J.S. Puller, Chicago playwright and author, recalls an early acting experience playing "Hans Solo" for a grade school production and how it inspired a lifetime of fan fiction and original storytelling.

About this episode

J.S. Puller discusses her early acting experience and its impact on her career as a playwright and author.

J. S. Puller is a playwright and author from the Windy City, Chicago. She has a master's degree in elementary education and a bachelor's degree in theatre from Northwestern University. She is an award-winning member of the American Alliance for Theatre and Education and has written about the social-emotional benefits of arts education with the University of Chicago Consortium on School Research. When not writing, she can usually be found in the theatre. She is the author of two novels, CAPTAIN SUPERLATIVE and THE LOST THINGS CLUB, both published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. She also has several published plays, including: WOMEN WHO WEAVE (Playscripts, Inc.), PERSEUS AND MEDUSA - IT'S ALL GREEK TO ME! (Lazybee Scripts), THE DEATH OF ROBIN HOOD (Stage Rights), and five titles with Plays for New Audiences. Website: https://pullerwrites.wordpress.com/ Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/pullerwrites Tell Me What Happened features the music of Susan Salidor. More information about Susan Salidor can be found at her website Get Susan Salidor’s One Little Act of Kindness Children’s Book Get Susan Salidor’s I’ve Got Peace in My Fingers Children’s Book More Information about our…

People in this episode

Host: Jay Rehak

Guest: J.S. Puller

Topics covered

• playwriting
• storytelling
• arts education
• fan fiction
• theatre

Keywords

• playwright
• Chicago
• fan fiction
• theatre education
• storytelling

Sponsors

Blackhole Chess

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: American Alliance for Theatre and Education, University of Chicago Consortium on School Research

Products: 10 x 10 Blackhole Chess

Books & works: CAPTAIN SUPERLATIVE, THE LOST THINGS CLUB, WOMEN WHO WEAVE, PERSEUS AND MEDUSA - IT'S ALL GREEK TO ME!, THE DEATH OF ROBIN HOOD

More episodes of Tell Me What Happened

• Kim "Kid" Curry, radio personality and program director, details the beginning of his career and his later battle with Multiple Sclerosis · June 2, 2026 · 25 min
• Jennifer Griffith, Host of the "About your Mother" Podcast and Author of Both Sides of Then: Finding Love After Abandonment, recalls learning at the age of 13 that her mother had an 18 year old son she had given up for adoption. · May 12, 2026 · 17 min
• Allie Costa. actor, writer, director and singer, recalls being five years old and getting her first role without having to audition. · April 28, 2026 · 13 min
• Dana Hall, award winning playwright and mental health therapist, recalls being 8 years old and watching a tree she loved get cut down. · April 27, 2026 · 16 min
• Will Sonheim, writer, filmmaker and improvisationalist, recalls a disastrous 8th grade birthday party where he tried to recreate and film his own "Whose Line is it Anyway?" · April 14, 2026 · 20 min
• Rabbi Allen Secher recalls the early anti-semitism he suffered and how he consequently became a Civil Rights and Social Justice advocate. · March 31, 2026 · 19 min