Storytelling Association of Alta California

**Context Profile for Storytelling Association of Alta California**

1. **Organization Mission & Cause:**
   - The Storytelling Association of Alta California (SAAC) is dedicated to promoting the art of storytelling as a means of cultural expression, education, and community building. Their mission is to preserve and share the diverse stories of the Alta California region, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of its rich cultural heritage.

2. **Type of Activities:**
   - **Storytelling Events:** SAAC organizes live storytelling events that bring together storytellers and audiences to celebrate the oral tradition.
   - **Workshops and Training:** They offer workshops aimed at enhancing storytelling skills for individuals of all ages and backgrounds.
   - **Community Programs:** The organization runs community programs that focus on storytelling as a tool for education and cultural exchange.
   - **Collaborations:** SAAC collaborates with schools, libraries, and cultural institutions to integrate storytelling into educational and cultural initiatives.

3. **Tone of Voice:**
   - The tone of the SAAC is warm, inviting, and inspiring. They use language that is inclusive and engaging, aiming to connect with a broad audience. The tone reflects a passion for storytelling and a commitment to cultural preservation and community engagement.

4. **Emoji Usage:**
   - The organization uses emojis sparingly. When they do use them, it tends to be in a friendly and engaging manner, such as using book or microphone emojis to symbolize storytelling and events.

5. **Key Facts:**
   - **Founding Info:** SAAC is a newly established organization focused on the Alta California region.
   - **Scale & Impact:** While specific metrics are not yet available, the organization emphasizes its role in cultural preservation and community involvement.
   - **Volunteer Info:** The website encourages community participation and volunteerism, highlighting opportunities for individuals to get involved in events and programs.

6. **Writing Guidelines:**
   - **Style:** The writing style on the website is clear, concise, and accessible, aiming to appeal to a wide audience interested in storytelling and cultural activities.
   - **Content Patterns:** Content is structured to highlight upcoming events, storytelling tips, and community stories. The website often features personal stories and testimonials to illustrate the impact of storytelling.
   - **Engagement:** Calls to action are friendly and encouraging, often inviting visitors to participate in events or share their own stories.

This context profile is designed to help AI assistants generate content that aligns with the Storytelling Association of Alta California's mission, tone, and activities.

LXCL:Enjoy the full program with access to all sessions throughout the day. Includes Festival recording. Price increases to $75 on April 1st.

Sunday All Day

LXCL:This ticket is for the morning sessions, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm. Includes Festival recording. Price increases to $40 on April 1st.

Morning - Half Day

LXCL:This ticket is for half day afternoon, 1:00 pm - 6:30 pm. Includes Festival recording. Price increases to $45 on April 1st.

Afternoon - Half Day

LXCL:This ticket is for one single session during the day.

Single Session

LXCL:Friend of the Festival ticket includes ONE All Day ticket, a Festival Sponsor badge, special recognition, a thank-you gift, and our deep appreciation for supporting the Festival.

Friend of the Festival

LXCL:Festival Fable Sponsor ticket includes TWO All Day tickets, two Festival Sponsor badges, special recognition, thank-you gifts, and our sincere appreciation for helping sponsor the Festival.

Festival Fable

LXCL:Good for all Festival sessions, with Student ID.

Student Ticket

LXCL:You will receive a link to the live stream. Also, the festival sessions will be recorded and sent to you shortly after the event ends. The recordings will be available for viewing through August 31st.

