THE BEAR presents
in collaboration with Moving Speaker, Berlin Erleben, Theater im Delphi, Unmaking Boxes, Sales Chakra, and Female Speaking Berlin
The 100th Show
10 years. 100 shows. 1000 voices.
THE BEAR marks a decade of open-stage storytelling: one stage, one mic, and a story waiting to be told.
Meet our Cast
storytellers who’ve walked this journey with us for years, alongside newcomers bringing the future of THE BEAR to the stage.
THE STORYTELLERS
Nicole Galindo Sánchez
Nicole is a senior consultant and facilitator at LEAD Forward, where she supports organizations through inclusive leadership and practices that strengthen belonging. She helps leaders and teams build trust, equity, and meaningful change.
Her background spans public policy, grassroots organizing, and international development. Before LEAD, she led citizen participation projects in Ecuador, including early participatory budgeting in Quito and civic-tech collaborations with GIZ. She holds an MPP from the Hertie School as a DAAD Helmut Schmidt Scholar, and degrees in Law and International Relations from Universidad San Francisco de Quito.
Based in Berlin, she advocates for migrant rights and works with community-led initiatives for justice. She brings a deep commitment to community and believes in the power of personal and collective stories to shape a more empathetic world.
Nicole’s story is titled: I'm Proud of Two Things
Storyteller Nicole Galindo Sánchez brings a deep commitment to community and believes in the power of personal and collective stories to shape a more empathetic world.
Nicole with her parents in Berlin
Yuliana Popovych
Yuliana (YULI ANA) is a Ukrainian-born DJ and producer who became Ukraine’s youngest DJ at age ten, earning a spot in the National Register of Records. After fleeing to Berlin in 2022, she joined the city’s techno community under Nakadia’s mentorship, performing at Dark Matter, Sunshine Live, and charity events supporting Ukraine. Internationally, she debuted at Tomorrowland in 2024 and went on to perform at Rave the Planet and the Street Parade in Zurich in 2025.
Offstage, Yuliana is thoughtful, curious, and turns lived experience into creative energy. She doesn’t look for easy paths in life and isn’t afraid to take on new challenges, always pushing herself beyond her comfort zone. Alongside her artistic work, she completed her Abitur, where on graduation she performed her own composition with the school orchestra. Now she is pursuing studies in the law major at Humboldt University of Berlin.
Yuliana’s story is titled: blank new page
Yuliana graduating with her German Abitur diploma.
Tomorrowland 2024, Cage Stage: Yuliana “When I started playing it was just a few people on the dance floor, but then later into my set I looked up and the dance floor was packed, as was the backstage - I was speechless and so inspired by the energy!”
Rave the Planet 2024: Yuliana: “I can’t describe the breathtaking experience it was, when so many people followed the float and danced to my music!“
Raymond Miranda
Born in Malaysia and currently based in Berlin, Raymond Miranda writes at the intersection of memory, imagination, and psychological rupture. He trained at New York University’s Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program and later spent two decades teaching scriptwriting in the US and Malaysia, guiding hundreds of writers through the emotional architectures of their stories. He is the creator of the Myhejo Method — a narrative system for founders and leaders that reframes fear as data and possibility. Raymond’s work is driven by a restless question: what futures open up when we stop obeying the narratives we inherited?
Raymond’s story is titled: The Failure of Imagination
Ben McGuire
A passionate believer in the ferocious power of story, Ben McGuire is a lawyer, writer, documentary filmmaker, and photographer. He is yet to find a better compass than story to help us find true north and to celebrate the joys and quirks of life along the way.
After a decade of storytelling on stages and at festivals across Europe, a two volume audiobook collection of his stories will be released to celebrate THE BEAR`s 100th show: How to Jump a Fence – True Stories, Told Live (Volume I) will be released in late 2025 and The Werewolf and the Weakling – True Stories, Told Live (Volume II) will follow in 2026.
Twice a year Ben leads groups of intrepid travellers on a unique adventure into one of the most storied landscapes on earth - the Sinai desert in Egypt - with Nomads of the Heart.
BEN’s story is titled: Our Fathers Fishing
Storyteller Ben McGuire will be on stage with a true, personal story on June 20, 2025 at THE bEAR’s Eve of the Champs, Theater im Delphi.
