Ottawa StoryTellers Workshops

At Ottawa StoryTellers, we believe everyone has a story worth sharing. Our workshops are designed to help you discover the power of your own voice, build confidence in your storytelling, and connect deeply with your audience. Whether you’re a seasoned performer or a complete beginner, our workshops offer practical tools, supportive guidance, and a welcoming space to explore the art of storytelling.

From personal narratives to professional development, our sessions nurture creativity, improve communication skills, and celebrate the rich tradition of storytelling in all its forms.

A man with curly hair, wearing a striped blazer, speaking into a microphone on stage in a dimly lit room with an audience watching. The background has framed artwork on a brick wall and some string lights.

OST Storytelling Workshops

These workshops are the heart of our community programming.

Open to storytellers of all levels, they focus on foundational storytelling skills like crafting compelling narratives, engaging your listeners, and refining your delivery. Perfect for adults who want to develop their personal stories or take their storytelling to the next level in a friendly, inclusive environment.

Artist Talk with Mera Reyes | OST Workshop

  • Saturday, June 6 2026 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

    The Wellington Room - Hintonburg Community Centre

Join award winning Mera Reyes for a 2 hour workshop and artist talk as she dives into her journey as a storyteller and her skills as a performer!

  • Therapeutic Storyteller has shared her performances and led workshops in countries like Spain, French Polynesia, EUA , England and Peru where her audiences experience moving and surprising journeys through her loving craft and singing voice. Her performances and workshops encourage participants to understand storytelling as a performing art through chromatic language, play, masks, dance, song, spontaneous creations and contact with the listener.

    Mera speaks and sings fluently in English, Spanish. She trained as a professional storyteller at Emerson College (U.K, Sussex) and as a Therapeutic Storyteller in Boston, Massachusets at Merriam Hill Centre under the instruction of Nancy Mellon. Mera is also a Body Psychoterapist with a thesis on anxiety management . Has worked for Downstage Calgary , The High Performance Rodeo , The Arts Commons Education Program as facilitator, mentorship for The Calgary Shakespeare Company, Canadian Mental Health Association and ATA Summer Convention 2023 and Workshop leader for the Education Program at Mount Royal University October, 2023.

    Mera currently works in her Opera Prima “The Strategy Of War “ Splendour and Magic of Aztec Mythology with the spectacular production of Downstage and collaboration of Arts Commons . As well, she is doing the groundwork to open her own School of Storytelling in Alberta.

    Mera believes storytelling reinforces the importance of listening to one another and is a path for human development, inclusion, reconciliation, healing and understanding.

  • Saturday June 6 2026 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

  • The Wellington Room
    Hintonburg Community Centre

    1064 Wellington St. W
    Ottawa, ON K1Y 2Y3

SPACE: Commanding the Room
An Advanced Workshop Series

From award winning actor and storyteller Pierre Brault comes a three part series of workshops that you make take as one-offs or all three to enhance your skills as a storyteller! 

Confidence, focus, and control on stage

  • Saturday, June 13, 2026
    Time: 12:00pm to 2:00pm

  • Laurel Room, Hintonburg Community Centre, 1064 Wellington St. W, Ottawa, ON K1Y 2Y3

  • This session focuses on how storytellers use space to guide an audience’s attention and maintain control of the room, even in the most stripped-down settings.

    You’ll explore:

    • Eye contact as narrative control

    • When to move and when to stay still

    • Working simply with (or without) props

    • Recovering gracefully when something goes off-script

  • This workshop stands on its own for anyone looking to build stage confidence or prepare for live performance. As the final part of the series, it brings STORY and BODY together into a confident, grounded stage presence.

  • Pierre Brault is an Ottawa based actor, playwright, stand-up comedian and teacher. He has appeared in numerous films and has also worked extensively as a comedian touring regularly across Canada. Pierre is the recipient of the inaugural Audrey Ashley Award for his body of work contribution to the Ottawa theatre scene.

  • Drawing on practical tools from theatre, this series focuses on strengthening oral storytelling by helping participants clarify what their story is really about, embody it with intention, and deliver it confidently in front of an audience. The emphasis is always on authenticity, simplicity, and connection—not performance tricks or embellishment.

    Each workshop can be taken as a stand-alone session, but together they form a clear progression:

    • STORY sharpens the narrative. (February 28)

    • BODY grounds the storyteller. (April 11 - Noon-2pm)

    • SPACE builds confidence on stage. (June 13 - Noon-2pm)

  • Saturday, June 13th
    Time: 12:00pm to 2:00pm

  • This series is ideal for emerging and experienced storytellers looking to deepen their craft, improve stage presence, or prepare for live performance in a way that respects the tradition of storytelling while quietly strengthening performance skills.

    Cost per session: $40.00

    To register or go to:
    https://www.tickettailor.com/events/ottawastorytellers/2054794

    or use the button below.

Workshop Facilitator Pierre Brault is an Ottawa based actor, playwright, stand-up comedian and teacher.