Our guest this episode, Emma Keaveney-Roys, chats with us about a journey to becoming an accomplished story teller, which is part of the reason she was recently named one of the UK’s 100 most impressive female entrepreneurs by Small Business Britain.

Our conversation reveals her curiosity, openness, joy, tenacity, penchant for experimentation, and willingness to put in the hard work to make space for stories. This idea of "space for stories" is not merely figurative. Emma is the co-founder of The Front Room, a not-for-profit fringe theatre venue in the heart of Weston-super-Mare, in the UK. Transformed from an abandoned Pizza Express restaurant, The Front Room is a space committed to supporting local storytelling artists, and to bringing exciting and affordable theater to everyone in the community. Audiences come there for improv, stand up comedy, puppetry, family programming, music, devised and immersive experiences in an inclusive, welcoming environment.

As if running a non profit theater company were not enough of a full time job, this is not where making space for storytelling ends for Emma. She is a writer and continues to perform herself, often in drag as a persona she has created called Uncle Carl. She is currently exploring drag king culture and gender identity as the focus of a PhD degree she is pursuing at the University of Bristol.

You can find out more about The Front Room at: https://frontroomwsm.com/

Get to know Uncle Carl on You Tube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylZWhq5RGSg

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