How To Build A Fire - HTBAF

04/16/2026

🎤 HTBAF: Sounding
Join us Friday, April 17th at 7 PM at Open Source Gallery for an evening of storytelling!

Meet storyteller Zion Foster (she/they)!
Zion Foster is the founder of Foster Creativity Voice Studio and is a voice teacher, musician, and lifelong learner focused on empowering others through creativity. Over the past 6 years, Zion has taught more than 300 students in general music, theatre, and voice—both privately and in group settings. A self-described non-professional yapper (now semi-professional!), Zion loves sharing stories wherever they go. Through storytelling, they hope to spread love and empower others to empower themselves.

Come experience Zion’s story live at HTBAF: Sounding.

04/16/2026

🎤 HTBAF: Sounding
Join us Friday, April 17th at 7 PM at Open Source Gallery for an evening of storytelling!

Meet storyteller Kelly Bedwell!
Kelly Bedwell is a Senior Citizen Liberal Arts Major at Borough of Manhattan Community College, trying to acquire a college degree before she dies—fifth time’s the charm! She spent most of her life messing up what could have been a very promising career as a vocalist and is now an actor and storyteller in training. Kelly is also the Chief Meteorologist for “WKFU – Your Brooklyn Weather Station.” This will be Kelly’s first professional storytelling gig.

Come cheer Kelly on and experience her story live at HTBAF: Sounding.

04/16/2026

🎤 HTBAF: Sounding
Join us Friday, April 17th at 7 PM at Open Source Gallery for an evening of storytelling!

Meet storyteller Will Clark!
Who is Will Clark? Or, maybe more importantly, who is The Danky Bum? An actor? A poet? A theater maker? A songwriter? A musician? A singer? A storyteller? You tell me.

Come find out live at HTBAF: Sounding.

04/16/2026

🎤 HTBAF: Sounding
Join us Friday, April 17th at 7 PM at Open Source Gallery for an evening of storytelling!

Meet storyteller Sophia Pazos (she/ella)!
Sophia Pazos is a fat, sober, bisexual, Latine, Scorpio, cat lady and native New Yorker (Go Mets!). By day she exists in the giant government machinery as a social work administrator. By night, she escapes the bureaucracy in a private therapy practice and listens to an obscene amount of history and true crime podcasts. Sophia has performed several times for Q***r Memoir.

When she began her storytelling, Sophia had dreams of being an elegant, poised, erudite performer—a Rita Hayworth of storytelling. Now, in her postmenopausal stage of life, she has accepted (begrudgingly) that she is in fact a neurodivergent Lucy Ricardo of storytelling. Que Sera Sera! Sophia is minimally active (like a good Gen X’er) on Facebook, Instagram, and Discord.

Come experience Sophia’s story live at HTBAF: Sounding.

04/16/2026

🎤 HTBAF: Sounding
Join us Friday, April 17th at 7 PM at Open Source Gallery for an evening of storytelling that resonates across form, voice, and experience.

Meet storyteller Alessandro Magania!
Alessandro Magania is a performer and artist working across mediums. As an actor and dancer, he has performed in live works by Object Collection, The Wooster Group, Salome Oggenfuss, Sibyl Kempson, Eliza Bent, The Million Underscores, Marija Krtolica, Zbignew Bzymek, Roman Ondak, Jarrod Beck, Allison Plamondon, Benjamin Gassman, and Tereke Ortiz, among others. He has created live performances shown at The Performing Garage, The Collapsable Hole, Prelude Festival, and Brick Aux Gallery.

Recent film and TV credits include Nomotopowell by Brent Chesanek (2022 FID Marseille), The Tumbler by Savannah Knoop, Autotrophia by Anton Vidokle (2021 Berlinale), and the Netflix series Living With Yourself. He has directed videos showcased by Artforum and Visionaire, and co-directed the documentary There Were Always Dogs Never Kids (2017 IndiePix; Special Mention Prize – Milano MIX Festival).

Come experience Alessandro’s story live at HTBAF: Sounding.

