamar’s licensing company Laurel Canon in 2016, Abby Posner has gained major recognition in the LA music scene. Opening for such iconic acts as PHRANC, Sierra Hull, and Dustbowl Revival. She has released multiple albums under her name, and Abby & The Myth, and recently released her first full length album under Blackbird Record Label in 2023 titled Second Chances.
Abby Posner teamed up with Ships Have Sailed to write hit song Get Loud in 2023. Get Loud continues to Chart the Alternative Rock/indie Radio charts, and won the grand prize in the USA Songwriter Competition in 2023.
In 2020 Abby Posner won the Carl Gage "Give me Shelter in Place" Songwriting Award through the Topanga Folk Festival for her original song Blind Spots, and she received the runner up for her song Emergency Use Only for the 18th Annual International Acoustic Music Awards. She was honored to land Official Showcases at Folk Alliance International in 2022 and 2024 after signing with her booking agency Baker Booking (now Rockwood Booking.)
Posner was an official Showcase Artist at Americana Fest 2023, and her music video Quiet On Sunset was recently featured on CMT.
And Your Host,
Suzanne Weerts
JAM Creative founder and producing artistic director Suzanne Weerts moved to Los Angeles just weeks after graduating from UNC-Chapel Hill in 1988 with just $200 and a love of sunshine. She now craves the rare rainy day. A former television marketing executive turned community organizer and bridge builder, Suzanne is the mother of two young adults who continue to provide much material for her writing. She has shared stories on stages across Southern California including The Moth, Expressing Motherhood, Story Salon, 10x10, Off My Head, Breaker/Broken, WordNOW!, The Otter Story Hour, Backstory, Tales by the Sea and Storytime. Her work has been published in The Sun and Good Old Days magazines and in the recent anthologies Rings of Kindness and The Pandemic Midlife Crisis: GenX Women on the Brink (available on Amazon!) In 2016 and 2017 she co-directed/co-produced the national phenomena Listen To Your Mother Burbank alongside gifted director Taia Perry-Kretz, and has served as speaker coach for TEDxPasadenaWomen and as a mentor with Young Storytellers. A board member for the Burbank Human Relations Council and former Burbank Cultural Arts Commissioner, she is involved in numerous community causes and is a vigorous supporter of the arts and public education.
with gratitude to our sponsors
Jack O'Neill
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