The Nutshell True Story Hour

In a Nutshell Storytelling
  • 5.0 (5)
  • Performing Arts
  • Updated Biweekly

True stories performed live on the In a Nutshell Storytelling stage, followed by honest conversations about how those stories were made. Performance, process, and a love letter to live storytelling—all in one episode. www.inanutshellstorytelling.com

  1. 6d ago

    Becky Lynn thought she found the perfect man

    One day, Becky Lynn found herself on the other side of a long-term relationship, finally with enough distance and a healthy headspace to get back out there. It’d been a long time since she’d been on the dating scene, and much had changed. How does one even find “Mr. Right” nowadays? And did she even want a Mr. Right, something serious? She wasn’t totally sure. But then she DID meet Mr. Right, the perfect man, someone she might be able to build a fulfilling life with. So Becky jumped in, heart first. Soon, something happened that made it clear Mr. Right was living a double life. Faced with the crushing reality that the man she loved had been lying to her, she weighed her options and came up with three solutions. At our live show, Becky tells the audience her three solutions, lets them choose which one she should’ve acted on, and ends her harrowing, emotional story without saying what she ultimately decided. Fortunately, when we interviewed Becky for this podcast episode, she dishes on all the details, including her choices for dealing with a lying fool and why she handled it the way she did. It’s a fantastic conversation! We also get updates on her love life. Spoiler alert: Things have gotten much better. Becky has her feet firmly planted in the storytelling scene and the comedy world. For more info, go here.  The Nutshell Three: Amy Bee Keith Lowell Jensen Aaron Carnes Sound Engineer: Chris Reeves Thank you to: DJ Yuma Tripp for allowing us to use his song “Lazy Skank” for our episodes and our live show. Hyperpixel for audio and video services. Sofia Theatre for a beautiful stage to gather around. Our photographer, Antonio Lovig. Babalou and Suzon Lucore for watching over our event table and engaging with people in the best way possible. We believe stories deserve to be heard and storytellers deserve to be paid, including the ones who make this podcast possible. If The Nutshell True Story Hour has ever made you laugh, cry, or feel a little less alone, consider becoming a paid subscriber. It's the most direct way to keep this going. And we are so grateful for every single person who does. xoxo, Amy Get full access to In a Nutshell Storytelling at www.inanutshellstorytelling.com/subscribe

    46 min
  2. Joe Klocek's parents institutionalized him

    Jun 11

    Joe Klocek's parents institutionalized him

    When Joe Klocek was a teenager, he realized he felt more strongly than others, especially lows. When he felt lows, they were really low. So low, he finally attempted suicide. His parents were well-meaning, but they didn’t know what to do, and decided to have him committed. Maybe the instinct was right, but the mental institution provided very little actual care, and Joe felt like he was being held in prison, wasting his days watching Three’s Company reruns. Since Joe was a minor, he didn’t have any agency to decide whether or not he had to be institutionalized and eventually went to court to get released. The problem? His parents went to court too—to fight to keep him committed. What ensued was a battle for Joe’s freedom and sanity, possibly at the cost of his family. Joe told this story at our February 2026 show, The People Who Made Us. He’d been wanting to tell this tale for years, but as a comedian, felt uncomfortable doing so. But he finally faced this piece of his past on our stage, and wow, was it moving. Our interview with him, a week later (At JP Frary’s house), was also a compelling emotional ride for Joe. We’re honored and appreciative he decided to share his story with us and our audience. And now we get to share it with you, too. Joe is an iconic SF comedian, and you can check him out here. The Nutshell Three: Amy Bee Keith Lowell Jensen Aaron Carnes Sound Engineer: Chris Reeves Thank you to: DJ Yuma Tripp for allowing us to use his song “Lazy Skank” for our episodes and our live show. Hyperpixel for audio and video services. Sofia Theatre for a beautiful stage to gather around. Our photographer, Antonio Lovig. Babalou and Suzon Lucore for watching over our event table and engaging with people in the best way possible. Get full access to In a Nutshell Storytelling at www.inanutshellstorytelling.com/subscribe

