Better Said Than Done

WTF Storytelling at Epicure
2025-01-25 19:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York)
Better Said Than Done storytelling returns to Epicure Cafe – our home of old. We’ve changed since our last show at Epicure – and so have they. New location and a new name to go with it. Epicure Cafe is now Epicure on King and it’s located – you guessed it – on King St. in Alexandria, VA.
Join emcee Bonnie Gardner and storytellers J.R. Denson, Carol Moore, Jessica Robinson, Jack Scheer, and Zach Wilks on January 25th, 2025 for WTactualF: true stories you won’t believe, our first in-person show of the new year, and our first time at this shiny new Epicure.
Online registration for this event is closed
Epicure on King is located at 703 King Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314.
The show starts promptly at 7:00pm. We expect to sell out and cannot reserve seats, so we recommend you arrive by 6:30pm, when doors open.
A full dinner and bar menu will be available.

Your Story and More
2025-02-10 19:30 - 21:30
This 5 week storytelling workshop is for exploring various themes, styles, and techniques in personal storytelling, and beyond. The workshop starts on February 10, and continues each Monday evening from 7:30pm – 9:30pm, through March 10th, 2025.
5 two hour classes, over five weeks, to help you develop stories of varying lengths to be performed on stage. Each class will cover a different storytelling theme, with exercises geared to inspire. Students will be able to workshop and hone at least one, and possibly several, stories over the course of 5 weeks.
This workshop is led by Better Said Than Done Executive Director Jessica Piscitelli Robinson. Jessica has led storytelling workshops and presentations for BAE Systems, George Mason University, INOVA Fairfax Hospital, Jack Morton, K4Health at Johns Hopkins University, the George Washington University School of Business, The World Bank, the Brookings Institution, and Atlassian, as well as regularly teaching Better Said Than Done in-house storytelling workshops, and through libraries, senior centers, and adult education centers.
Online registration for this event is closed
You will receive an email with registration information shortly after registering. If you do NOT see that email, first check your junk mail folder. If you still can’t find it, email stories@bettersaidthandone.org.
No refunds will be issued for cancellations received after registration. In extenuating circumstances, to be determined solely by Better Said Than Done, Inc., a voucher for attendance at another Better Said Than Done workshop of equal or lesser value may be offered. Additional fees may be required.
Substitutions for persons attending can be made in advance without charge. In the event of circumstances beyond its control, Better Said Than Done reserves the right to amend or cancel any event. Better Said Than Done is not liable for any expense incurred by participants as a result of cancellation.

Mad World
2025-02-22 18:00 - 20:00
This show is sold out. We will be back at the shack on April 26th if you missed us this time round. Or if you really can’t wait, come see The Women’s Storytelling Festival March 20 – 23 in Fairfax City, VA, and online!
On February 22, 2025, join Better Said Than Done for A Mad World: Stories about unreal people and situations, with emcee Carol Moore and storytellers Dustin Fisher, Jeanna Lee, Jamie McElhatton, Joe Morice, Ravi Pimplaskar, Jessica Robinson, and Kathy Stershic.
In-Person at Clare and Don’s Beach Shack, 130 N. Washington St, Falls Church, VA.
6:00pm Show Starts / Doors open at 5:30pm.
A full dinner and bar menu is available.
Storytelling is intended for a mature audience.
Online registration for this event is closed
We recommend you get tickets in advance. If we do not sell out in advance, we’ll have tickets available at the door for $15 per person. When you purchase a ticket, your name will be entered on the list at the door. Save a tree! You do not need to print or bring your ticket.
No refunds will be given. To transfer tickets, contact seller in advance of the show and give them the name(s) of the person(s) who will be using the ticket.

