
Music
Stuart Rojstaczer, American Mutt Music
Stories
Anthony Michael Jefferson, The Bumpy Road Less Traveled
The Bumpy Road Less Traveled is AJ’s journey through the harsh and at times deadly world of incarceration. He spent twenty three years navigating the roads of being a non-gang member in prison, while yearning for his freedom, oatmeal cookies, and surfing at his break in Hermosa Beach California.
Barbara Pastorello, Long White Socks
This is a story of how a special relationship was cut affected by the repressive values of 1970’s New England.
Lauren Mayer, Don’t Mind Me, I’ll Just Sit Here In The Dark: Reclaiming and Reframing the Jewish Mother
Comedy has evolved past most ethnic humor, but Jewish Mothers are still stuck in a Borscht Belt caricature of a nagging, intrusive monster. Lauren takes a look at the history of the caricature and why it’s important to update it. How do we find ways to laugh that celebrate our heritage while moving past an inaccurate and harmful stereotype?
Albertina Zarazúa Padilla, Not a whole lot of people…
Sometimes we all need a “little story” medicine.
About the Performers
Stuart Rojstaczer gets bored easily and has done lots of different stuff: geophysics prof (Duke), bestselling novelist (Mathematician’s Shiva, Penguin), memoirist (Gone for Good, Oxford) and librettist (Fordlandia, Fort Worth Opera). With his band, Stuart Rosh & The Geniuses, he’s put out four albums and has charted on the Americana Music Association Top 40. He has lectured around the world, has appeared on CNN, ESPN and NPR, and tries to be a decent husband.
Anthony Michael Jefferson (AJ), is a Le Cordon Bleu trained Chef, actor, and activist. He has been performing locally for the past four years. The first role he landed was in The Box, which toured nationally. The Box depicts the persistence of humanity despite the torture of solitary confinement. He has performed at the Marsh SF, with the Marin Shakespeare Company, and at the Monkey House Theater in Berkeley where he is featured regularly as a storyteller. AJ is also a Fellow in the Formerly Incarcerated People’s Performance Project.
Barbara Pastorello was born in New England and has been living in San Francisco since the early nineties. She has long wanted to be a storyteller. As a child, she kept a notebook of life events she could someday talk about. Now, after retiring from a career in finance, she has that chance.
Lauren Mayer is a prolific songwriter, teaching artist, performer, and political satirist whose weekly topical comedy songs have attracted millions of views (and almost as many trolls). She teaches Musical Theatre at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and is a regular panelist on Brian Copeland’s podcast, Copeland’s Corner. Lauren is a 5-time recipient of the San Francisco Cabaret Gold Award and has released over 20 albums of award-winning comedy songs and educational music. In her spare time, she teaches tap dancing. Despite all the awards and accomplishments, Lauren’s mother still doesn’t understand why she didn’t go to law school. laurenmayer.com
Albertina Zarazúa Padilla is an educator and the Co-Founder of www.MiHistoria.net where she facilitates workshops and curates the online archive. She is on the board of Luna Dance & Creativity and dances with the Elders Project of Destiny Arts Center.