Ojai Storytelling Festival

**Context Profile for Ojai Storytelling Festival**

1. **Organization Mission & Cause:**
   The Ojai Storytelling Festival is dedicated to enriching the community through the art of storytelling and live performance. Their mission is to bring people together to share and celebrate stories that inspire, entertain, and educate. The festival aims to foster a deeper appreciation for storytelling as an art form and its power to connect people across different cultures and backgrounds.

2. **Type of Activities:**
   - **Annual Storytelling Festival:** A multi-day event featuring storytellers from around the world, offering performances, workshops, and interactive sessions.
   - **Fundraising Events:** Such as "Cock-TALE Chronicles," which combine storytelling with unique experiences like mixology.
   - **Community Programs:** Performances and workshops designed to engage the local community and promote storytelling as a tool for education and personal growth.

3. **Tone of Voice:**
   The tone of the Ojai Storytelling Festival is friendly, inviting, and slightly whimsical. The language used is engaging and aims to evoke curiosity and excitement about storytelling. They maintain a professional yet approachable tone, making their communications accessible to a broad audience.

4. **Emoji Usage:**
   The organization does not prominently use emojis in their website content or communications. Their style leans more towards traditional text-based communication, focusing on rich descriptions and storytelling elements.

5. **Key Facts:**
   - **Founding Information:** The festival has been a staple in the Ojai community for several years, though specific founding details are not highlighted on the website.
   - **Scale and Impact:** The festival attracts a diverse audience, including local residents and visitors, contributing to the cultural vibrancy of Ojai. It supports local artists and provides a platform for storytellers to share their craft.
   - **Volunteer Information:** Volunteers play a crucial role in organizing and running the festival, though specific details about volunteer opportunities are not extensively covered on the website.

6. **Writing Guidelines:**
   - **Engagement Focus:** Content should be engaging and vivid, capturing the essence of storytelling and its impact on the community.
   - **Descriptive Language:** Use rich, descriptive language to paint a picture of events and activities, emphasizing the sensory and emotional aspects of storytelling.
   - **Community-Centric:** Highlight the community benefits and cultural enrichment provided by the festival.
   - **Professional Yet Approachable:** Maintain a balance between professionalism and a friendly, inviting tone to appeal to a wide audience.

By adhering to these guidelines and insights, AI-generated content can effectively reflect the spirit and mission of the Ojai Storytelling Festival, enhancing engagement and connection with their audience.

Class dates and times: June 1, 8, 15, 22, 2025, 3-5pm PST
Comedic Techniques in Storytelling