Virtual

April 26th 10:00 AM - 6:30 PMIN-PERSON&nbsp;ONLINE TICKET SALES WILL END AT 7:00 PM ON SATURDAY, APRIL 25TH. TICKETS WILL BE AVAILABLE AT THE DOOR.&nbsp;VIRTUAL TICKETS WILL STILL BE AVAILABLE.Join us at the Bay Area Storytelling Festival,&nbsp;a day of live stories told from the heart. Hear International, National, and Regional voices share true, traditional, and imagined tales that connect people and cultures. Our acclaimed featured tellers &ndash; Andy Offutt Irwin, Motoko, and Jasmin Cardenas - will transport us with tales from their diverse backgrounds and traditions, enchanting us with their award-winning storytelling and bringing the ancient art alive for modern audiences.&nbsp;The day will include story concerts, workshops, a SAC Showcase, a Youth Concert, and an opportunity to tell a story of your own at our Open Mic. This will be a festival not to be missed! In-Person and Virtual options available. We look forward to gathering, with friends new and old, under the canopy of story. Click <a fr-original-style="" href="http://sfapshows.com/2026_basf_schedule.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="text-decoration-color: initial; user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">HERE</a> to see the festival schedule. ONLINE TICKET SALES WILL END AT 8:00 PM Saturday, April 25th, with plenty of tickets available at the door for all day, half-day, or individual sessions. In-person tickets will include the recordings from the Festival.VIRTUAL TICKET SALES will continue throughout the Festival.The festival sessions will be recorded and sent to you shortly after the event ends. The recordings will be available for viewing through August 31st. Unlike other ticketing platforms, Zeffy charges no mandatory service fee on your tickets. However, when you check out, you will see a suggested service fee to help Zeffy continue to provide its platform free to non-profits. This is a suggested amount; use the dropdown to select &quot;other&quot; and adjust it to suit your preferences. Meet our featured storytellers:Andy Offutt-IrwinWith a manic, Silly Putty voice, hilarious, heart-filled stories, and amazing mouth noises (arguably the greatest whistler in the world), Andy Offutt Irwin has been described as &ldquo;The Marx Brothers meet Eudora Welty.&rdquo; Irwin is a keynote speaker, theater director, songwriter, comedian, newspaper columnist, and Shakespearean actor. His appearances have taken him across the U.S., including the Library of Congress and Walt Disney World. He is the recipient of numerous awards, including the NSN ORACLE Circle of Excellence and a Special Congressional Recognition from Rep. John Lewis for &ldquo;outstanding and invaluable service to the community.&rdquo;<a fr-original-style="" href="https://andyirwin.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="text-decoration-color: initial; user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">https://andyirwin.com/</a> MotokoAward-winning Japanese storyteller, Motoko, has enchanted audiences of every age with Asian folktales, Rakugo and Zen tales, ghost stories, mime vignettes, as well as oral memoirs from her childhood in Osaka and her life as an immigrant in the U.S. She is the recipient of the National Storytelling Network&rsquo;s 2017 Circle of Excellence Award. Motoko&rsquo;s storytelling recordings have won a Parents&rsquo; Choice Silver Honor Award, a Storytelling World Award, and a National Parenting Publications Award. She trained with master mime Tony Montanaro (1927-2002) and renowned Appalachian storyteller Elizabeth Ellis.<a fr-original-style="" href="https://motoko.folktales.net/" rel="noopener noreferrer noopener noreferrer" style="text-decoration-color: initial; user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">https://motoko.folktales.net/</a> Jasmin CardenasJasmin Cardenas is a Colombian-American actress, theatermaker, educator, and social activist based in Chicago. She is a SAG-AFTRA member with credits in television and film. Cardenas is known for her work in Chicago&#39;s theater community, including Steppenwolf and Goodman theaters. She co-founded WorkersTEATRO to highlight wage worker stories and has been recognized for her storytelling, including a 2018 ALTA Award and a Race Bridges Storytelling Fellowship. Her one-woman show, &iquest;Ni&ntilde;a Buena?, explores her experiences as a Latina American and has toured in the Midwest and Mexico. She was also awarded a 2020-2022 LAB Fellowship, was selected to be the 2022 World Theatre Day U.S. Emergent Theater Artist, and received the 2023 USArtists International MidAtlantic Arts Grant to tour to Zimbabwe and South Africa.<a fr-original-style="" href="https://www.jasmincardenas.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer noopener noreferrer noopener noreferrer" style="text-decoration-color: initial; user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">https://www.jasmincardenas.com/</a> If finances are an issue, please reach out to us by emailing bayareastoryfest@gmail.com with &quot;Scholarship Program&quot; as the subject. Tell us just a little about yourself, and we&rsquo;ll be happy to provide a scholarship for a portion or all of the ticket price.&nbsp; If you have any questions regarding ticketing or sponsorship, please email us at bayareastoryfest@gmail.com. If you need an ASL interpreter, please email us by March 20th.

