2nd Story

2nd Story is a Chicago-based arts organization that has been helping people shape and share their real stories for more than 25 years. Our work lives at the intersection of storytelling, community-building, and culture change. Rooted in our theater origins, we believe storytelling is a collaborative craft—one that’s never done alone. Every story we present is shaped in community: writers work in cohorts guided by curators, directors coach performance, sound designers build sonic landscapes, and producers hold the container that makes it all possible. Our work centers real people’s lived experiences—brought to life with intention, artistry, and care. Through StoryBuilds, we turn story into strategy. We design interactive training sessions that draw on people’s lived experiences to build trust, sharpen communication, and strengthen the human skills behind more effective teams and high-performing organizations. These sessions bring our artistic process into workplaces, schools, and community settings—helping people strengthen empathy, collaboration, and leadership. Because when people know how to tell their stories and listen to others, they become better colleagues, educators, leaders, and humans. We bring the same rigor and artistry that define our performances to real-world challenges, helping groups surface their own stories, listen deeply, and build cultures where belonging and connection thrive. This work is practical, experiential, and lasting—because stories, when crafted and shared with care, change how people understand themselves, their work, and one another.