Stories on Stage is great actors reading great short fiction to a live adult audience. We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit performing arts organization devoted to nurturing empathy and understanding among people by presenting popular local and national actors in dramatic readings of literature. A typical performance consists of three to four short stories, each read by a professional actor. Individual audience members report feeling as if the actors are reading a story expressly for them. Following the performance, there is a reception in the lobby for the audience with free milk, homemade cookies and the opportunity to meet the actors, artistic director and staff. In addition, we present programs each season that play on the original format. These shows use several actors to perform each story, and sometimes a program will focus on a social issue or subject of intense interest. These have included disability, mental health, substance abuse, veterans, and science fiction.