    1h 7m
  3. JP Frary secretly watched other families living normal lives

    May 27

    JP Frary secretly watched other families living normal lives

    When JP Frary was sexually assaulted in his youth, no one in his family knew how to talk to him about it. They would get this look in their eyes that JP couldn’t quite identify. Was it worry? Pity? Accusation? With no one—including himself—having the words or the ability to process what had happened, JP began to spend long stretches alone, haunting the woods on the outskirts of his small hometown in Northern California. It seemed a reasonable outcome, or perhaps a foregone conclusion, he decided, that he had become a ghost. During his time as a ghost, JP watched. He saw how the weather moved slowly, then suddenly, in the backwoods of his home. He saw the creek burble with motion and then puddle up like wannabe tide pools. He watched the trees. He watched the wildlife. And when his wanderings led him to the backyards and the manicured lawns and the sliding glass doors of families with mothers and fathers and sisters and brothers, well, he watched them, too. Because JP was a ghost, and that’s what ghosts do. We’re honored JP shared this story with us and on our stage. Listen to the story first, then hear JP talk with us about how difficult it was to put this particular story together. The Nutshell Three: Amy Bee Keith Lowell Jensen Aaron Carnes Sound Engineer: Chris Reeves Thank you to: DJ Yuma Tripp for allowing us to use his song “Lazy Skank” for our episodes and our live show. Hyperpixel for audio and video services. Sofia Theatre for a beautiful stage to gather around. Our photographer, Antonio Lovig. Babalou and Suzon Lucore for watching over our event table and engaging with people in the best way possible. Get full access to In a Nutshell Storytelling at www.inanutshellstorytelling.com/subscribe

    1h 16m
  4. The military sent Kathleen Taylor to London

    May 13

    The military sent Kathleen Taylor to London

    When Kathleen Taylor enlisted in the military as a young woman, she’d already lived a full life. Or so she believed. When they sent her to London, she saw herself as knowledgeable and worldly, someone who could adapt to any situation she was dropped into. But not only did her rigid ideas on style and “how to experience London” rub her colleagues the wrong way, but the only other woman in the military unit (Sue Ellen)—a very unworldly, uncultured person—was the one everyone wanted to hang out with. As Kathleen found herself in unpretentious punk clubs surrounded by folks with no sense of shame, she learned a valuable lesson about herself. She may know a lot from books and a big brain, but she has no chill. We sat down with Kathleen in her beautiful Sacramento home. She was a delight to talk with about her story; it was abundantly clear how different she is now from the person she was back then. Aside from being a fantastic writer and storyteller, Kathleen is a professor, an Air Force veteran, and the founder of Veteran Women’s Voices, which supports women military veterans in California in developing the writing skills and confidence to express their unique experiences. The Nutshell Three: Amy Bee Keith Lowell Jensen Aaron Carnes Sound Engineer: Chris Reeves Thank you to: DJ Yuma Tripp for allowing us to use his song “Lazy Skank” for our episodes and our live show. Hyperpixel for audio and video services. Sofia Theatre for a beautiful stage to gather around. Our photographer, Antonio Lovig. Babalou and Suzon Lucore for watching over our event table and engaging with people in the best way possible. Get full access to In a Nutshell Storytelling at www.inanutshellstorytelling.com/subscribe

    59 min

  5. Apr 29

    John Aubert Goes The Wrong Direction

    Travel. Who doesn’t love a good trip. It can be be in a plane, train or automobile. As long as it gets you from point A to point B, and you experience some life in the process. Our theme last November was “Planes, Trains and Automobiles.” And while we intended that to give us a bounty of holiday stories. Sacramento-based storyteller John Aubert (host of Do Tell and Assistant Events Producer at Capital Storytelling) took the prompt quite literal. His story involved travel. And while each of these forms of transportation were mentioned. It was the automobile that was the focus of his story. There’s nothing quite like hitting the road and making good miles. That was the trip John thought was was having, until he noticed a few peculiar details on his journey. Humiliation ensued. After the story, we sat down with John at the Sofia Theater to learn why this story was so embarrassing for him to tell on stage. Isn’t pain where all the best stories come from? The Nutshell True Story Hour is presented by In a Nutshell Storytelling The Nutshell Three: Amy Bee Keith Lowell Jensen Aaron Carnes Sound Engineer: Chris Reeves Thank you to: DJ Yuma Tripp for allowing us to use his song “Lazy Skank” for our episodes and our live show. Hyperpixel for audio and video services. Sofia Theatre for a beautiful stage to gather around. Babalou and Suzon Lucore for watching over our event table and engaging with people in the best way possible. YOU can also subscribe for true stories and backstage conversations from the In a Nutshell community. Get full access to In a Nutshell Storytelling at www.inanutshellstorytelling.com/subscribe