Mini Class on Personal Storytelling
2025-03-31 19:00 - 20:30
This 90 minute workshop will give some insights into what makes a great personal story, how to choose character traits and structures that support a short, personal story, and what to think about in the process of developing a new personal story.
During the 90 minutes, participants will be given a writing prompt. A few will have time to share their stories and receive feedback.
Online registration for this event is closed
Bring ideas for a 5-7 minute story to work on in this 90 minute class. Learn about character development, story structure, and where to begin and how to end, and then spend some time writing. A few participants will be able to share their stories with the class.
This workshop will be recorded and registrants will have access to the recording for one month after.
This storytelling workshop will be led by Jessica Piscitelli Robinson.
Jessica Robinson is the Founding Executive Director of Better Said Than Done. In addition to producing storytelling shows since 2011, Jessica has performed at Exchange Place at the International Storytelling Festival, on WGBH’s “Stories from the Stage,” and for Artists Standing Strong Together, Six Feet Apart Productions, Mostly True Things, and 2 National Storytelling Network (NSN) Conferences. Jessica was featured at the Stone Soup, the Washington Folk, the Alleghany Highlands, the Florida, and the Hampton Storytelling Festivals, and has told lies and emceed at the Good Liars Club Festival 3 years in a row. Jessica is a 2023 ORACLE Award recipient from the NSN.
Jessica is the author of the novel Caged (under pen name JP Robinson), contributing author to the anthology Roar: True Tales of Women Warriors, and her latest book Stages: My Life in Stories, is a memoir in stories.
Jessica has been teaching storytelling to individuals and organizations since 2011. In addition to community centers, libraries, and adult education centers, Jessica has taught storytelling for The Brookings Institution, The George Washington University School of Business, George Mason University’s Athletic Department, and The World Bank, to name a few. Jessica’s E-Guide to Personal Storytelling is available through Story Crossroads.

2025 Women's Storytelling Festival
2025-04-07 20:00 - 2025-04-08 12:00 | Sherwood Community Center, 3740 Blenheim Blvd., Fairfax, VA, 22030
The live performances have ended, but you can watch all 15 plus hours of recordings, on Youtube, through April 28th. Tickets are on sale through April 8th.
Get your tickets to watch the 2025 Women’s Storytelling Festival here!

Join Better Said Than Done in March, in Fairfax, VA, or online, for the 6th Annual Women’s Storytelling Festival. The festival features 19 storytellers performing over 3 days in-person in Fairfax, March 21 – 23, with a special virtual only showcase premiering on March 20, 2025. The festival will be live-streaming and ticket holders will be able to watch the recordings for one month after.

Read All About The Women’s Storytelling Festival Here.

Purchase Virtual or In-Person Tickets Here

Read Storyteller Bios Here

Read About our Festival Sponsors Here

And if you still have any questions left about the 2025 Women’s Storytelling Festival, find answers on our FAQ Here

We’ll see you in Fairfax, VA, or online, in March!

Six Feet Apart Fools
2025-04-08 21:00 - 22:30
I foolishly agreed to tell a story in this show produced by my sworn enemy Claire Hennessy and her charming, talented, and beautiful co-producer Regina Stoops of Six Feet Apart Productions. Since I am now stuck telling a story in their show – PLEASE buy a ticket and come and vote for me. I couldn’t handle the absolute humiliation, not to mention the barbs Claire is sure to send – if I lose (again!). The competition is tough! I’m particularly terrified of Walt Belcher, aka Your Name. So please, help me win. I could use a new mug!
Tuesday, April 8th, at 9:00pm Eastern – on Zoom
Register here – https://april8openmic.eventbrite.com

Workshop for the NSN Pro Sig
2025-04-12 14:00 - 15:30
In this National Storytelling Network PRO-SIG led workshop, Carol Moore and Jessica Robinson will discuss the media part of social media. This is a follow-up to the first Social Media workshop by Carol Moore and Jessica Robinson last Fall. It will focus on the MEDIA aspects of social media promotions.
Saturday, April 12, 2025
1-2:30 pm CDT / 2:00pm – 3:30pm Eastern
$10 (free for PRO members)
Details and Registration Here

Free Storytelling Workshop in Burke, VA
2025-04-26 14:00 - 15:30
Your Personal Brand Storytelling Workshop

