The series finale of Star Trek: The Next Generation was entitled “All Good Things…” It’s a reference to an old adage – “all good things must come to an end.” It was true in the 14th Century, it’ll apparently be true in the 24th, and it’s true today in the 21st.

So it is with our Come As You Are series. It’s been an engaging, thought-provoking, and surprising six months of free-wheeling stories. But as we savor the last few days of summer and turn our eyes to autumn, we say goodbye to Come As You Are.

Starting in September, we’ll be bringing you two different types of show each month – a return to our signature themed shows, and showcase shows with smaller casts featuring prominent and up-and-coming tellers. (More on that in a few days.)

But before that, we’ve got one last anything-can-happen hurrah for you! Join us this Saturday, August 29th, to bid adieu (for now) to Come As You Are. Grab your tickets now! And let’s take a look at the incredible cast we’ve assembled for the season finale!

Named as the best known storyteller in the south by Bitter Southerner magazine, Ray Christian’s stories have appeared in Readers Digest’s Best Stories in America and American Heroes editions. He was selected as the 2017 Serenbe France Focus Storytelling Fellow (Atlanta, GA) and his stories have been featured on NPR shows including The Moth Radio Hour, Snap Judgment, and Backstory, as well as the RISK! podcast (among many others). As a competitive storyteller, Ray is a ten-time Moth Story Slam Champion, and winner of the 2016 National Storytelling Festival Story Slam. Sharing his stories across the U.S. and Canada, Ray has made several appearances on Moth Mainstage, the National Storytelling Festival Exchange Place (2019), and was part of the 2018 tour of Snap Judgment Live!

Ray is currently the producer and host of What’s Ray Saying, a podcast that utilizes history, storytelling and commentary to provide a unique perspective on the African American cultural experience. Most recently, Dr. Raymond Christian has received the prestigious Fulbright Specialist Scholar Award as an expert in Education and Storytelling Narrative.

Jane Dorfman tells tales of dutiful daughters and wise women and tales from the Arabian Nights. She tells personal stories about her New Orleans childhood and her Maryland neighbors, her favorite being “Daddy’s on the Roof and He’s Got the Ax.” She has recently started entering liar’s contests and finds it very liberating.

Carol Moore is a storyteller and public speaking coach who lives to connect and entertain through stories. With a style of storytelling that is comedic, conversational and authentic, she has presented at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, served as a speaker coach for TED speakers through TEDxTysons, and received the title of Moth StorySLAM Champion. She’s also competed in public speaking competitions with Toastmasters International and is a member of both the National Storytelling Network and the National Communication Association. When Carol is not working, she can likely be found on her cozy couch, happily crocheting blankets and watching Marvel movies.

Giselle Ruzany MA LPC has been an artist and dancer for most of her life, performing and collaborating internationally with local artists. She is an adjunct faculty at the Dance and Theater Department at George Washington University and a Licensed Professional Counselor in private practice in Washington DC. Throughout her journey as a psychotherapist and choreographer, Giselle has been investigating the crossroads between dance and psychology and how the world of somatic informs both. Visit Gestalt Dance for more information about her private practice, see her dancing with The Maida Withers Dance Construction Company here, and check out her embodied digital storytelling here.

Cathy Smith has performed for Better Said Than Done, Story District, Perfect Liar’s Club and other venues for the last nine years. She teaches storytelling to young and older adults through Joe’s Movement Emporium in Mount Rainier, Md. She also teaches memoir writing over zoom.

This is Kathy Stershic’s 4th appearance with BSTD. A big fan of storytelling, she weaves in tales from her transcontinental journey, having grown up in New Jersey, migrating to the west coast for a many years, and finally coming back to her east coast roots, but this time as a Virginian. A long-time Silicon Valley veteran, her day job is working with tech companies on their strategic communication requirements. An avid sailor, tonight she’s coming to us live from her sailboat Eos on the beautiful Chesapeake Bay. 

Dr. Ruth Walkup has been a college professor, a senior-level diplomat serving with the US government overseas, a Washington DC-based public health manager focusing on refugees resettled in the US and on US representation to UNICEF Board, a workshop developer and facilitator for professional and personal topics, a legislative fellow in the House of Representatives, and an executive coach. These days she spends her energy as a leadership consultant, a participant-observer (she is a cultural anthropologist by training), a wistful Global Nomad, and a storyteller. Ruth lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains and serves on the Board of the Virginia Storytelling Alliance (VASA).

Your host to wrap up Come As You Are is, fittingly, our founder and fearless leader, Jessica Robinson. Yours truly, Jack Scheer, will be clicking all the things to bring the sights and sounds to your devices.

Come As You Are shows are pay-what-you-can. The suggested contribution is our usual “at the door” price of $15, with a minimum contribution of just $5. All proceeds are shared among the performers and Better Said Than Done. Tickets are available until 7:00 P.M. EDT on the day of the show. Beat the rush and get yours now!