Will Hornyak

A tale-teller extraordinaire, Will Hornyak is a nationally touring
storyteller who weaves myths, fairytales, poems and personal
narratives into spellbinding performances.

From Celtic myths, Russian fairytales, Mexican folktales,
Oregon tall tales and beyond, Will draws from a deep well
of oral world cultures and personal experiences to celebrate
the common roots and distinct branches of our shared humanity.

“Phenomenal….a master storyteller.”— Oregon Arts Live

Upcoming Events & Calendar

Will has performed on the mainstage at the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, Tennessee and numerous regional festivals as a full-time, professional storyteller since 1994. He draws audiences of all ages into a shared experience of wonder with highly imaginative, deeply engaging performances.

He is also an experienced teacher of the art and craft of storytelling and has provided classes and workshops in storytelling at Portland State University, Lewis and Clark College (Portland) and for numerous, schools, churches, community centers, non-profit and corporate organizations.

“Will is a myth teller who combines strength of voice, depth of compassion and profound respect and knowledge of the cultural wellsprings from which he draws. He creates powerful and life-enhancing stories with a unique poetic style.”
— Laura Simms

“With equal passion and wisdom Will Hornyak shares a remarkably deep repertoire of tales from ancient mythologies to current adventures with wit and grace.”— Elizabeth Ellis

“Listening to Will spin a tale helps bring a fellow back to life again.”— Ray Summers, KOIN TV

Main Stage

Storyteller Will Hornyak, portrait in vest

Will has been a featured performer at regional and national storytelling festivals including:

National Storytelling Festival, Jonesborough, TN
Mariposa Storytelling Festival, California
Bay Area Storytelling Festival, California
Forest Storytelling Festival, Port Angeles, WA
Skagit River Poetry Festival, La Conner, WA
Tapestry of Tales, Portland, Oregon
Hearing Voices, Washington County, Oregon
Power of Poetry Festival, Hocking Hills, OH
Solvang Storytelling Festival, California
Fisher Poets Gathering, Astoria, Oregon

“Any story that finds its way to the mind of Will Hornyak will swirl, grow, and come forth singing to put lucky listeners in a trance of joy and wonder.”— Kim Stafford, Oregon Poet Laureate

“Warmth, wit, wisdom…that’s Will Hornyak.”— Rebecca Hom, Forest Storytelling Festival

Board Room

Will Hornyak seated, storyteller portrait

Will has provided storytelling workshops for Intel, Doc Martens Shoes, Carrefour (Europe), the American Cancer Society, the Oregon Department of Corrections and numerous other organizations in developing and telling stories that communicate their values, vision and mission. He created the M.B.A. class “Myth, Metaphor and the Bottom Line” for Portland State University.

“Will has had a profound impact on our clients’ understanding of the importance of storytelling in organizational communication. He is a masterful storyteller and teacher.”— Joseph Chehouri, WDHB International Consulting, Boulder, CO

“Will’s workshop was one of the most valuable our team attended. He brought us directly into the storytelling process.”— Tim Syfert, Johnson Controls, New Holland, Michigan

Classroom · Library · Summer Camps

Will Hornyak telling stories to a group of children

From Russian fairytales and Native American legends to Irish myths, Oregon tall tales and lively participation stories, Will weaves a wide variety of oral traditions into engaging and educational assembly performances, workshops and residencies. Honored as Artist of the Year by Young Audiences of Oregon and a frequent guest in K-12 schools, he was awarded the Brimstone Grant by the National Storytelling Network for the K-6 environmental assembly program “Living Streams: Stories for Healthy Watersheds,” performed for over 60,000 students throughout the Northwest.

“…a storyteller’s storyteller. He can surprise, intrigue, captivate and touch all ages.”— Christene Caton, Former Education Director, Young Audiences of Oregon

“You’re the funniest most serious person I ever met.”— Oregon fourth grader

Change Agent

An advocate for storytelling as a change agent in personal and collective life, Will works with a variety of non-profit organizations including “Open Hearts, Open Minds,” which integrates dialogue groups, storytelling and theatre into Oregon state penitentiaries. He uses storytelling to inspire discussion among youth and men in detention centers, county jails and state prisons in Oregon.

Will has facilitated workshops for The Oregon Association of Attorney Generals, Portland Central City Concern, the American Cancer Society, Portland Old Town Clinic, The Intertwine Alliance, Mercy Corp International and Hospice of Southwest Washington.

“It has been a great pleasure to watch Will bring prison inmates under the spell of his storytelling magic. For a while, no one feels like they’re in prison.”— Johnny Stallings, Executive Director, Open Hearts, Open Minds

Bring a Story to Your Stage

Festivals, boardrooms, classrooms and beyond — let’s create something unforgettable.