Khushi Pasquale
A transplant from the USA, Khushi lived in Berlin and Brandenburg for over 25 years. In her equally long career as a language and presentations trainer, she prepared others to find and hone their voice; to communicate with heart and spirit. Khushi grew along with her students; Berlin being the place where she found and exercised her voice. An avid Toastmaster, Khushi took to the stage competing on an international level. An early devotee of THE BEAR, she wove stories that unlocked memories and imagination.
In 2023, Khushi returned to the USA to live, once again, in New Lebanon, a small town in upstate New York, close to old friends and family. She lives and works happily at the Abode of the Message, a non-profit spiritual retreat center in the heart of the Berkshire mountains. Her current passions are square dancing and indulging in romantic septuagenarian love.
Khushi returns to Berlin to celebrate the BEAR’s 100th show, recreating a story that takes place in New Lebanon, that small town where fireflies light up meadows and deer carry a message.
KKhushi’s story is titled: Do nothing
Storyteller Khushi Pasquale on stage at THE BEAR.
Mike Trupiano
Mike Trupiano is an actor, writer, podcaster and teacher.
After twenty years in New York City and twelve in Berlin, he now spends half his time in a village in SW Germany where he runs storytelling shows with Cassis, his Swabian wife.
Mike's storytelling focuses on mining the levity from dark, challenging situations. In his case, a big part of his stories, either directly or tangentially, derive their humor from him dealing with the aftereffects of growing up dogmatically religious in the American Midwest or his long, secrecy-laden search for his birth family.
As a teacher, his philosophy is the same as his personal writing philosophy: exploring the darkest life experiences can yield the biggest laughs.
On his podcast Secret Son, he interviews other adoptees about their family searches and the secrecy enveloping adoption. You can access all 25 episodes here: www.secretsonpod.com. Have no fear - there are many laughs to be had.
Mike, Cassis and a few artist friends are hosting a new endeavor: a creativity-unblocking workshop in Sicily. After a successful beta run a few weeks ago, the premiere "grand opening" is scheduled for June 2026. See www.sicilysoul.com for more info.
Mike loves THE BEAR and is excited to be invited to tell one of his favorite tales in such a storied venue!
Mike’s story is titled: Le Rubicon
Storyteller Mike Trupiano on stage at THE BEAR; photo: Martin Bering
Live Music
James Harper
is the creator of award-nominated podcast Filter Stories, a show that uses our morning coffee as a lens to understand the world. His narratives explore history, science and sustainability, and he writes the piano music that underscore the stories.
His podcasts have been heard hundreds of thousands of times, and he has produced narrative podcasts for a wide array of clients, including Porsche (Driven Minds), Duolingo (Spanish Podcast), World Coffee Portal (5THWAVE), Specialty Coffee Association (World Coffee Championships), and others.
Growing up half Italian in Sydney, he’s lived in Hong Kong and Rome and began his career working for the Bank of England in 2009. However, his passion for coffee was simply too strong to resist, and in 2016 moved to Berlin to become The Barn Coffee Roaster’s Wholesale Manager, and then in early 2018 hopped on a flight to Guatemala to dive deeper into the world of specialty coffee as a documentary podcast producer.
When he is not traveling around the world, James generously accompanies storytellers at THE BEAR adding another delicious layer to our evening.
James Harper making magic wtih his award-winning podcast Filter Stories.
Show host
Izzy Ahrbeck
Izzy Ahrbeck is a dynamic community builder and award-winning storyteller, with a passion for connecting people and ideas. Her storytelling journey started early, from hosting radio shows to freelancing as a journalist and eventually pursuing a career in the film industry.
Driven by a desire for greater purpose, Izzy transitioned to the social impact sector, earning a master’s in Sustainable Business & Innovation. As the Head of Community at Impact Hub Berlin, she empowers startups and changemakers to collaborate for a better future, firmly believing that impactful change happens through collective action.
In addition to her community-building work, Izzy is a sought-after storytelling coach, working with clients such as Lufthansa Group, Samsung Germany, and the Fixing the Future festival to help individuals and organizations harness the power of their narratives.
Izzy Ahrbeck on stage at THE BEAR’s Eve of the Champs.
Fun fact: This May, I just climbed to the top of the tallest mountain in North Africa.
Show Host
Show host Renko Pauwels
Renko Pauwels
Renko is an award-winning speaker, trainer, and host. Known for his expertise in communication and facilitation, he brings a unique blend of creativity, clarity, and contagious energy. From coaching TEDx speakers to leading high-energy Kick-Off events, Renko knows how to bring people together.
