She pauses; arms stretched upwards imitating the height of her lover. The audience is silent with bated breath, entranced. For a moment it seems her presence leaves the stage, for a moment she is standing before the man she has been speaking about. The man she has described so lovingly in her story. A moment in time. My finger presses …
Talking Scary Stories
As Portland Story Theater’s tellers put the final, terrifying touches on their stories for this weekend’s Halloween-inspired Spellbound show, founders Lynne Duddy and Lawrence Howard take some time out of their hectic week to reflect on what makes this a unique performance in their storytelling season. Does the storytelling process change when telling personal scary stories versus other stories of love or …
What’s Your Story?
“In a time where our daily digest arrives in snippets of information from friends, our interests, and news around the world, Portland Story Theater asks us simply to sit and believe.” CHRISTA MORLETTI McINTYRE, Oregon ArtsWatch. What’s your story? That’s the question each teller confronts when working with Portland Story Theater, a non-profit dedicated to the telling of personal stories …
Our Busiest Week Yet
As the old cliche goes, “When it rains, it pours.” This week, Portland Story Theater has nearly hit hurricane status with our packed schedule of events across Oregon–and we couldn’t be more excited. Tomorrow, we are thrilled to work with TEDxMtHood to bring the art of storytelling to participants who are new to the craft with our 90-Minute Storyteller Starter workshop. …
Workshops for All
For the past ten seasons, founders Lynne Duddy and Lawrence Howard have built Portland Story Theater around the concept of community and the sharing of personal stories. In their staple workshop series, Art of the Personal Narrative, Lynne and Lawrence guide six participants through the storytelling process over a five week span. Though the series is an empowering process that participants have …
Portland Story Theater Awarded Grant!
We are so happy to announce that Portland Story Theater has been awarded a Grassroots Grant from the Meyer Memorial Trust! After a year of substantial growth, this grant will help us continue to expand while providing the entertaining and heartfelt stories that our audiences love. One of the most prominent private foundations in Oregon, Meyer Memorial Trust (MMT) has provided …
Our Favorite Moments
This past season was the biggest that Portland Story Theater has ever had. The stories were awe-inspiring and the company of our loyal audience made each performance feel like an intimate gathering. There were countless moments of inspiration, surprise, and joy. Still, some burn brighter in our memories than others–for better or worse. Here are five of the most memorable …
Spotlight On: Enrique E. Andrade
The power of Portland Story Theater comes from its people and the community they have built. This week, we invite you to get to know one of our tellers–Enrique E. Andrade. Enrique is a Portland Story Theater veteran and no stranger to stage work. With roots in Mexico City, Enrique is now an experienced actor whose talents reach out to …
Why I Went Oral
Any idiot can tell a story. I know. I have been to many a party or function and had an idiot tell me a story. And, sure, being an idiot isn’t always their fault; I think most everyone is an idiot. But, just because I think you’re an idiot doesn’t mean you have to tell a crappy story. On the …
Tell Me A Story
Photo Credit: O’Dubhda | Diane Ponti[/caption] A couple hundred people sit in the dark and wait for you to start. All that’s missing is the campfire and a star-studded night sky. You have ten minutes. Go! Tell me a story. The pressure of those ten minutes, those people, provide focus. “Give me your wallet,” the masked man demands as he points …
Will You Marry Me?
As long as there has been a Portland Story Theater, there has been a Valentine’s Day show. The very first one we did was called “All The Wrong Places,” at the Miracle Theater in 2005. We’ve never missed a year since, and every Valentine’s show we’ve done has been unique and memorable in some way, but the one that really …
Addicted to PST
A year ago, completely entranced by the story a friend told on stage through Portland Story Theater, I signed up for their Urban Tellers workshop. The experience changed my life. Although I had no theater background, I had lots of experience telling stories: as a child brought up in a Southern story-telling family; as a fiction writer (and OK, as …