    58 min
  6. DNA wants to be the mayor of Chico

    Apr 15

    DNA wants to be the mayor of Chico

    Storyteller/comedian DNA has done a lot of things in his career. He’s put on big comedy festivals in Santa Cruz, he’s done extensive journalistic pieces, and he’s even recently made a movie. But perhaps his strangest pursuit was running for Mayor of Chico…five times! When DNA came to In a Nutshell last year to tell his story of running for mayor, the theme was “It’s a beautiful day.” The reason it was a beautiful day for DNA was that he didn’t run his campaign(s) like a normal politician. There were pranks, publicity stunts and jokes. “Nudes for Nader” was one of the most famous publicity stunts that emerged from all of this. Some of it was designed to comment on the foul nature of American politics. So, when we talked to DNA (In Chico, of course), we got quite philosophical in our conversation. The sour state of politics, the dumbing down of American culture and the hopelessness that any of it will ever get better. It’s a fun listen! Plus, we find out if he still wants to be the mayor of Chico. The Nutshell True Story Hour is presented by In a Nutshell Storytelling The Nutshell Three: Amy Bee Keith Lowell Jensen Aaron Carnes Sound Engineer: Chris Reeves Thank you to: DJ Yuma Tripp for allowing us to use his song “Lazy Skank” for our episodes and our live show. Hyperpixel for audio and video services. Sofia Theatre for a beautiful stage to gather around. Babalou and Suzon Lucore for watching over our event table and engaging with people in the best way possible. SHOUT OUT to Frances Southwick for becoming a paid subscriber and supporting live storytelling! You’re our ride or die, Frances! YOU can also subscribe for true stories and backstage conversations from the In a Nutshell community. Get full access to In a Nutshell Storytelling at www.inanutshellstorytelling.com/subscribe

    54 min
  7. Anne Rutherford seeks an "A-HA" moment at a silent Buddhist retreat

    Apr 2

    Anne Rutherford seeks an "A-HA" moment at a silent Buddhist retreat

    Anne Rutherford wasn’t booked on our show, In a Nutshell storytelling. But one of our storytellers got sick, and Anne—an audience member and professional storyteller—volunteered to replace her. Anne stole the show. The theme that night was “Eureka,” and Anne immediately knew which story she wanted to tell. It involved love (of course), but more specifically, falling for the wrong person. Someone who didn’t seem to be all that interested in her, but she couldn’t stop thinking about him. It took a silent meditation retreat and witnessing the unusual behaviors of some roaming peacocks for Anne to say, “Eureka! This guy isn’t right for me!” For this episode, we drove up to Anne’s beautiful house in Chico, CA, and discussed her story. We learned a bunch about other storytelling genres besides true and personal. Turns out, Anne does them all! In fact, one of her most popular characters, Clementine, made an appearance during the interview. The Nutshell True Story Hour is presented by In a Nutshell Storytelling The Nutshell Three: Amy Bee Keith Lowell Jensen Aaron Carnes Sound Engineer: Chris Reeves Thank you to: DJ Yuma Tripp for allowing us to use his song “Lazy Skank” for our episodes and our live show. Hyperpixel for audio and video services. Sofia Theatre for a beautiful stage to gather around. Babalou and Suzon Lucore for watching over our event table and engaging with people in the best way possible. SHOUT OUT to Frances Southwick for becoming a paid subscriber and supporting live storytelling! You’re our ride or die, Frances! YOU can also subscribe for true stories and backstage conversations from the In a Nutshell community. Get full access to In a Nutshell Storytelling at www.inanutshellstorytelling.com/subscribe

    45 min
  8. Joe Hunter went on "Survivor" to honor his sister

    Mar 18

    Joe Hunter went on "Survivor" to honor his sister

    Sacramento firefighter Joe Hunter applied to be a contestant on Survivor as a way to cope with the grief of the loss of his sister, who was murdered in a case of domestic abuse. Joe, who loved his sister dearly, had fought with her the last time they’d spoken, and the regret was tearing him apart. Joe’s therapist suggested he do something that his sister loved. She’d always wanted to be on Survivor, so he applied. And he made it on. He finished third in season 48 and was so loved that he was invited to the All-Star season 50, which is currently airing. Last September, Joe told his story on the Nutshell stage, where he shared how being a Survivor contestant simultaneously healed him and messed with his sense of reality. In this episode of the Nutshell True Story Hour, we dig into all these topics even deeper. Joe is an absolutely delightful human and was extremely gracious with us. This podcast is free for everyone, and it’s made possible by our paid subscribers. If you’d like to support stories like Joe’s, becoming a paid subscriber helps us keep going. xoxo, Amy The Nutshell True Story Hour is presented by In a Nutshell Storytelling The Nutshell Three: Amy Bee Keith Lowell Jensen Aaron Carnes Sound Engineer: Chris Reeves Thank you to: DJ Yuma Tripp for allowing us to use his song “Lazy Skank” for our episodes and our live show. Hyperpixel for audio and video services. Sofia Theatre for a beautiful stage to gather around. Babalou and Suzon Lucore for watching over our event table and engaging with people in the best way possible. Get full access to In a Nutshell Storytelling at www.inanutshellstorytelling.com/subscribe

    1h 4m
See All (21)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

True stories performed live on the In a Nutshell Storytelling stage, followed by honest conversations about how those stories were made. Performance, process, and a love letter to live storytelling—all in one episode. www.inanutshellstorytelling.com

Information

  • Creator
    In a Nutshell Storytelling
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    21
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Amy Bee
  • Show Website
    The Nutshell True Story Hour

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