Live Storytelling Events in Portland
Enjoy an evening of true and captivating tales, told to a live audience.
Tuck Woodstock
Tuck Woodstock wrote and edited content for Travel Portland from 2014–2020. Read More
Storytelling events have been sweeping the nation in recent years, thanks in part to radio shows like This American Life, events like The Moth, podcasts like Serial and essayists like David Sedaris. Experience an unforgettable night of enthralling, true stories at these Portland events:
The Moth
Founded in 1997, national nonprofit The Moth has hosted more than 3,000 spellbinding live shows, and its award-winning podcast is routinely ranked in iTunes’ Top 20. Portland’s Holocene and The Secret Society both hold monthly Moth Story Slams, featuring five-minute stories on pre-announced themes like “Movies,” “Jokers” and “The Dark Side.” Feeling brave? Prepare your own story and submit your name at the event — you could be chosen to perform!
Back Fence PDX
“No lies. No notes. No memorization.” Those three simple rules guide the performances at Back Fence PDX, Portland’s flagship storytelling event. Expect an evening of polished stories from veteran comedians, actors and authors from Portland, New York, Los Angeles, and everywhere.
Bored by traditional storytelling events? Try “Russian Roulette,” which challenges performers to spin a giant wheel of prompts and craft five-minute true stories based on their results, or “Reel Stories,” which invites filmmakers to pair personal tales with their own movie and television clips — including outtakes and behind-the-scenes footage.
Portland Story Theater
Local storytelling collective Portland Story Theater gathers several times yearly to perform true tales on a common theme. Events often revolve around a holiday (like “Luck of the Irish” in March, “Spellbound” in October and “Kiss & Tell” in February). The group’s “Armchair Adventurer” series presents historical events personally, sharing the heart-wrenching sagas of Nantucket whaling ships and doomed Antarctic expeditions.
Offered several times each year, Portland Story Theater’s “Art of the Personal Narrative” workshop teaches participants to craft 10-minute stories about experiences that radically changed their lives. The remarkable results are presented in an evening of live jazz and storytelling at the historic Alberta Abbey. Intrigued? The group’s stories are available for free on the Urban Tellers website and as weekly podcasts on iTunes.
Storytelling Events
Listen to what people have to say at these upcoming Storytelling Events.
Oregon Book Awards
Join Literary Arts for an evening honoring the state’s most accomplished writers in the categories of poetry, fiction, nonfiction, young readers, and graphic literature. This year’s ceremony will be hosted by Kwame Alexander.
Circle Round
Join host Rebecca Sheir and composer Eric Shimelonis, plus a talented cast of actors, as they bring two Circle Round stories to life on-stage in Portland! This event features a live recording of one of the tales, allowing you to be a part of the Circle Round magic. Meet us in the lobby after the…
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