Al Chewning has lived in Virginia Beach his entire life. He became a storyteller at age sixteen, after he arrived home from a date and tried to explain how his father’s car got a dent in it. He started acting and performing at age nineteen. His career in the Fire Department allowed him to continue his acting and he has appeared on stage, TV, and in movies. In addition he has written four books about local history.

In 2003 Al opened his business, Histories and Haunts, LLC. As you might assume from the name, he teaches history by telling stories from the point of view one of many colorful characters. These include David Culpepper ,a civil war soldier, Alpheus Quartermaster, a colonial age sailor, and Rusty Bottoms, a colonial age pirate, – a favorite. Al also tells local ghost stories. He leads “ghost walks” along the Virginia Beach boardwalk and presents programs to school groups, civic leagues, book clubs, conferences, etc.

Al’s mixture of history, haunts, and humor are quite unique and appropriate for all ages. His talent is a great draw for fund raising events for historic homes and other non-profit properties. He researches and tells stories about the local area, which brings in an audience who would otherwise not visit the property.

Al is available to travel across the state and into Maryland and North Carolina.