The Crow To Present STORYECTOMY: UNHOUSED In December
Santa Monica’s comedy theater returns with a second year of trauma-informed storytelling to humanize homelessness through humor and healing.
By: A.A. Cristi Nov. 11, 2025
The Crow will present the second annual Storyectomy: Unhoused, a bold, community-driven storytelling project designed to humanize homelessness through comedy, on Friday, December 5 at 8 p.m. on The Crow’s main stage at Bergamot Station Arts Center.
Created by The Crow’s founder Nicole Blaine, Storyectomy pairs trauma-informed storytelling coaching with the art of comedy, empowering participants to process and share their lived experiences of being unhoused. Over six weeks, formerly unhoused individuals and social workers in supportive housing meet for guided storytelling classes led by Blaine and Emmy-nominated writer Laura House, culminating in a live performance that is filmed as part of an ongoing docuseries on The Crow’s YouTube channel.
“Unhoused folks are perhaps the most stigmatized people in LA,” said Shane Murphy Goldsmith, CEO of Liberty Hill. “I have never seen such an effective storytelling initiative about homelessness, or one portrayed in such a hilarious and human way.”
For many participants, the program has been transformative. Activist and past participant Kim Reeder shared, “After feeling like a failure when I was unhoused, it was healthy and uplifting to have the new accomplishment of participating in Storyectomy. Performing comedy helped me connect with people and show that we are all more similar than different.”
This year’s program continues The Crow’s mission to promote empathy, community, and healing through storytelling. The event will feature Storyectomy participants alongside professional comedians who have also been affected by homelessness.
Tickets for the December 5 performance are pay what you can, with proceeds benefiting Crow Comedy Inc., The Crow’s nonprofit arm.
ABOUT STORYECTOMY
Storyectomy: Unhoused is a free, trauma-informed storytelling initiative produced by The Crow’s nonprofit 501(c)(3), supported in part by the City of Santa Monica’s Art of Recovery initiative and The Leo Buscaglia Foundation. The program uses comedy as a catalyst for awareness, connection, and healing around the unhoused crisis.
ABOUT THE CROW
Located at the historic Bergamot Station Arts Center, The Crow is Santa Monica’s home for comedy and storytelling, founded by comedian and educator Nicole Blaine. With a mission to promote connection and courage through humor, The Crow offers free parking on-site and is accessible via the 26th Street/Bergamot Metro stop. More information is available at crowcomedy.com.
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