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Ex Fabula: Secret Fabula

Ex Fabula
John and Kate McLaughlin share a story.

During season five, ExFabula launched the SecretFabula, members-only storytelling events held at interesting and/or historic Milwaukee locations with patrons and staff serving as featured storytellers. These events combine storytelling, tours, trivia refreshments and community building. As we prepare for our first Secret Fabula of season seven we want to give you a small taste of Secret Fabula’s past. 

Credit Ex Fabula
Shirley Lafferty on stage.

Last season, we had the pleasure of taking our stage to The Brass Rooster Hat Co. in historic Bay View. John and Kate McLaughlin, the shop’s proprietors, truly love hats. With backgrounds in theatrical make up and costume design, they developed a love affair with the hats and headpieces they used on set. Recognizing that those hats were true pieces of art and should be appreciated as such, the couple set out to open a shop for those kindred spirits that appreciated these signature fashion pieces as much as they did.

Our first Secret Fabula took us to Milwaukee’s favorite Bryant's Cocktail Lounge, where, beloved waitress, Shirley Lafferty shared her Bryant’s beginnings - starting as a food waitress shortly after becoming head waitress. She explained that she loved everything about Bryant’s - her job, her customers and the amber lighting in the bar. But when a college kid started throwing a certain “F” word around the bar, Shirley took it upon herself to clean up the place—starting with a bar of soap.

Secret Fabula events a more intimate version of regular Ex Fabula StorySlams taking us to places we might not normally visit in Milwaukee. And what a better place to visit on the heels of Halloween than historic Shaker's Cigar Bar where we’ll explore all types of spirits: those that haunt the building as well as those found in a ‘Death in the Afternoon’ absinthe cocktail (included in ticket price; NA version also available). Feel free to wear 20’s garb or come-as-you-are post-Packer game on November 8.

This members-only event will include small group tours of the building, the chance to mix and mingle during team trivia, and of course stories – about the afterlife, ghosts, and childhood romps in graveyards. Ex Fabula will have a few confirmed tellers but there will be time for a few members to share as well!

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