THE STORY PARTY
Jodi Eichelberger, Artistic Director
Jodi Eichelberger moved back to Boise from New York in April of 2014. The very next month, he featured at Story Story Late-Night’s PLAYTHiNG and he’s been playing along ever since. He joined the board in 2015 and has served as artistic director since 2016. Jodi comes to us with a wealth of background in the performing arts ranging from the artistic director of a non-profit theater to a performer on Broadway. Jodi was an active storyteller in the New York storytelling community, including at The Moth, SpeakEasy Stories, and a community storytelling show in Brooklyn he produced called “Stories 4.” He also produced a podcast of personal narratives called “The Acorn People” for several years. Jodi is best known for his part in the original Broadway cast of “Avenue Q” and for his role as “Stingy” in the international children’s television show “LazyTown” which has aired in the US on CBS, NBC, Nickelodeon, Sprout, and Netflix. He has also worked with the Jim Henson Company in film and stage. It is this background in puppetry that led him to create and perform the “Slammer of Shame,” a Story Story Late-Night exclusive, where he lip-syncs with our black sheep puppet to a hidden storyteller’s words. In Portland, Oregon he was the artistic director of Tears of Joy Theatre. Since coming to Boise, Jodi has performed as an actor with Alley Repertory Theater and Boise Contemporary Theater. He is also the Program Director for Surel’s Place, an artist in residency program.
Matthew Melton, Studio Head
Matthew Melton got his start as a Theater Arts major at Boise State University and later moved to Charlotte, North Carolina, where he studied improv/sketch comedy under Second City alumnus Keli Semelsburger while working with the Carolina Actors Studio Theater. He later moved to L.A.and performed in various national commercials, webseries, repertory theater, children’s theater, and sketch comedy troupes while studying film acting with Alex D’Lerma’s Cinema Gym of North Hollywood. Since returning to Idaho in 2012, Matthew has performed with local and regional theater companies such as Boise Contemporary Theater, HomeGrown Theatre, and Alley Repertory Theater, and has taught youth acting workshops for Idaho Shakespeare Festival and Treasure Valley Children’s Theater in addition to adult acting workshops through The Actors Workout. Since joining the Story Story Studio Guide cohort, Matthew has conducted both adult and youth-oriented storytelling workshops for organizations such as the Idaho Laugh Fest, the Idaho Office of Refugees, and the Sun Valley Center for the Arts.
Jessica Holmes, Marketing Northstar
A lifelong word nerd with a wry/awkward sense of humor, Jessica Holmes is the co-founder and OG creative driving force/master of ceremonies behind Story Story Night for our first 6+ years. She not only drove the creation of our flagship season, but also the Story Story Studio workshop arm, the adults-only Story Story Late-Night season, the local-luminary-studded Starry Story Night special event, the mobile recording Story Story Booth, and our podcast. Now a senior copywriter for CLM Marketing & Advertising in Boise, she still keeps our brand, copy, and website on point and pitch perfect. She’s also a Studio guide. She’s an Idaho Business Review Accomplished Under 40 (2011), won the inaugural Boise’s Funniest Person stand-up comedy contest, and was named the “Best Invitee To Your Next Cocktail Party” in Boise Weekly’s 2013 Best of Boise issue. She’s been profiled (but not for criminal reasons) in both the Idaho Statesman and Boise Weekly. She posts about thrift store & vintage fashion, old lady decor schemes, her cat, and cheap-wad pursuits on her blog Cheep.
Jitasa, Nonprofit Accounting & Bookkeeping
THE BOARD
Aimee Moran, Board President
Terri Valiquette, Board Treasurer
Hannah Schaeffer, Board Secretary
Karen Moore, Board Member
Marney Ellis, Board Member
Frankie Barnhill, Board Member
Nick Warden, Board Member
PAST STAFF/STUDiO GUiDES
Nissa Nagel, Emma Arnold, Alison Beck, Anna Demetriades, Elisabeth McKetta, James Stead, Kiley Crill, Zach Borman, Krystal Moore, Kate Riley, The Story Committee
PODCAST PRODUCTION
Stephen Baldassarre, Dan Costello, Dylan Haas, Boise State Public Radio
LiVE MUSiC
Boise Phil, Stardust Lounge, Thomas Paul, Dan Costello, Classical Revolution: Boise
THEME SONG
Dan Costello, Ned Evett (Late-Night)
PHOTOGRAPHY
Chelsea Harada, Paul Budge, Erica Sparlin Dryden, Whitney Rearick, Will Jones
DESiGN
Neighborhood All-Stars, Julia Green, Jenny Bowler, Tiffanie Hsu
TROPHiES
ORiGiNAL PARTNERS
Alley Repertory Theater/Hollis Welsh & Jessica Holmes, The Cabin/Paul Shaffer, Boise State Story Initiative/Clay Morgan, Neighborhood All-Stars, Boise State Public Radio