Take eight! It’s a whole new batch of surprising, inspiring, eye-opening stories about life in Tyler and East Texas. Get to know the storytellers, performers and organizers behind the show premiering Thursday, Nov. 17 at 7 p.m. at Liberty Hall. Seating is limited — grab tickets here.
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Nury Burnett, storyteller
Originally from Chile, Nury Burnett has called East Texas home for the past five years. She teaches English as a Second Language to adult learners at Literacy Council of Tyler. In her free time, she enjoys yoga, reading and trying new recipes. She loves to spend time with her husband, Eric, and two pups, Pelusa and Opal.
Victoria Carpenter, storyteller
Victoria Carpenter, originally from Fort Worth, Texas, has been a resident of Tyler for the past eight years. She received her associate’s degree in General Studies from Tyler Junior College in 2019 and graduated from The University of Texas at Tyler in the spring of 2022, where she studied English and psychology.
Ian Findlay, guitarist
Ian Findlay graduated from Tyler Junior College with an Associates in Music. He currently attends UT Tyler’s music program. Ian enjoys walking around town and writing music.
Tim Frost, storyteller
Tim Frost is a speaker, musician and author who communicates from his firsthand experiences of survival. He seeks to emit a positive and light-hearted energy when he speaks to large crowds or one-on-one. Tim lives in Tyler with his wife of 20 years and their special needs son, Odin, who is just as quirky and full of adventure as his dad.
Camilla Ha, storyteller
Camilla Ha is a multidisciplinary artist who has worked as a radio host, cater-waiter, rose seller, fashion editor, costume designer, deckhand on a fake pirate boat, professional club kid, movie extra and newspaper typist for lonely hearts classified ads. She is currently in the graduate counseling program at UT Tyler and hopes her many years of being lost may help others find their way.
Jamie Maldonado, photographer
An East Texas native, Jamie Maldonado has worked as a visual journalist and copy editor for the Longview News-Journal, The Denver Post and other publications. He is a fine art photographer specializing in portraiture and holds a Master of Studio Art from Texas A&M University Commerce. Taking to heart Dorothea Lange’s quote, “a camera is a tool for learning how to see without a camera,” Jamie has turned his lens on his hometown and its people to see it all anew.
Jane Neal, director
Jane Neal is the storytelling director of Out of the Loop and executive director of The Tyler Loop. She also works at the Literacy Council of Tyler and is a certified interfaith spiritual director. She is a member of Leadership Tyler Class 33 and a former French teacher at Tyler Legacy High School, where she ran a storytelling program called Senior Stories. Jane and her husband Don have four children.
Daryll Phillips, storyteller
Daryll Phillips, moniker DPhillGood, is a painter, fashion designer and musician from Tyler, Texas. His goal is to add as much creativity to the area as possible. You can find his work at DPhillGoodOriginals.
Jennifer Rader, performance coach
Jennifer Rader graduated from UT Tyler with a master’s in Educational Leadership in 2022. She has more than 20 years of experience acting and working behind the scenes in theatre and film and is currently a high school teacher. When she isn’t teaching, Jennifer is practicing languages (こにちは！), taking care of her cat and playing video games.
Clarence Shackelford, storyteller
Clarence Edmond Shackelford was born in Tyler, Texas, and lived in Germany while in the U.S. Army. He has owned a television network since 1999. He retired as a photographer for the state of Texas when he was 54 years old, and he is the founder of Tour Tyler Texas and the Texas African American Museum — both of which are programs under the auspices of the nonprofit Empowerment Community Development Corporation. He married his childhood best friend, Anita.
Hayley Turner, storyteller
Hayley Turner is a native to north Dallas but after spending the last four years in East Texas, she says it is now more her home than any place could be. Hayley enjoys observing the beautiful particulars in life and writing stories about transformative experiences in the wonders of nature. She is a member of the Dallas Storytelling Guild and was selected as a rising star for the 2023 Tejas Storytelling Association festival. Hayley has performed in live storytelling shows, including Backyard Story Night and The Moth Story Slam. She is the founder of the storytelling organization The Common Story.
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