Learn how to craft your own elevator speech and/or interview-ready story using professional storytelling techniques. Attendees will hear tips about storytelling, branding, and then have time to work on writing their own story! Session focuses on storytelling techniques with a business focus. Led by Better Said Than Done Executive Director, Jessica Piscitelli Robinson.
Open to Adults, 18+. Registration is encouraged, but not required. At Kings Park Library, Burke, VA
Details Here

The Malaga Ship Story
2025-05-03 20:00 | Historic Blenheim, 3610 Blenheim Blvd., Fairfax City, VA
On May 3rd, join Better Said Than Done at the Historic Blenheim Center for Antonio Rocha’s performance of The Malaga Ship: A story of Maine and the Middle Passage. This event is free and open to the public. Suggested for ages 13+. Registration is not require, but is recommended.
Register Here.
The Malaga was a 183 ton brig built in 1832, in Brunswick Maine, in a shipyard owned by Joseph Badger. The ship eventually found herself as part of the already Illegal transatlantic trade of African captives to the Americas, especially Brazil.
The Malaga Ship Story is a tour de force performance. Using his entire body and voice, Antonio Rocha sings, narrates, and mimes his way through this poetically toned historical tale told mostly from the perspective of the ship. The story vividly explores the reality and impact of the slave industry, which was the largest industry in the world in the 1800s. The story also has a deep connection to the performer, for Malaga goes to Rio de Janeiro – Brazil in 1845, where Antonio was raised in a biracial household over a century later.
Antonio Rocha (pronounced haw-sha), originally from Brazil, began his career in the performing arts in 1985. In 1988 he received a Partners of the Americas grant to come to the USA to perform and deepen his mime skills with Mime Master Tony Montanaro. Mr. Rocha’s unique and award winning solo fusion of mime and storytelling with mesmerizing voices and sound effects has been performed from Singapore to South Africa and many places in between, including 20 countries on 6 continents as well as in 44 US states. Some of the venues include The Singapore Festival of the Arts, Wolf Trap, The National Storytelling Festival, The Kennedy Center, The Smithsonian Institution, The National Geographic, The Tales of Graz in Austria, Dunya Festival, The Timpanogos Storytelling Festival, Cave Run Storytelling Festival as well as thousands of school performances.
A two time TEDx speaker, Mr. Rocha is a proud recipient of the coveted Circle of Excellence Award by the National Storytelling Network, and most recently the 2024 Maine Arts Commission Fellowship for the Performing Arts.
This event is part of the 2025 City of Fairfax Spotlight on the Arts Festival, running April 25 – May4, 2025.
This event is made possible by the generous support of the Fairfax City Commission on the Arts and Virginia Humanities.

“I saw the performance of the Malaga Ship: A Story of Maine and The Middle Passage by Antonio Rocha at the National Storytelling Network Conference in Seattle, WA in 2024. It took my breath away, left me in tears, and with a sense that I had traveled through time to witness the lifecycle of a slave ship.
This story teaches people about the Middle Passage in a unique and unforgettable way. Antonio brought the ship to life and showed the audience, through the ship’s experience of transporting “cargo,” how incredibly cruel and pervasive the slave industry was. Antonio also drew a line from what happened in the 1800s with his own life and with America today, connecting the dots from the sugar industry, the slave industry, and racial inequity in America in 2024. By connecting these various points through history with his own personal experience, he painted a vivid picture for anyone who might not understand how tragedies of the past influence the present. ”
Jessica Piscitelli Robinson
Executive Director
Better Said Than Done

Mother of All Stories
2025-05-10 19:00 - 20:30
Stories About Mothers
May 10th @ 7pm (Doors open at 6:30) at the Howard County Center for the Arts (8510 High Ridge Rd., Ellicott City)

Tickets Here:
phillgoodstories.com/better-said-than-done-at-story-fest-2025

Here’s the Baltimore Story Fest Link:
https://baltimorestoryfest.com/

Rise and Shine Storytelling Show Online
2025-05-15 20:00 - 21:30
This show was a delight. If you missed it live, you can still register to watch the recording of Rise and Shine, with emcee Jessica Robinson and storytellers Walt Belcher, Alton Chung, Lyn Ford, Chetter Galloway, Howard Lieberman, and Linda Schuyler Ford!
$15 Suggested/$5 Minimum
All Proceeds Split Between Producer and Storytellers
If you miss it live on Zoom, you can watch the recording on Youtube.