03/23/2026

🎤 HTBAF: Spring Forward or Running Late
Join us Friday, March 27th at 7 PM at Open Source Gallery for an evening of storytelling about timing, transformation, and everything in between.

Meet storyteller Eric Vetter!
Eric Vetter is the producer and host of No Name and A Bag O’ Chips, New York City’s longest running comedy variety show, at 32 years and counting. Along with Michele Carlo, he co-hosts No Name Super Story Party, a monthly storytelling show at Word Up Community Bookshop in Washington Heights. He is also the lead singer of The Sommer Replacements, No Name’s house band—available for parties, weddings, and other life annoyances.

Come catch Eric live at HTBAF.

03/23/2026

🎤 HTBAF: Spring Forward or Running Late
Join us Friday, March 27th at 7 PM at Open Source Gallery for an evening of storytelling about timing, transformation, and everything in between.

Meet storyteller Eric Biondo!
Eric Biondo is Brooklyn based songwriter/trumpet player. Eric has performed with Antibalas, TV on the Radio, Budos Band, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Spoon, Father John Misty, The Monkees, Angelique Kidjo, Fèla on Broadway and many more. His original band Beyondo has a monthly residency at Lowlands bar every first Monday.
For more info, visit www.ericbiondo.com

Don’t miss Eric live at HTBAF.

Eric Biondo is a Brooklyn, NY based multi-instrumentalist/composer, trumpet player, drummer, keyboardist, singer, bassist, bandleader, arranger, producer and recording engineer. Playing trumpet wit…

03/23/2026

🎤 HTBAF: Spring Forward or Running Late
Join us Friday, March 27th at 7 PM at Open Source Gallery for an evening of storytelling about timing, transformation, and everything in between.

Meet storyteller Saravanan “Van” Krishnamoorthy!
Saravanan "Van" Krishnamoorthy, MD, is a former physician and past faculty member at Yale and Columbia Universities who is currently pursuing a Master of Social Work (MSW). Navigating the world as a blind individual, Van is on a mission to create jobs for the blind community and leverage AI to empower marginalized voices. He serves as an advisor for disability AI organizations, including Tactile Navigation Tools (TNT). Through his storytelling, Van explores themes of self-healing, embracing his authentic self, and transmuting anger into agency. He lives in Brooklyn and can often be found practicing Mysore Ashtanga yoga.

Come hear Van’s story live at HTBAF.

03/23/2026

🎤 HTBAF: Spring Forward or Running Late
Join us Friday, March 27th at 7 PM at Open Source Gallery for an evening of storytelling about timing, transformation, and everything in between.

Meet storyteller Rose-Ingrid Benjamin (she/they)!
Raised in Ottawa, Rose-Ingrid is a member of the Haitian diaspora settled in what is commonly known as Canada. She has clearly taken disappointing her Haitian mother as a calling, as she has followed the dopamine to a new career every few years. From singer to preacher to actor to writer and comedian, Rose-Ingrid has left no stone unturned as they subconsciously attempt to make up for their lack of a medical degree by collecting hyphenates. They have performed stand-up across Canada, the US and Europe, notably alongside Crystal Ferrier and Celeste Lampa on the Sweet & Salty Comedy Tour. Her other credits include Laugh Riot Grrrl Fest in Los Angeles and the Portland, Maine Comedy Festival. Her solo show, White As Snow, is opens at the New York Fringe Festival on April 7th. You can keep up with Rose-Ingrid on your surveillance platform of choice.

You can keep up with Rose-Ingrid on your surveillance platform of choice.

Don’t miss Rose-Ingrid live at HTBAF.

02/24/2026

🎤 HTBAF: Displaced
Join us Friday, February 27th from 7–9 PM EST at Open Source Gallery for an evening of storytelling that explores movement, identity, and finding your footing in unfamiliar places.

Meet storyteller Grace Lobo!
Grace Lobo is a stand-up comedian based in NYC and the co-host of the Hill to Die On podcast.

Join us for HTBAF: Displaced and catch Grace live on stage.