In his day-to-day, he facilitates dynamic sales workshops and equips teams with practical communication tools that actually work. At the heart of it all is his belief that stories are the most powerful way to make people care, connect, and take action.
He learned the ropes hosting shows with salespeople, jugglers, and drag queens. (Honestly? Not sure who’s more demanding.)
Most importantly, he’s a longtime friend of THE BEAR!
Get to know him better at www.renkopauwels.com
Founder & Director
Dyane Neiman
Founder & Director of THE bEAR. true stories. erzähltes leben.
Host of the Eve of the Champs show
Originally from Philadelphia, Dyane may just be the most German-like American you’ll ever meet. A former theatre director and choreographer, she once told stories with moving bodies — now she tells them with moving words.
By day, Dyane is a sought-after speaker coach and founder of Moving Speaker, as well as co-founder of Female Speaking Berlin.
But every month, she transforms into the beating heart of THE BEAR — hosting, charming, persuading, and occasionally arm-twisting Berliners to step into the spotlight and share their stories.
“I believe stories help us make sense of this chaos we call life.”
Say hello: dyane@thebear-storytelling.de
Quiet force behind THE BEAR, Michael Rost; photo: Emmi Mascher
Producer, Story Coach & Videographer aka “Chief Wizard”
Michael Rost
Michael moved from Bremen to Berlin in 1980 and fell in love with the city and its stories. He has turned his passion into a profession, and when he is not on stage, backstage or filmming at THE BEAR, he brings Berlin history and stories to people as a professional city guide and owner of "Berlin-Erkundungen" .
As THE BEAR’s story wizard, he helps storytellers get to the heart & message of their stories. His recordings are the source for THE BEAR’s YouTube Channel and our podcast True Stories Berlin.
You can see Michael’s many Berlin stories on his YouTube Channel Berlin Erleben.
Design & Strategy
Hanna Martus
“Stories make us feel connected and understood in unexpected ways. They make us take time to really listen and be open for empathy – values that we’re often missing as a society right now.” - Hanna Martus
Hanna is a visual storyteller. As a designer, she consults with healthcare organizations, in improving the patient experience. A kind of perspective storytelling, where the main character changes in a whole system: the patient becomes the center in the healthcare system.
She also brings the ability for interdisciplinary problem solving to THE BEAR.
Hanna has created THE BEAR’s branding, and guided our event formats, optimizing processes and resources, imagining our vision in a big way and making it tangible. After leaving us on good footing, she has a new role as a mother. We miss her presence and are so grateful for all of her contributions.
Co-Producer
Deepanker Dua aka Deep
An award-winning storyteller and founding member of THE BEAR’s podcast team True Stories Berlin. Deep regularly hosts the TSB podcast as well as THE BEAR’s live events. Backstage he lends his entrepreneur spirit to helping THE bEAR’s mission to share and spread stories thrive such as THE BEAR Hamburg. His company Sales Chakras is a proud supporter of THE BEAR.
Say ‘hello’: deepr@hey.com
Deep on stage at THE BEAR.
Story Amplifier
Furqan Hameed
Furqan is a curious soul who thrives on meaningful conversations and genuine human connection. Born and raised in Pakistan, he spent years traveling across the world before settling in Berlin, which he’s proudly called home for the past four years. His stories weave together threads from his cultural roots and global adventures, offering a unique perspective grounded in both reflection and lived experience.
Whether he’s engaging in deep conversations or cracking spontaneous jokes, Furqan brings a mix of warmth, humor, and insight to every interaction. He lights up at the sound of a familiar song on a random playlist, the kick of spicy food, and the joy of a great fantasy novel. With a love for storytelling and a playful spirit, he’s always ready to lend his ear, share a moment or a laugh that brings people closer together.
"Incredibly inspiring, moving, funny, delightful evening." – Khushi Pasquale, storyteller
Friday, 28. November 2025
18:00 hrs. Doors open
19 hrs. Stories begin
Tickets available here.
Light Design: Ingo Reinhardt
The 100th Show is made possible by the enthusiasm of our storytellers, our team of volunteers and with our partners: Moving-Speaker.com, Theater-im-Delphi, Galerie Cafe Emma T., Berlin Erleben Youtube Channel, Unmaking Boxes, Sales Chakra, and Female Speaking Berlin.