Stories for Adults

"Patricia Hruby is a vibrant artist, performing her stories from the inside, drawing her audience into hilarious personal territory. She's smart and witty -- a delightful writer, a brilliant performer. Like Baryshnikov in a speaking role, the dancer is always present."

     - Norma Marder, author

"...funny...clever...provocative...and intensely warm and bold."

     - Laura Barbour, Philadelphia

"You have invested a tremendous amount of effort and time to researching, creating, and perfecting your storytelling. The results confirm your care and dedication. You are a very talented woman!!"

     - Dr. Selma Richardson
       Emerita Professor, Library and Information Science
       University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

"In Search of Mt. Olympus" - a story of Patricia's moving to the Greek Islands in order to study dance when she was 19 years old, interspersed with snippets of the Greek myths and the introduction to many of the Greek gods and goddesses. Not only for adults, but for those in middle school and high school who are studying ancient Greek culture and mythology.

"The Treasure" - a story of Patricia's moving to London to dance, where she literally discovers a hidden treasure; how the windfall is used up, disappears; and reappears by cosmic intervention, disappears and reappears....

"One World" - a story of Patricia moving to the country with her husband Morgan, so they might build their paradise; a realization that the country and the city are all of one world; and that humans and animals are all of one world; complete with life-like animals sounds.

On the audio-cassette Mothers, Daughters, Sisters, Grandmothers:

Veronica Vodicka: The Green Umbrella

My great grandmother, Veronica, immigrates to America from Bohemia in 1868. Veronica leaves the old country to avoid marrying a red-haired man; her train ticket to California (where she has relatives) is switched with one to Chicago; she meets the red-haired 'John O'Hruby' during the Chicago fire. She marries him. The story is told in Veronica's voice.

Gramma Lilac

A young girl reminisces about the magical memories of her grandmother, Elsie Hubka Smith. [Danced and Told] Winner of the Creative Arts institute 1996 Storyteller of the Year - 2nd Runner Up.