Hello <span contenteditable="false" data-custom-variable="{{firstname}}" fr-original-class="fr-deletable styled-tag-chip" fr-original-style="" style="background-color: rgb(248, 248, 255); border: 1px solid rgb(191, 191, 255); border-radius: 4px; color: rgb(42, 42, 196); padding: 1px 8px; font-size: 11px; display: inline-block; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: anywhere; user-select: none; box-sizing: inherit;">First name, The Bay Area Storytelling Festival returns this Sunday!&nbsp;IF YOU ARE A VIRTUAL TICKET HOLDER, PLEASE FOLLOW THIS LINK TO THE VIRTUAL WEBPAGE: &nbsp;NOTE, THIS PAGE WILL NOT BE LIVE UNTIL THE START OF THE FESTIVAL, APRIL 26TH AT 10:00 AM. &nbsp; <a fr-original-style="" href="http://sfapshows.com/basf_virtual2026.php" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="text-decoration-color: initial; user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">http://sfapshows.com/basf_virtual2026.php</a> THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS FOR IN-PERSON ATTENDEES:-Registration begins at 9:00 am with the Opening Concert starting at 10:00 am.-Morning Half-Day Ticket Session is from 9:00 am until 2:00 pm-Afternoon Half-Day Ticket Session is from 1:00 pm - 6:30 pm-Here is a link to the Festival schedule: <a fr-original-style="" href="http://www.sfapshows.com/2026_basf_schedule.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer noopener noreferrer noopener noreferrer" style="text-decoration-color: initial; user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">http://www.sfapshows.com/2026_basf_schedule.pdf</a> -In order to expedite the registration process, please bring your printed ticket with you. We will have a list of attendees in case you forget!Parking-There is a parking lot in front of the main entrance to the Community Center.&nbsp;-There is also a small parking garage attached to the Library/Community Center. From the garage, take the elevator or the stairs and follow the signs to registration.-There is street parking as well and parking is allowed in the Rite Aid parking lot across the street.Food/Beverages-We suggest that you bring a water bottle. There is a water fill fountain at the Center.Morning-There will be coffee and pastries available, with a suggested donation of $5.00 - $10.00Lunch&nbsp;-We suggest that you &ldquo;brown bag&rdquo; your lunch, as options in the area are limited. Also, the Open Mic will take place during the lunch break. Here are the options within walking distance of the Festival.Safeway Grocery Store, 3-minute walk2 Camino Sobrante, Orinda, CA 94563Village Inn Cafe, 3-minute walk204 Village Square #2504, Orinda, CA 94563Sake Blue, 5-minute walk1 Camino Sobrante Ste 6, Orinda, CA 94563 Open MicFill out a slip with your name and drop it in the hat at the Open Mic for a chance to tell a 5-minute story of any genre. The Sign Up Table will be located in the Founders Auditorium.Transportation:The Orinda BART station is an approximate 10-minute walk from the Community Center. If you plan to take BART, please check the schedule, as there is some work being done that day and some routes are being modified.Silent AuctionIf you have items you would like to donate, please bring them with you to the Festival and see Jean Ellisen. All proceeds go to help offset the cost of the Festival..&nbsp;Here is the link to the Virtual Live Stream in case you want to re-watch any of the sessions. Or if, for some reason, you are unable to attend in person. <a fr-original-style="" href="http://sfapshows.com/basf_virtual2026.php" rel="noopener noreferrer noopener noreferrer noopener noreferrer noopener noreferrer" style="text-decoration-color: initial; user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">http://sfapshows.com/basf_virtual2026.php</a> If you have questions, please email bayareastoryfest@gmail.comThank you,BASF Committee

