Portland Story Theater

"I just returned from the PST's presentation "Luck of the Irish." This was a great, instructive evening of storytelling, song and cultural appreciation. It spoke to experiences well-outside my exposure and I loved it. I recently attended this group's presentation "Polar Opposites." Presenter Lawrence Howard vividly described the hundred year old race to the South Pole. I never thought the lives of explorers Roald Amundsen and Robert Falcon Scott could be so compelling. Whenever the Portland Story Theater stages a presentation, just go. You'll enjoy yourself no end!"

"I've been both a story-teller and audience member for URBAN TELLERS over the last several years......THESE PEOPLE ROCK!!! As an audience member, I love to see Tellers open themselves and share from their hearts(you never know what they're going to say)....often hilariously funny...sometimes deeply sad...almost always adventuresome. Their venue is now at THE OLD CHURCH, downtown in SW Portland...a perfect space. What's really nice is that there's no competition here...no five minute stories pulled out of the hat, like other groups. Portland Story Theater gently supports it's tellers to find stories from their own narrative...stories they realize that they are indeed the hero ...and that needs to be shared... Consequently, the audience probably needs to hear.We discover ourselves through the telling of our stories.The audience and the storyteller are both empowered and changed. We are indeed the hero of our own story... Founders Lynne Duddy and Lawrence Howard have created a real gem for the Portland Arts scene...and of course, the Theater. Most tellers have never told in front of a live audience....that makes the proceedings that more magical! The doors open at 7pm . You'll delight in jazzy musical entertainment. There is also a bar...so before you sit down to be illuminated....you can find that comfy space....sit back and enjoy an entertaining and enlightening evening...If you'd like to be a story-teller and do the workshop that culminates in into a live show......DO IT!!! Take the plunge! Everyone is super supportive, most with little or no public speaking experience...try it...share your truth with us and you might be amazed with what you can come up with. "The healing of the planet comes from the sharing of stories" ...Let's start NOW!!!"

"Portland Story Theater is an exuberantly vibrant platform, not only for those wishing to tell significant and insightful personal stories that reveal both the soft underbelly of emotional vulnerability and the lofty pursuit of courage, but also for the audience with whom each story resonates at some profound level. Not only do the stories and 'performances' entertain, but they bring us all closer together in the knowledge that humanity is truly a collective entity. The stories inspire us and inspire our compassion for each other. Great stuff!"

"This non-profit organization is unlike others. The duo power behind this put their heart into the story telling events that they carry throughout year. The events put people together and form a tight community of wonderful individuals who carry on the oral tradition, a tradition that is almost forgotten. PST bring people from all around the world from one of the programs, Refugees and Immigrants Series. It is a great program where participants share their life stories from their home country and all the challenges, struggles, and accomplishment that they had living in their new home, America. It is an eye-opening to many that after all, we are just human, regardless or our skin or where we come from. Definitely, if you haven't been to one of the shows, I strongly recommend you to go and check it out."

"Ever since I started attending Portland Story Theater shows, I have been amazed by the high quality of the presentations. The tellers go through a 5 week workshop to hone their stories and the work put into these stories certainly pays off. The stories are heartfelt, told with vulnerability that eschews showmanship in exchange for open, heartfelt honesty. These stories touch the listener deeply and cause one to realize we are all in this life together, connected heart to heart, and all learn from one another's joys and sorrows. - Mary Welch"