Performances To Grow On

**Context Profile for Performances To Grow On**

1. **Organization Mission & Cause:**
   Performances To Grow On (PTGO) is dedicated to fostering storytelling and the arts, particularly through the Ojai Storytelling Festival. Their mission is to inspire and connect communities through the art of storytelling, emphasizing the importance of narrative in personal and communal growth. They aim to create a platform where diverse voices can be heard and celebrated, enriching the cultural fabric of the community.

2. **Type of Activities:**
   - **Events:** PTGO organizes the Ojai Storytelling Festival, which features a variety of storytelling performances, workshops, and community gatherings. The festival is a key highlight, bringing together storytellers and audiences from various backgrounds.
   - **Fundraising Campaigns:** They run campaigns to support the festival and other community programs, such as the recent campaign for "2025 Ojai Storytelling Festival Passes."
   - **Community Programs:** PTGO engages in educational initiatives that promote storytelling skills among youth and adults, enhancing communication and creativity within the community.

3. **Tone of Voice:**
   The tone of PTGO's communications is friendly, inviting, and slightly informal, aiming to create a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Their language is clear and accessible, often using a conversational style that encourages community participation and engagement. They balance professionalism with a personal touch, making their messaging relatable.

4. **Emoji Usage:**
   PTGO incorporates emojis in their communications to add a friendly and approachable element. For instance, they use location emojis (📍) in event reminders to highlight venue details. Emoji usage appears to be moderate, enhancing the tone without overwhelming the content.

5. **Key Facts:**
   - **Founding Info:** Specific founding details were not directly available on the website but are likely tied to the establishment of the Ojai Storytelling Festival.
   - **Scale:** PTGO has conducted 4 total forms and 13 email campaigns, indicating active engagement with their audience.
   - **Impact Metrics:** While specific metrics were not detailed on the website, the organization emphasizes community involvement and the positive effects of storytelling on personal and communal development.
   - **Volunteer Info:** Information about volunteer opportunities is not explicitly mentioned, but the organization likely welcomes community involvement given its mission.

6. **Writing Guidelines:**
   - **Style:** Use a conversational and friendly tone, avoiding overly formal language. Aim for clarity and accessibility.
   - **Engagement:** Encourage community participation and highlight the importance of storytelling in personal growth.
   - **Structure:** Keep communications concise, using bullet points or short paragraphs for readability.
   - **Emojis:** Use emojis sparingly to enhance engagement, particularly in event reminders and community announcements.
   - **Personalization:** Incorporate personalized greetings and acknowledgments to foster a sense of connection with the audience.

This context profile serves as a guide for crafting tailored communications that resonate with the values and mission of Performances To Grow On, ensuring that content is engaging, informative, and aligned with their organizational goals.

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.

Performances To Grow On

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Paul Strickland: Comedic Techniques in Storytelling

General Admission

$225