EST's "Truth Be Told"
Season 1: "Love and Monsters"
TRUTH BE TOLD is an ongoing series of true story nights — each centered on a theme — told by members of the Ensemble Studio Theatre in New York City as well the larger community that EST sustains. Held several times a year, TBT features 6-8 storytellers who each share a 10-minute absolutely true story that's bold, vulnerable, full of insight, and (almost always!) raucous humor.
Season 1 features 14 stories over 7 weeks, all from our first two evenings: "First Love/First Lust" (released Mondays) and "Scary Monsters!" (released Thursdays).
TRUTH BE TOLD was created by Susan Kim and David Zellnik. Each episode was produced and scored by Eric Svejcar. Logo design by Joseph Zellnik.
Episodes
15 episodes
"Peace of Mind" by Akyiaa Wilson
From TRUTH BE TOLD's September 25th, 2025 show ("Scary Monsters!") Akyiaa Wilson's "Peace of Mind" tells the story of a terrifying inheritance possibly being passed down along generations of a Caribbean-American family….Akyiaa Wilson is ...
"The Tumor Speaks" by Maggie Bofill
From TRUTH BE TOLD's June 10th, 2025 show ("First Love/First Lust") Maggie Bofill's "The Tumor Speaks" is a story about one human, against all odds, came to be born—after the Cuban revolution, and with the help of her gay uncle...Maggie ...
"The Dodger" by David Zellnik
From TRUTH BE TOLD's September 25th, 2025 show ("Scary Monsters!") David Zellnik's "The Dodger" tells the story of an overweight kid, and a monster lurking in the dark of a high school theatre...David is a writer in New York who loves te...
"Meat" by Susan Kim
From TRUTH BE TOLD's June 10th, 2025 show ("First Love/First Lust") Susan Kim's "Meat" is a story of how a little girl glimpses her future in a bag that contains a terrible secret...Susan writes plays, books, documentaries, and quite a b...
"The Monster and the Choice" by Christine Farrell
From TRUTH BE TOLD's September 25th, 2025 show ("Scary Monsters!") Christine Farrell's "The Monster and the Choice" tells tha story about a Pirate Dream that haunted a child's love of her sister...Christine is a versatile New York ...
"Life" by Holli Harms
From TRUTH BE TOLD's June 10th, 2025 show ("First Love/First Lust") Holli Harms' "Life" is a story about the giving of a young woman's virginity and how the memory of that magical day comes back years later at her father's wake.Holli is ...
“That Time Hannibal Lecter Ruined My Dad's Filmmaking Dreams” by Fernando Buzhar Segall
From TRUTH BE TOLD's September 25th, 2025 show ("Scary Monsters!") Fernando Buzhar Segall's "That Time Hannibal Lecter Ruined My Dad's Filmmaking Dream" tells the story of the collapse of one movie director's ambitions after an on set encounter...
“Brian Kinney” by Michael Walek
From TRUTH BE TOLD's June 10th, 2025 show ("First Love/First Lust") Michael Walek's "Brian Kinney" tells how a secret late-night TV show changed one boy's life. Michael Walek is a director, producer, and writer based in New York Ci...
"Count Yorga, Vampire" by Laura Maria Censabella
From TRUTH BE TOLD's September 25th, 2025 show ("Scary Monsters!") Laura Maria Censabella's "Count Yorga, Vampire" tells the story of a campy movie monster who teaches a child her first lessons in human betrayal.Laura has received ...
"Untitled Typewriter Story" by David Zellnik
From TRUTH BE TOLD's June 10th, 2025 show ("First Love/First Lust") David Zellik's "Untitled Typewriter Story" tells of what happens when David's mom discovers a porn he has written on her hand-me-down typewriter. He is 12 years old. ...
"Evan; or, The Witch King of Belmont" by Chris Gonzalez
From TRUTH BE TOLD's September 25th, 2025 show ("Scary Monsters!") Chris Gonzalez's "Evan; or, The Witch King of Belmont" tells the story of a very damaged, very human monster stalking Portland, Oregon.Chris Gonzalez is a playwright base...
"Storytime" by Akyiaa Wilson
From TRUTH BE TOLD's June 10th, 2025 show ("First Love/First Lust") Akyiaa Wilson's "Storytime" tells of what happens when a potentially clueless girl finds herself alone with the cutest boy in class... who also happens to be the school's drug ...
"Rex" by Susan Kim
From TRUTH BE TOLD's September 25th, 2025 show ("Scary Monsters") Susan Kim's "Rex" tells of a very famous monster, backstage and on set.Susan writes plays, books, documentaries, and quite a bit of kids' TV. A flaneuse who fortunately li...