Register

100 tickets remaining.
Suggested ContributionAdd oneRemove one$15.00Minimum Contribution / Tip JarAdd oneRemove one$5.00Household ContributionAdd oneRemove one$28.00Generous ContributionAdd oneRemove one$39.00

Add to Cart

You will receive a link to watch the show moments after registering. If you do NOT see that email, first check your junk mail folder. If you still cannot find it, contact stories@bettersaidthandone.org BEFORE the show starts.
As people can watch the recording for up to one month after, ticket sales close on May 17th. Your receipt reflects the date ticket sales close. The link to watch the show has the date and time of the show on it.

The Great Escape Storytelling
2025-05-24 18:30 - 20:30 | Clare and Don’s Beach Shack, 130 North Washington Street, Falls Church, VA, 22046, United States
Are you having a staycation this Memorial Day weekend? Want to leave the “cook out” to someone else? Well, have we got the show for you!
On May 24, join Better Said Than Done at Clare and Don’s Beach Shack in Falls Church, VA for The Great Escape: stories about getaways, with storytellers Silvana Clark, Bonnie Gardner, Len Kruger, Joan Leotta, Jack Scheer, Carlos Velazquez, Zach Wilks, and Cyndi Wish and emcee Jessica Robinson.
The Great Escape, at Clare and Don’s on May 24, at 7:00pm. (note the time please) Doors open 6:30pm. Clare and Don’s Beach Shack is located at 130 N Washington St, Falls Church, VA 22046. A full dinner and bar menu is available for purchase before and during the show.
Online registration for this event is closed
You do not need to print your receipt. Once you register, your name will be on the list at the door. Please note, there is no reserve seating, so if you have a large party, please arrive early.

Storytelling Workshop in Falls Church
2025-06-08 11:00 - 15:00 | Clare and Don’s Beach Shack, 130 North Washington Street, Falls Church, VA, 22046, United States
THIS WORKSHOP WILL BE HYBRID. You can attend in-person or online.
Want to learn to tell a personal story, or have the opportunity to practice one you’re already working on? Join Better Said Than Done Executive Director Jessica Robinson for “Spotlight on You,” a 4 hour workshop focused on crafting, sharing, and re-imagining your personal story.
You MUST register in advance to take this workshop.
Online registration for this event is closed
Spotlight on You is a 3 to 4 hour workshop which includes lessons about storytelling structure, character development and other techniques for creating dramatic, engaging and true, personal stories. Class size is limited so all students will be given the opportunity to write, share at least one story, and receive critical feedback.
The workshop starts promptly at 11:00am. Clare and Don’s Beach Shack is located at 130 N Washington St, Falls Church, VA 22046. There is plenty of free parking nearby.
Please arrive 10 minutes early to order lunch. (Lunch orders are through Clare and Don’s and are not included in registration.) If attending online, you will receive the zoom link after registering.

Love is Love Storytelling
2025-06-28 19:00 - 21:00
Join Better Said Than Done storytelling on June 28th at Clare and Don’s Beach Shack for Love is Love: stories honoring all love, with emcee Jack Scheer and storytellers Phill Branch, Jamie McElhatton, Rajesh Mirchandani, Joe Morice, Vijai Nathan, Ravi Pimplaskar, and Ashlen Renner!
Love is Love is at Clare and Don’s on June 28, 2025, at 7:00pm. Doors open 6:30pm.
Clare and Don’s Beach Shack is located at 130 N Washington St, Falls Church, VA 22046. A full dinner and bar menu is available for purchase before and during the show. There is plenty of free parking nearby, including a parking garage behind Clare and Don’s.
Online registration for this event is closed
You do not need to print your receipt. Once you register, your name will be on the list at the door. Please note, there is no reserve seating, so if you have a large party, please arrive early.