April 26th 10:00 AM - 6:30 PMIN-PERSON ONLINE TICKET SALES WILL END AT 7:00 PM ON SATURDAY, APRIL 25TH. TICKETS WILL BE AVAILABLE AT THE DOOR. VIRTUAL TICKETS WILL STILL BE AVAILABLE.Join us at the Bay Area Storytelling Festival, a day of live stories told from the heart. Hear International, National, and Regional voices share true, traditional, and imagined tales that connect people and cultures. Our acclaimed featured tellers – Andy Offutt Irwin, Motoko, and Jasmin Cardenas - will transport us with tales from their diverse backgrounds and traditions, enchanting us with their award-winning storytelling and bringing the ancient art alive for modern audiences. The day will include story concerts, workshops, a SAC Showcase, a Youth Concert, and an opportunity to tell a story of your own at our Open Mic. This will be a festival not to be missed! In-Person and Virtual options available. We look forward to gathering, with friends new and old, under the canopy of story. Click <a href="http://sfapshows.com/2026_basf_schedule.pdf" target="_blank">HERE</a> to see the festival schedule. ONLINE TICKET SALES WILL END AT 8:00 PM Saturday, April 25th, with plenty of tickets available at the door for all day, half-day, or individual sessions. In-person tickets will include the recordings from the Festival.VIRTUAL TICKET SALES will continue throughout the Festival.The festival sessions will be recorded and sent to you shortly after the event ends. The recordings will be available for viewing through August 31st. Unlike other ticketing platforms, Zeffy charges no mandatory service fee on your tickets. However, when you check out, you will see a suggested service fee to help Zeffy continue to provide its platform free to non-profits. This is a suggested amount; use the dropdown to select "other" and adjust it to suit your preferences. Meet our featured storytellers:Andy Offutt-IrwinWith a manic, Silly Putty voice, hilarious, heart-filled stories, and amazing mouth noises (arguably the greatest whistler in the world), Andy Offutt Irwin has been described as “The Marx Brothers meet Eudora Welty.” Irwin is a keynote speaker, theater director, songwriter, comedian, newspaper columnist, and Shakespearean actor. His appearances have taken him across the U.S., including the Library of Congress and Walt Disney World. He is the recipient of numerous awards, including the NSN ORACLE Circle of Excellence and a Special Congressional Recognition from Rep. John Lewis for “outstanding and invaluable service to the community.”<a href="https://andyirwin.com/" target="_blank">https://andyirwin.com/</a> MotokoAward-winning Japanese storyteller, Motoko, has enchanted audiences of every age with Asian folktales, Rakugo and Zen tales, ghost stories, mime vignettes, as well as oral memoirs from her childhood in Osaka and her life as an immigrant in the U.S. She is the recipient of the National Storytelling Network’s 2017 Circle of Excellence Award. Motoko’s storytelling recordings have won a Parents’ Choice Silver Honor Award, a Storytelling World Award, and a National Parenting Publications Award. She trained with master mime Tony Montanaro (1927-2002) and renowned Appalachian storyteller Elizabeth Ellis.<a href="https://motoko.folktales.net/" target="_blank">https://motoko.folktales.net/</a> Jasmin CardenasJasmin Cardenas is a Colombian-American actress, theatermaker, educator, and social activist based in Chicago. She is a SAG-AFTRA member with credits in television and film. Cardenas is known for her work in Chicago's theater community, including Steppenwolf and Goodman theaters. She co-founded WorkersTEATRO to highlight wage worker stories and has been recognized for her storytelling, including a 2018 ALTA Award and a Race Bridges Storytelling Fellowship. Her one-woman show, ¿Niña Buena?, explores her experiences as a Latina American and has toured in the Midwest and Mexico. She was also awarded a 2020-2022 LAB Fellowship, was selected to be the 2022 World Theatre Day U.S. Emergent Theater Artist, and received the 2023 USArtists International MidAtlantic Arts Grant to tour to Zimbabwe and South Africa.<a href="https://www.jasmincardenas.com/" target="_blank">https://www.jasmincardenas.com/</a> If finances are an issue, please reach out to us by emailing bayareastoryfest@gmail.com with "Scholarship Program" as the subject. Tell us just a little about yourself, and we’ll be happy to provide a scholarship for a portion or all of the ticket price.  If you have any questions regarding ticketing or sponsorship, please email us at bayareastoryfest@gmail.com. If you need an ASL interpreter, please email us by March 20th.

Storytelling Association of Alta California

Bay Area Storytelling Festival

28 Orinda Way

Virtual

$30

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