My paycheck every two weeks was $740. I took the job so I would have my days free to create and weekends off to perform.

I thought I would be there only 6 months. I worked there 10 years.

During that time, I wrote 5 solo shows, all of them produced with my credit card. Thank you VISA! I won fancy awards and critic’s praise, but I sunk deeper in debt from self-producing. I couldn’t get the attention of producers and agents no matter how hard I tried.

The worst part, I lied.

I lied when I met people in the entertainment industry. I didn’t tell them where I worked because I wanted to be seen as “somebody”.

Finally, on my 10th year on the graveyard shift, with nothing to lose. I picked up a pen and wrote about the lies, my life at the shelter and my fear that I could end up homeless too.

When I finished writing the show, I felt a tremendous peace because I had finally revealed the part of myself I was desperately trying to hide, my own brokenness.

One night while performing this new show, I see Mel Brooks in the audience.

I can barely contain myself. I am a huge fan!

Immediately after the show, he comes backstage says, “Ann you’re a genius. I am going to produce you in NYC!”

To the outside world, my life changed in that instant, but to me, it changed the minute I was able to share all of me on stage and not just the pretty parts.

The liberation of no longer hiding and telling the truth is the greatest gift I gave myself and what I continue to practice every day.

It’s not easy and sometimes I still want to hide, but I know it’s the only way.

After the run in NYC, I knew I wanted to spread this truth telling message. I started teaching a course I created called Write Your Life. I had never created a course before, but I knew I believed in what I had learned.

My intention was for us to write our deepest shames, fears and losses on to the page and share them with one another in a circle of kindness.

I fell in love with every story I heard shared in these Write Your Life circles. Like the participants, I recognized my humanity in every storyteller. I recognized the power of speaking one’s truth out loud.

In 2014, I was invited to perform my new solo show LOVELAND at the Arena Stage in Washington DC. I was scheduled to perform 8 shows a week for 6 weeks.

I had this crazy idea of doing a Write Your Life mini workshop with the audience immediately after the show because I believed all people could participate in this truth telling and not just people who signed up to take my workshop.

To my happy surprise, the Arena Stage agreed and I began leading these workshops every night. What I witnessed was breathtaking. I watched bankers, teachers, lawyers, artists, students, rich, middle class, poor, grandparents, Republicans, Democrats, all holding space for one another to tell their story.

Since my run at the Arena Stage, I have continued to develop shows and teachings for everyone to speak their deepest truths and to know their voice matters.

I began to see these story circles as sacred. The deep listening and vulnerable sharing of each storyteller felt like the holiest of holy. I thought to myself this is like a church, a church where we all can minister to one another through the holy communion of sharing our stories.

Happy Cock Church Is Born

Happy Cock Church brings me the greatest joy because there are no financial or geographical barriers in sharing your truths. We can all participate online. My mission is to help people speak their truth, practice deep listening, create communities and open our hearts, one story at a time.

Please join me at Happy Cock Church.

Don’t be chicken. Your voice matters.