Hot and Spicy Stories
2025-07-10 20:00 - 21:30
The recording of Hot and Spicy stories is now available. Enjoy watching stories from storytellers Vicki Bryan, Claire Hennessy, Jessica Robinson, Jude Treder-Wolff and Megan Wells!
$15 Suggested/$5 Minimum
All Proceeds Split Between Producer and Storytellers
Online registration for this event is closed
You will receive a link to watch the show moments after registering. If you do NOT see that email, first check your junk mail folder. If you still cannot find it, contact stories@bettersaidthandone.org BEFORE the show starts.
As people can watch the recording for up to one month after, ticket sales close on July 15th. Your receipt reflects the date ticket sales close. The link to watch the show has the date and time of the show on it.

The NSN Conference
2025-07-17 14:30 - 2025-07-20 16:30
I am thrilled that Better Said Than Done has a Women’s Storytelling Festival showcase at the National Storytelling Network Conference in Georgia this July. Our showcase features storytellers Carmen Agra Deedy, Karin Amano, Lona Bartlett, Lyn Ford, Bonnie Gardner, Jennifer Munro, and Jessica Robinson. It really is a phenomenal lineup and I am thrilled to be sharing stories, and the stage, with these women.
The NSN conference runs from July 17 – 20, 2025. It will take place in-person at Kennesaw State University, as well as many of the events being available to watch online, including our women’s showcase.
You can find the complete conference schedule as well as details on how to register to attend in-person or purchase a virtual ticket here.

The Good Liars Club Festival
2025-08-02 12:00 - 22:00
The Good Liars Club Festival is produced, annually, by our good friends Anne Rutherford and Norm Brecke, and you will recognize many of the storytellers – though perhaps not from their photos.
Live on Zoom, Anne & Norm present:
The 2025 Good Liars Club Festival
Sat Aug 2
11am AKDT/ Noon PDT/ 1pm MDT/ 2pm CDT/ 3pm EDT
6 showcases of 24 fabulous liars stretching the truth in good-natured fun.

Showcases run every hour on the hour
One registration link lets you come in and out of the festival as you please.
Donors get a recording of the festival to watch on demand.
Don’t miss the fourth year of this festival of confabulation!

Festival schedule & registration:
https://www.anne-norm.com/2025-glc-festival

Legendary Stories
2025-08-07 20:00 - 21:30
The recording of Legendary: Stories Beyond Belief, with storytellers Heather Forest, Lynne Jordan, Jeanna Lee, Ed Stivender, and Donna Washington, is now available for purchase.

The show starts at 8:00pm Eastern, live on Zoom, and will begin playing on Youtube approximately 24 hours later – for ticket holders only.

Online registration for this event is closed

$15 Suggested/$5 MinimumAll Proceeds Split Between Producer and Storytellers
If you miss it live on Zoom, you can watch the recording on Youtube.

Free Storytelling Workshop
2025-08-14 19:30 - 21:00
Braided, Fractured, and Re-imagined Stories
A Free Workshop led by Jessica Robinson for the Story Center at the Mid-Continental Public Library
In this interactive workshop with Jessica Robinson, participants will take stories they know well and twist them, reshaping them into something new and different. Students will learn how the terms “fractured” and “braided” apply to stories, when and why to reshape a story, and practical steps to twist a tale. This class is part of the Oral Storytelling Certificate Program as a storytelling elective. This program will be held virtually using Zoom. Registration with a valid email address is required to receive the Zoom link. All start times are Central Time.
FREE but you must register here:
www.mymcpl.org/events/109084/braided-fractured-and-re-imagined-stories-zoom

Never Had I Ever
2025-08-23 19:00 - 20:30 | Clare and Don’s Beach Shack, 130 North Washington Street, Falls Church, VA, 22046, United States
Join Better Said Than Done Storytelling on August 23, at 7:00pm, at Clare and Don’s Beach Shack in Falls Church, VA, for “Never Had I Ever: stories about firsts, somedays, and nopes,” with emcee Bonnie Gardner and storytellers J.R. Denson, Ravi Pimplaskar, Jessica Robinson, Jack Scheer, Zette St. Charles, Carlos Velazquez, and Zach Wilks.
Online registration for this event is closed
Clare and Don’s Beach Shack is located at 130 N Washington St, Falls Church, VA 22046. A full dinner and bar menu is available for purchase before and during the show. There is plenty of free parking nearby, including a parking garage behind Clare and Don’s.
You do not need to print your receipt. Once you register, your name will be on the list at the door. Please note, there is no reserve seating, so if you have a large party, please arrive early.