Early Bird

General Admission

World Storytelling Day Discount

Classes scheduled on 4 consecutive Sundays in June 2025. Sunday, June 1, 8, 15, and 22 from 3-5PM PST.Zoom Link will be sent to you the week before the workshop and will remain the same for the duration of the course. Class Description<span fr-original-style="color: rgb(12, 29, 57); font-family: avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;" style="color:rgb(12, 29, 57);font-family:avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, sans-serif;font-size:16px;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:justify;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;float:none;display:inline !important;box-sizing:inherit">Everyone loves a good story—but a funny story? That’s the one people remember, retell, and beg to hear again. Humor is a storyteller’s secret weapon, but great comedic moments don’t just happen—they’re crafted. <span fr-original-style="color: rgb(12, 29, 57); font-family: avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;" style="color:rgb(12, 29, 57);font-family:avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, sans-serif;font-size:16px;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:justify;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;float:none;display:inline !important;box-sizing:inherit">  <span fr-original-style="color: rgb(12, 29, 57); font-family: avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;" style="color:rgb(12, 29, 57);font-family:avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, sans-serif;font-size:16px;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:justify;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;float:none;display:inline !important;box-sizing:inherit">In this high-energy, laugh-filled workshop, former full-time Nationally touring stand-up comic turned award-winning storyteller Paul Strickland breaks down the mechanics of humor in storytelling—why it works, how to build it, and how to make it hit every time. You’ll explore joke construction, comedic timing, and the subtle art of performance indicators—those small but powerful vocal shifts, gestures, and beats that signal an audience when to laugh. Through live examples, interactive exercises, and an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at how professionals structure humor into their stories, you'll learn how to make funny moments replicable—not just lucky accidents. <span fr-original-style="color: rgb(12, 29, 57); font-family: avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;" style="color:rgb(12, 29, 57);font-family:avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, sans-serif;font-size:16px;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:justify;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;float:none;display:inline !important;box-sizing:inherit">  <span fr-original-style="color: rgb(12, 29, 57); font-family: avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;" style="color:rgb(12, 29, 57);font-family:avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, sans-serif;font-size:16px;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:justify;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;float:none;display:inline !important;box-sizing:inherit">But this isn't just about making your story more funny. It’s about sharpening your storytelling with humor that enhances your narratives, keeps your audience engaged, and makes the serious moments land even harder. Whether you’re a seasoned performer or just someone who wants to tell better stories at dinner parties, you’ll leave with practical, tested techniques to make your storytelling funnier, sharper, and more impactful. Your Teacher<p style="background:transparent;border:0px;outline:0px;padding:0px;vertical-align:baseline;pointer-events:auto;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;font-size:16px;color:rgb(var(--color_15));letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;text-align:justify;margin-block:0px;margin:0px"><span fr-original-style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-size: 16px;" style="background:transparent;border:0px;margin:0px;outline:0px;padding:0px;vertical-align:baseline;font-size:16px;box-sizing:inherit">Paul Strickland is a professional storyteller and theatre artist who lives in Kentucky. His repertoire includes family friendly stories such as, <span fr-original-style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-weight: bold;" style="background:transparent;border:0px;margin:0px;outline:0px;padding:0px;vertical-align:baseline;font-weight:bold;box-sizing:inherit">Reupholstered Folk Tales, <span fr-original-style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-weight: bold;" style="background:transparent;border:0px;margin:0px;outline:0px;padding:0px;vertical-align:baseline;font-weight:bold;box-sizing:inherit">Fairytales for Adults and Future Adults, tall-tales and even historical stories that just happened to have never happened.  <p style="background:transparent;border:0px;outline:0px;padding:0px;vertical-align:baseline;pointer-events:auto;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;font-size:16px;color:rgb(var(--color_15));letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;text-align:justify;margin-block:0px;margin:0px"><span fr-original-style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-size: 16px;" style="background:transparent;border:0px;margin:0px;outline:0px;padding:0px;vertical-align:baseline;font-size:16px;box-sizing:inherit">Paul was a Teller-in-Residence at the International Storytelling Center in 2024.  He was a Featured Teller: New Voice at the <span fr-original-style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-family: avenir-lt-w01_85-heavy1475544, sans-serif;" style="background:transparent;border:0px;margin:0px;outline:0px;padding:0px;vertical-align:baseline;font-family:avenir-lt-w01_85-heavy1475544, sans-serif;box-sizing:inherit"><span fr-original-style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-weight: bold;" style="background:transparent;border:0px;margin:0px;outline:0px;padding:0px;vertical-align:baseline;font-weight:bold;box-sizing:inherit">National Storytelling Festival and Featured Teller at the <span fr-original-style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-family: avenir-lt-w01_85-heavy1475544, sans-serif;" style="background:transparent;border:0px;margin:0px;outline:0px;padding:0px;vertical-align:baseline;font-family:avenir-lt-w01_85-heavy1475544, sans-serif;box-sizing:inherit"><span fr-original-style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-weight: bold;" style="background:transparent;border:0px;margin:0px;outline:0px;padding:0px;vertical-align:baseline;font-weight:bold;box-sizing:inherit">Timpanagos Storytelling Festival in 2023. and the <span fr-original-style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-family: avenir-lt-w01_85-heavy1475544, sans-serif;" style="background:transparent;border:0px;margin:0px;outline:0px;padding:0px;vertical-align:baseline;font-family:avenir-lt-w01_85-heavy1475544, sans-serif;box-sizing:inherit"><span fr-original-style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-weight: bold;" style="background:transparent;border:0px;margin:0px;outline:0px;padding:0px;vertical-align:baseline;font-weight:bold;box-sizing:inherit">Cave Run Storytelling Festival among others, in 2022.  <p style="background:transparent;border:0px;outline:0px;padding:0px;vertical-align:baseline;pointer-events:auto;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;font-size:16px;color:rgb(var(--color_15));letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;text-align:justify;margin-block:0px;margin:0px"><span fr-original-style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-size: 16px;" style="background:transparent;border:0px;margin:0px;outline:0px;padding:0px;vertical-align:baseline;font-size:16px;box-sizing:inherit">In November of 2018 he made his NYC stage debut Off-Broadway at the <span fr-original-style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-weight: normal;" style="background:transparent;border:0px;margin:0px;outline:0px;padding:0px;vertical-align:baseline;font-weight:normal;box-sizing:inherit">SoHo Playhouse with his shadow and flashlight ghost story play <span fr-original-style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-weight: bold;" style="background:transparent;border:0px;margin:0px;outline:0px;padding:0px;vertical-align:baseline;font-weight:bold;box-sizing:inherit"><span fr-original-style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-style: italic;" style="background:transparent;border:0px;margin:0px;outline:0px;padding:0px;vertical-align:baseline;font-style:italic;box-sizing:inherit">13 Dead Dreams of  “Eugene".  <p style="background:transparent;border:0px;outline:0px;padding:0px;vertical-align:baseline;pointer-events:auto;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;font-size:16px;color:rgb(var(--color_15));letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;text-align:justify;margin-block:0px;margin:0px"><span fr-original-style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-size: 16px;" style="background:transparent;border:0px;margin:0px;outline:0px;padding:0px;vertical-align:baseline;font-size:16px;box-sizing:inherit">Always adapting to whatever audience is in front of him, Paul LOVES telling stories in every imaginable environment, from comedy clubs to elementary and middle schools, corporate events  and even two prisons - where he was NOT an inmate at the time.  <p style="background:transparent;border:0px;outline:0px;padding:0px;vertical-align:baseline;pointer-events:auto;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;font-size:16px;color:rgb(var(--color_15));letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;text-align:justify;margin-block:0px;margin:0px"><span fr-original-style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-size: 16px;" style="background:transparent;border:0px;margin:0px;outline:0px;padding:0px;vertical-align:baseline;font-size:16px;box-sizing:inherit">Collections of his stories have won "Best of Fest" honors more than 18 times at Fringe Theatre  Festivals in the US and Canada. Selections from his comedy performance <span fr-original-style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-weight: bold;" style="background:transparent;border:0px;margin:0px;outline:0px;padding:0px;vertical-align:baseline;font-weight:bold;box-sizing:inherit"><span fr-original-style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-style: italic;" style="background:transparent;border:0px;margin:0px;outline:0px;padding:0px;vertical-align:baseline;font-style:italic;box-sizing:inherit">Levels of Difficulty  are still played nearly every day on SiriusXM radio.

