This Evening’s Storytellers
Hayes M. Fields II
has been in front of audiences practically since birth. As a child, he sang with his mother and his sisters in a well-known gospel group, aptly named the Fields Singers. He was introduced to theatre formally through the Harlem Children's Theater Company and performed in Europe and Africa, as well as on most of the major stages and Off-Broadway stages in New York City.
Hayes went on to appear in films, write his own scripts and music, produce music videos, and move to the Capital
]=[ -P)O(I7YTRDTAZ. He sang with popular local party band The Refrigerators in the early 2000s and has appeared in numerous productions with Park Playhouse, Capital Repertory Theatre, and the Black Theatre Troupe of Upstate New York.
His most recent projects include launching the talk show Various Fields on YouTube and exercising his comedy muscles as a member of both a house team and the mainstage company at The Mopco Improv Theatre.
Beverly P. Schwartz
is an educator, speaker, and creator of the first STEM program in the US. A third-grade teacher in Troy, New York, she turned a lack of resources into an opportunity, building partnerships with engineers, scientists, businesses, universities, parents, and educators. Her program became known as STEM in 1990 and expanded across four counties. Today, Beverly shares her story nationally and internationally, encouraging educators and students to embrace curiosity, creativity, and the courage to create their own path.
Sandy Shuman
brings folk tales and historical sagas to life (“Some of our folklore is truly unbelievable, some of our history is even more so!”) and reveals the little-known stories behind some of our best-known songs. He tells personal adventures and stories in the Jewish storytelling tradition. He plays his theme song on a Jew’s harp. When you hear him play the guitar and sing, you’ll know why he calls himself a storyteller.
Adam Biggs
took his first improv class at Mopco a year ago and has found immense joy in being part of the local improv community. He has no other formal theater training but serves as a history professor at RPI which, according to some, is the same thing.
Dee Lee Wind
a professional storyteller for more than 30 years, has presented throughout the U.S., the U.K. and France. Her expressive arts training, as well as her background in drama, speech and theatre, adds warmth, sensitivity and a dramatic flair to her storytelling. Dee performs storytelling concerts and does storytelling work-shops for children, family audiences and adults. She also hosts storytelling programs in her home several times a year. She is a member of the Story Circle of the Capital District.
Ross Louie
is a local stand up comedian and actor. His is a storied history of misadventures and fortunate findings. When he's not hiding behind a book, he can usually be found somewhere on a stage in the capital district.
Mike Eisenstein
is a high school teacher in the Capital Region and a questionably famous stand-up and improv comic with some odd world stories. Mike first came to national attention in James Cameron’s Titanic where he was the stunt double for the iceberg. In his free time, Mike can be found telling bird facts to strangers in the park which make you question if he is lying to you. Surely that bird can’t be known as a Butter Butt?
Jen DeGroff
is the Founder of TrueIcon Inc., where she helps high-achievers stop living for everyone else's expectations and start building a life that genuinely gives them energy. After 12 years in corporate marketing and business strategy, and 6 years as a personal trainer, she made the bold leap to leave it all behind to create impact at a greater level. Through coaching, speaking, and workshops, Jen helps women identify what's holding them back and move forward with clarity, confidence, and a strong sense of self, guided by her mission to help others stay true and boldly grow.
Richard Moran, Jr.
grew up in Scotia, NY, earning a BA in Theater from SUNY Cortland (1989) and a Master of Divinity from Northeastern Seminary (2017). A former member and director of three improv comedy troupes (1999–2004), Richard famously ran his dog, Loffredo, for Mayor of Schenectady in 1999 to the chagrin of local officials. Raised Roman Catholic, he converted to African Methodism in 2006, serving five years as an ordained pastor. Today, he is an Independent Catholic priest co-pastoring St. John of God Parish in Schenectady and serves as a Clinical Chaplain Supervisor at Ellis Hospital.
Craig Petreikis
I arrived in Schenectady at the age of ten and always felt as if this was where I was supposed to be. It’s only fitting that I ended up here improvising at MOPCO. A member of DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE, Craig has been improvising since 2016. An artist and art organizer, Craig also runs ART NIGHT SCHENECTADY, and the ELECTRIC CITY ARTS CONTEST.