Public Speaker & Performer

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PUBLIC SPEAKER & PERFORMER

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With nearly two decades of experience as a performer, Janna brings a genuine, skillful, playful presence to the stage. She views the invitation to address people as an opportunity to listen for what they need, and put words to what matters. Janna uses personal narrative to highlight the beautiful, absurd, difficult, and hope-giving aspects of shared experience that often go unspoken. She enjoys making people laugh, sense possibility, and remember things they already know but may have forgotten. Janna speaks on the subjects of Healthy Communication and Creative Collaboration. She addresses listening and trust, and how these effect well-being in communities and individuals. She gives attention to the knowing life inside people, and the good things that may come from honoring it. With delight and humor, she examines the obstacles placed in the way of trusting ourselves and each other, and offers strategies for their removal.

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As a topical speaker, Janna has spoken for Columbia College, Young Chicago Authors, and at the 2017 Congress of The I&M Canal National Heritage Area where she gave the Keynote address. She has been a guest speaker on panels for WBEZ and the Young Non Profit Professionals Network, and once gave a Sunday sermon at Frank Lloyd Wright's Unity Temple!

As a solo performer and storyteller, Janna has been invited to stage two solo shows with Chicago Solo Theater, and she won the world-renowned Uptown Poetry Slam's first and only Story Slam. In Chicago's live-lit circles she has been honored as a Year's Best performer by The Encyclopedia Show and Real Talk Live, is a 3-time story slam winner with Write Club, and has been repeat-performer for Essay Fiesta, Story Club, This Much is True, and Chicago Slam Works. She's been a featured writer/performer for The Antidote, Young Chicago Authors, Story Sessions, Small Fish Radio Theater and Write Bloody Publishing. She opened Jen Bosworth's acclaimed one woman show, Why Not Me? and Amanda Rountree's solo play 185 Buddhas Walk Into a Bar.

Janna is also an actor and improvisor, and in these Zoom times, she continues to speak, perform and play in digital squares all over the world. If you'd like to invite Janna to speak, tell a story, or perform with your group, do say hi. She'll reply within 48 hours.

"Janna Sobel's stories are remarkable for what they unearth about the reader/listener's own hidden agendas toward love, sorrow and triumph. It is not often that a writer - and here i speak of the whole writer; read or listened to - can create such 'seeing eye' works. Janna's stories undress and affirm at once.

You will be transformed."

Roger Bonair-Agard~ Cave Canem Poet & two time National Poetry Slam Champion

"Janna Sobel is a warm, compassionate, and caring speaker, host and cultural producer. Her talks have a family feeling to them, which isn't something you can teach: making people feel welcome is in her bones. Chicago's arts and cultural scene is so much better with Janna in it."

Tyler Greene~ Producer for The Moth, WBEZ and NPR

"Janna Sobel is a gifted writer and storyteller. Her ability to capture the human condition by seamlessly integrating vivid imagery and poetic language into engaging narratives is unparalleled."

Keith Ecker~ Producer of PleasureTown podcast and Guts & Glory live lit show

"I recommend Janna Sobel an actor of exceptional talent and as a theater artist of professional caliber. I have worked with Ms. Sobel over many years and in many capacities, and she has always approached her work with a commitment that translates into skillful and memorable performances. Her outstanding performance as Carlotta in The Ascension of Carlotta earned consistently excellent reviews from critics and enthusiastic responses from audiences."

Will Dunne~ Author of The Dramatic Writer's Companion:
Tools to Develop Characters, Cause Scenes, and Build Stories

"Janna Sobel is one of the most open-hearted, passionate, and dedicated improvisers I've ever had the pleasure of working with."

Jason Shotts~ Improvisor & Teacher at iO Chicago

"As an actress, Janna’s tremendous intuitiveness makes her a powerful interpreter of new work. She brings humor, compassion, and great sensitivity to the characters she plays, and her fearless choices always reveal hidden layers and new possibilities. When I am working on a new script, Janna is one of the first artists I always think of to bring the work alive—‘cause that’s exactly what she does."

MT Cozzola~ Jeff Award nominated playwright

"Your talk was breathtaking. Your work leaves me inspired. Thank you for sharing with such spirited generosity. You have a way of bringing a room to new elevations."

Alyson Lyon~ Writer & Producer

CONTACT

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Thanks kindly,

Janna

About Janna

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