Thank you for joining Comedic Techniques in Storytelling with Paul Strickland.You will receive the zoom link and other class materials before the start of the workshop. Kara Lakes-Director of PTGO & OSFQuestions? Email kara@ojaistoryfest.org

Classes scheduled on 4 consecutive Sundays in June 2025. Sunday, June 1, 8, 15, and 22 from 3-5PM PST.Zoom Link will be sent to you the week before the workshop and will remain the same for the duration of the course. Class DescriptionEveryone loves a good story—but a funny story? That’s the one people remember, retell, and beg to hear again. Humor is a storyteller’s secret weapon, but great comedic moments don’t just happen—they’re crafted.   In this high-energy, laugh-filled workshop, former full-time Nationally touring stand-up comic turned award-winning storyteller Paul Strickland breaks down the mechanics of humor in storytelling—why it works, how to build it, and how to make it hit every time. You’ll explore joke construction, comedic timing, and the subtle art of performance indicators—those small but powerful vocal shifts, gestures, and beats that signal an audience when to laugh. Through live examples, interactive exercises, and an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at how professionals structure humor into their stories, you'll learn how to make funny moments replicable—not just lucky accidents.   But this isn't just about making your story more funny. It’s about sharpening your storytelling with humor that enhances your narratives, keeps your audience engaged, and makes the serious moments land even harder. Whether you’re a seasoned performer or just someone who wants to tell better stories at dinner parties, you’ll leave with practical, tested techniques to make your storytelling funnier, sharper, and more impactful. Your Teacher<p style="border:0px;outline:0px;padding:0px;vertical-align:baseline;pointer-events:auto;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-align:justify;margin-block:0px;margin:0px;max-width:100%">Paul Strickland is a professional storyteller and theatre artist who lives in Kentucky. His repertoire includes family friendly stories such as, Reupholstered Folk Tales, Fairytales for Adults and Future Adults, tall-tales and even historical stories that just happened to have never happened.  <p style="border:0px;outline:0px;padding:0px;vertical-align:baseline;pointer-events:auto;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-align:justify;margin-block:0px;margin:0px;max-width:100%">Paul was a Teller-in-Residence at the International Storytelling Center in 2024.  He was a Featured Teller: New Voice at the National Storytelling Festival and Featured Teller at the Timpanagos Storytelling Festival in 2023. and the Cave Run Storytelling Festival among others, in 2022.  <p style="border:0px;outline:0px;padding:0px;vertical-align:baseline;pointer-events:auto;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-align:justify;margin-block:0px;margin:0px;max-width:100%">In November of 2018 he made his NYC stage debut Off-Broadway at the SoHo Playhouse with his shadow and flashlight ghost story play 13 Dead Dreams of  “Eugene".  <p style="border:0px;outline:0px;padding:0px;vertical-align:baseline;pointer-events:auto;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-align:justify;margin-block:0px;margin:0px;max-width:100%">Always adapting to whatever audience is in front of him, Paul LOVES telling stories in every imaginable environment, from comedy clubs to elementary and middle schools, corporate events  and even two prisons - where he was NOT an inmate at the time.  <p style="border:0px;outline:0px;padding:0px;vertical-align:baseline;pointer-events:auto;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-align:justify;margin-block:0px;margin:0px;max-width:100%">Collections of his stories have won "Best of Fest" honors more than 18 times at Fringe Theatre  Festivals in the US and Canada. Selections from his comedy performance Levels of Difficulty  are still played nearly every day on SiriusXM radio.

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$225