Six Feet Apart Moving Stories
2025-08-26 20:00 - 21:30
Better Said Than Done Executive Director, Jessica Robinson, is emceeing this special Six Feet Apart Productions’ storytelling show.
Claire Hennessy and Regina Stoops are bringing the Fringe show they performed at the National Storytelling Network Conference to the Six Feet Apart virtual stage. Each will tell how they decided to make California their home and build a family. Both paths are sometimes difficult, fraught with chaos and challenges, but also funny and heartwarming.
Their favorite producer and storyteller from the East Coast, the fabulous Jessica Robinson, will emcee and host a Q&A afterward.
Register here.

Lesson Learned
2025-09-18 20:00 - 21:30
The recording of Lesson Learned: Stories of Teachable Moments, with emcee Chetter Galloway and storytellers Clint Atwater, Roopa Mohan, Elisa Pearmain, Jessica Robinson, and Patti Smith, is now available to watch with ticket purchase.

$15 Suggested/$5 MinimumAll Proceeds Split Between Producer and Storytellers
If you miss it live on Zoom, you can watch the recording on Youtube.

Online registration for this event is closed
Laura Simms was under the weather so Jessica Robinson told a story in her place.

Kings Park Storytelling Workshop
2025-09-22 19:00 - 20:30 | Kings Park Library, 9000 Burke Lake Rd, Burke, VA
Stories can enrich the lives of the living, and immortalize those who have died. Learn the basics of crafting a personal narrative inspired by an event or person in your life. In this 90-minute class, presented by Better Said Than Done Executive Director Jessica Robinson, you will learn about character development, story structure, and how to edit the entirety of a life into one cohesive story. Participants will be given a writing prompt to work on and discuss in class.
Free. Registering in advance is recommended.
Register here: https://librarycalendar.fairfaxcounty.gov/event/15022503

Apple Pie Stories
2025-10-04 18:00 - 20:00 | Clare and Don’s Beach Shack, 130 North Washington Street, Falls Church, VA, 22046, United States
Join Better Said Than Done Storytelling on October 4th, at 6:00pm, at Clare and Don’s Beach Shack in Falls Church, VA, for “Apple Pie Stories,” with emcee Jack Scheer and storytellers Nick Baskerville, Catherine Calvin, Jennifer Hine, Jenn Kamara, Rishi Nixon, and Jessica Robinson.
We are thrilled to partner with ArtsFairfax for artoberVA, the inaugural month-long celebration of Fairfax arts! To celebrate, we are offering a BOGO ticket discount. Buy one ticket at the regular price, and get $5 off the second ticket.
Online registration for this event is closed
Clare and Don’s Beach Shack is located at 130 N Washington St, Falls Church, VA 22046. A full dinner and bar menu is available for purchase before and during the show. There is plenty of free parking nearby, including a parking garage behind Clare and Don’s.
You do not need to print your receipt. Once you register, your name will be on the list at the door. Please note, there is no reserve seating, so if you have a large party, please arrive early.

“Fall into the arts” this October with artoberVA, ArtsFairfax’s celebration of the arts in Fairfax
with exclusive events and offers all month long!

Otherworldly Stories
2025-10-09 20:00 - 21:30
The recording of Otherworldly Stories, with storytellers Norm Brecke, Karen Golden, Steve Henegar, Tobey Ishii Anderson, Andy Russell, and Hope Wilder, is now available.
$15 Suggested/$5 MinimumAll Proceeds Split Between Producer and Storytellers

Online registration for this event is closed

You should receive the Youtube link shortly after registering. Check the email you use on Paypal and check your junk folder if you do NOT see it.
Contact us at stories (at) bettersaidthandone (dot) com if you still do not see the email.
PLEASE NOTE: We cannot respond to emails during the show.
PLEASE double check you have the login prior to when the show is starting!
As people can watch the recording for up to one month after, ticket sales close the Sunday after.
Your receipt reflects the date ticket sales close. The link to watch the show has the date and time of the show on it.

