At Rise
Stories Found is a theatrical production company in Austin, Texas. We specialize in creating and producing plays, sketches, storytelling shows, and live performance events with a special emphasis on comedies. Whether we’re writing, producing, or performing — we do funny stuff.
We like weird. We like funny. If you’re weird and funny, we can probably be BFFs.
January 2020
Launched in the ignorantly blissful days of January 2020, Stories Found was created as a way to put more comedies on local stages. As a humorist, Ava was keenly aware that it’s often harder to get a comedy produced than a drama and both she and Paul wanted to do something to help level the playing field for comedy productions while also helping to support local comedy writers.
The first show produced by Stories Found, was a ten-minute comedy written by Ava Love Hanna, BAD NEIGHBORS. It was chosen for Best of Week in FronteraFest 2020 and was an audience favorite. However, a few short weeks later, as we started work on a live storytelling show featuring notable Austin playwrights, storytellers, and performers — the pandemic started and Austin went on lock down. Live shows are not safe for the foreseeable future.
What Now?
So, what’s a couple of writer/performers/producers with too much time on their hands and a bunch of neat recording equipment to do? We moved online to the relatively safe and germ-free world of digital storytelling and comedy! We’re currently producing Stories Found – The Podcast! and have several other digital projects in the works.
We may be trapped in our houses counting the days until this pandemic is over and feeling like things are pretty grim, but we know the world needs comedy just as much as it did before. It can be tricky to balance our worries, our activism, and our need to laugh, but we truly believe that it’s not only doable, but necessary. Now, more than ever, we need to find a few minutes to laugh and remember that everything will be okay again one day.
If you’ve got a funny idea you want to develop or a story you need to tell and you’re trying to figure out your next steps, let’s connect. We may be able to help with production assistance or simply connect you with the right people to help bring your idea to life.
We want your stories found.
Hi, I’m Ava Love Hanna!
I’m a professional writer, published playwright, and award-winning speaker and storyteller.
I write things like essays, satire, plays, jokes, and stories. They’re usually funny.
Sometimes my plays or sketches are on stage, sometimes I am. Sometimes, both things happen at the same time.
Hi, I’m Paul Hanna. I’m the Statler to Ava’s Waldorf.
I’m an audio engineer, musician and performer.
Ava made me write this bio and rejected all of the cool stuff I wanted to put in it like the fact that I own a guitar shaped like a lightning bolt.
I think she’s jealous.