Meet
Ursa M.

Storyteller, Educator, Playwright, Actress

Ursa got her start performing competitive oral interpretation in the Arkansas high school circuit (ASCA/ACTAA). She was a state semi-finalist and often performed in ESL classrooms to help English Language Learners learn English inflection.​

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In 2010, she attended Arkansas Governor's School for vocal music. There, she studied composition and performance.

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She worked her way through college by taking tech positions at nearby theatres: stage managing, designing lights, and designing props. She graduated with a degree in theatre and speech education in 2015 receiving university awards for technical theatre achievement and communication scholarship.

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Had Ursa been a sane person, she would have used her new, shiny teaching license to land a salaried teaching job, to buy a house, to settle down, but something about that life didn't feel right.

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On an impulse, she applied to the Storytelling grad program at East Tennessee State. Within a year, she and her broken-down Merc Sable limped their way to Appalachia to start a new life. There, she fell in love with storytelling and sharing her Ozark culture.

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In Johnson City, she had the honor of studying under storytelling greats including Clare Murphy and David Novak as well as the honor of being selected to perform at the first ever student spotlight hour at the International Storytelling Center hosted by the Jonesborough Storytellers Guild. She also became a member of the performing ensemble at Night Owl Circus.

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Ursa now lives and works in Chicago as a performer and writer. She performs for ages 3-103 at schools, coffee shops, theatres, and bars. Her writing has appeared on-stage at the Big Muddy New Play Festival and in-print through Rune Bear Weekly, Sirens Call, [Alternative Route], and Chrome Baby. She is also the voice behind Bella in the radio drama series Nineth Planet.

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She has also finished a PhD in Communication and Theatre in her free time.

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