Scary Stories at the Haunted Library
2025-10-22 19:00 - 20:00 | MLK DC Public Libray, 901 G St. NW, Washington, DC, 20001, United States
On October 22, join storytellers Silvana Clark, J.R. Denson, Jessica Robinson, and Zach Wilks, for a night of terrifying tales at the Haunted Library.
Looking for a cozy thrill this Halloween season? Come to the Haunted Library, if you dare, for an hour of scary stories told by professional storytelling haints and ghouls, brought to you by Better Said Than Done. Bring snacks and hot beverages and join us on the First Floor of the MLK Library.
Details here.
This concert is FREE and open to the public, but intended for a mature audience. If you watched Poltergeist as a child, you are likely old enough to enjoy these stories.

Halloween Stories in the Park
2025-10-24 18:00 - 20:00 | Franklin Park, 36441 Blueridge View Ln., Purcelville, VA, 20132
Join Better Said Than Done storytellers Jennifer Hine and Jessica Robinson for stories along the Trick or Treat Trail, at Halloween in the Park, at Franklin Park, in Loudoun County, VA.

In addition to storytelling, there will be pumpkin decorating, trick-or-treating, games, face painting, live animals, inflatables, vendors and more! All for free.

Storytelling Workshop Purcelville
2025-10-30 18:00 - 20:00
We’re gonna get a little scary at this next storytelling workshop at Franklin Park Arts Center. I mean, it’s October 30th. We can’t just ignore the ghost in the room.
Whether you want to work on crafting a personal story, or a scary story, this workshop will work for you. Bring ideas for a 5-7 minute story to work on in this 90-minute class. Learn about character development, story structure, and where to begin and how to end, and then spend some time writing. A few participants will be able to share their stories with the class and help prepare you for Franklin Park Arts Center’s Storytelling Open Mic nights, beginning in November.
Instructor: Jessica Robinson, of Better Said Than Done
Details and $20 registration here.
Franklin Park Arts Center
36441 Blueridge View Lane
Purcellville, VA 20132
540-338-7973 (Box Office)
Loudoun County, VA
And sign up for the Open Mic Story Swap at Franklin Park Arts Center on November 20, at 6:00pm.
$5 Registration here

Soap Box Stories
2025-11-08 18:00 - 20:00 | Clare and Don’s Beach Shack, 130 North Washington Street, Falls Church, VA, 22046, United States
On November 8, 2025, join us at Clare and Don’s Beach Shack for Soap Box Stories, with emcee Jessica Robinson and storytellers Catherine Calvin, Bonnie Gardner, Jennifer Hine, Joe Morice, Ravi Pimplaskar, and Zette St. Charles. Ya’ll can listen while we get up on our Soap Box and tell you some stories!
We’re offering a special discount for furloughed or fired feds. If you are currently underemployed or working for free, please take advantage of the 2 tickets for $20.
Online registration for this event is closed
Clare and Don’s Beach Shack is located at 130 N Washington St, Falls Church, VA 22046. A full dinner and bar menu is available for purchase before and during the show. There is plenty of free parking nearby, including a parking garage behind Clare and Don’s.
You do not need to print your receipt. Once you register, your name will be on the list at the door. Please note, there is no reserve seating, so if you have a large party, please arrive early.

Storytelling Open Mic at Franklin Park
2025-11-20 18:00 - 20:00
(Ages 12+) The mic is yours! Bring a prepared story that is 5-7 minutes in length in any format and step up to the mic to share it the others in this community series. Each month, we will host an open mic evening followed by a 30-minute performance from a professional storyteller. With special guest storyteller Jessica Robinson, Better Said Than Done’s Executive Director.
Listeners and storytellers are welcome — everyone needs a ticket.
November theme: Family & Food For Thought
Storytellers will sign up when arriving and if there are more tellers that time, we’ll draw names at random for a turn at the mic.
